Democracy is perhaps the word repeated more frequently in the 260 pages that make up The catastrophic visit to the zooJoël Dicker’s new novel, coming out today, Monday 17 March, for the ship of Theseus. The latest effort of the Swiss best seller author marks a decisive change of paradigm in its editorial history: with great delicacy and sense of measure it is aimed at a potentially much wider readers of readers than what has made the fortune of the trilogy of Harry Quebert (read by millions of people around the world). A democratic novel, therefore. It is the same writer who has remarked by announcing the release of the new book in recent months and to make explicit in a synthetic afterword: “I tried, with modesty and humility – he specifies – to write a book that could be read and shared by all readers, whoever they are and everywhere are, from seven to one hundred and twenty -year -olds (…) a book that makes you want to read and to be read.

The catastrophic visit to the zoo It is a yellow with a strong educational and didactic power, which in a light -hearted way, but with depth and modesty, teaches the reader what democracy is and why it is so important and fundamental, all the more now. The protagonists of the story are six children – five males and a female -, only pupils of the school of green peaks: a special school “where children do not go to other schools”. When the building, “a cowted cottage”, mysteriously floods, the young people begin to investigate what happened and, above all, who is the responsible. Thus begins an adventure in which six ‘little ones’ find themselves relating in a ramshackle, but at the same time profitable, with adults – starting from the grandmother of one of them, a great passionate of police shows. An adventure marked by a series of small catastrophes, linked to each other, which will eventually upset in the catastrophic visit to the zoo which gives the novel.

The children therefore wear the role of new Sherlock Holmes and at the same time go to the school of democracy and admit their parents, and adults in general, who seem to have lost awareness of what the sense of participation, common living and making common decisions is for the good of all. It is no coincidence that the author has chosen to give his narrator the voice of little Joséphine, one of the six very young protagonists: in the company of his five special companions, in fact, he learns what the deepest meaning of democracy is – theme on which the show at the end of the school year will focus – and a wash of head of the older generations, those adults who demand but do not spend their representatives, To complain, and what they succeed better is to argue, rather than finding democratically a solution.

Dicker’s novel is built on nice exchanges and playful scenes, on hilarious and out of the ordinary episodes, dialogues tranchant And a healthy naivety. The naivety of a girl who tells her parents how together with her young classmates has solved a mystery and found itself the protagonist of a series of catastrophic episodes, all through the disenchanted eyes – but not too much – of her childhood. Joséphine is the representative, perhaps in power, of a new generation that thinks, reasoned and acts accordingly. A generation that learns democracy and begins to understand its importance. Still, a generation that engages and wants to be the protagonist, to treat yourself – but it would be better to say – that better future that today’s adults perhaps are unable to set up with the adequate foundations.

The catastrophic visit to the museum It has different levels of reading. The author uses a single language, a single precise, rhythmic and flowing style, which is well suited to a childish, teenage and adult reading. On the one hand, very young readers can be immersed in a pleasant story, which entertains and teaches, thanks to the example provided by protagonists who, like them, are children. On the other hand there is the investigation, which seems trivialized by the tones used by Dicker, but trivial is not at all, it is simply weighed on the will, consciences and actions of human beings with a few years of life on the shoulders. The Swiss writer writes a novel for families, indeed, for the entire community. He raises the curtain to entertain and tell a story, makes the little ones go up on the stage, makes them protagonists of the scene, charged them with responsibilities, he also entertains them and makes them grow. And then Dicker, always, ideally sitting behind the scenes, points the finger towards the audience and seems to ask the public: “You, adult, realize how absurd your daily behaviors and attitudes are?”.

Reflective, brilliant, light -hearted: The catastrophic visit to the zoo Perhaps it will not be the most beautiful novel that you will read in this 2025, but certainly the most necessary.