Animale, The Curse Of Goldilocks
What if the most innocent tale was hiding the most terrifying love story?
1832. Blonde, a 17-year-old orphan, has always lived in a convent, surrounded by mystery. Why do the Sisters ask her to cover her golden hair and to hide her disturbing beauty behind dark glasses? Who are her parents, and what happened to them? What strange, unnamed disease makes her faint so frequently?
Blonde is really different, and dreams to uncover the truth. When she runs away on her own with the hope to find out more about her past and origins, she discovers a dark side in herself, an animal side. At the heart of her story lies a terrible secret.
An unforgettable heroine, a breathless hunt, a desperate love story.
An imaginative and original interpretation of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, that opens up on a wide mythology and makes the reader travel from the undergrounds of the Vatican to Nordic countries.
(ed Gallimard, Grand format littérature)
Animale 2, The Prophecy of the Snow Queen
What if the most magical tale was hiding the darkest conspiracy?
The riveting sequel to Animale...
(ed Gallimard, Grand format littérature)
Read an extract in English...
WINNER OF THE
Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire 2014 - best young adult novel
FRANCE'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY AWARD
Journalists talk about ANIMALE
Le Figaro Littéraire
This novel is like no other. Readers will be thrilled by Victor Dixen's gift as a storyteller. ANIMALE is a fantasy novel that manages to avoid the fantasy genre excesses. A book I definitely recommend to all the young and sensitive souls out there.
La Page des Libraires
ANIMALE is a novel born from Victor Dixen's night dreams. In this book, the well-known Goldilocks tale turns into a breathtaking quest. Unexpected, mezmerizing and deliciously dangerous.
Notes Bibliographiques
Both a love story and an astouding retelling of Goldilocks tale, twisted by an ancient malediction. Intense suspense and quality writing combine in this quest that brings us to the limits of humanity. It's simply impossible to put the book down.
Booksellers and librarians talk about ANIMALE...
Librairie Charlemagne (La Seyne-sur-Mer)
The reader is holding his breath in this high speed chase, where Blonde will learn to know herself and to love. A very good coming-of-age novel, which links with the original tale are a pretext to explore a theme important for the author: what does it mean to be human?
Librairie Mollat (Bordeaux)
ANIMALE is a jubilant and thrilling read! It truly is many books in one: an adventure novel, a love story, a historical tale infused with fantasy and humor. Add to that an elegant style that perfectly fits in the historical context, a wonderful plotting, a strong evocation power, and you will end up with an addictive, brilliant novel!
DECITRE
What if you didn't know everything about Goldilocks?... What if the truth was much tougher than the original tale?... Victor Dixen delivers an exciting new version of the classic tale, full of mystery, fear but also love.
FNAC Lille
A magnificent retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears! Immerse yourself in this story about love and adventure. This is one of the most beautiful Young Adult novels this year !!!
FNAC Valence
The pages turn themselves as the reader follows Gabrielle de Brances in the aftermath of Napoleonian Wars. There is nothing boring in this novel. An astoundishing retelling and a fabulous find. Unquestionably, this is THE Young Adult book you have to read this year.
Librairie Le Failler (Rennes)
Victor Dixen revisits Goldilocks tale with great talent. Breathtaking suspense, an impossible love, a frenzied chase from Vatican's caves to the outskirts of Denmark... Travel to Blonde's world, and discover the untold side of fairy tales...
Librairie Fontaine Victor Hugo (Paris)
With Victor Dixen, the original tale becomes a wild race to find the truth and to survive. Suspense grabs you from page one and don't let you breathe, between all the suprises and reversals of fortune. One more success for Victor Dixen, a must-read with a striking style. A true delicacy.
Librairie Fontaine Kléber (Paris)
Magnificent! From the Sisters' convent to the remote lands in the Far North, through deep forests to the Vatican's secret archives, we experience an identity quest like no other. Dixen delivers an adventure novel, a timeless romance, a fabulous fantasy tale.
Bloggers talk about ANIMALE
Croque les mots
During those 4 days I lived a superb reading experience! My relatives can testify: each and every day I kept telling them this book was excellent!
Little A Read
This story is original, sophisticated, consistent, breathtaking... With each new chapter comes an unexpected discovery. ANIMALE, it is a magnificent malediction.
