the next good book

French Exit

By Patrick Dewitt

7.5/10
(7.5/10)

244 pages

What’s it about? Where to begin?  This novel centers around Frances and her adult son Malcom.   The story opens as Frances and Malcolm exit a party on the Upper East side of Manhattan.  We soon learn that Frances is a wealthy socialite who is quickly running out of money. “My plan was to die before the money ran out,” says 65-year-old Frances.  Frances has been mired in controversy ever since her husband died and she chose to go skiing rather than to report his death.  We follow Frances and Malcolm as they leave New York for Paris and begin a different life. What did it make me think about? My main thought was, “Where is this going?”.  Until I quit worrying about it and just enjoyed this short little book for whatever it was.  I am still not sure what it was…. Should I read it? This novel was witty and odd.  I enjoyed Patrick DeWitt’s previous novel,“My Sisters Brothers” and it was an odd book as well.  Although “My Sisters Brothers” was situated in the Wild West and this novel is set in world of the very wealthy. If you need your novels to go somewhere in particular- this one is not for you.  If you like a dark comedy or have an interest in the Upper East Side then give it a try. Quote- “Please don’t cry.  Your makeup’s going to run- and there’s so much of it.”
What’s it about?
Where to begin?  This novel centers around Frances and her adult son Malcom.   The story opens as Frances and Malcolm exit a party on the Upper East side of Manhattan.  We soon learn that Frances is a wealthy socialite who is quickly running out of money. “My plan was to die before the money ran out,” says 65-year-old Frances.  Frances has been mired in controversy ever since her husband died and she chose to go skiing rather than to report his death.  We follow Frances and Malcolm as they leave New York for Paris and begin a different life.

What did it make me think about?
My main thought was, “Where is this going?”.  Until I quit worrying about it and just enjoyed this short little book for whatever it was.  I am still not sure what it was….

Should I read it?
This novel was witty and odd.  I enjoyed Patrick DeWitt’s previous novel,“My Sisters Brothers” and it was an odd book as well.  Although “My Sisters Brothers” was situated in the Wild West and this novel is set in world of the very wealthy. If you need your novels to go somewhere in particular- this one is not for you.  If you like a dark comedy or have an interest in the Upper East Side then give it a try.

Quote-
“Please don’t cry.  Your makeup’s going to run- and there’s so much of it.”

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