Mireille, Astrid and Hakima are not exactly pretty: they won the contest of the three ugliest girls of their high school. The girls discover that their lives are intertwined and converge to a precise place and date: Paris, the Presidential Palace of the Élysée, on July 14, the French National Day. Their project then becomes obvious: biking to Paris and gate-crashing the Élysée Garden Party! On their way, they will sell black pudding (note: in French, ‘un boudin’ refers both to black pudding and to an ugly girl; the girls have won the ‘boudins’ contest, and therefore choose to reclaim the word by selling black pudding). What they had not foreseen is that their trip will interest the media, and they soon become nationally famous, with social media covering their trip. The girls will go through pitfalls, arguments, laughter and self-reflection, while riding the small roads of France, eating tons of cheese, getting invited to castles and balls… They’re even invited to the Presidential Palace on July 14 for the annual party! A thrilling, funny novel that rejects, in an optimistic way, our society’s diktats regarding looks and fashion. An incredibly positive vision of life. A rare treat!
