Reading “Numéro deux” by David Foenkinos
Original Language: French Year of publication: 2022 Editorial house: Gallimard Number of pages: 269 Nationality: French Appreciation: not bad I first heard about this book and its author through an Instagram story. The very first thing that crossed my mind was: “This book must have one of the catchiest synopses ever written.” After all, it touches on a universal subject: how we cope with the frustration of being the almost chosen. I think that, although the original French title “Numéro deux” (Number two) fits well, the one chosen for the English translation, “Second best”, is a small literary masterstroke. It captures, with remarkable precision, the very essence of what the book is about. So, before continuing this post, here are the magical lines that made me want to buy it: "In 1999, the casting began to find the young boy who would play Harry Potter and who, in doing so, would become world-famous. Hundreds of actors were auditioned. In the end, only two remained....
