What You Need from the Night

A CrimeReads Best International Fiction Book of Fall 2023

A powerful, intimate portrait of grief and radicalization that grapples with the conundrum of having loved ones we no longer recognize.

After the death of his wife, a father raises his two sons alone. His bond with Fus, the elder, and Gillou, the younger, is a close one. But their town is not a place of opportunity, and it soon becomes clear that the boys are heading down different paths. Gillou sets his sights on university in Paris. Fus, despite his socialist upbringing, falls in with the local far-right group. Though he joins mostly for the camaraderie, their activities, which might on the surface appear harmless, lead to a violent confrontation.

How can a father and son find common ground when everything seems set to break them apart? A sudden tragedy will force them to find an answer.

Tense, sharp, and ultimately heartbreaking, What You Need from the Night asks what acts can truly be forgiven, and shines a spotlight on the forgotten corners of a country where white supremacy has taken hold much like in the US.