The version of Clochemerle by Gabriel Chevallier which I read was an older book (borrowed from my mother-in-law) which was translated from the French by Jocelyn Godefroi and which featured amusing line drawings by Julian Brazelton. I have very few fiction books containing drawings and it was interesting, for a change, to see someone else’s views of what the events and characters described in the narrative might look like. I remember that there was a TV adaption of this title when I was a child and that my father bought and enjoyed the book even though it was very different from the thrillers which he usually read.
The book was written in the 1930s and is a satire about rural French life and what happens in small communities. The fictional village is named in the title and the book describes the inhabitants and the location in some detail. This is a book which is mainly about the descriptions as there is very little plot. My version of the book had a helpful map and character list.
The book starts with the mayor of the village deciding to make his mark by installing a public urinal in the town for the use of the local men. There is much discussion of the best site for this and it ends up being installed by the local church which causes unhappiness among some of the inhabitants of the village.
The narrative moves on to consider some of these people, their history, their secrets and how they feel about things. Among those characters that we meet are the local priest, his housekeeper, an older spinster who lives near the church, a returning son of the village, a young woman who is unmarried and pregnant, and the couple who run the local bar. Most of these people have one face that they show the world and one that they keep to themselves. Many of them have secrets, although a surprising number of these are already known by other inhabitants. Each of them reacts differently to the changes in the town.
The book is written in an amusing style. The author doesn’t judge any of his characters and expects the reader to accept their quirks as he does. I found this very engaging and enjoyed the author’s witty and often savage comments about the difference between public and private morality. I grew a bit tired of it all by the end of the book and would have liked a few more meaty plot developments but maybe I am too used to modern novels. I certainly recommend that you read this novel as it is highly entertaining.
Anne Is Reading 