💜 Though Ambroise Lanier is the son of a noble laureate in medicine, he chose a usually frowned-upon career: embalmer. I feel that he might wanted to pursue it in the first place as rebellious act against his arrogant and self-centered father who strongly opposed it. But regardless of his initial purpose, Ambroise quite enjoys his works.
💜 Talking about frowned-upon jobs, Manelle's home-helping services for elderly people is equally inglorious choice of career. Emptying chamber pots and cleaning houses - especially to suspicious old men - are definitely not everyone's dream of profession. However, like Ambroise, Manelle enjoys her meaningful job.
💜 It's not strange that both Ambroise and Manelle stays single until now. For Ambroise, particularly, it's not easy to attract a girl with his kind of job. But their lives are about to change completely, thanks to one of Manelle's sweetest patients. The octogenarian Monsieur Samuel Dinsky has had throbbing headaches recently, and after the MRI result revealed he had a brain tumor, with only three months to live, he made a drastic decision. It involves a journey to Switzerland, accompanied by Manelle and Ambroise - the first, friendly; the latter, professionally. Whose life would completely change, do you think? The octogenarian's? The youngsters? Or both?
💜 You know how French novels are often quirky? This one's quirkiness is in the profession of embalmer. It's not just the main character's job, Didierlaurent goes all in about Ambroise day to day job; the meticulous details of the step by step of embalming process, as well as what he deals with - his colleagues, the deceased's relatives, etc. It goes the same with Manelle's jobs. You might say this is a story of embalmers and home-helpers, and you're not entirely wrong. It is more that that, though. This is also a story about life and death, fear and hope. Ambroise and Manelle, each has a wholesome job, because they provide comforts for those who need it most: elderly people who need a dignified life, and family of the deceased who need to preserve the memory of their beloved.
💜 I might unwittingly describe this as a gloomy story - blame that to my current mood; this reminded me of my deceased father - but it's actually a charming, funny, sweet, hopeful, and heartwarming. I loved all the main characters, including Beth, Ambroise's grandmother. It's a story that reminds you that life... is always worth living! 💜
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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hosted by Emma @ Words and Peace
It actually sounds odd but charming! I am so glad to have heard about it. How did you come across it? That should be part of the story.
ReplyDeleteAs I have problem with my eyesight, I only read e-book or audiobooks nowadays, and I'm registered at Everand dot com. Their algorithm proposed this book while I was searching for something to read for #parisinjuly24. I've found many good books this way, which I wouldn't have had I stuck to physical books. So, my eyesight problem is partly a blessing in disguise, I guess.
DeleteIt sounds kinda good, actually.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds good, I haven't read it yet. Emma @ Words And Peace
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised at how good this sounds despite it being about an embalmer. Must look it up. Thanks for highlighting this!
ReplyDelete