Smutný tygr – Sinno Neige (2025)

The Sad Tiger will make you see, truly see, what it means to be a child who is abused by an adult.
– Annie Ernaux

Neige Sinno grew up in the foothills of the Alps with her mother, three younger siblings, and a stepfather who sexually abused her from the age of seven to fourteen. It was only in early adulthood that she found the courage to sue the predator – he admitted guilt, was sentenced to nine years in prison, served five years, and was released for good behavior. He started a new, large family and seemingly left the dark period of his life behind. Unlike his victim, who cannot do the same.
In her novel essay, Sinno describes the abuse and the subsequent trial that impacted her life, marked family relationships, and influenced the atmosphere of a small French town. She analyzes how the trauma she experienced distorted her relationships with her mother, sisters, and friends and transformed the way she perceives strangers, children, and her own daughter and her upbringing.
The Sad Tiger seeks a literary way to talk about the unspeakable and protect others from what the author herself experienced.