A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides by Gisèle Pelicot @gisele_pelicot #EmmaThompson @prhaudio @prhaudio.bsky.social #AHymnToLife

Life as Gisèle Pelicot once knew it changed in November 2020 when she received a call from the Avignon police, asking her to come to the station where her husband had been arrested for upskirting (taking photos or videos up women’s skirts). They discovered years of videos and photos on his laptop of her being raped by more than 70 men over the last ten years. Dominique Pelicot, the father of their three children, had been secretly drugging and raping her, along with strangers he’d invited to join in. As the investigation concluded and the prosecution prepared for trial in 2024, Gisèle made the shocking decision to allow the process to be public. This is her extraordinary story.

I was struck by how deeply personal, raw and unapologetic Gisèle is as she shares who she was before that fateful day and how she evolved to who she is today. She fought to do it her way, even when it was perplexing to those close to her. Gisèle accepts that many consider her a hero but doesn’t exactly own that mantle. Her decision to go public was thoughtful and a move to keep her power.

Emma Thompson brilliantly narrates Gisèle’s story, making me feel like it was the author’s voice. It felt personal.

I came away feeling inspired. Yes, Gisèle was brutally assaulted but she’s no victim. Managing through the typical backlash (how could she not have known…she must have been complicit…yada, yada,yada) and embracing all the women and journalists who showed up on the courtroom steps to give her encouragement through the trial, she refused to be shamed and ashamed. Yes, shame has to change sides. This is a must read story for everyone, not just women.

Book Info

• Release Date: February 17, 2026
• Narrator: Emma Thompson
• Audio Length: 7 hours, 23 minutes
• Publisher: Penguin Audio

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