Lullaby (Slimani novel)

2016 novel by Leïla Slimani

Lullaby

Collection Blanche cover (first edition)

Author| Leïla Slimani
Audio read by| Clotilde Courau (French)[1]
Finty Williams (English)[2]
Original title| Chanson douce
Translator| Sam Taylor
Language| French
Series| Collection Blanche
Set in| 10th arrondissement of Paris[3]
Publisher| Éditions Gallimard

Publication date

| 18 August 2016[4]
Publication place| France

Published in English

| 9 January 2018[5]
Media type| Print (paperback)
Pages| 240[4]
Awards| Prix Goncourt (2016)
ISBN| 978-2-07-019667-8 [4]

Dewey Decimal

| 843/.92
LC Class| PQ2719.L56 C43 2016

Lullaby (French: Chanson douce, lit. 'Sweet song';[6] published as The Perfect Nanny in the United States) is a 2016 novel by French author Leïla Slimani.

## Plot

[edit]

The book deals with the murder of two children by their nanny.[7] It was inspired by the real-life 2012 murder of children by their nanny in New York.[8][9]

## Background

[edit]

Lullaby is Slimani's second novel[8] and the first to be translated into English.[10] By January 2018 it had been translated into 18 languages, with intentions for a further 17.[8][7] Originally titled Chanson douce, it was translated as Lullaby for the UK and The Perfect Nanny in the US.[8]

It sold 600,000 copies in France in its first year of publication.[8]

### Publication history

[edit]

* Chanson douce. France: Éditions Gallimard. 18 August 2016. ISBN 978-2-07-019667-8. 240 pages.[4]
* Lullaby. United Kingdom: Faber and Faber. 11 January 2018. ISBN 978-0571337538. 224 pages.[11]
* The Perfect Nanny. United States: Penguin Books. 9 January 2018. ISBN 978-0143132172. 240 pages.[5]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Lullaby was described by Aida Edemariam (writing in The Guardian) as "stylishly written [...] brilliantly executed".[10] It was compared to Gone Girl by both Celia Walden of The Telegraph[9] and Lucy Scholes of The Independent, with the latter describing it as "a psychological thriller that will have readers on the edge of their seats".[12]

The novel won the 2016 Prix Goncourt, a top French literary award.[13]

## Film adaptation

[edit]

In 2019, a film adaptation, of the same name in certain countries and entitled Perfect Nanny in some others, was made by director Lucie Borleteau, starring Karin Viard, Leïla Bekhti and Antoine Reinartz.[14]

## Television adaptation

[edit]

In January 2023, it was reported that a planned television limited series adaptation entitled The Perfect Nanny was in development at HBO with Legendary Television co-producing. Nicole Kidman and Maya Erskine are set to star.[15]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Chanson douce - Écoutez lire". Éditions Gallimard.
2. ^ "The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani". Penguin Random House Audio.
3. ^ Weiss-Meyer, Amy (30 January 2018). "The Eerie Horrors of The Perfect Nanny". The Atlantic.
4. ^ a b c d "Chanson douce - Blanche". Éditions Gallimard.
5. ^ a b "The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani". Penguin Random House.
6. ^ Morenne, Benoît (3 November 2016). "Leïla Slimani Wins Prix Goncourt, France's Top Literary Award". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
7. ^ a b Eva Wiseman (28 January 2018). "Lullaby, the book of the moment, is a wake-up call for us all". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
8. ^ a b c d e Lauren Collins (1 January 2018). "The Killer-Nanny Novel That Conquered France". The New Yorker. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
9. ^ a b Celia Walden (6 December 2016). "Is Chanson Douce the next Gone Girl? This author's book on a killer nanny is next year's must-read". The Telegraph. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
10. ^ a b Aida Edemariam (10 January 2018). "Lullaby by Leïla Slimani review – brilliantly unsettling". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
11. ^ "Lullaby". Faber & Faber.
12. ^ Lucy Scholes (10 January 2018). "Lullaby by Leïla Slimani, book review: A chilling, horror-filled read, for sure". The Independent. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
13. ^ Romain Jeanticou (3 November 2016). "Goncourt 2016 : Leïla Slimani primée pour "Chanson douce"" (in French). Telerama. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
14. ^ Mintzer, Jordan (29 November 2019). "'Perfect Nanny' ('Chanson douce'): Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
15. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (January 27, 2023). "Nicole Kidman & Maya Erskine To Headline & EP 'The Perfect Nanny' Limited Series In Works At HBO From 'Pen15' Co-Creator & Legendary". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 27, 2023.

*[LC Class]: Library of Congress Classification
*[lit.]: literal translation