French Exit

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Pub Date 20 Sep 2018 | Archive Date 5 Oct 2018

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Description

A comedy/tragedy of manners. The new novel from the Man Booker-shortlisted author of The Sisters Brothers


Frances Price – tart widow, possessive mother and Upper East Side force of nature – is in dire straits, beset by scandal. Her adult son Malcolm is no help, mired in a permanent state of arrested development. And then there’s their cat, who Frances believes houses the spirit of her late husband, an infamously immoral world-class cad whose gruesome tabloid death rendered Frances and Malcolm social outcasts.


The curious trio head for the exit, escape pariahdom and land in Paris – a backdrop for self-destruction and economic ruin, and peopled by a number of singular characters: a bashful private investigator, an aimless psychic and Mme. Reynard, aggressive houseguest and friendly American expat. 


Brimming with pathos and wit, French Exit is a one-of-a-kind tragedy of manners, a riotous send-up of high society and a moving story of mothers and sons.

A comedy/tragedy of manners. The new novel from the Man Booker-shortlisted author of The Sisters Brothers


Frances Price – tart widow, possessive mother and Upper East Side force of nature – is in dire...


Available Editions

EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9781526601179
PRICE £16.99 (GBP)

Average rating from 35 members


Featured Reviews

If this were a film, Tilda Swinton would play the lead character, Frances and the film would be directed by Wes Anderson.

This book could not be more brilliant.

I wanted to hate Frances, but found her too witty and charming to resist. She and her son Malcolm do some loathsome things: steal, belittle people, act selfishly, but ultimately those flaws are outweighed by their bold personalities.

The host of other colourful characters, including Small Frank the cat, are brilliantly written and serve to complete a well-rounded tale.

Reminiscent of Chekhov's comic tragedies, we know this "tragedy of manners" will not having a happy ending in the traditional sense. Frances is like the Cherry Orchard's Ranyevskaya in her spending, her selfishness, and desire to go to Paris. Self-destructive and often mean, she flirts outrageously with people and successfully manipulates everyone - including the reader - into wanting things to go her way.

It astounded me that this writer captured everything from love and friendship to death and depression with both depth and humour.
Descriptions are rich and often made me laugh out loud - it is really a book made up of wonderful vignettes tied together. Without giving long quotes here, I can't do those vignettes justice, so instead will say: read the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing and Patrick deWitt for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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