A spellbinding tale of female defiance and rage

In a time outside time, in a world hemmed in by dark woods and silence, the villagers of Les Montées endure a life of hardship and submission. The land is stingy, the Lords are merciless, and for the village women, resistance is a futile dream. 

One day, a foundling appears at the edge of the forest. Madelaine grows up to be mysterious, magnetic, and shockingly adept with an axe. One day, she slaughters a stag in defiance of the Lord’s decrees. The land, the laws, and the lives of those around her tremble in response, and a new destiny begins to take root. 

Madelaine Before the Dawn is a wild, lyrical novel about the inheritance of silence and the fire of female defiance. Collette has created an electrifying vision of revolt and resilience at the edge of civilization. 

"“A dazzling, incantatory novel. Collette sets her puppet world swirling in a macabre, captivating ballet.”" - Le Point

"“Sandrine Collette rises to the pinnacle of her art.”" - Le Parisien