Diva

Alba & Gorodish #1

by Delacorta, Lowell Bair (Translator)

Made into a modern French film classic, this is another novel in the "NFT/BFI Film Classics" series.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Novels, Crime, France

136 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Delacorta is a pseudonym used by Daniel Odier for some of his works, notably his Alba fiction series.

Reviews

[Toby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently saw the movie version of this book and switched it off half way through, not because it was bad but because I was so excited by the style and content that I simply had to read the book first. It arrived today and I devoured it in no time.

It's a light, fun, read; an enjoyable update of the hard-boiled style in to what I can only agree with others is quite similar to French New Wave but from the 80's instead of the 60's. The content is all pulp crime staples; underworld figures, innocent men caught up in something unwholesome, murder as a matter of course and in the figures of Able and Gorodish you have the beginnings of a great pair of crooks who would go on to star in several other novels. I think somebody else mentioned Charles Willeford in their review and from my experience of his work that seems to be quite accurate. Light, enjoyable with a dark undertone. Only Delacorta refrains from inflicting the existentially downbeat ending on his light breeze of a story.

A brief note on the lead pair from this series; he is an older man, a former concert pianist (echoing the protagonist from Shoot the Piano Player, a favourite David Goodis novel of mine and highly popular in France, made in to a French New Wave film by Truffaut) who admits early in this book to having previously taken nude photos of underage girls (an anti-hero who is an admitted paedophile????) Whilst she is a 13 year old in a hurry to grow up and be 'loved' as a woman should be by her man, she is a talented thief aware of the machinations of those around her but seemingly quite innocent of the ways of the underworld.

I'm sure this kind of partnership will unsettle a lot of people but there's something about the matter of fact, unseedy way that Delacorta writes their relationship that seems to make it acceptable; there's no sex for example, he makes a point of rebuffing her advances throughout and he tries his best to care for her in his own way.

Whilst this wasn't as incredible as I had hoped it would be, it did provide me hope that the series will grow and I might be lucky enough to enjoy the later books even more.

[Madeleine LeBlanc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as creepy as it was when I was a kid🫶🏼

[Michael]

I won't rate this book as I bailed on it after four pages.

The author seems to think that paedophilia is hip and cool, but I don't. Maybe he just put this element in to shock, in which case it worked too well for me.

[Kaethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

22 June 2016

Back in the day I thought this series was so cool: sexy, and French, and awesome. I suppose it's telling that I've never felt a desire to re-read them. Nowadays the whole set up seems skeevy.

Personal copy.

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

the film is better for so many reasons

[Athen Zachary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've adored young Alba since the first time I envisioned her procuring Smarties in a Paris subway station, and so has her 40-year-old mentor Serge Gorodish. File under French New Wave, Eighties Pop Classics and Fresh Takes on Genre Fiction, in this case detective. Beach reading extraordinaire, perfect for plane rides.

[Lagobond · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not something you will find me saying often, but: This book is utter garbage.

True, I chuckled a couple times while reading the first two pages, which were off like a firework. And that is the ONLY good thing I can say about this book, because the writing is mostly trash. Despite the willfully shocking content, 99% of the language is blander and drier than a handful of oatmeal straight from the package. And once the initial shock wears off, it becomes clear that the author was not even making fun of his characters, as he should have been. Because... well, you may have guessed it:

The characters are garbage too. The main, uh, personae are a 40 year old who wasn't like other men (apparently because he was tall [...] with dark, deep-set eyes, short hair and a fascinating, Asian-looking face) ...and his sidekick, 13-year-old Alba, who was reckless with a total lack of scruples. Yeah that's totally not projection or anything. The girl has blond hair and the beginnings of two delectable breasts, her divine body molded by a red leotard. (That must have been some impressively strong leotard fabric which could mold a human body!) The author also felt the need to mention her lack of panties or bra, and the remarkable firmness of the long, smooth thigh that brushed against her big leather handbag as she walked.

All of this sexiness of course totally makes it okay for not one, not two, but THREE grown men to act in the following manner, and I quote:

Catching sight of her, the first one nearly swallowed his spoon, the second one gulped convulsively, and the third one tossed thirty francs on the table and leaped up from his seat to run after her. [...] Armand [...] didn't know exactly what he had seen, but it was enough to make him burst through the door like an artillery shell.

And then of course there's Serge Gorodish, aforementioned special guy of many talents, such as having worked as a baker's helper (I swear I'm not making this up!) and having obsessively practiced the piano for a few years (presumably while being supported by an unknown benefactor) before making the switch to playing the piano in bars, chauffeuring gangsters, drawing cartoons, and taking 'artistic' photographs of young girls (very young, too young for the law)... and all this before age 40, i.e. before meeting Alba and beginning a crime spree with her, at which point I gave up on this mess and that was only page 4!

