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Prize-winning author Anna Gavalda has galvanized the literary world with an exquisite genius for storytelling. Here, in her epic new novel of intimate lives-and filled with the "humanity and wit" (Marie Claire) that has made it a bestselling sensation in France-Gavalda explores the twists of fate that connect four people in Paris. Comprised of a starving artist, her shy, aristocratic neighbor, his obnoxious but talented roommate, and a neglected grandmother, this curious, damaged quartet may be hopeless apart, but together, they may just be able to face the world.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Smiler69
This is a gem of a story about four misfits or “broken toys” as I like to call them, who somehow come together and help each other heal and find love and happiness, each in their own way. There’s a young girl who is an artist and by all accounts anorexic and alcoholic with an incredible gift
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for drawing, a French aristrocrat from a very ancient lineage who is socially retarded (if not outright autistic), a young chef who is a brute and a womanizer along with his sweet old granny who has alzheimer’s and is prone to falling and knocking into things. Somehow, they all manage to heal each other, just by “being with each other, that's all” which is the direct translation of the original French title. One of my favourite books of all time. Show Less
LibraryThing member Her_Royal_Orangeness
#3 on my list of Best Books of 2011
When the lives of four people - an emotionally damaged artist, a shy aristocrat, an angry drifter, a neglected elderly lady - intersect, they are all challenged to confront their inner demons and in the process find their way to hope and self-actualization. (Ok,
It's a quiet, simple book. Not much of a plot. No creative use of literary devices. Not a writing style that really impressed me. But the characters! This book is all about them, in all their raw and beautiful humanity. I honestly think it's the best cast of characters I've ever met in a novel.
It's one of those books that I didn't want to end. I hated to turn the last page. I cried my way through the last two chapters. The characters in "Hunting and Gathering" capture your heart...and never let go.
When the lives of four people - an emotionally damaged artist, a shy aristocrat, an angry drifter, a neglected elderly lady - intersect, they are all challenged to confront their inner demons and in the process find their way to hope and self-actualization. (Ok,
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that sounds hokey. But it's not. Really!)It's a quiet, simple book. Not much of a plot. No creative use of literary devices. Not a writing style that really impressed me. But the characters! This book is all about them, in all their raw and beautiful humanity. I honestly think it's the best cast of characters I've ever met in a novel.
It's one of those books that I didn't want to end. I hated to turn the last page. I cried my way through the last two chapters. The characters in "Hunting and Gathering" capture your heart...and never let go.
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LibraryThing member queenpetunia
I resisted liking this. But I found the story engrossing and couldn't put it down. The characters were so likeable each in his/her own way. It's not great literature; it reads like a screenplay - almost entirely dialogue. Four unlikley individuals find themselves sharing a home. They cut across
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ages, education-level, culture, and socio-economic class. Show Less
LibraryThing member oldblack
If you believe the publisher, this has been a big-selling book in France and elsewhere. I think the reason for that must be largely the quirky and likable characters. Gavalda has a great ability to give a person enough redeeming features to balance their somewhat less desirable behaviour. This book
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is, however, purely romantic escapism. The plot is unbelievable and everyone lives happily - we presume 'for ever after'. Even when the grandmother dies, she dies in her sleep with a smile on her face! A fun, easy read - just don't take it seriously. Show Less
LibraryThing member booksinthebelfry
An offbeat story about 4 lost souls coming together to form an unlikely, makeshift "family." Although emotionally deadened by their previous experiences, Camille (a literally starving artist), Philibert (a stammering, bumbling disappointment to his aristocratic family), Franck (a foul-mouthed but
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talented and good-hearted chef), and Paulette (Franck's grandmother, trying to negotiate the indignities of age with some measure of grace) take halting steps back from the brink of existential despair and eventually find the courage to once again risk personal connection with other human beings. Gavalda has a sure touch with dialogue and an eye for the perfect detail to bring out nuances of personality, although her style tends to veer toward coyness and I found myself less engaged with the characters and the story as the novel drew to a somewhat protracted end. Still, the backdrop of Paris and the gradually unfolding narrative arc exert a certain springtime charm that's hard to resist. Show Less
LibraryThing member dawnlovesbooks
quirky, delightful cast of characters who are all lonely and withdrawn until they end up together.
