A Child's Story Garden Book

La mare au diable (Devil's Pool) is a pastoral novel written in a romantic style. Simple and easy to read, it is not without its charms. In particular, the descriptions of the pastoral life have something genuine and warm about them. I enjoyed the author's explanations of the country life and the characters. Devil's Pool (an actual place where characters get stuck during their travel) offers some interesting symbolic reading. The characters themselves are a bit black and white, they aren't developed in depth but are likable. The plot is simple and predictable, for most part it isn't terribly interesting as such. However, there are some really touching moments in this story, for example the way Germain cares about his children. Moreover, this is a book one can enjoy, mostly because it is written economically and sensibly. I quite enjoyed following this narrative to its end.

The novel opens up with Germain, a young widower who upon a request from his father in law considers taking a new wife. Germain is a hard worker and a good man, appreciated by his in-laws who want him to find happiness again. Germain is a sympathetic man, very devoted to his children but not used to expressing his desires or even considering them. He seems to obey his father in law in everything and even if Maurice seems like a good man, this makes Germain seem quite passive. At times a reader might feel frustrated with him, but I actually think the mental slowness and clumsiness Germain sometimes experiences makes sense in the context of his character. Germain is capable of strong emotion but not really used to thinking for himself.

At the heart of a novel is a love story featuring Germain and a quite predictable one. The love story didn't capture my heart, I guess I'm not terrible romantic that way, but on overall I did enjoy this short novel. It praises nature and the people that work the land, but not in a silly way the way some literature of the Romantic period does. It is a very traditional setting that Sand describes, a village life where people respect their elders.

Soon Germain travels to a nearby place to visit the young widow his father in law wants him to marry. He doesn't really want to remarry but sees that it can bring benefits to his family. Upon a request from her mother, Germain takes Marie (a young neighbour who is about to start her first employment) to ride with him. When his son joins them he doesn't have the heart to send the little boy away so they all ride on the mare. It must have been quite a horse to stand three people with no complains. I'm not being sarcastic, there are breeds that are quite strong, especially those really used to work the land. Still, the horse did have some complaints for he runs away, we never do learn is it because of the weight he had to carry but most probably it is just the case of being scared of new territory.

During their travel, the tree of them lose their way in the fog and surrounded by water. Marie, the poor girl, proves amazing resourceful and Germain is impressed with how well she takes care of him and his son. Used to a hard and poor life, Marie easily finds solutions to all their problems and never complains. Germain starts to have doubts about his possible future wife. Will she be as good with children? That's where the love story starts to develop. Marie (Mary) claims she doesn't see Germain in that light because he is older than her (she is only sixteen and he is twenty seven) but is she speaking from the heart or just wanting him to marry well? Will Germain have the strength to fight for his heart or will he listen to the opinions of others? Read and find out.