Book summary: Mercure by Amelie Nothomb

June 22, 2025 by Mylene in Book summary

Published in 1998, “Mercure” is the seventh novel by Amélie Nothomb. It tells the story of a young girl, sequestered on a deserted island by an old man who loves her. This novel, which sometimes draws its inspiration from traditional tales, stands out due to its two possible endings.

The story

Hazel, 23 years old, has ambivalent feelings towards the Captain, who is 77 years old: she loves and hates him at the same time.

Françoise, a nurse, is going to the island to treat the young Hazel. The Captain explains to her that he took in Hazel five years ago, in 1918, after a bombing where she was seriously injured.

Hazel remains confined in her room, where she spends most of her time reading, her only activity. She likens her situation to that of Edmond Dantès in the Château d’If and sees in Françoise a figure similar to Abbé Faria. For her, Françoise represents a breath of fresh air, the one who will make her want to live again.

Françoise now has a new mission in her life: to save Hazel.

The task promises to be challenging, because due to the image she has of her face and after months of isolation, Hazel no longer dares to go out. Françoise will have a hard time convincing her, especially since the Captain monitors all their conversations. Furthermore, the Captain has already threatened to kill Françoise if she asks Hazel a single question that is not medically related.

The Captain is convinced that everything he did was in Hazel’s best interest. He almost expects her to thank him for lying to her and keeping her on this isolated island for five years.

He believes that fate put Hazel in his path so he could redeem himself for having lost his previous captive, Adèle. The names, Adèle and Hazel, sound similar. Both young girls thought they were disfigured. Adèle chose to escape this control and died because of it. Hazel, on her part, seems to have developed feelings for the old man.

The Captain is fascinated by the relationship that has developed between Hazel and Françoise. He loves listening to their conversations, especially when they discuss erotic literature like “The Charterhouse of Parma”.

Françoise does everything she can to escape. For her, escape is physical. Hazel, on the other hand, is imprisoned in her mind, which makes her escape much more complicated.

Even after discovering the truth, Hazel does not hold it against the Captain. In the first ending, she will even go so far as to kiss him before leaving. I mentioned “the first ending” because the author indeed offers two distinct endings.

Alternative endings

Mercure is known for having alternative endings that explore different outcomes for the main characters: The first ending is more like a fairy tale, while the second is darker.

By providing two endings, Nothomb challenges readers to examine their own assumptions about liberation, heroism, and the nature of healthy relationships. The endings force consideration of whether genuine freedom requires not just physical escape, but also psychological awareness and the ability to make truly informed choices about one’s life and relationships.

Personally, I prefer the second ending because I find it more in line with Françoise’s personality. And you, which ending did you prefer?