After several years in a toxic relationship where she experienced insidious control, Erin managed to escape and start her life anew. Initially settling in the suburbs of Paris, she cut off all contact with the man who had humiliated her for years. She reclaimed her daily life, adopted a dog who quickly became a cherished companion, and experienced a more peaceful existence immersed in new readings. However, the urban environment still weighed heavily on her, and one day, on a whim, she bought an old car, found a house available for a few months in the Pyrenees—somewhere she had never been and where she knew no one—and set off alone. In this secluded village where she no longer had to fear judgment, she learned to live in sync with the seasons and nature. In fits and starts, she embarked on a journey of self-reconstruction, reclaiming her body through increasingly long hikes and even rock climbing. She also met a neighbor, a woman who had been living alone nearby for years. One of the few people she opened up to, this neighbor’s attentiveness and kindness helped Erin regain her self-confidence.
In her second novel, Marcia Burnier explores a new facet of female emancipation, seeking to escape the pitfalls of a violent patriarchal society. She questions the possibility of healing and emphasizes the crucial role of the wild and nature as a protective backdrop for necessary reconstruction.
