The Lost Domain: Le Grand Meaulnes Centenary Edition

Everyone wishes that they could have an adventure, and Le Grand Meaulnes is no exception. He is a mysterious and rebellious boy who came to live in a sleepy French town where he took the local schoolboy population by storm. He became wildly popular with all his schoolmates, including the narrator of the story, Francois Seurel. However, when Le Grand Meaulnes decides to play a prank on the schoolmaster and take the master’s wagon into the wilderness, he finds himself lost in a land governed by children. He falls in love with a mysterious young lady but is forced to leave the domain soon after meeting her. Meaulnes and Seurel devise a scheme to escape their dreary town and find Meaulnes’ infatuation.

This is a classic French novel, expertly translated into English for its centennial edition. The story is entertaining, although it is definitely in an older style. The book gives a good mix of the ordinary and extraordinary, and is very dreamlike. I enjoyed the character development, of which there was quite a bit, and I also enjoyed the dialogue, which seemed to be very realistic. I liked that the author used the experiences of a single boy to relate the plight or adventures of the main character, Meaulnes. The novel was an interesting departure from English literature and helped me better understand and appreciate French culture.