☛ Cette critique est aussi disponible en français [➦].

Translated by Gabrielle Baillargeon-Michaud. 

Five years after the release of her debut novel, Homo Sapienne, author Niviaq Korneliussen introduces her second book, La Vallée des Fleurs. Having already made a significant impact on Greenlandic queer literature with a narrative that featured five LGBTQ+ characters, Korneliussen—queer herself—now immerses us in the life of an Inuit woman residing in Nuuk, Greenland's capital. This woman, whose first name is never revealed, lives with her family and is in a long-distance relationship with her partner, Maliina, who resides in a different region.

Accompanying the protagonist, Korneliussen transports us from Denmark to Tasiilaq¹, journeying through the fictional yet pivotal valley of flowers. These travels are driven by the protagonist's aspirations to study abroad and visit grieving relatives. Central to La Vallée des Fleurs are themes of grief and death. From the outset, Korneliussen's message is unmistakable: a suicide epidemic plagues the communities of Greenland. Unlike the governmental entities depicted in the narrative, Korneliussen boldly confronts this issue, addressing it at the start of each of the forty-five chapters with the depiction of an individual's suicide². This underlying theme shadows the protagonist and the readers, progressively darkening the narrative. Through successive losses, the characters, and particularly the protagonist, endure harrowing experiences that take a toll on their mental health.

Korneliussen often highlights the positive aspects of love towards others, oneself, and one's family and showcases the mesmerizing landscapes of Greenland that envelop the story. Through her narrative, she rekindles a sense of hope for better times. The intimate tone adopted by the Inuit student allows us to connect deeply with her story, appreciating both its queer and cultural dimensions. The protagonist's handling of her homosexuality within her family dynamics offers readers a chance to dissect these relationships and explore how they influence her personal and community life.

Overall, La Vallée des Fleurs continues the literary and queer explorations Korneliussen undertook with her first novel. With precise, candid, and personal prose, she successfully immerses us in the community of Nuuk, compelling us to experience and comprehend the individual and collective impacts of a deadly calamity.

¹ Greenlandic island region, located in the southeast.

² For instance: “Woman. 38 years old. Hanging.” (p.13)

Reference:

Author: Niviaq Korneliussen
Title: La Vallée des Fleurs
Publication date: January 20, 2022
Publisher: Éditions La Peuplade

This book is available (in French) in bookstores for $27.95 and in librairies.