The purpose of this book is to discuss some of the received wisdom that weighs heavily on the conscience of contemporary French writers, who, it must be admitted, have a daunting legacy to cope with. When you get right down to it, although these reflections belong essentially to the domain of literary theory, their real goal is to say that the novel is not dead, and that literature is a worthy enterprise.

Standing up to the incessant plaints of the declinologists who prove nothing but their own loss of faith while leaving readers in a state of demobilizing discouragement, Sophie Divry suggests some solutions for turning literature back into a place of exploration and adventure. She shares her ideas for novels that are livelier, more demanding and more tenacious, and thus more necessary to authors and readers alike.

This book is the fruit of an effort to summarize and a desire to share; its purpose is to suggest ideas to writers who are pondering the same questions that Sophie Divry has in the course of her work.