Le Sabotage amoureux

I haven't posted about Amelie Nothomb in a while but that doesn't mean I've stopped reading her out of choice, the cupboard is almost bare and I'm reduced to famine rationing because supplies in English are running low after that very greedy feast I had in the early days.
So it was a real treat to savour every word and last hint of flavour out of Loving Sabotage in one of those all-in-one-sitting Amelie reads.
Children will be children,but this gang of corps diplomatique offspring really do take the whole thing to the limits.We follow as they re-enact the wars of the nations in miniature from the safety of their respective compounds during a placement in 70's Peking.Their Secret Weapon has to be witnessed and probably smelt to be believed and then some, little parents of invention indeed.
Amelie Nothomb really does write the world of the child with ease and this was another cracking read.
However most interesting was the afterword as Amelie gives the impression that this is nearer to truth than fiction, in as much as it can be considered as such through the eyes of herself as a seven year old. Witness the irate letter she received from the original Elena who recognised herself in the book and was most displeased.
As Amelie notes "In French an old proverb says:'It's only the truth that hurts'.Elena's reaction could well be the proof that I invented nothing:if she was furious, it's because this story is true"
All very interesting.
Just one Amelie book to go in English and then I may have to dust off my O Level French before I can proceed, wish I'd paid more attention to Mademoiselle Deadman.