In case anyone is still reading: no amount of "adult" behavior or physical attractiveness on the part of a 13 year old excuses adult men leering and treating her like a sex object. Also, pedophilia is not cool, even when dressed up as a feisty crime novel (or whatever this was meant to be). And now excuse me while I dispose of this book. You know where.

[Marsh "Bad Sci Fi" Bloom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really a mystery but a thriller that manages to make deadly violence non psychopathic and non evil, just matter of fact. Unlike what the cover says there aren’t any twists. We jump from person to person. The only uncertainty is how it will all wrap up. It’s short we aren’t kept waiting long.

The conceit of the tapes is about the right force to tie the book together. But it’s less a story than a fun daydream of a bored someone who leans into Mary Sue.

The other thing the cover says: Cool and Stylish. That’s true. Except at times it’s the cool, stylish of Roman Polanski.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought it at a second hand bookshop because its vibrant pink cover. Didn't even know there was a movie. And now I know I chose wisely. Not only I found an awesome book but also an incredible movie. "Diva" is definitely a page turner and a very fun and exciting read and its adaptation is a must watch. Can't wait to get my hands on the other books of the series.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok. My first Alba and Gorodish was a fun, fast read and one long awaited as I've watched the full 5 book series on my tbr shelf for nearly 20 years. Diva was certainly a child of the 70s, what with its technology, fashions and the streets and scenes of Paris. Lovely to read of in #1 was the magic of opera and the mysteries of a woman's scent. Looking forward to the next.

[James Morman]

Many differences from the acclaimed film, but it's a quick, breezy mystery romp that is fun. Sometimes you think Delacorta (or Daniel Odier) is just being trashy for the sake of being trashy. It's a very odd style.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure what to write.
Well-structured novelette? But unselfconsciously racist and misogynist and with a very libertine view of the age of consent? More a historical document of French masculinity of the early 80s?

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly, a remarkable performance.... Odier makes it look easy. A frothy intrigue, kept lively and engaging, while ruminating on power and ruthless mentality in several different forms. My guess is, hard to follow up.

[Scooby Doo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was written in 1980 and I read it after seeing the film version (1981) which was a french-language film. Really great film and novel. A unique plot with unusual characters. Briskly paced like a thriller. Wish I could find a copy as I would enjoy rereading it.

[Linda Barlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, very poor writing. Rarely can I say the movie was better, but definitely in this case.

[Paul Hoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it when the movie came out. Like it when we heard what he was listening to on his Walkman.

[Melton]

Awesome. Even through the translation to English, the writing emerges as crisp, visual, and intensely immersive and actually better than the film.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

a nice happy French crime tale. can’t complain. rather than reading it in one day (which it surely was designed to be done), i took 8 and i’m not mad. it’s fun.

[Joelove9 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Movie was better.

[wonut · Rating 1 out of 5]

wat the helly?

[John Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, frantic reading candy, short and sweet. What some call French Pop. A terrific thriller.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this at some point in the late 80's to early 90's and loved it. Wanted to see if it still holds up. So far so good.
Finished it up yesterday and yes, it held up as an enjoyable and fun read. I had forgotten about all of the plot twists at the end.

[George K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Μικρό αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα που διαβάζεται μονορούφι μέσα σε δυο-τρεις ώρες. Σ'αυτό το βιβλιαράκι βασίζεται η ομότιτλη γαλλική ταινία του 1981, την οποία κάποια στιγμή θα κατεβάσω και θα δω.

Είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο μιας σειράς με ήρωες τον πρώην πιανίστα και νυν κομπιναδόρο Σερζ Γκόροντις και την δεκατριάχρονη προστατευόμενη του Άλμπα, που από μικρή έχει έφεση στο να κλέβει αντικείμενα από μαγαζιά και πορτοφόλια από άντρες που θαμπώθηκαν από την ομορφιά της. Στην ιστορία μας, θα μπλεχτούν με έναν λάτρη της όπερας και εξωτερικό υπάλληλο μιας δισκογραφικής εταιρείας, μια μαύρη σοπράνο διεθνούς φήμης, έναν βασιλιά του Παρισιού στον τομέα του εμπορίου λευκής σαρκός και σκληρών ναρκωτικών, έναν διεφθαρμένο αστυνομικό διευθυντή και δυο κασέτες, μια σχετική με την σοπράνο, την Ντίβα, και μια σχετική με τις βρωμοδουλειές του βασιλιά του εγκλήματος.

Η αφήγηση είναι πολύ ωραία, κινηματογραφική θα έλεγα, τα πράγματα γίνονται πολύ γρήγορα και ο συγγραφέας δεν σπαταλάει πολλές προτάσεις για να πει αυτά που θέλει, ήταν σαν να έβλεπα ταινία δράσης και όχι να διάβαζα βιβλίο. Φυσικά δεν υπάρχει βάθος στην ιστορία και τους χαρακτήρες, αλλά σκοπός του βιβλίου είναι να διασκεδάσει για λίγες ώρες τον αναγνώστη με μια ενδιαφέρουσα και ευχάριστη αστυνομική περιπέτεια.

