The Strange Scent of Saffron

Original title: L’Étrange odeur du safran

Author: Babin, Miléna

Publication Date:

April 2018

Pages:

216

Original language and publisher

French | Editions XYZ

Territories Handled

English (World excl Canada), France, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Scandinavia

Territories Sold

English (World) (Guernica)

Genre

Literary Fiction

The Strange Scent of Saffron

Original title: L’Étrange odeur du safran

Author: Babin, Miléna

Synopsis

Lower St. Lawrence, July 1988. When Nil sets out for Le Bic along with Lavender, her pet fox (!), she has no idea that being on the lam for a few days will forever mark her future. Raised by her uncle along with her twin brother Yoav in less-than-enviable conditions, she’s still rough around the edges when she decides to take off and just “lie low” for a while. Along the way, she’ll come across characters that are more tormented than they seem, beginning with Jacob, HIV-positive restaurant owner mixed up in the trafficking of… saffron, the red gold that sets spirits ablaze and adds flavor to the finest delicacies!

After wolfing down a copious meal she can’t possibly afford at the restaurant where Jacob works, Nil and Lavender take off in her van—without paying the bill. But a few hours later Jacob finds himself tailing her in his car. Nil has the nerve to ask him for a place to stay, even after stiffing him. And she’ll be surprised to learn that what was meant to be a quick stop to refuel turns into a longer stay than she could have ever imagined. Each of the characters has something to gain from the others, motivating them to stick together despite their seeming incompatibility.

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