LibraryThing member Luli81
A fresh story about love and friendship. High paced prose with sweet characters. Don't miss it !
LibraryThing member rvolenti
I really enjoyed this book. One of my customers gave it to me. The characters are all unique and uniquely French, but they come to life in their eccentric ways. I think most 25+ yrs women will enjoy the book.
LibraryThing member bookmart
Interesting believable characters with a "nice" story make this a realy pleasant read.
LibraryThing member kristinmm
I really could not put this book down and read it in one night. I loved the characters, the dialogue, the setting, pretty much everything! The characters have serious problems but overall it's a very feel-good story.
LibraryThing member kylenapoli
It's amazing how sweet and hopeful this book can be without ever slipping into preciousness or turning saccharine. It is truly a delight and hard to put aside when finished.
LibraryThing member abigailyow
It was okay in my opinion. The bond between the characters were believable and realistic. The novel was very much dialogue-driven which made it an easy read. It suited the story nicely. However, I felt some parts too ambiguous and the ending a little contrive. Overall, a mediocre read.
LibraryThing member punxsygal
In a large old house in Paris four people come together--starving artist Camille, foul mouth/temper chef Franck, his addled grandmother Paulette, and Philibert a stammering artistocrat who sells postcards outside of a museum. Through the story we see that you can be born to people, but your
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"family" may be the friends you make Show Less
LibraryThing member Kathy.Newton
hilarious and a page turner. loved the paris references
LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
This was a frustrating read for me. By turns, I couldn't stop reading and was somewhat bored. Telling the story of three people who have had difficult relationships with their parents but who find a tentative happiness as roommates in an enormous old Paris apartment. The three main characters were
There's a lot to like about this book. The setting is Paris and Camille, Franck and Franck's grandmother are quirky, endearing characters. The third resident of the apartment remains thinly drawn, to the point where his transformation and independence occur entirely off the page. And it's sometimes self-consciously quirky, as though the characters' actions and traits are there more for the effect they will have on the reader's heartstrings than fully realized parts of themselves. I like that in the aftermath of the success of The Elegance of the Hedgehog, more books seem to be making the leap from French into English translations. I just wish a better book had been chosen, but much of my dissatisfaction with this book is my dislike of whimsy and charm. Not everyone dislikes a happy ending.
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interesting enough. There's Philibert, the stammering, history-obsessed postcard seller, who has the apartment while his family fights over a will, Camille, the sensitive artist who has given up art and is working as a cleaner in an office and Franck, the tempestuous sous-chef who is run ragged between his arduous job and his grandmother, who lives hours away and may not be up to living on her own any more. Predictably, they become stronger as a group of misfits forming a sort of family. There's a lot to like about this book. The setting is Paris and Camille, Franck and Franck's grandmother are quirky, endearing characters. The third resident of the apartment remains thinly drawn, to the point where his transformation and independence occur entirely off the page. And it's sometimes self-consciously quirky, as though the characters' actions and traits are there more for the effect they will have on the reader's heartstrings than fully realized parts of themselves. I like that in the aftermath of the success of The Elegance of the Hedgehog, more books seem to be making the leap from French into English translations. I just wish a better book had been chosen, but much of my dissatisfaction with this book is my dislike of whimsy and charm. Not everyone dislikes a happy ending.
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LibraryThing member elliepotten
This was one of my oldest unread books, so I'm glad my TBR Jar finally pushed me to read it! It's set in the early 2000s in Paris, and follows four characters - a nervy young aristocrat, a motorbike-riding chef, his struggling granny, and an anorexic young artist-slash-office cleaner. It's a slow
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read, gradually pulling the four together into an odd kind of family, exploring their issues and back stories one layer at a time. Early on I kept putting off picking it back up, which is never a good sign, but I got more invested as the pages went by and ended up really enjoying it - though the end fizzled out a bit. Apparently it was being made into a film with Audrey Tatou, but I don't know if that ever happened? Recommended if you like gentle, quirky, character-driven novels with a strong sense of place. Show Less
LibraryThing member MarthaJeanne
It kept jumping around between several characters, never sticking with one long enough to get me involved. I gave up after about 90 pages.
