A Certain Smile by Francoise Sagan was first published in 1956, I seem to have bought a first edition very cheaply, when I was in Orkney. This one is a very quick read at just 132 pages.

Dominique is a 20 year old student, studying law at the Sorbonne. She’s getting a bit tired of her boyfriend Bertrand, a fellow student. When Bertrand introduces her to his Uncle Luc Dominique is attracted to the older man. Luc is middle-aged and supposedly happily married to tall blonde and beautiful Francoise, who becomes something of a mother figure to Dominique, buying her clothes and advising her. Dominique really likes her and they become good friends, but when Francoise leaves to spend a fortnight with her mother, Luc and Dominique take the opportunity to go to Cannes in the south of France.

Dominique is sure that she can have a relationship with Luc without becoming too embroiled, but inevitably she can’t. Unknown to Dominique Francoise knows what is going on, no doubt she has been in this situation with her husband before and is very sanguine about it all.

What can I say other than this is all very French and it was mildly diverting.

It was translated from French by Irene Ash.