Explores the state of French fiction through an examination of the work of five major French writers, Annie Ernaux, Pascal Quignard, Marie Darrieussecq, Jean Echenoz and Patrick Modiano. This book deals with some of the writers on British and American university French courses.

Dr Simon Kemp is a Fellow at St. John's College, Oxford.

Chapter one: Annie Ernaux and the Narrating of Time Chapter two: Pascal Quignard and the Fringes of Narrative Chapter three: Marie Darrieussecq and the Voice of the Mind Chapter four: Jean Echenoz and the Uses of Digression Chapter five: Patrick Modiano and the Problem of Endings The Return to the Story