Although this novel by Perrin was written years ago, it has only recently been translated and published in English. It's a melancholy story about how an unlikely friendship in a retirement home serves to heal the wounds of the past. The characters are lifelike and memorable and the story is revealed in layers, developing slowly and deliberately and at a gentle pace. Like Perrin's Fresh Water for Flowers it's a charming book with subtle humor and lovely language. Definitely recommended.
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Conhecer França e as suas vilas e pessoas através dos contos de Valerie Perrin é sem dúvida o que me atrai mais nos seus livros. A ligação entre pessoas e segredos guardados ao longo de uma vida faz com que queiramos ler até ao fim.

Os esquecidos de domingo são aquele que não recebem visitas num lar, mas que criam ligações fortíssimas com quem lá trabalha e se deixa levar no ouvir, escutar e estar presente. Um embalo ternurento de uma idade já avançada.

3,7⭐️

C’est globalement un joli petit livre, même si j’ai eu la sensation tout le long que ce n’était pas un « grand » livre. C’est dur pour moi de dire pourquoi. J’ai aimé plusieurs des différentes histoires : celle de Justine et Jules, Justine et Hélène, Hélène et Lucien, Hélène et Claude, Christian et Alain, Alain et Annette, Eugénie et Fatiha. J’ai moins aimé d’autres : Armand et Eugénie, Hélène et Simon, Justine et Je-ne-sais-qui, Jules et ses grands-parents. Je n’ai pas trop aimé comment ces (trop nombreuses?) histoires s’entremêlaient. J’étais toujours un peu confuse, au début des chapitres, à savoir avec qui et quand je serais dans ce morceau d’histoire-là. Les thèmes abordés sont importants, mais traités de manière un peu superficielle : la vieillesse, la jeunesse, la beauté, l’amour, la guerre, la mort, l’amitié, le rêve, le deuil, etc.
J’ai trouvé agaçant de voir des personnages obsédés par d’autres, et j’ai trouvé que le livre avait un peu abusé de relations secrètes et blessantes, de gens amoureux de d’autres, pas amoureux ou amoureux de d’autres.

J’ai beaucoup aimé, par contre, la vision dure mais réaliste, belle et poétique, de la vie dans la résidence des Hortensias. La trame narrative qui s’y déroule, celle qui donne son nom au roman, est absolument délicieuse.

This book had many running intermingled plot lines and time lines. Oftentimes, the book was difficult to follow in the audio version. If I had a printed version to accompany the audio version, it would have helped tremendously to visually track or check back on places, dates, times, names, etc. It is a complex plot that did keep me interested; this is not a light, fluffy beach read. I enjoyed the vulnerability of the main character. Her naiveté was believable and relatable. Overall, the story is a wild ride, but needs full time and attention to stay engaged.