Nothing's exclusive to French writer Agnes Desarthe

French author Agnes Desarthe visits China in March as part of this year's Francophone Festival. [Photo/Agencies]

French writer Agnes Desarthe says that, as a woman, it is her responsibility to break males' hold over literature, Yang Yang reports.

As part of this year's Francophone Festival in China, French writer Agnes Desarthe visited Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai last week to meet with readers and share her experiences.

Two novels and four picture books by her have been translated into Chinese, including Five Photos of My Wife, A Secret of No Importance, Je Veux Etre Un Cheval (I want to become a horse), Les Freres Chats (cat brothers) and Dingo Et Le Sens De La Vie (Dingo and the meaning of life).

The subjects of Desarthe's writing vary widely. The author, now 50, wrote in her early novels about death, massacres, aging and memories. She also created interesting female characters of a rich and delicate psychological mix in novels like Five Photos of My Wife and A Secret of No Importance.

Most of her books are for children.

"When I was a little girl, I got on better with adults than with children. And now as a grown-up, I get on very well with children," she says in an interview with China Daily.

Desarthe recalls being asked why she was interested in older people.