Sophie Buchaillard’s This is Not Who We Are is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that delves into the intertwined lives of two women, Iris and Victoria, who became pen friends in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. After twenty years of lost communication, Iris, a journalist and recent mother, revisits her past letter exchanges with Victoria and pitches the idea of pursuing Victoria’s story to her editor. As for Victoria, her life changed completely when she fled Rwanda and ended up in a refugee camp in Goma. The book explores a range of complex and weighty topics: identity, otherness, and the power of language to shape our understanding of the world.

The epigraph of This is Not Who We Are sets the tone for Sophie Buchaillard’s exploration of the Rwandan genocide’s impact. The passage, by Toni Morrison from Mouth Full of Blood, “From what I gather from those who have studied the history of genocide—its definition and application—there seems to be a pattern”, emphasizes the common thread that emerges in the history of genocide, and how it is characterized by the imposition of a view of “otherness”; as does the definition of genocide provided in the epigraph—“A genocide is the systematic killing of a large group of people based on someone else’s criteria of otherness”. Throughout This is Not Who We Are, Buchaillard explores the urge to resist being imposed on a view that is not one’s own, often through dominant narratives. 

One of the most compelling aspects of the novel is the way it highlights the power of language to shape our understanding of the world and how it can be used as a tool of violence and oppression as well as a tool of hope and understanding. Buchaillard weaves together the sometimes contradictory narratives of the conflict by making use of Victoria’s and Iris’ letters, as well as the various accounts of the genocide that Iris uncovers during her research. To this extent, the title “This Is Not Who We Are” carries significant weight throughout the novel. It refers to the official narratives and propaganda that fueled hatred and violence before and during the Rwandan genocide and how those narratives created a false sense of identity for many people. The title suggests that the hatred and violence that occurred during the genocide are not representative of the true nature of the people involved but rather are shaped and manipulated by language. Also, by exploring the experiences of Iris and Victoria, Buchaillard illustrates how the stories we tell ourselves and others about who we are can have a profound impact on our actions and understanding of the world. The title reminds us to challenge and question the sanctioned narratives that shape our sense of identity and history. Instead, we must seek to listen to and learn from those who have been silenced or marginalized.

Buchaillard’s writing is not only sensitive to the difficult subject matter but also captures the complexities of the human experience. As she explains in an interview with The Cardiff Review, “To me, writing is a way to make sense of the world. I write to answer a question. I watch the story unravel in my mind, imagine my characters, get sucked into their world. I feel like a detective trying to unpick a mystery.” This level of dedication is evident in the novel’s intricate character development. Buchaillard’s characters are nuanced and complex, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in their experiences and emotions. Iris is a flawed but sympathetic character, struggling with her own sense of guilt and responsibility for the past. Victoria, on the other hand, is a survivor, fiercely determined to make a better life for herself and her remaining family.

Throughout the book, Iris grapples with the idea of appropriating Victoria’s story. Iris says, “There was much discussion about authors appropriating the experience of others, as if to do so was to perpetrate yet another crime against the victims”. In the wake of this thought, Iris finds herself confronted with uncomfortable questions regarding Europe’s responsibility for the violence and how to handle the pain of the past. Through the lens of Iris and Victoria’s experiences, Buchaillard forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths about how we talk about and interact with those who are different from us.

In the essay “Presence Achieved by Language (With Special Attention Given to the Presence of the Past),” the literary critic Hans U. Gumbrecht asks whether the “presence” of things, including things of the past, can be rendered in language, including the language of historians. Buchaillard’s novel is a testament to the power of language to capture the complexities of the past and translate them into a form that can be understood and felt by readers today.

There is no doubt that This is Not Who We Are will resonate with anyone who is interested in exploring topics such as identity, otherness, and the power of language, as well as those simply seeking a poignant and thought-provoking novel. Through her characters’ experiences, she highlights the complexities of language and the importance of confronting uncomfortable truths about our society. “Silence accommodates hate”, a character states. And through this book, Buchaillard reminds us that silence is not an option.