Belgian author Sophie Druart is set to release her latest novel, a deeply personal exploration of midlife and self-discovery, this month. Inspired by a period of renewed creativity following encouragement from a friend, the 289-page work draws parallels between lifeS complexities and the iconic Sagrada Familia in Barcelona . Druart will be promoting the book with a signing event on Valentine’s Day,a date she notes was intentionally selected,at the Huwart bookstore in Charleroi.
A novelist found renewed inspiration to complete her project after a friend’s encouragement, resuming weekly writing in 2023. Sophie Druart’s latest work, which explores themes of life’s journey, draws a parallel to a Ferris wheel – a visual echoed in the book’s cover featuring the iconic Barcelona landmark, Sagrada Familia, and its towering presence over the city.
Saint Valentine
For her 51st birthday, Druart—who has four ex-husbands, one current partner, and four children—received a subscription to horoscopes and an astrology reading as gifts. She embraced the possibility of change suggested by her Scorpio ascendant. The resulting narrative, however, became a story of a midlife crisis and a period of self-discovery.
“The story unfolds a living and complex family tree where old demons resurface and a mental cable snaps, with the bonds of friendship and the stars redrawing the sky for a woman seeking breath,” Druart explained. The novel suggests that appreciating life begins with actively choosing to see its beauty.
Ariane Payen will be holding a book signing at the Huwart bookstore (Mont-sur-Marchienne) in Charleroi on the morning of February 14. “A date not chosen by chance,” she noted with a smile.
The 289-page novel consists of fifty-four chapters and is available for purchase at a price of 24 euros.
