Customer Reviews

Rosy is My Relative

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hilarious! One of my favorite Durrell books.

WHY, WHY, WHY don't they re-print these books?

I laughed so hard at the vivid descriptions that I had tears coming out of my eyes. All of the characters, their names, their qualities, what they said made perfect the hilarity of this wonderful story and all its eccentric charm. A tragedy it's out of print.

All Durrell books are great but there are some that are the highlights. This is one of 'em. I've read all his books and they all make me laugh. Durrell is one of my favorite authors and if you've read any other of his books read this one [if you can find the only problem is its not in PRINT!!!!]

My mother gave me this book when I was in 8th grade. I had always been a reluctant reader but Durrell was drawing me out. I had devoured his other books, particularly his collecting adventures and so, thought I had a good read on him as an author. I was so wrong! Nothing prepared me for the wonderful world of pandemonium that befalls poor Adrian and Rosy. I laughed so hard I nearly wet myself and would often have to stiffle my laughter so as to not wake the whole family! Absolutely one of my, if not the, most favorite humor novel of all time.

Why oh why don't they reprint the bloody thing!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!??!!?!?!?

I read this book 20 years ago and I can still call images to mind in relation to the madcap adventure it tells. I alternated between almost wetting myself, or laughing so hard that I could no longer breath properly and having to turn away from the book to calm myself down. I've read it a number of times and each time I would finish with my throat aching with laughter. Can't imagine what my neighbours think goes on at my place...Great stuff!

From the audiobook cover: "What does a young man bequeathed 500 pounds and an elephant with a taste for liquor do? Adrian Rookwhistle thought he had the answer -- he'd give her to a circus. But it wasn't so easy." Note that Adrian starts out as a respectable, timid, and dull young man before inheriting the drunken elephant and you can predict about 75% of how the story will unfold -- get about a third of the way in and you'll be able to predict the rest.

There isn't even an attempt at plausibility as the author pushes Adrian and Rosy along on their adventures. For example, Adrian spends weeks at an "inn," with his elephant secreted in the stables, without so much as a hint of a client appearing throughout the whole period. In fact, in this book no one who works seems to have any activity that interferes with their spending all their time with Adrian when he's around.

Given the above, your enjoyment of this book will depend entirely on whether descriptions of comic mayhem and characters who are extremely broad caricatures tickle your funny bone. If they do, you might find this entertaining light reading. They don't do anything for me, hence the two stars. Outside of one or two funny lines, the whole thing was more of a slog than a romp for me.