Without a wasted word on preliminaries, author Anna Gavalda (Hunting and Gathering) charges into her humor-laced narrative with a swift, economical style that tells you just enough to get to the next sentence, with only enough time for a quick laugh at her barbed, no-holds-barred take on modern times.
Four siblings are travelling to a wedding: Garance Lariot, the 20-something narrator, and Simon, the older brother and pillar of the family morale, join sister Lola en route, planning to meet their brother Vincent there. When Vincent fails to show up for the ceremony, the other three impulsively take "French leave" from the festivities and set off for the chateau where he works as a guide. They escape from one wedding only to find themselves accidentally caught up in another; they cross paths with a stray dog who knows immediately when he locks eyes with his future owner; and end up having a much better time than they ever could have had with their own relatives.
The narrative unfolds in brisk snatches of dialogue with cinematic swiftness. The exuberance of the Lariots crackles through their words, and their joy in each other's company is so contagious the reader feels lucky to be included. Replete with witty banter and catty repartee, with snotty comments and arch rebuttals, the smart-alecky style is contagious and often laugh-out-loud funny.
Unexpectedly, the Lariot siblings are struck by a magical awareness of how much they mean to each other, of the treasure they share in each other's company, with no guarantee of how long their joy in each other can last. Playing hooky from their social obligations, the brothers and sisters have been granted a moment of grace, captured by Gavalda in spare, simple strokes in a little novel as light as fresh air.--Nick DiMartino