Octavio's Journey

A compact but kaleidoscopic fable of Venezuela from a stunning new voice in the magical realism tradition. "His body might have been hewn from a tree trunk; his heart would last for a hundred years. And, like a tree, he was one of those men who die standing up." A chance meeting in the local pharmacy transforms the life of lonely, illiterate Octavio. He begins reading lessons and finds love and happiness for the very first time. But Octavio's destiny lies elsewhere, as he will discover on a journey into the Venezuelan rainforest. Shortlisted for the Goncourt first novel award, this short but epic fable is both a hymn to Venezuela and the magical story of an extraordinary hero. AUTHOR: Miguel Bonnefoy was born in France in 1986 to a Venezuelan mother and a Chilean father. In 2013, he was awarded the prestigious Prix du Jeune Ecrivain. Octavio's Journey is his first novel, written in French. SELLING POINTS: "A wonderful debut" Liberation "Simply magical" Elle "A masterfully composed poetic and picaresque fable" Le Figaro

“'A wonderful debut' Libration 'A hard-to-resist picaresque debut in the vein of Garcia Marquez's magical realism' Le Nouvel Observateur 'Simply magical' Elle 'A masterfully composed poetic and picaresque fable' Le Figaro 'A refreshing burst of writing, worth lapping up' Le Point 'If Miguel Bonnefoy's novel was a painting, it might be likened to a Diego Rivera piece' La Vie 'Young author Miguel Bonnefoy melds poetry and tragedy in a debut as brilliant as it is lightly fantastical' Stylist 'An unforgettable new voice' Le Soir”

'A wonderful debut' Liberation; 'Simply magical' Elle; 'A masterfully composed poetic and picaresque fable' Le Figaro

Jerry Kobalenko has logged 4,000 miles on foot over the course of twenty-five wildlife expeditions. His writing and photography appear around the world in such publications as "Outside, "National Geographic, "Adventure and "Conde Nast Traveler. He lives in Banff, Alberta.

Wildlife photographers Thomas Kitchin and Victoria Hurst live in Nova Scotia. Their work has appeared in nature, news and general-interest publications including "Field and Stream, "National Wildlife, "Newsweek, "Reader's Digest and "Time.

The story of Venezuela told through the adventures of kindly giant, Octavio. Struggling to conceal his illiteracy, he embarks on a transformative journey that unearths his life's purpose. Winner of several literary awards, this critically-acclaimed and instantly engaging tale reveals Miguel Bonnefoy to be a gifted storyteller.

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