Wednesday 23 December 2015

The Reader on the 6.27


 
It's official – I seem to be liking translated books* after years of avoiding them!  The Reader on the 6.27 is by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent ( and was originally written in French).

The translation is excellent – particularly given that one character regularly spouts Alexandrine verses.

It's a quirky little book with very quirky but engaging characters.  The author understands that less is often more.  The book is an easily read 200 pages (my copy had small pages and largish print which makes a nice change).

Every lover of books should read this book.  For me it was testament to the affirming power of reading for everyone.

What else can I say without spoiling the book for you? The 6.27 is a morning train in Paris which the main protagonist Guylain catches to work. The book is a little strange, quite eccentric and even a tad romantic – but the writing is spare and real and moving.

*Other translated books I have liked include The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend,  The Red Notebook, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

4 comments:

  1. If you recommend so highly it has to go on my 2016 list!

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  2. Nice! I am committed to read more translated books this year. Have you read The Little Paris Bookshop? Set in France, written by a woman in German, translated to English.

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    1. Judy, I did give it a go but it ended up being one of my rare dnf's. Not sure why but it wasn't for me. Cheers

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  3. Oooh, this is in my TBR, must get to it soon.

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