So this is my first attempt to join the world of “bloggers”… I am not too sure why I am partaking on this painstaking attempt because I see the stress it brings to my girlfriend in keeping up on her deadlines. But, when she has a good day with her blog, the sparkle in her eyes and the glow about her seems to be that much more intense, like a natural high. At the recommendation of my girlfriend (my muse), I have recently read the fantastic novel Fool by Christopher Moore.
FOOL an awesome read by Christopher Moore
The basic premise of Fool is the story of King Lear but through the eyes of Pocket, the fool/the court jester. Any book that begins with a warning is a good book for me:
WARNING: This is a bawdy tale. Herein you will find gratuitous shagging, murder, spanking, maiming, treason, and heretofore unexplored heights of vulgarity and profanity, as well as non-traditional grammar, spit infinitives, and the odd wank. If that sort of thing bothers you, then gentle reader pass by, for we only endeavor to entertain, not to offend. That said, if that’s the sort of thing you think you might enjoy, then you have happened onto the perfect story!
Some “official reviews” of the novel are:
“…As the king of dramatists, Shakespeare has long invited every form of pastiche, parody and general lèse-majesté. But to turn the darkly depressing “King Lear” into a comedy requires more than ordinary chutzpah. Yet who better to give it a try than Christopher Moore…” (The Washington Post)
“Funny, literate, smart and sexy, all at once!” (Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter series)
“Moore turns things on their head with an edgy 21st-century perspective that makes the story line as sharp, surly and slick as a game of Grand Theft Auto. It’s a manic, masterly mix-winning, wild and something today’s groundlings will applaud.” (Publishers Weekly)
These probably don’t mean anything to you. So this is my take on the book and author.
Christopher Moore has a style of writing that is easy to read and comprehend (even in an archaic-type language). His use of imagery really helps to develop the story in your mind and help all of us, in this day and age, to brush the rust off of our imaginations. It was an easy read and able to be completed in a few short sittings. Hey, it’s Shakespeare and was funny and sarcastic. I am a closet “bathroom reader” using this “personal time” to relax and not rush anything. I find myself buried in magazines and cell phone games and sometimes a good book. Mixed with afternoons juggled around my daughter and her constant need of attention, I could not put this book down.
I know that Mr. Moore’s book has been performed on stage but with recent remakes of Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, etc… The Bard would be done a disservice if someone does not bring this story to the big screen. Fool is definitely a good beach day read or sitting out on the veranda with a hot drink of choice and catching up on the adventures. I will most definitely be visiting my local big box book store to pick up the other titles Christopher Moore has written.
Go out, support the author, buy this novel and read it.
Remember: Don’t eat yellow snow.
Cheers,
Juice
PS. Every time something is spoken in french by Pocket, in the story, he proceeds to let the reader know [with expletives] that it was pronounced “… in perfect f###ing french“. Hence where the title of my blog came from. That’s it.