Στα ελληνικά έχει κυκλοφορήσει άλλο ένα βιβλίο του Ντελακόρτα (ψευδώνυμο του Ελβετού συγγραφέα Daniel Odier), με ήρωες πάλι τους Σερζ και Άλμπα, με τον τίτλο Λόλα, από τις εκδόσεις Λιβάνη. Θα ψάξω να το βρω και αυτό.

[Joshua · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, fun read that I have been meaning to get to for years. I remember seeing the 1981 movie made from the book (Diva) and enjoying it as a very stylized mystery that reminded me a lot of something a French Michael Mann would have made. Then I found this on the bookshelf after the kid woke me up at 2AM the other day.

This is the first of a four books: Diva, Nana, Lola, and Luna that feature Gorodish - a professional criminal in his 40s - and his 13 year-old ingenue partner Alba. The plot is interesting and fast-paced, and it reminds me of the pulp fiction books I inhale (Jim Thompson, Charles Willeford, Jim Tulley, etc.) save that they take place in Paris in the 1970s and are a departure in setting and style from what is usually identified as a typically American genre.

I'm looking forward to the other books...

[Davidg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: The Alba series of books centre on the relationship between a 13 year old girl who is frequently described in sexual terms and a man in his late 30s. Although it is made clear that no sexual intercourse occurs, their sharing of beds and nudity is unsettling to the modern reader. However, the fact that Alba is more mature than most 18 year olds makes it possible to enjoy the stories despite the qualms as it hard to believe that the character described is really only 13. I suspect that Delacorta only gives her the age of 13 just to shock, he could easily have made her 15 ( the age of consent in much of Europe) without changing anything else.

Having got that out of the way, Diva is a fun read as anyone who watched the film will know. The amoral nature of the 'heroes' is great fun and the comeuppance for the baddies is very satisfying. Compared to the other books in the series, the secondary characters and plots are very well drawn. The noirish plot is good fun.

[Rich Gamble · Rating 4 out of 5]

The source material for the visually stunning 1981 French film of the same name, Diva is an interesting but not essential companion given the films lack of emphasis on narrative. The clearest difference here is that Alba the 13 year old nymphette is here a blonde French girl rather than a Vietnamese orphan while other plot points were rightly streamlined and omitted from the movie. On its own Diva stands up as a quick, sleek crime read. Forgotten by many this is the first in a series of six translated books which probably got lost between readers of popular fiction gravitating toward big 500 page tomes and serious readers that would be put off by its lack of literary aspirations. If you approach this with an open mind it makes for an interesting euro curio and a fun way to spend a few hours.

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the book that French film director Jean-Jacques Beineix adapted into his marvelous 1981 masterpiece of the same name, a movie which marked both his feature debut and the start of what was retroactively labeled as the "cinéma du look," a grouping of films noteworthy for their beautiful visuals. Who can forget the breathtaking aria from Catalani’s “La Wally” that opens the film (https://youtu.be/mTLF9TIx6lE)? I remember, the first time I watched the movie, being blown away by the combination of a police-thriller story and lush art-film aesthetics. So I was curious to know the source material.

Unfortunately, while Delacorta's book is an entertaining enough read, it has none of what makes the movie so special. Somehow, without Beineix's flourishes, the plot coincidences feel stale. It's a functional thriller. No more; no less.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like everyone else here, gonna do the movie (which I saw when it was first released, and still remember as a fun romp). Yes, a quick read, and fun. Plot holes here and there. And really, it is quite superficial about opera and Classical music. A lot of name dropping, but that is about as deep as it gets (the author's wife is a classical musician).

Maybe it is a European thing, but I find it quite creepy that the lead female is 13 going on 14, and has quite an adult attitudes towards sex. Well, at least the 40'ish lead male (who she is love with, despite their age difference, of course!) is gentleman enough not to want to take her until she turns 14!

Quick read and the plot rolls along quite quickly. I'll probably look for some of the other books in this series. And rewatch the film (which does have some differences, from what I remember).

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started reading in rebellion while waiting for appointment to start at the Genius bar (they were late by 10mins).

Many more plot twists than the movie, but in the end a fantasy of the Paris underworld & infatuation with a star that both have the best possible endings and so, unbelievable & unrealistic but still a fun read. One super creepy thing that's not entirely clear in the movie: Alba is 13 in the book so her relationship w Gorodish is that of an inappropriate & unrealistically willing Lolita to Gorodish's less salacious Humperdink.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoiler*********spoiler*********spoiler*******











This was an interesting read, especially if you have seen the movie. For me, the changes that were made for the film make the story more interestingamd more believable. I can't see the affair with the Diva, and the motivations presented in the book don't ring true. It is better to not present them and have audience wonder than to give things that ring false.