Attacking Earth and Sun
Set in the early 19th century, Attacking Earth and Sun explores the brutal realities of the French colonization of Algeria. The novel alternates between the voice of Seraphine, an agricultural colonist, and that of an anonymous French soldier. Seraphine and her family undertake the dangerous journey to Algeria on the promise of land and prosperity, only to face inadequate shelter, hostile weather, sickness, and the anger of the indigenous people. Meanwhile, the French army wages a campaign of terror, raping and murdering with impunity, while their commander reminds them: “You are no angels.”
Belezi, whose father served in Algeria before the war of independence, has said he feels a duty to ask challenging questions through his literature. In France, his work has gained recognition as interest grows in reckoning with the colonial past, and now English-speaking readers have the opportunity to engage with it.
The novel does not flinch from depicting atrocities; its visceral accounts of bloodthirsty soldiers are often difficult to read. These passages are balanced by descriptions of the plight of women and children, many brought against their will, who endured deprivation and disease. While its unrelenting brutality may be challenging, Attacking Earth and Sun succeeds in confronting the reader with the harsh realities of colonization.
