Novel tells Sicilian family’s saga in Tunisia
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Agnès Jésupret, a writer living in Marseille, France, recently published a novel called Les Os noirs (The Black Bones) that recounts the experiences of a Sicilian family who moved to Tunisia in the early 20th century. The book follows the family’s journey from Caltanissetta, Sicily, to Grombalia, in the Tunisian Cap Bon region.
Jésupret dedicates the 192-page novel to all migrants, those who listen to them, and those who welcome them, focusing on the life of the family around their grandmother, Agostina Rubino. The story begins in 1908 as the family arrives in Tunisia seeking to escape poverty. They experience both success and decline while living on land occupied by French colonists, Italian migrants, and German forces.
The narrative unfolds as Clara Ignorante, nearing the end of her life, shares the story of her Sicilian grandparents with a listener. The book also explores a mystery surrounding the death of Clara’s father, whose bones turned black, possibly due to poisoning, leading Clara and the listener to investigate potential causes like revenge, betrayal, or a curse.
Jésupret, who describes herself as an anonymous biographer, weaves together personal history with broader themes of migration and the impact of historical events on individual lives.
