Customer Reviews

In the Merde for Love

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I recently read A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke. I ended up liking it quite a bit, so I ordered the sequel In The Merde For Love.

The first book had this quote: "There are lots of French people who not at all hypocritical, inefficient, treacherous, intolerant, adulterous or incredibly sexy.... They just didn't make it into my book." That brutally up front statement, is indicative of the sequel's attitude as well. The excitement for the sequel comes with the realization that our English protagonist has almost become, Mon Dieu, French! Alors!

And that isn't a bad thing because that's what makes it such an enjoyable read instead of a pedantic rehash of the first book. You will have to read the original or this book will be of no value to you. I will be honest, the parts that take place in England are a bit tiresome. Overall, it kept me occupied whilst the workmen spent the day repairing more hurricane damage -- it was sort of ironic because I related to the workmen he had to deal with in this tome.

to A YEAR IN THE MERDE: witty, and often outrageously funny, yet describing quite realistically life on another planet. I certainly enjoyed this book from start to end and I am waiting impatiently for more from this author.

For those that think "Under the Tuscan Sun" or "A Good Year" being too sugar-coated or too good to be true, this sequel novel is for the cynics out there who sees France as it is. The book is contagious to read. It's funny and the author's observations about the mannerisms of the French is as good as it gets. For those that have been to France, this book would most certainly bring back fond and not-so-fond memories. The story is simple enough regarding the writer's alter-ego who's to open his English tea house in the hub of Paris. He's constantly fighting with the Polish builders who have laissez faire approach towards time management, architect who doesn't want to stick to his contract & who happened to be sleeping with his girlfriend, the politician who's looking for a favour in having his son working at his tea house or else. At the same time, he also has to thwart or perhaps not advance by a married female journalist who's looking for a fling, a movie crew who simply wants to have a great time after breakup with her boyfriend. Amid all this commotion, Paul realises that after all this time, he's still very much in love with Alexa, his true love who happens to be going out with a wealthy Ukrainian whose father has just bought a soccer club in England. Paul needs to pull all the stops to win his love back. Is he going to make it? That's for you to find out! I can't wait for the finale of the trilogy if there's such a thing. Highly recommended!

Note: This book also goes by the title "Merde Actually". I read Stephen Clarke's "Merde Actually" and laughed so many times that I had to read the prequel "A Year in the Merde". Both are hilarious, colored with stories that will have expats shaking their heads in agreement. I'm not sure that you'll find these books funny if you've never spent time in France, but I'm certain you will enjoy them if you have.

In the Merde for Love is Stephen Clarke's sequel to his outrageously funny Year in the Merde. Unfortunately, it does not live up to Clarke's first book. Clarke continues to be witty, and his observations of French life (and British) still hit home. But, to put it mildly, Paul West has an exceedingly juvenile love life. The "merde" he gets into tends to be irritating in this book (as opposed to endearing in the first). And it was certainly not merdy enough to merit 402 pages. However, as something to kill time--let's say while you are stuck at the Dulles airport for 10 hours--it more than suffices.

I have only read the first two (In the Merde for Love and A Year in the Merde) in this series of novels about a British ex-pat who travels to Paris for business (What business you ask? Why the only business an Englisman could have in Paris - opening tea shops, of course...), but feel like I can fairly confidently recommend the entire series based on those two alone. Clarke's protagonist - the fairly goofy yet oddly self-confident Paul West - is a classic bumbler. He means well and genuinely tries, yet somehow keeps falling just that little bit flat. Whether this is due to his own shortcomings (his grasp of French is about as good as mine when he moves to Paris to conduct business, after all) or to the challenges inherent in being a Brit in Paris (which must be somewhat like being the pasty glasses-wearing girl in a lunchroom full of cheerleaders - no matter how smart you are, they are just so much cooler than you!) is up for debate. Regardless, the tales of his run-ins with French custom and law (as well as Frenchmen and -women) are silly and entertaining and sure to have you muttering a well-placed "merde!" or two of your own as the shenanigans unfold.

If you are fond of the French, but sometimes find their ways a tad puzzling...or infuriating....the "Merde" series is for you. So much fun, quick reads, often laugh-out-loud. Nice bubbly glass of champagne.

Paul West returns, still living in France, his French much improved, but still not good enough to tell tea bags from bath salts, flat tires from pure exhaustion, and without the knowledge to properly translate his menu items to get the French government off his back.

Paul is even less lucky in love. His girlfriend Florence who is supposed to be helping him set up his tea shop in Paris, is quickly tiring of the project and takes offence when Paul states he is uncomfortable with the fact that she hired her ex to be the main architect on the project. To make matters worse, his own ex Alexa shows up out of nowhere with a photo exhibit at the Pompidou that features, who else, Paul himself.

Now faced with more personal matters then what readers saw in the first book, Paul needs to figure out not only where his head is in the merde, but if his heart is in it as well.

I was exceptionally excited to start this book. I was in love with "A Year in the Merde" and was excited to continue the series (after living in France myself I can truly appreciate some of the bizarre situations Paul gets himself into). "In the Merde for Love" was cute. It lacked some of the burst out laughing moments that made "A Year" so intoxicating, but it definitely had its moments.

Overall this was a pretty entertaining book, if not as fast paced as the first, and hopefully Clarke will come out with a third for me to read as well.

I love every one of Stephen Clarke's books. I have never laughed so hard reading. Looking forward to getting his newest. I wish these books would also go to the big screen. Hugh Grant?

I purchased this book expecting a new and enteraining book from Stephen Clarke. Last year I purchased a copy of "Merde Actually" in the UK. It appears that it has now been published in the US with a new title "In the Merde For Love". So if you have already read Merde Actually do not order this book its the same one with a new title. Big disappointment. I really like Stephen Clarke's writings.