2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Jill Elizabeth has read 1 book toward her goal of 285 books.
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2023 Reading Challenge

2023 Reading Challenge
Jill Elizabeth has read 5 books toward her goal of 265 books.
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Book Review: Smoking Kills by Antoine Laurain

With a delicious droll French sensibility, Laurain’s latest delivers the perfect blend of black comedy and social commentary. The story of an utterly unrepentant smoker who finds himself struggling after being hypnotized out of the enjoyment (but not the addiction) of smoking is in turns snarky, witty, and just a little bit tragic. With an excellent supporting cast that fleshes out the scenes perfectly, the book will make you smile with grim glee as you join Fabrice on his journey down the rabbit hole. This is a darker side of smoking you’ve NEVER seen before, and it was an exceedingly enjoyable ride from the first pages through the last!

That’s my review of the book – which is incredible. Now let me say a few words about the fact that it’s a translation…

I don’t imagine translators get enough credit by half, so I want to make sure I acknowledge the magnificent job that Louise Rogers-Lalaurie at Gallic Books did with this novel. This is a story that depends almost entirely on mood setting – and that is accomplished by perfect language used throughout. Perfect language that was written by the original author in a language rich in idiom and descriptive words that don’t directly translate into English. So not only is this a fabulous book, but it’s a fabulous book that had to be recreated in a language with different idioms, customs, and phrasing. And it was done in such a fashion that it still felt perfectly French throughout. I am always so impressed when someone can manage that – it’s no small feat and deserving of credit in its own right!

My review copy was generously provided by Meryl Zegarek Public Relations. It’s my first Antoine Laurain – but most definitely not my last. The book releases in the US on August 8, 2018, but can be pre-ordered now on Amazon.

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