The Vice-Consul is a novel by Marguerite Duras set in Lahore and Calcutta. The story explores inner torment and social misery in India, focusing on the complex motives of a mysterious vice-consul. His inexplicable actions, such as firing shots from his balcony toward the gardens of Shalimar, raise questions about his mental state.
Also central to the text is the fascination with Anne-Marie Stretter, an ambassador in Calcutta, and the life of a deranged beggar woman who fills the streets with her singing. This edition is read by Michaël Lonsdale, known for his collaboration with Duras and his role as vice-consul in the film India Song. His distinctive voice highlights the deeper layers of Duras' modernist style and the characters' inner turmoil.