Schmitt, Éric-Emmanuel "Oscar and the Lady in Pink" (French: Oscar et la dame rose) - 2002
Same as in "Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran" (Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran) , Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt introduces his readers to a religion through the eyes of a child. This time, he talks about Christianity. Oscar is a ten-year old boy who suffers from cancer. The Lady in Pink is one of the nurses in a pink uniform who visits him every day. She suggests he write letters to God. It is interesting to follow Oscar's thoughts through his illness, perhaps his last days on earth. I read somewhere that this is a story about acceptance. True.
My favourite quote from the book: "My illness is part of me. They shouldn't behave differently because I'm ill. Or can they only love me when I'm well?" Good question, Oscar.
From the back cover:
"Oscar is dying. One of the 'ladies in pink' who come to visit the patients, makes friends with him. She suggests that he should pretend that each of the following 12 days is a decade of his imaginary life. Oscar writes ten letters to God that are sensitive, funny, heartbreaking and, ultimately, life-affirming."
We discussed this in our book club in May 2016.
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