Saturday, January 10, 2026

Change: A Novel by Edouard Louis – ‘Harrowing and profound’

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In his autobiographical novel Change, Édouard Louis, recognised as one of the most significant voices of his generation, delves into themes of social class, transformation, and the challenges of escaping one’s past.

Louis’s life is dominated by a single, burning question: how can he escape the poverty, discrimination, and violence of his working-class hometown? To find his answer, he leaves for school in Amiens and later attends university in Paris.

Determined to leave “Eddy” behind, he adopts an elegant new identity and immerses himself in a world far removed from his roots. He devours books, mingles with aristocrats, and navigates a complex social landscape that includes both millionaires and drug-dealers. Driven by an obsession to reinvent himself, Louis’s journey is a relentless pursuit of transformation.

Change is more than a personal narrative; it is a profound exploration of dreams and the intense struggle of breaking away from one’s origins. Louis’s story offers a poignant and vivid depiction of a society fragmented by class, power, and inequality, capturing the beautiful yet violent process of self-reinvention.

Buy your copy of Change by Edouard Louis at Amazon.com.

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