A Sentimental Novel

In France, Alain Robbe-Grillet’s final novel was sold in shrink-wrap, labeled with a sticker warning that this adult fairy tale might offend certain sensibilities. Running the gamut of unacceptable subject matter from incest to sexual torture, this book abounds with vignettes that explore taboos and their representation in fiction from the Brothers Grimm to the Marquis de Sade. It tells the story of Gigi, also known as Djinn, who is being schooled by her father to be a perfect slave and mistress. Titillating or disgusting, the work of a dirty old man or brilliant agent provocateur—or both—A Sentimental Novel serves the same function as all classic fairy tales: reflecting back the strangeness and savagery lurking behind civilization. By enacting and even mocking them, literature might perhaps succeed in expelling our monsters— or at least in having some fun with them.