Genre
Literary Fiction
Setting and Context
The novel is set in southwestern France, particularly in remote rural areas.
Narrator and Point of View
The novel is narrated in the first person by Sadie Smith.
Tone and Mood
The tone is ironic, sardonic, and reflective. The mood is tense and contemplative.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Sadie Smith. The antagonist is the corporate interests destroying the environment.
Major Conflict
The major conflict revolves around Sadie’s role as an infiltrator in the eco-activist group. She is tasked with undermining them while becoming increasingly drawn to their ideals and Bruno’s counter-historical theories about Neanderthals.
Climax
The climax occurs when Sadie has her undercover role exposed during the final planning stages of the protest at Le Moulin.
Foreshadowing
Bruno’s early emails, filled with ominous warnings about the state’s control over water and the fate of ancient species, foreshadow the destructive governmental actions and conflict over resources that play out later in the novel.
Understatement
Sadie frequently understates the gravity of her manipulation, particularly in her interactions with Lucien. Her detached comments about their relationship show how she downplays her emotional detachment and the harm she causes.
Allusions
The novel alludes to philosophy, prehistory, and literature. Bruno’s reflections on Neanderthals reference scientific studies.
Imagery
The novel uses evocative imagery to capture nature and the setting. For example, Sadie describes the farmland and plateau she walks across: “The woods gave way to a plateau with farmland on either side, fields of yellow grass, and large rolls of hay wrapped in white plastic like giant pills.”
Paradox
Bruno’s life itself is a paradox. He opposes civilization’s advances yet relies on technology like email to spread his anti-modern philosophy.
Parallelism
The novel uses parallelism to compare the fate of the Neanderthals with that of the activists—both groups resist external forces but are rendered powerless by larger systemic forces beyond their control.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
n/a
Personification
“Cold and violent wind that ripped through Marseille with no consideration for anything not bolted down.”
The statement personifies the wind.
