Le parfum des sirènes

the long version

By her antics and ridiculous manners, Sirena had annoyed the curiosity of the young boys to whom she sometimes offered to smell her hair with marine fragrances. Years later, in the eyes of their wives, they had become these roguish and lustful guys. Husbands, inconsistent fathers. They had loved the Mermaid with passion. Not only for her free spirit, her craziness and her songs, but especially for what she embodied and who constantly drew them to her as a magnet. When, on 14 July 1980, Siréna Pérole akaTwenty-seven-year-old Sissi is found dead at home, apparently victim of a bad fall, the neighborhood welcomes the news with shared feelings. The one who was nicknamed the Mermaid--because of her name, but also her captivating charm--was a phenomenon: men admired her, women were jealous of her. Time passes, but the memory of the beautiful Sirena continues to haunt the spirits. Starting with her son, Gabriel, an orphan at two ... --Gallimard.