Interview with Gaëlle Bélem, Karen Fleetwood, and Laëtitia Saint-Loubert on Their Book 'There's a Monster Behind the Door'

In an interview, Gaëlle Bélem, alongside translators Karen Fleetwood and Laëtitia Saint-Loubert, discussed their influences and reading recommendations. Bélem credited Victor Hugo as the author who inspired her to become a writer. She frequently visits his former home in Paris, which is now a museum, viewing it as a pilgrimage that underscores her gratitude towards Hugo, whom she describes as her spiritual father. She expressed a deep appreciation for his works, particularly ‘Claude Gueux’ and ‘The Last Day of a Condemned Man’, which presented her with profound themes such as justice and the death penalty.

Bélem highlighted that works by Hermann Hesse, Arto Paasilinna, Seneca, and bell hooks have shaped her worldview, advocating for a humanist perspective that emphasizes simplicity, nature, and moral values.

Regarding recommendations for English-speaking readers, Bélem noted the high illiteracy rates in her island home and emphasized the importance of shorter literary works. She suggested Maupassant's *Tales of the Goose* and the novel *Little Louise Roque*, along with other influential texts such as *Perfume* by Patrick Süskind and *The Cloven Viscount* by Italo Calvino. She also praised *Humus* by Gaspard Koenig and *And Their Children After Them* by Nicolas Mathieu for their insightful portrayals of youth amid social and ecological crises.

In terms of must-read books from the Booker Prize nominations, Bélem recommended *The Remains of the Day* by Kazuo Ishiguro, *The Lord of the Flies* by William Golding, and *The Handmaid’s Tale* by Margaret Atwood. She particularly emphasized *At Night All Blood is Black* by David Diop, the first French author to win the International Booker Prize, calling it essential reading at least once in a lifetime.