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jj24's review
2.0
Merde.
Having loved [b:The President's Hat|17594390|The President's Hat|Antoine Laurain|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1364864841s/17594390.jpg|19079427] and [b:The Red Notebook|23129712|The Red Notebook|Antoine Laurain|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1422320393s/23129712.jpg|42677555], I looked forward with glee to Antoine Laurain's latest book. "French Rhapsody" has a fabulous set-up: after mistakenly being lost at the post office for 33 years, a letter arrives for our protagonist, Alain. Alain and his friends were once members of an experimental New Wave band called "The Holograms" and the letter is from a major record label expressing interest in recording the band. Of course, since the letter never reached them, The Holograms have long since split up, the members have lost touch, and most have gotten "real" jobs.
Laurain uses this same serendipitous plot structure, and mixes in whimsy, humor, a sense of place, and a certain je ne sais quois to great effect in his previous books. Sadly, all the charm is missing here. Several side characters are introduced, and their story lines crowd out the overlying arc of Alain trying to find his former band mates. I kept hoping the book would pick up, but at 50% of the way in decided to call it a wrap.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallic Books for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Having loved [b:The President's Hat|17594390|The President's Hat|Antoine Laurain|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1364864841s/17594390.jpg|19079427] and [b:The Red Notebook|23129712|The Red Notebook|Antoine Laurain|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1422320393s/23129712.jpg|42677555], I looked forward with glee to Antoine Laurain's latest book. "French Rhapsody" has a fabulous set-up: after mistakenly being lost at the post office for 33 years, a letter arrives for our protagonist, Alain. Alain and his friends were once members of an experimental New Wave band called "The Holograms" and the letter is from a major record label expressing interest in recording the band. Of course, since the letter never reached them, The Holograms have long since split up, the members have lost touch, and most have gotten "real" jobs.
Laurain uses this same serendipitous plot structure, and mixes in whimsy, humor, a sense of place, and a certain je ne sais quois to great effect in his previous books. Sadly, all the charm is missing here. Several side characters are introduced, and their story lines crowd out the overlying arc of Alain trying to find his former band mates. I kept hoping the book would pick up, but at 50% of the way in decided to call it a wrap.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallic Books for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
bianca89279's review against another edition
4.0
'French Rhapsody' is my third Antoine Laurain novel/novella I've read this year.
I love novels where different characters's stories/lives intersect either serendipitously or on purpose. Antoine Laurain is very good at putting together such stories.
In the "French Rhapsody', Alain Massoulier, a general practitioner (doctor) receives a letter 33 years later. The letter could have changed his and his friends' destinies when they were in their early 20s and were trying to make it in the music world as the new wave, cold wave band the Holograms.
So Alain is trying to get in touch with his former bandmates, to see if any of them still have the recording that could have propelled them to fame. While doing this, we come to meet many other characters. It's interesting to note how all of them had chosen different paths: an economist, a hotel owner, an extreme right wing nut-job politician, an art/antique dealer and a large-scale sculpture artist.
Some of the characters were more interesting than others. I must confess I found it hard reading the extreme right-wing's character's incessant speech and hate monologues, so I kind of skimmed over that part. Another character that plays a big part in this novel is JBM, a very accomplished businessman. It's obvious that Antoine Laurain, like most people, is disillusioned with the state of the French politics and the career politicians who don't have much of a backbone. So he created JBM, who's too good to be true, short of a fantasy of what a good politician should be.
As with all previous Antoine Laurain novels, nostalgia is present throughout this book.
While this novel wasn't as charming and well put together as 'The Red Notebook' and 'The President's Hat', it was still a very enjoyable read.
Looking forward to reading 'The Portrait', which comes out in July 2017.
I've received this novel via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Gallic Books for the opportunity to read this novel and also for sending me the paperback novel (I entered a newsletter competition).
I love novels where different characters's stories/lives intersect either serendipitously or on purpose. Antoine Laurain is very good at putting together such stories.
In the "French Rhapsody', Alain Massoulier, a general practitioner (doctor) receives a letter 33 years later. The letter could have changed his and his friends' destinies when they were in their early 20s and were trying to make it in the music world as the new wave, cold wave band the Holograms.
So Alain is trying to get in touch with his former bandmates, to see if any of them still have the recording that could have propelled them to fame. While doing this, we come to meet many other characters. It's interesting to note how all of them had chosen different paths: an economist, a hotel owner, an extreme right wing nut-job politician, an art/antique dealer and a large-scale sculpture artist.
Some of the characters were more interesting than others. I must confess I found it hard reading the extreme right-wing's character's incessant speech and hate monologues, so I kind of skimmed over that part. Another character that plays a big part in this novel is JBM, a very accomplished businessman. It's obvious that Antoine Laurain, like most people, is disillusioned with the state of the French politics and the career politicians who don't have much of a backbone. So he created JBM, who's too good to be true, short of a fantasy of what a good politician should be.
As with all previous Antoine Laurain novels, nostalgia is present throughout this book.
While this novel wasn't as charming and well put together as 'The Red Notebook' and 'The President's Hat', it was still a very enjoyable read.
Looking forward to reading 'The Portrait', which comes out in July 2017.
I've received this novel via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Gallic Books for the opportunity to read this novel and also for sending me the paperback novel (I entered a newsletter competition).
debnanceatreaderbuzz's review against another edition
3.0
It's thirty-three years late, but Alain Massoulier has received a letter. It's the letter he was waiting for, a letter offering a recording contract for him and his band, the Holograms. It's been a long, long time, and Alain no longer is a musician. Where are the other members of his band now? Would any of them still have a copy of the recording the band made? What would the others think of this turn of events?
A genuinely fun little read.
A genuinely fun little read.
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