I am a big fan of Peter Mayle and his 1993 Hotel Pastis, a novel of Provence, did not disappoint. It has all sorts of things going for it.
1. It takes place in London and Provence.
2. The main characters include Simon, newly divorced and fed up with his life as a London ad agency executive who gets out of the rat race and opens the high-class Hotel Pastis in a small village in Provence; Ernest, Simon's 'man' of exquisite taste who takes on planning and organizing the opening of hotel along with some help from his bulldog Mrs. Gibbons; and Nicole, Simon's love interest and partner in the hotel whom he conveniently meets on his very first visit to the village.
3. The book is filled with beautiful people wearing beautiful clothes all eating beautiful food.
4. There are amusing gentle jabs at journalists, advertising agencies, chefs, vineyard owners, workmen, artists, and corporate bigwigs.
5. There is a bank robbery gang on bicycles.
What's not to like?
While the hotel gets ready for its grand opening, along the way we meet all sorts of folks: the menacing Enrico with his 'protection' racket; The General who masterminds the bank robbery; Caroline, Simon's ex-wife who is always looking for some way to get even more alimony; William, Simon's ne'er-do-well uncle who comes to Hotel Pastis to sponge off his nephew and help himself to his cigars and liquor; and Crouch the sour British journalist who fights any changes made in the village tooth and nail and yet has a dirty little secret of his own.
There are many more, of course. Some merely stroll across the pages, champagne glass in hand, and some stay for a while. Each one will bring a smile.
This book truly swept me away to Provence. Not a bad place to be.
I've only read some of his memoirs of Provence, but I suspect I would very much enjoy this, based on how he captures the region so well.
ReplyDeleteI think this is one of my favorites of his, Vicki. Mr. Mayle really has fun with the characters. I laughed out loud many times! Hope you get a chance to read it.
DeleteI've never read any of Peter Mayle's novels--just his nonfiction about moving to France. This sounds really delightful, and something to put on the list for some escapist reading. I would love to be in Provence...
ReplyDeleteHi, Kathy. For some reason I have been able to find many of Mr. Mayles' books at my favorite used book sale. This one is lots of fun and the characters are delicious! We had more snow last night so I would love to be anywhere else right now and Provence sounds especially inviting!
DeleteI plan to go there too as soon as I can pick the book up from the library
ReplyDeleteI hope you will enjoy your trip, Joyce! Mr. Mayle has written a very entertaining novel filled with amusing characters and of course he captures the region so well. A fun vacation!
DeleteWhy have I never read any of these? It's on my TBR now.
ReplyDeleteKat, Mayle has written several autobiographical novels about his move to Provence from England and the humorous trials and tribulations of adjusting to a new culture in Provence.
DeleteHe also has written a couple of novel novels of which 'Hotel Pastis' is one. I bought this one at the Locust Grove Used Book Sale some time ago and am so glad I finally settled down to read it. I recently bought his 'Chasing Cezanne' and 'A Good Year' both of which I am now moving higher in my TBR stack!
Have you read Mayle's Anything Considered? I really liked it. Starts in Monte Carlo I believe and has to do with intrigued related the high stakes world of truffle gathering and the prospects of being able to cultivate them.
ReplyDeleteHi, Thomas. I have not read this one about truffles but it is going on my list. I love a comic caper so thanks for recommending this one. And any novel that takes place in France (or England, for that matter) gets my vote!
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