LibraryThing member decaturmamaof2
just started - not sure I can get "into" this book in my current mood. Maybe if I tried the original... the writing is good, it's just very depressing!
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ok - I kept with it and ended up LOVING this book. Very emotional, very raw and very real. I loved the character of Franck especially.
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ok - I kept with it and ended up LOVING this book. Very emotional, very raw and very real. I loved the character of Franck especially.
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Ms. Gavalda has a wonderful talent for characterization (although I have not yet read this in the original French) -- the translator is to be commended. Show Less
LibraryThing member cindywho
This one rode in my bag for weeks and was unfortunately subject to a water bottle accident that made me feel like a bad library patron. I had mixed feelings about it mostly because I was often lost. My colloquial French is stuck in the 80s. Then I found out it had been made into a movie with Audrey
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Tatou, so she kept sneaking into my perceptions of the main character, Camille. It is a sweet story of lonely messed up people creating their own family. Show Less
LibraryThing member RuMuse
This is a modern tale of three youngish adult eccentrics sharing quarters in Paris as they do their best to cope with their individual issues, life baggage, and daily challenges. It gets delightfully complicated as their lives become increasingly intertwined. I loved reading this novel; it was balm
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to my scarred spirits. Show Less
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
The concept behind Hunting and Gathering is super simple. Bring four very different people together and tell a story about how they coexist. Each has a personal tragedy; a difficulty finding solid ground either mentally, physically, or financially. For some, all three imbalances exist. Philibert is
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the understated hero who brings anorexically malnourished Camille to his barely furnished apartment. He is already sharing the space with overworked and underemotional Franck, a chef with very little time or patience for anyone except an ailing grandmother. Philibert is not without his own issues. He suffers from debilitating social anxiety. To compensate for a stutter, he dresses outrageously and is excessively polite. They all share common issues of loss, an inability to cope with family, and an undeniable fondness for one another. When Franck brings his grandmother to the dilapidated apartment as the fourth roommate the relationships grow deeper and more meaningful. Show Less
LibraryThing member -Eva-
This started off a little slow for me - before you understand how the characters are/will be connected - but really took off once they got together. They're all so flawed and vulnerable that you just have to love them and care not only about their welfare, but about their happiness. I even cried at
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at least three different instances, which means I got very involved with the characters. The epilogue has some fun parts, but I wouldn't have minded if it had been left off. Just heard that a movie's made.... Hmm, not quite sure they'll pull off the true heart of the book, which is in the interior monologues. But, we'll see.... I just hope they don't make it into a romantic mess instead of letting the characters be their own nasty, honest selves. Show Less
LibraryThing member Dabble58
A complete delight of a story, filled with delicious, well-drawn and complex characters, the scent of Paris, the light that filters in through old windows in ancient apartments in an arrondissement tucked somewhere near the Eiffel Tower…
It made me miss Europe with an ache that I haven’t felt
I’d like to read this in French someday, should I ever be able to drag up my schoolgirl French to anything approximating coherence. I feel reading it in the original language (though the translation is excellent) would bring even more of these feelings to the reader- and they are so pleasurable I had to immediately tell people about how lovely this book was.
A delight only spoiled by its ending- I miss the characters already. Read it. It’s a happy book. Nice nice people.
It made me miss Europe with an ache that I haven’t felt
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in a while- missing the scenery, the civilization, the subtle differences between vous and tu and all that that means. The food. The art. Sigh.I’d like to read this in French someday, should I ever be able to drag up my schoolgirl French to anything approximating coherence. I feel reading it in the original language (though the translation is excellent) would bring even more of these feelings to the reader- and they are so pleasurable I had to immediately tell people about how lovely this book was.
A delight only spoiled by its ending- I miss the characters already. Read it. It’s a happy book. Nice nice people.
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