Dancefloor - by Victor Jestin (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From the author of Heatwave, a Waterstones Book of the Month
From the translator of The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, Lullaby and HHhH

'The modern day successor to Francoise Sagan' Evening Standard

The Beach is the only nightclub in town, a bright yellow cuboid on the docks. For most people it is a place to drink, flirt and hook up. Most people grow out of The Beach; they leave town, have families and pursue careers.

Arthur is not most people.

For Arthur The Beach is a sanctuary: a place where he can go every night to express himself, a place where he can make friends, a place where he can be somebody.

By day, Arthur is a loner. Shy and awkward, he fails at relationships and doesn't even make the first rung of a career ladder. But by night, he is a star, electrifying the dancefloor and lighting up the night of those around him.

But, as he nears 40, even those who work at The Beach start to worry about him. How long can he continue living the fantasy life of an adolescent? And, with nightclubs closing at an ever-increasing rate, will The Beach disappear before he is ready to leave it behind?

In crystalline prose and with unmatched emotional acuity, Jestin examines the tension between society's expectations and 21st Century realities, while introducing the world to one of literature's great oddballs.

'A frightening talent' Le Figaro Magazine

'A dazzling second novel where his powerful words and his sense of rhythm make our intimate dance floors tremble.' Marie Claire

'Victor Jestin keeps the reader in suspense, making him the best ally, almost the best friend of his lonely hero.' Le Monde des Livres

Review Quotes

'A dazzling second novel where his powerful words and his sense of rhythm make our intimate dance floors tremble.' Marie Claire'Victor Jestin keeps the reader in suspense, making him the best ally, almost the best friend of his lonely hero.' Le Monde des Livres

'A frightening talent' Le Figaro Magazine

'The modern day successor to Francoise Sagan' Evening Standard

About the Author

Victor Jestin was born in 1994 and is a novelist and screenwriter. His first novel, Heatwave, won the Prix Femina des Lycéens and his second novel, Dancefloor, won both the Prix de la Maison Rouge and the Prix Blù Jean-Marc Roberts.

Sam Taylor is a novelist and literary translator. His previous novels have reached an international audience, and his award-winning translations include works by Laurent Binet, Leïla Slimani and Marcel Proust. Born in England, Sam was a writer and editor at The Observer before moving to France. He now lives in the United States with his family.