The Four Corners of the Heart: An Unfinished Novel

When Denis Westhoff, the son of celebrated French novelist Sagan (Bonjour Tristesse), came across this uncompleted manuscript several years after her death in 2004, he knew he had to publish the novel. It appeared in France in 2020 and has sold rights worldwide. It’s a sort of Restoration comedy, full of wit and insight into the French elite. After a serious car accident that no one expected him to survive, Ludovic Cresson spends three years in a facility to treat his physical and mental health conditions. Upon recovering, he returns home to his wife, Marie-Laure; his father, Henri; his stepmother; and her brother, all of whom seem indifferent to him and doubt his sanity. Henri, a wealthy industrialist, is rude, entitled, and selfish. His mansion, Cressonnade, described as “an ugly concoction,” accurately reflects those who call it home. Marie-Laure’s newly widowed and charming mother finds herself playing the role of an outsider in this dysfunctional mix. She succeeds in turning both Ludovic’s and Henri’s heads. Mayhem ensues, a party is planned, and the novel abruptly ends.