Book Club: Lie With Me
Philippe Besson's heartbreaking story of first love revisited.
Published in 2017, Lie With Me - Arrête avec tes mensonges - is a novel by Philippe Besson. It was translated into English by Molly Ringwald.
What's it about?
Set in 1984 in the rural French town of Barbezieux, the novel recounts the teenage love affair between the narrator and his schoolmate, Thomas Andrieu.
What themes does the novel explore?
In interviews, Besson has said that this novel is party autobiographical - that he is writing about his 17-year-old self, and what happened in the year that he turned 17.
Besson has also said that his approach to writing Lie With Me was influenced by The Lover by Marguerite Duras.
One element of the story is classic bildungsroman - the narrator's coming-of-age as he begins his sexual exploration and forms an emotional bond with his schoolmate, Thomas.
The narrative then shifts along the timeline to explore the different paths taken by the narrator and Thomas - exploring the consequences of the decisions taken during adolescence and that has shaped them.
Systemic homophobia plays a key role in the choices available to the characters - particularly to Thomas.
Why is this an important novel for gay men?
The novel presents us with complex characters who are navigating their sexuality and their desires through challenging circumstances.
It's not difficult to read - good for reading while travelling or on vacation - but has real emotional depth which will resonate with the experiences of most gay men.
The film adaptation
Filmmaker Olivier Peyon adapted the novel for a French-language film that was released in 2022.
It would be advisable to read the book before seeing the film as there are some divergences in terms of structure and chronology.
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