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ovenbird_reads's review against another edition
2.0
I couldn't get into this book. The brand of humour didn't hook me, and I wasn't interested in either of the characters. Abandoned this book about 80 pages in. I read it for longer than i would have otherwise because of the quirky recipes. I kept WANTING to like it, but eventually got bored and gave up.
sandin954's review against another edition
2.0
Mildly amusing skewering of the Englishmen in Italy foodie stories that did have some funny lines but in the end did not really amount to a whole lot.
caroparr's review against another edition
2.0
I must be the wrong audience for this allegedly hilarious tale of two warring expats in Italy. I even tried Fernet Branca recently, and though I usually love bitterness, I found it truly revolting. I've read about half the book but from this point on you can all enjoy it without me.
leleroulant's review against another edition
4.0
Very droll book. I enjoyed it immensely! Recipes are included, but are nothing you will ever try. For teetotalers like me, Ferent Branca is a wine. I thought ir was a person.
theaceofpages's review
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is a rather humerous book examining the relationship between two neighbours who just want to be alone - Gerald the ghostwriter and *cough* adventurous chef and Marta the composer and member or an ex-Soviet crime family.
This book is a little chaotic and all over the place. There isn't that much of a plot. Other than Gerald and Marta learning to co-exist. My favourite part was definitely the recipes, even though I probably won't try most of them. Some may seem relatively harmless (like fish cakes) but others include garlic ice cream, cat pie and otter with lobster sauce. Most of which include Fernet Branca (which I discovered is an alcohol and not a person!)
This book is a little chaotic and all over the place. There isn't that much of a plot. Other than Gerald and Marta learning to co-exist. My favourite part was definitely the recipes, even though I probably won't try most of them. Some may seem relatively harmless (like fish cakes) but others include garlic ice cream, cat pie and otter with lobster sauce. Most of which include Fernet Branca (which I discovered is an alcohol and not a person!)
ruinedbyreading's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
stacialithub's review against another edition
4.0
After you've read too many lovely, wish-you-were-here travel memoirs & foodie books, Cooking with Fernet Branca is the amusing & biting antidote. I thoroughly enjoyed this parody & it had me literally laughing out loud at times. I'd give it 3.5 stars overall; I'll round it up to 4 stars because it made me laugh out loud when reading at Starbucks.
P.S. Don't read this book while eating... for two reasons.
1) You may choke on your food from laughing.
2) The included 'recipes' are revolting. LOL.
Two foreigners, Gerald & Marta, have bought neighboring houses in Italy, each hoping for a beautiful location that's peaceful. Gerald wants to concentrate on his career (ghostwriter of athlete autobiographies) & (heinous) cooking; Marta wants to concentrate on her career as a composer (currently working on a movie soundtrack for a famous Italian director). Both are rather put out to discover each other, since having a neighbor leads to all kinds of interruptions, misread intentions, noise, etc.... Here's a fun quote from early in the book after Gerald went to dinner at neighbor Marta's house:
"Things are looking good. Two days have now gone by since our dinner and nary a squeak out of Marta. I'm counting this as a culinary triumph: the ingenious use of food as an offensive weapon. Garlic ice cream with Fernet Branca may lack subtlety but it is highly effective and I feel that by giving you the recipe I have placed a pacifist's version of Clint Eastwood's famous .44 Magnum in your hands. "Make my evening, Marta," I might have said. And to my amazement she did, taking not one but three massive helpings. If I were a good neighbour I would have dropped in on her by now to make sure she is still alive. But I'm not, so I haven't."
--------------------
I had an hour alone at Starbucks today to start this book. (Ah, lovely!) Within a few minutes, I was sniggering so much that I actually snorted out loud. (This as I was trying so hard to keep my laughing to myself as I sat there alone -- you know, I didn't want to be tagged as the crazy lady at that table over there....) Oh well....
Obviously, so far, so good on this one!
P.S. Don't read this book while eating... for two reasons.
1) You may choke on your food from laughing.
2) The included 'recipes' are revolting. LOL.
Two foreigners, Gerald & Marta, have bought neighboring houses in Italy, each hoping for a beautiful location that's peaceful. Gerald wants to concentrate on his career (ghostwriter of athlete autobiographies) & (heinous) cooking; Marta wants to concentrate on her career as a composer (currently working on a movie soundtrack for a famous Italian director). Both are rather put out to discover each other, since having a neighbor leads to all kinds of interruptions, misread intentions, noise, etc.... Here's a fun quote from early in the book after Gerald went to dinner at neighbor Marta's house:
"Things are looking good. Two days have now gone by since our dinner and nary a squeak out of Marta. I'm counting this as a culinary triumph: the ingenious use of food as an offensive weapon. Garlic ice cream with Fernet Branca may lack subtlety but it is highly effective and I feel that by giving you the recipe I have placed a pacifist's version of Clint Eastwood's famous .44 Magnum in your hands. "Make my evening, Marta," I might have said. And to my amazement she did, taking not one but three massive helpings. If I were a good neighbour I would have dropped in on her by now to make sure she is still alive. But I'm not, so I haven't."
--------------------
I had an hour alone at Starbucks today to start this book. (Ah, lovely!) Within a few minutes, I was sniggering so much that I actually snorted out loud. (This as I was trying so hard to keep my laughing to myself as I sat there alone -- you know, I didn't want to be tagged as the crazy lady at that table over there....) Oh well....
Obviously, so far, so good on this one!
sawyerbell's review against another edition
3.0
The chapters narrated by Gerald were very funny; those by Marta less so.