In this novel with such a surprising ending, Nathalie Le Gendre gives further proof of what we already knew: she knows how to tell a story and she has no qualms about unsettling the reader.
[…]
The description of Indian tribal life presents an original backdrop to the story. She deals with many different subjects: the consequences of human recklessness, the risks of cloning, racism, freedom and bravery, the enduring nature of tradition. One might fear that the novel would become just a patchwork of ideas, but it is entirely the opposite, being a well-contrived and harmonious whole. Excitement and emotion is guaranteed with characters who are never trivial, but rather like friends who faze us by not being as we expect and want them to be.


If ecology, freedom, disease and racism are some of the main themes addressed by the author, there are others. For example, the emancipation of women, with young Stenalitha's struggle to get accepted as a shaman by her male peers. Old myths are played out: doesn't Wosa's illness come from a kind of 'original sin' linked to the very nature of his conception? Doesn't it arise from knowledge which, separating what shouldn't have been separated in the first place, condemns the characters to suffer until a sacrifice has redeemed their transgression? There is sympathy for the guilt of a Promethean father, consumed and weakened by remorse...
And if this tragedy does strike a chord in us, it's because Nathalie Le Gendre excels in her presentation of this distress and doesn't make her story in any way maudlin, mawkish or excessively melodramatic.  On the contrary, this emotive aspect is matched by a vigorous energy which continues right to the final outcome.

To conclude, Le Gendre uses this work as a vehicle for militancy, expounding in its postface the fate of Leonard Peltier, “a Lakota Anishnabe Indian, imprisoned in the USA for nearly thirty years for a crime he didn’t commit.” She states the facts and gives a list of links for further study. This searing cry of revolt in the face of injustice confirms that the energy and emotion that Nathalie Le Gendre instils in her novels is an expression of admirably sincere commitment.

The wealth of theme and sentiment, the ease in the amazing way she renews the most classic of science fiction themes and her personal commitment is totally exhilarating. There is no doubt that these different qualities place Nathalie le Gendre directly among the finest authors writing for young adults today.
 

A marvellous story of love and freedom.

 Nathalie Le Gendre's  Mósa Wòsa is a magnificent novel, a lesson about life and death, overflowing with excitement and above all… hope.
 Mósa Wòsa is an intense novel because of the excitement and emotion running through it, but also a highly concentrated book considering all the subject matter. Cloning, racism, nature,  freedom... so many themes interweaving in discordant harmony. Taking on challenging subjects may seem unrealistic, yet the author manages to accomplish this effortlessly. The plot unfolds nicely and little by little every element slots into place.
Nathalie Le Gendre's talent? Knowing how to create a balance between a decent storyline and the emotions of its characters. Already in Dans Les Larmes de Gaïa (In Gaïa's Tears), she demonstrated her ability to develop a plot and an aptitude for making the reader feel unsettled.

Here, in Mósa Wòsa, there is an even greater awareness of this ability. The characters are disturbing but one cannot help feeling attached to them: Mósa, ineffective when faced with his brother's illness, suffering from agoraphobia and claustrophobia, and not able to bear this ultra-modern life so far removed from nature; Wòsa, exhausted as much by his illness as by hate and all hope being abandoned for him; the father, incapable of expressing his feelings and who, feeling let down by his life, forgets that he can still change things.
This novel is disturbing for the reader, calling us to account, and it is impossible to remain indifferent to the brothers' hunger for life. Without falling victim to cliché or superficiality, Nathalie Le Gendre gives her readers a message of hope via the pages of her book: What is life without death? In order to live you have to fight. Mósa Wòsa is a tough novel, which gets under your skin, but it's also a magnificent hymn to life and liberty.

A multi-discipline universe running between science fiction and fantasy, traditional and modern values
[…]
Nathalie Le Gendre also shows that there isn't just one answer to change. In facing the future head on, it is possible to go much further rather than just following the path of one's own habits and beliefs.
[…]
The main characters are very interesting and are a perfect medium for the implicit messages. Mosa and Wosa represent two distinct worlds, almost in direct opposition to each other and yet united by a very powerful bond. The two boys will develop greatly during their adventure, but Nathalie Le Gendre hasn't chosen the easiest path for them. This is even more apparent with the ending, which is really moving.
[…]
None of the characters is perfect here. Cowardice, running away, hate, failure, secrets... Most of those reveal a more shameful part of their history despite all their efforts to the contrary. This is what makes the novel all the more interesting and the message more acute.
Mosa Wosa is a very good novel for teenagers, with an interesting context and essential messages. The kind of reading matter to put into young hands, to encourage contemplation and, why not, discussion.

Far from being stereotypes, the characters in this book are all “human” and each will pay for the wrong paths they have taken in life. If it falls within the “young adult” category, we have rarely seen a novel where the hero is not a character but rather a theme. As for the protagonists, their mistreatment is integral in the progress they have to make.

Nathalie Le Gendre deals a mighty body blow to her “teenage” readers. A vibrant assault which hammers home tolerance and acceptance… So that society can progress. A little book with a big message!

Hervé, www.tempsdelivresdotcom.wordpress.com