Gerald Durrell's cautionary tale for those who get what they wish for was the perfect book to read in order to raise my spirits. Durrell swore that the whole thing actually happened and that he merely clarified and embellished, but I really don't care one way or the other. The entire story played out on the movie screen of my mind, and I found myself laughing many times as I turned the pages. I'm even smiling as I type this review.
Adrian has a tough time steering Rosy clear of pubs on the way down to the coast, and they also come a cropper when meeting up with a local hunt club, a country house ball, and the stage at a seaside theater. Durrell's Dickens-esque names for his characters give this story the required light and charming touch that it needs, and he includes several turns of phrase that kept me laughing. You want examples, you say? Here are two. Lady Fenneltree had "eyes like those of a particularly maladjusted python." "He bristled and quivered like a small, alert terrier at a rabbit hole."
If you're in need of something light, fun, filled with a lovable elephant and other brilliant cartoon-like characters, as well as a legal trial that will have you laughing with glee, pick up a copy of Rosy Is My Relative. I can feel her trunk tapping me on my shoulder now.
Adrian has a tough time steering Rosy clear of pubs on the way down to the coast, and they also come a cropper when meeting up with a local hunt club, a country house ball, and the stage at a seaside theater. Durrell's Dickens-esque names for his characters give this story the required light and charming touch that it needs, and he includes several turns of phrase that kept me laughing. You want examples, you say? Here are two. Lady Fenneltree had "eyes like those of a particularly maladjusted python." "He bristled and quivered like a small, alert terrier at a rabbit hole."
If you're in need of something light, fun, filled with a lovable elephant and other brilliant cartoon-like characters, as well as a legal trial that will have you laughing with glee, pick up a copy of Rosy Is My Relative. I can feel her trunk tapping me on my shoulder now.
