An, historical novel, analyse / Jean Christophe Rufin's "The Land of the Red Trees"

Jean Christophe Rufin's novel, The Land of the Red Trees, published in 2001 and received the Goncourt award in France, was fictionalized the journey of the French to Brazil in the 16th century, along with geographical discoveries, and the historical development of Antarctic France, which they wanted to build here, based on historical reality. In addition to having the basic characteristics of the historical novel, the novel also attracts the attention of the reader with its solid and consistent fiction. In the novel, the plot begins in Normandy, France. Villegagnon, the narrator, was appointed for the colonial community (fr. Colonie) to be formed in Brazil at the request of the King of France. Villegagnon is looking for interpreters in Brazil at a young age that he hopes will work for them. Not knowing that his old friend Clamorgan has children, Just and Colombe recruit the brothers. Thus, the events taking place around a knight who is integrated with the Catholic belief and the two siblings next to him take the reader to the magical decoration of the American mainland. The events, which are set up in a very clear, lively and attractive form, invite the reader to witness the natural beauties of the Brazilian lands, while taking them on a journey towards the historical realities of the Brazilian indigenous cultures. In this study, we aim to examine Jean Christophe Rufin's novel The Country of Red Trees within the framework of historical novel theory.