Description
Calling Things by Their Name
Book Summary
A novel that delves into the consequences of a rape silenced for decades in a small town in German-speaking Switzerland in the eighties. The author constructs a polyphonic narrative where the victim, the perpetrator, and the witnesses intertwine to reveal the complex dynamics of power, social hypocrisy, and the weight of complicit silence. A work that questions the patriarchal order and xenophobia through precise prose and multiple perspectives.
What is it about?
In the eighties, in a small town in German-speaking Switzerland, a girl is raped by a man and, pressured by her family, ends up marrying him. The crime remains hidden under a veil of silence that persists for decades. Years later, the woman discovers that her lover was a passive witness to the rape, which triggers a confrontation with the past and the complicities that allowed the crime to go unpunished. The novel portrays life in a small community where xenophobia and patriarchal norms prevail, and where secrets are swept under the rug in a cycle that never seems to break. Through intertwined stories that could be read as independent accounts, the author illuminates a silenced rape from different perspectives, revealing how the social environment contributes to perpetuating violence.
Main themes
- Sexual violence and its social silencing
- Patriarchal power dynamics in a small community
- Xenophobia and isolation in a Swiss town
- Memory and confrontation with a traumatic past
- Witness complicity and collective responsibility
Who is it recommended for?
For readers interested in contemporary narrative that addresses social and gender issues with depth. Recommended for those looking for novels that explore sexual violence from multiple perspectives, moving away from the single narrative of the victim. Also for those who appreciate precise prose and a narrative structure that intertwines different voices and temporalities.
What this book offers
- A complex and nuanced vision of the consequences of sexual violence and social silence
- A narrative structure that offers multiple points of view on the same traumatic event
- A reflection on how small communities perpetuate dynamics of power and exclusion
- A work that connects individual experience with social and historical context
Technical specifications
- Author: Salm, Rebekka
- Publisher: Edicions Laiovento, S.L.
- Language: gal
- Subject: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION, ADULT AND CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE NARRATIVE
- Collection: NARRATIVE
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: November 2025
- Number of pages: 182
- Weight: 290 g
Editorial review
A novel that stands out for its ability to construct a choral narrative around a silenced rape, offering a polyhedral vision that enriches the understanding of the event. The author manages to create an oppressive and realistic atmosphere in a small Swiss town, where xenophobia and patriarchy intertwine. The work, which spent months on the list of best books of the Swiss public radio and television, is a recommended read for those looking for a committed and literarily solid narrative about gender-based violence and its social ramifications.