Le Froid Modifie La Trajectoire Des Poissons (2007) - Plot & Excerpts
Oh dear, disappointing to the point of irritation. It looked intriguing, a French Canadian novel billed as an "International Bestseller," when I picked it up in a London bookshop. But - so childishly written that I wonder if it was not aimed at adolescents like the narrator, rather than the adult fiction table. Sentimental and simplistic to my mind, rather the "hilarious and heartwarming," of the cover copy. The story of an ice storm bringing out the best in everyone, could have been a charming fable, but fails for lack of a single credible character. in the end I was irritated that Canongate, a generally serious British publisher, should foist this piece of superficial nonsense on us, when so much that is good is passed over. More of a delightful fairytale than a novel, Pierre Szalowski’s Fish Change Direction in Cold Weather (FCDICW)delivered a real feel good factor.FCDICW focuses on a group of neighbours in a street in Montreal whose lives and relationships are changed irrevocably after a freak ice storm forces them together in more ways than one. I won’t say any more for fear of giving away spoilers, but from the very first page it’s clear that this book is going to be one with a happy ending.At just under 250 pages, it’s a relatively quick read and the characters admittedly aren’t developed in too much depth. However, for me, this really added to the general feeling created by the book that I was observing the characters from a distance or peeking in on their lives through an icy window. This emotional distance from the central protagonists (we never even find out the name of the narrator) works well with the structure and tone of the book, however, it meant for me that FCDICW probably won’t make it into my list of all-time greats.Despite this, I did really enjoy reading it. I’ll be keeping it on my bookshelf to lend to others if they need a quick pick me up, and I think it’s probably one I’ll re-read again in the future. It’s a perfect choice for cold, dark winter nights when you want to feel cosy and comforted, inside and out!
What do You think about Le Froid Modifie La Trajectoire Des Poissons (2007)?
Regal De Jordi De Vilassar al "llibre de l'amic invisible" al Sopar 19/12/09 a casa de la Lu (Moià)
—shypunker
Quirky little feel good tale with lovable characters and great writing.
—jeevan_bn
