Papillon by Henri Charriere – Reviewed by Guy Portman
Henri Charriere (aka Papillon) has been falsely accused of murder. Following the testimony of a character of dubious repute, he is sentenced to life imprisonment in a penal colony, in French Guiana. Shortly thereafter, our protagonist sets forth on a barbarous journey across the Atlantic. On arrival in South America, Papillon is set to work in a disease-ridden prison camp. He soon makes friends and renews relationships with former associates from the French underworld.
The resolute inmate is fixated with escaping. And being an intrepid sailor, he puts his skills to good use in his various breakouts, which entail several epic sea voyages. One failed bid for freedom culminates in a 730-day stint in a giant centipede-infested, isolation cell, with no view of the outside world.
Published in 1969, Papillon is a first-person, adventure story boasting a charismatic and likeable rogue at its helm. This 600-page tome is for the most part highly entertaining, if somewhat relentless. Although well-translated, one suspects the book would be even more enjoyable in its original French form.
