Shelfies #21: Maiwenn Alix

It might look like just a library to you, but this is a lifeline.

In 2021, I was in Dubai, battling post-partum depression, adjusting to a new life with a baby while also being, quite literally, in limbo. You see, we were supposed to move from Morocco to Kuwait for my husband’s job, but, Covid happened and we found ourselves trapped outside of Morocco which had closed their borders, and outside of Kuwait which wasn’t letting anyone in.

Every week, we would be told that maybe, soon, next week, in two weeks, the countries will reopen and we will be able to look for a house and get our stuff back from Morocco. Well, in my case, my stuff is mostly books. The comfort they bring me by just being there, around me like a paper cocoon, is indescribable.

To hold on, I started dreaming about the perfect office library, the perfect bookcases, the shrine in which I could accumulate and display my most precious obsession. Every time our theoretical departure date was postponed, I would add to my Pinterest board, I would doodle what my future office would look like.

When my depression started to worsen, I knew I had to do something: I started building it. It took a full month to transform four IKEA BILLY into my dream bookshelves, but at the end, I was breathing fully again, my head was above the dark clouds… and we got the news we could move to Kuwait. The bookcases sat in our empty Dubai house for about 4 months, until I could finally get them in our new country – and paint them. It’s been three years now, and when I walk into my office, I’m welcomed by the delightful sight of my precious books in their dream blue setting.

Gagner la guerre – Jean-Philippe Jaworski

I had to talk about Gagner la guerre. It is my favorite novel, and what I consider the best written in my lifetime. This book has everything, a stunning and rich universe, a complex intrigue full of dark plots and secrets, a style to die for and most importantly, the most horrible hero. Because the main protagonist is not a hero, is not even an antihero, he is a villain. You follow Benvenutto Gefusal, a professional assassin, at the service of the powerful Léonide Ducatore, head of the Ciudalia Republic, and they have one objective: to win the war. But which war, will you ask me? Well, you have to read it to discover. But you’ll see, you will make the mistake of getting attached to Benvenutto. And this piece of shit will make sure to remind you in some difficult scenes that you are not supposed to root for him. He is evil and cruel, truly. He is also incredibly funny, with a humor as dark as his soul. In short, it’s a fantastic read, and I hope it will come to English soon!

Sidenote: JP Jaworski has his own dedicated shelf in my library because he’s the best French language writer alive today. There, I said it, even though he protested when I told him. Because he’s also a very sweet guy who’s way too modest.

 The bird and the blade - Megan Bannen

 A Mongolian fantasy with ghosts and riddles, full of adventures, where you follow a destitute Chinese princess who became the slave of the Mongolian prince Khalaf, descendant of Genghis Khan. It is beautiful, incredibly rich, and I was surprised by the twists of the story until the very end. Note that this is also the only book that made me ugly cry as an adult.

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

I don’t think I need to present this book, do I? It’s the one that gave me the kick I needed to write again, and seriously this time. In 2014 I was in bed, transformed into a jellyfish by an unknown tropical disease. During the long months that this ordeal lasted, I read. Most importantly, I read all the new YA dystopian novels and I was particularly hooked by this trilogy. « This is what I want to do », I thought, « high stakes, fast paced novels that drag you deep into the night and are so enthralling they make you forget you’re bed-bound and in a world of pain and discomfort ». At this point, I had two chapters of my first novel in a drawer somewhere, and I swore to myself: if I was ever going to get better, I would finish it.   

The Devil and the Dark Water - Stuart Turton

I love a murder mystery (I have seen every episode of Midsomer Murders), I love maritime adventures, I love when the borders between reality and fantasy blur. So, I could only love this book! It’s beautifully twisted and dark, and I enjoyed it to the point of offering it to most of my family members at Christmas. It’s also the only book that is allowed to sit next to Jaworski’s novels on their shelf. 

The Three Body Problem – Liu Cixin

I started 2024 with a newborn, recovering from my last pregnancy, and listening to this story has definitely made my sleepless nights and the hours I spent breastfeeding so much more interesting. You know a book is good when you let a baby sleep for three hours on you just because you don’t want to stop! I particularly enjoyed being thrown in to Chinese culture without anyone guiding my hand, all while being astonished at every chapter by the logical but very surprising developments of the intrigue.

Maiwenn Alix grew up in France, Sweden, and Switzerland. Trained as an engineer, she is now fully dedicated to writing and has already published six young adult novels: the In Real Life trilogy, the Clones de la Nation duology, and Noblesse Oblige - now a YA best seller. Her writing has been recognized by the pre-eminent French language science fiction awards, winning the Utopiales youth prize in 2019 and 2023, as well as the 2024 ActuSF Uchronia prize.

Shelfies is edited by Lavie Tidhar and Jared Shurin. If you are interested in sharing a shelfie, please let us know.