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Ferrari's 'A Very Brief Theory of Hell' Examines Migrant Exploitation in Abu Dhabi
Herz — Switzerland Desk · · 30s summary · 2 min read
The essentials
Jérôme Ferrari has published 'A Very Brief Theory of Hell,' the second installment of his trilogy 'Tales of the Native and the Traveler,' which explores otherness. The novel is set in Abu Dhabi and contrasts the condition of expatriates—air-conditioned luxury overlooking mangroves—with that of migrant workers subjected to unnamed servitude. The narrator, a young French teacher from Corsica, flees boredom and self-disgust. An attack in Algiers forces him to leave Algeria with his partner Nardjess and their daughter Afsaneh to move to the Emirates.
- Ferrari publishes the second novel in his trilogy exploring otherness.
- The story contrasts the lives of expatriates with migrant workers in Abu Dhabi.
- An attack in Algiers compels the narrator to leave Algeria.
- The first installment, 'North Sentinel,' focused on mass tourism in Corsica.
What We Know
Jérôme Ferrari has published 'A Very Brief Theory of Hell,' the second installment of the trilogy 'Tales of the Native and the Traveler,' which is dedicated to the theme of otherness, according to Le Temps.
The novel is set in Abu Dhabi. It contrasts the condition of expatriates—air-conditioned luxury overlooking mangroves—with that of migrant workers subjected to the sacrifices and humiliations of unnamed servitude.
The Plot
The narrator is a young French teacher from Corsica. Driven by the desire to travel, but also by weariness, boredom, and self-disgust, he applies to teach at the French lycée in Algiers.
He seeks to escape what he perceives as a fatality tied to his Corsican origins, a recurring motif in Ferrari's work.
In Algiers, he meets Nardjess, his colleague described as an inaccessible beauty with pale blue eyes, whom he views as another possibility to escape himself. An attack targeting their school forces them to leave Algeria.
Without consulting Nardjess—who wished to visit Corsica—the narrator secures a teaching position in Abu Dhabi. The couple moves there with their daughter Afsaneh.
A Trilogy on Otherness
'A Very Brief Theory of Hell' is the second installment of 'Tales of the Native and the Traveler,' a series of three novels dedicated to otherness. The first volume, 'North Sentinel,' examined the ravages of mass tourism in Corsica.
What Remains Uncertain
The exact publication date and the publisher's identity are not specified in the available sources.
What is the central theme of 'A Very Brief Theory of Hell'?
The novel explores otherness by contrasting the lives of expatriates in Abu Dhabi with those of migrant workers subjected to what the narrative describes as unnamed servitude.
What is the trilogy 'Tales of the Native and the Traveler'?
It is a series of three novels by Jérôme Ferrari dedicated to the theme of otherness. 'North Sentinel,' which focuses on mass tourism in Corsica, is the first installment; 'A Very Brief Theory of Hell' is the second.
Why does the narrator leave Algeria?
An attack targeting the French lycée in Algiers, where he teaches, forces the narrator and his partner Nardjess to leave the country.
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