Pitie Pour Le Mal

In August 1944, a column of demobilised German soldiers stops at a farm in Wallonie to requisition a few horses and wagons for their trip home. The head of the family was killed by the Nazis and his son, Mutien, is outraged. He manages to convince his brother to set out with him on the Germans? trail and steal back their father's prized Brabancon stallion, Gaillard de Graux. The two brothers, oblivious to the risks of travelling through a country devastated by war, prove their courage through 6 weeks of terrible danger and unforgettable moments of brotherhood. Out to avenge their father, their motivation makes up for their lack of experience and they are able to cause considerable problems for the Germans during their retreat while managing to provoke the compassion of an old Wehrmacht officer who decides to protect them. Day to day survival brings out the human camaraderie in many of the actors of this coming-of-age war drama whose message is a plea to consider mistakes and forgiveness. And to understand that life, like that of the horse Gaillard de Graux, can force us to make our way far off the beaten path. Poet, sculptor, master of stained-glass techniques and writer, Bernard Tirtiaux has written six novels, among the critically acclaimed Aubertin d?Avalon (Lattès 2002). ? A wonderful coming of age novel that discusses the fundamental questions of forgiveness, innocence and childhood. Written with efficiency, emotional restraint and the exact dose of poetry needed to attenuate the horrors of war.? Christian Signol