10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Wild Ride Across America - Clare de Vries is Brilliant!, October 24, 1999
Clare is an enchanting woman and reflects it in her new novel! I and Claudius is a no-holds-barred look at America through the eyes of a gutsy Brit. This is a story of fun and high adventure. It is related by, perhaps, the most unlikely of chroniclers, and her (also most unlikely) cat. This is also a story of a young woman finding the path to her future, and excorcising the ghosts of the past. She is an inspiration for all of us. You will find yourself splitting your sides laughing one moment, and have tears rolling down your cheeks the next. A must read, and very difficult to put down! I had the good fortune to meet this brilliant woman during her travels. Her insights into the "heart" of America are warm, thought-provoking, and absolutely precious.\ Do not miss this one!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clare Storms America, February 18, 2000
Clare De Vries - Intelligent, beautiful and just a little bit crazy.
Claudius - Clare's alter ego. A wise old philosophising cat. One of the few sane males in the entire book and the only male that Clare loves unreservedly.
Running away from her past (the death of her mother) and unwilling to face the future (the inevitable demise of her cat), Clare embarks upon a cathartic journey across America, accompanied by her old and ailing cat, Claudius.
With a typically British arrogance when abroad (in her case endearingly so), and not caring about local custom or etiquette (When In Rome, and all that), Clare is feisty and outspoken. Willing to stand up for herself and not at all bothered as to whom she upsets. In all her audacious escapades Clare's basic attitude throughout is - Just go for it. Dive in with both feet and damn the consequences.
Possessing a very savage wit, with irony and sarcasm thrown in for good measure, Clare takes no prisoners. Of the Americans Clare meets, most fail to realise what has hit them before it is too late. They are bemused by her antics, unsure of how to deal with her, and are certainly at a loss to understand her humour. Which leads to some very funny scenes and glorious misunderstandings.
Clare's journey consists of a) staying in some of the most disgusting and roach infested Motels in America b) getting totally off her face as often as possible, and then picking fights and causing arguments with anyone and everyone c) obsessing about sex with the perfect male and being always on the look out for her Adonis d) meeting psychos (see previous).
As well as attracting the seriously deranged Clare actively seeks them out - Obsessed People, oddballs, the dangerously psychotic and out and out Loons.
Constantly worrying about Claudius' progressively ill health, Clare suffers violent mood swings, despair and deep depression. There are moments when you cannot help feeling that Clare is wildly out of control and self destructive as she careers across America from one crazy disaster to another.
You are transfixed by the increasingly bizarre and often extremely dangerous adventures that Clare manages to get herself into. But Clare is not stupid. Using all her feminine wiles and beguiling charm she manipulates men and suckers them into doing her bidding. And with a strong survival instinct, plus a little luck, Clare manages to extricate herself from sometimes violent and potentially lethal situations.
By turn's laugh out loud hilarious, moving, hair-raisingly reckless, madcap and scary, this is a wonderful book and a cracking page-turner. Edge of your seat stuff and a joy to read. If you are open to high adventure, decidedly weird people and strange encounters, then Clare is your ideal travelling companion.
Although significantly different in style this is the best travelogue across the American Heartland since Martin Fletcher's `Almost Heaven'. Highly Recommended. More Please.
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