In La Croix percée, the novelist and poet Siméon Lerouge explores an unusual monument and reflects on how societies remember or forget parts of their history. The book draws inspiration from the Czech photographer Josef Sudek, who spent years photographing his garden from his studio window. His images, rich in depth and emotion, were meditations on time and the quiet beauty of everyday life. Lerouge shares Sudek's appreciation for ordinary things and his ability to find profound meaning in them. His novel is structured like a reflective walk, beginning with an interest in "what is not looked at, what remains in the shadow," and focusing on the strange and curious aspects of life. Lerouge's narrative is filled with descriptions of deserted streets, commemorative plaques that go unnoticed, and abandoned monuments. In Brest, a walk along rue Massillon leads him on a journey through time, following the footsteps of the writer Victor Segalen. Lerouge's writing, both modest and erudite, connects past and present, making forgotten events and traces of history feel vivid and relevant. The reader is left wondering why some parts of the past are remembered while others are erased by time. The core of the novel focuses on Lerouge's move to the commune of Coulans-sur-Gée in the Sarthe, where he discovers a unique pierced cross. This small, fragile, and discreet cross, now embedded in the wall of a rural cottage and monitored by a camera, is the source of many local legends and superstitions. From this personal fascination, Lerouge builds a hypnotic narrative that feels like a meditation on time, history, and the choices humanity makes about what to preserve or discard. What makes La Croix percée compelling is the writer's singular relationship with landscapes and his ability to inhabit the world through careful observation and reflection. From simple objects like plaques and static crosses, Lerouge creates a literary work that feels in constant motion, drawing readers into a deeper understanding of memory and the passage of time. La Croix percée by Siméon Lerouge is published by Tristram, 128 pages, priced at 16 €, and is available in bookstores.