Product Description

The Japanese believe that until the age of three, children are gods, each one a 'Lord Child'. On their third birthday they fall from grace and join the rest of humanity. Narrated by a child - from the age of two and a half up until her third birthday - this novel reveals that the move from deity to ordinary member of the human race can be a very difficult thing indeed from which to recover.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37674 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Review
"'French literary lioness Nothomb imagines the inner life of her first two years of childhood, richly depicting this wondrous secret universe.' Elle; 'Potently distills from the state of infancy the intensity of beginnings, the precariousness, the trailed clouds of glory.' New York Times"

About the Author
Amelie Nothomb Belgian by nationality, Amelie Nothomb was born in Kobe, Japan, and currently lives in Paris. Her UK debut, The Book of Proper Names, was published by Faber and Faber in 2004.

Customer Reviews

Outstanding; beautiful; delightful
The book covers just six months or so of an infant's early years. It explores the child's perspective and take on the world with a marvellous insight - touching on matters from vacuum cleaners to death with equal weight and sensitivity. The study produces a child's philosophy of life. It gives us just a snippet of the child's life and ends all too soon (I was left mourning the years of innocence that pass so quickly).

I found it a sheer delight to read. The whole book is a stunning achievement.

'Fear and Trembling' by the same author is far better
Strange - and not very satisfying - like an 'idea' for a novel that hasn't been thoroughly worked out - but no worries - read 'Fear and Trembling' by the same author - that's much better.

Delightful read
I read this book in French in the summer, and ordered the English language version for my wife. Like me, she thoroughly enjoyed Nothomb's lively prose and very orginal take on infant autobiography. The book is refreshing and amusing, and I would highly commend it.