Reviews

Guys Like Me by Dominique Fabre, Howard Curtis

paulataua's review against another edition

4.0

Fabre writes books about ordinary Parisians in their later years as they struggle through every day existence. They are men and women whose hopes and dreams have been reduced to a desire for things to be slightly improved or at least to be less painful. As a backdrop, Fabre constantly refers to both Scott Fitzgerald’s “no second acts” and his “Do you mind if I pull down the curtain?” I would never recommend Fabre’s work to anyone, especially those who look for intrepid heroes, untold rewards, or the righting of wrongs. I have myself , however, found much in his work that resonates with me. It seems as if ‘Guys Like Me’ seems to have been written specially for guys like me.

zoes_human's review against another edition

I did not finish this book. I stopped 49 pages in.

There was some interesting atmosphere in the beginning and a couple of quotes that verged on elegant. However, it was also repetitive. I think it was intended to be poetic, and there is a poetic way to have a recurring phrase in a book. It was not achieved in this instance though. It also had a rambling sort of quality that I associate with my pre-coffee morning shower thoughts. 

There is some potential here, but I think it needs a good editor and some skilled and brutally honest beta readers. Or maybe it's better in French? The problem here could be a translation issue. Or a cultural difference? Maybe I would like it more if I were French.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway. Many thanks to all involved in providing me with this opportunity.