Antichrista (edition 2005)

վաղուց էի գնահատել, բայց էսօր մտա գրեմ, որ էշությո​
սրան կարդում ու հասկանում ես, որ պատանիներն (ում հ​ամար որ գրում ա) ավելի լավ ա Կոելյո կարդան, Բրեդբե​րի ու Բախ ու տենց... թե չէ էս հայվանը... պֆ...​ ( )

Blanche is a shy sixteen year old with an image and confidence problem, parents who don't understand her and a strong desire for a friend. Christa is a loud, confident sixteen year old who knows how to attract many friends. When they both attend the same college in Belgium aged two years younger than their classmates Blanche is amazed and delighted when Christa takes and interest in her. Blanche's parents are equally amazed and delighted, prizing Christa so much that they alienate Blanche further and ask Christa to move in. And that's when Blanche realises that her friend is really her enemy and has another personality which she names the Antichrista. But can Blanche stand up to her and win back her home, her family and find some self respect?

I love this book, first read it in 2006 when I borrowed it from Yeovil Library and spent the last two years wishing I had stolen it from them and trying to track it down (which I finally did on Biblio.com). Even the cover of my copy is perfect for the story and I find myself very firmly on Blanche's side, wanting to shake some sense into her parents and give Christa a good slap. It's hard to put my finger on why I love this book so much but think perhaps it is the foreign but familiar feel as I do love to find something that isn't clogging up the Times Bestseller/Richard and Judy/Waterstones chart and am finding that more and more I need to track down foreign translations to get something that bit more unusual and not so formula-written. The only trouble is that Amelie Nothomb has written other books and I wnat them but can't get them. Back to Biblio.com for me and onto my favourite books and authors lists for her. Highly recommend this wonderful book. ( )

http://www.complete-review.com/reviews/nothomba/achrista.htm, ( )