Bulle littéraire
A superb discovery! I have been amazed by the depth of Victor Dixen's novel. From the first pages, the reader is immerged in a very detailed world, dark and mysterious. You will never see the tale of Goldilocks in the same light!
Gala de livres
Victor Dixen takes you to a fascinating world in a truly exceptional way. He makes you live with Blonde, he makes you feel what she feels.
Encre chimérique
I have been completly drawn into this story, almost from the very first pages. ANIMALE is a definite favorite.
A contre mots
I really liked ANIMAL. The author's style is poetic and captivating, it makes you travel through time and space across Europe.
Enjoy Books Addict
A DEFINITE FAVOURITE! After reading the Prelude, I was looking forward to start ANIMALE, and I have been hooked. Blonde is like a flower that slowly opens up, to finally understand who she truly is. This world, these characters, this mythology totally took me by surprise. The author even managed to make me wonder: « Did Goldilocks really exist? »
Viou et ses drĂ´les de livres
The author's imagination really made a strong impression on me. A thrilling read with suspense and action in every single page. It is really difficult to put this book down once you have started.
Le monde de Sapotille
To summarize, this book is a huge ♥ which definitely overshadows all the other good reads I had this year!
Books and iced coffee
The style is rich and yet fluid. The whole atmosphere mesmerized me. In a few paragraphs, the setting appears and Blonde takes the stage, sharing with us everything up her most intimate experiences. This tale is sometimes cruel, but always thrilling. This is a story with many facets, like a diamond.
Shop around the Co
The author transformed the tale in a excellent romantic fantasy novel. Behind the curse, there are beautiful love stories! Blonde take us on her quest very naturally, as if we were running by her side. It is very easy to get into this story, to listen the author's voice, it is all very exciting!
Book Attitude's World
Blonde totally made it for me. She is always brave and full of surprises. It seems she was born to be the heroin of this heartbreaking story. Victor Dixen managed to renew the tale of the Three Bears magnificently.
Lou lit lĂ
I found that the whole investigation and the story were really good. I had the impression I really shared Blonde's thoughts. This book is a real page-turner that makes us dream about the true story hidden behind the well-known tale. A very good book that I warmly recommend!
Nos folies littéraires
I loved this book, which I could not put down. I started one night and finished by the next morning. The original soft tale has been transformed in a dark, thrilling story where the supernatural world meets the real world, where men show their true faces. ANIMALE is a novel not to be missed!
La Chronibook
This novel kept me awake during all night. The plot really triggers gut reactions, throwing you in 19th century France. Suspense, intrigue, and a touch of magic will thrill any reader. I totally loved this book, it is one of my favourites: an incredibly fine novel, with rich and endearing characters!
Mille et deux livres
This adaptation really won me over! I totally loved how Victor Dixen revisited the well-known tale, offering us a much darker and surprising version. This book manages to be magnificent and frigthtening at the same time, a very interesting contrast.
Bibliothèque fantastique
This novel begins with a flying start and keep us breathless until the very end. I really loved the whole universe in ANIMALE, with its background full of terrifying secrets. Victor Dixen's imagination appears to be limitless in this totally addictive book, up to the perfect ending.
Je Tu Lis
Once you have started, it becomes a real addiction. It is impossible to put the book down, chapters fly and you tell yourself : "one more!" This book is packed with magic, adventure, travels, encounters and revelations. I admit I feared for Blonde so many times, until the superb ending that I just loved as the entire book.
Plume and books
ANIMALE has been a fabulous surprise. It is like an exquisite candy, a wonderful present... Since the first pages pages, I fell in love with Victor Dixen's writing. I found his style very mature and elegant, and I was enchanted by the quality of the plot, in a relevant historical context. I warmly, absolutely recommend this book. You won't be disappointed!
Lectures d'une vie
This novel is magical, nothing less! Characters are fantastic. I absolutely loved Blonde, a strong-willed girl with a thirst for freedom and love. You don't imagine the scenes in this book: you live them! Romance, action, fascinating characters, magnificent settings, history mixed with imagination, fear... This is great art!
D'un livre Ă l'autre
More than a novel, an epic tale sublimated by an elegant and subtle writing. A very credible world, relying on a well-researched historical context. A wonderful reading experience, following the steps of a fascinating heroine.
For all rights inquiries, please contact
foreignrights@victordixen.com
anne.bouteloup@gallimard-jeunesse.fr