The French Revolution: A Novel [Paperback]

Matt Stewart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2010

Loosely structured on the greatest identity crisis ever, The French Revolution is the hilarious, tragic, and deeply imaginative story of a San Francisco family forging its place in history.

Esmerelda Van Twinkle, a failed pastry chef turned outsized copy shop manager, stumbles into motherhood after a semi-intentional liaison with good-natured coupon distributor Jasper Winslow. Born on Bastille Day, their twin children Robespierre and Marat revolt against archaic rules imposed by their autocratic grandmother, surmount radically misguided parenting, navigate factional infighting, and combat wars in the Middle East to achieve great personal gain.

But just as the family is on the cusp of achieving meteoric success in politics, business, music, and gastronomy, fissures from the past crack open spectacularly, derailing their bid for long-lived power while cementing a reputation for the ages.

Matt Stewart blends vibrant prose, unforgettable characters, and a multi-layered plot based on the extremes of the historical French Revolution for a relentlessly entertaining debut novel. Viva la révolution!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Stewart's whimsical debut (originally published on Twitter as 3,700 tweets) finds vague inspiration in the French Revolution and begins in 1989 when former pastry chef Esmerelda Van Twinkle, through a series of wacky events and coincidences, becomes involved with a coupon vender named Jasper Winslow. They have two kids--Marat and Robespierre--and after Jasper disappears, Esmerelda and the kids move in with her drunken mother, whose house has been "in boiled suspension" since her husband disappeared at sea. Despite an unpleasant stay, Esmerelda's kids are smart and determined: they put their obese mother on a diet and make their own way in the world--Robespierre in politics; Marat in the criminal underworld, then the military, and later back to the first. From Esmerelda's return to kitchen glory to Robespierre's serendipitous series of political victories, everything works out just fine. Esmerelda isn't wrong when she says that her family has gone from "ruffians to royalty in the blink of a decade," but Stewart would have done his characters and readers a favor by making the trip a bit rockier.
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From Booklist

First released as a series of roughly 3,700 tweets on Twitter (@thefrenchrev), Stewart’s zany debut cleverly reimagines the central events of the French Revolution in a thrilling novel that explores the meaning of success and the unlikely bonds that unite a family. On Bastille Day, 1989, Esmeralda Van Twinkle, once San Francisco’s reigning pastry chef but now a morbidly obese copy shop manager, gives birth to twins Robespierre and Marat after an impetuous love affair with Jasper Winslow, a genial coupon distributor. When Jasper mysteriously disappears, Esmeralda is forced to move in with Fanny, her lonely, tyrannical mother. As the twins become teens and Fanny’s demands become intolerable, they rebel, Robespierre turning to education and social reform; Marat to pot, pranks, and fighting in the Middle East; while together they seek to help Esmeralda restore her dignity and former charisma. Deep-cutting and full of cartoonish surprises, Stewart’s hilariously bawdy satire casts fresh light in a dark corner of the past while portraying a family whose members have somehow survived history. Now, if only they can endure each other. --Jonathan Fullmer

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Product Details

• Paperback: 306 pages
• Publisher: Soft Skull Press (June 15, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593762836
• ISBN-13: 978-1593762834
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,898,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Matt Stewart made headlines worldwide when he released The French Revolution via Twitter on Bastille Day 2009. (Rest assured, the version for sale here is significantly easier to read.) His short stories have appeared in Instant City, McSweeney's, and Opium Magazine, among other venues, and, when the moonlight strikes just right across the alpine lake in his mind, he's been known to blog for The Huffington Post. The French Revolution is his first novel. For more on Matt's adventures, visit http://matt-stewart.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic story, great book October 26, 2010

By Richard Martin

Format:Paperback

The French Revolution holds a mirror up to society and makes us all take a look at ourselves. Matt Stewart captures food culture, San Francisco narcissism and the seditious nature of municipal politics with flair and a decidedly unique voice. Once you meet his bizarre-but-believable characters and visit the world they inhabit you won't want to leave. I couldn't put this book down and when I finished reading it I seriously considered starting at the beginning again.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hugely entertaining July 16, 2010

By Emily A

Format:Paperback

The French Revolution is a hilarious account of an only-in-San Francisco kind of adventure. It's entertaining and creative -- you certainly won't find another story out there that's remotely similar. The book is chock-a-block with lively and abundant descriptions that conjure up hilarious images. Matt Stewart is not afraid to have fun with words. Read this book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun to read, memorable characters, great wordplay September 14, 2010

By mptweeny

Format:Paperback

The French Revolution was a lot of fun to read and I was sorry every time I had to put it down. The characters are vividly drawn and compelling. The core family of mother Esmerelda, kids Marat and Robespierre, and grandmother Fanny are totally wacky but very real. I loved Stewart's narrative style, which is exuberantly rich with details. Every little aspect of life is exploded open and celebrated. I'm recommending this book to all my friends. Oh, and you don't have to know a thing about the French Revolution to enjoy or "get" this book.