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Chantilly: A Novel
Violet and Nero have been dreaming of owning their home for years, but when they place an advert in the newspaper, they get an offer that will change their lives forever. An elderly woman with red shoes, nicknamed Lady Chantilly for the famous cream she makes for a local bakery, offers the couple the apartment of their dreams – on one condition: they can move in only after her death. As they begin to deliberating over what to do about the apartment, their circumstances change abruptly with the apparent suicide of Nero’s father. Unbeknownst to them, this sets off a chain of events that will lead to a radical plan and unexpected results. With a menacing loan shark on their heels, Violet and Nero set out on an adventure full of surreal digressions, comedic moments, and powerful emotions.
If you enjoyed the surreal, magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez's 'One Hundred Years of Solitude', or 'Froth of the Daydream' by Boris Vian, you'll also love this captivating novel. Buy now before the price changes!
If you enjoyed the surreal, magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez's 'One Hundred Years of Solitude', or 'Froth of the Daydream' by Boris Vian, you'll also love this captivating novel. Buy now before the price changes!
87 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 25, 2023
Mesmerizing
I wouldn't normally pick a book like this to read. At first, I was confounded as to what I was reading. But I was mesmerized.
Nero, primarily, and Violet's imaginary conversations were, at times, confusing, but you wanted to keep reading to see where this road ended.
My favorite part was the dialogue between the actress and the character she played. I found that thoughtful and complex.
I won't give spoilers, but the end is not what I was hoping for...or is it? Not what I hoped for, but more so, is it the end?
I would recommend this to anyone who is willing to let the story guide you, even if at times you're not sure what is happening.
I wouldn't normally pick a book like this to read. At first, I was confounded as to what I was reading. But I was mesmerized.
Nero, primarily, and Violet's imaginary conversations were, at times, confusing, but you wanted to keep reading to see where this road ended.
My favorite part was the dialogue between the actress and the character she played. I found that thoughtful and complex.
I won't give spoilers, but the end is not what I was hoping for...or is it? Not what I hoped for, but more so, is it the end?
I would recommend this to anyone who is willing to let the story guide you, even if at times you're not sure what is happening.
December 14, 2023
I've ever read a book quite like this one. The main character, Nero, routinely imagines himself conversing with inanimate objects, then shifts over to speaking to real people around him. I enjoy the funny observations he makes during his daydreams, but sometimes they wander far enough from the main story that I stop to ask if maybe there's a hidden connection I missed. So I reread that section. Not a big problem, but my experience with this book wasn't a straight line. This slowed the pace in a few places, but in others, that digression was amusing enough in its own right that I didn't mind. I'll forego details to avoid spoilers, but I'll just say that I enjoyed the different feel of the book. Now the ending was completely unexpected and rather interesting, but I didn't see how it related to the rest of the book. Maybe I need to go back and look more carefully for hints that foreshadowed it.
The writing style is fairly clean and polished, almost Hemingway-esque in its simplicity, which I can appreciate. I never found myself struggling to parse sentences. As for overall tone, this story felt like literature, where the focus centered more on ideas than action. If you want something short, different, and unexpected, definitely check out this book.
The writing style is fairly clean and polished, almost Hemingway-esque in its simplicity, which I can appreciate. I never found myself struggling to parse sentences. As for overall tone, this story felt like literature, where the focus centered more on ideas than action. If you want something short, different, and unexpected, definitely check out this book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews