Undermajordomo Minor audiobook

I have no idea why I liked Undermajordomo Minor so much -- it's completely off the wall -- but I loved it. I didn't even particularly like deWitt's previous book -- The Sisters Brothers -- but this time I really fell under the spell of this writer's oddball sensibility. One reviewer compared this book to a Wes Anderson movie -- which is an apt comparison. It doesn't fit neatly into any genre. It's like a very dark fairy tale for adults. It's surreal -- although nothing that happens is magical or entirely impossible. It feels unlocated in any particular place or time -- with elements of the Middle Ages and yet with some modern conveniences and current turns of phrase. The story centres on Lucy -- aka Lucien Minor -- who leaves his mother's home to go be the "under majordomo" in a distant castle. Lucy is oddly sincere and naive -- but not particularly honest or truthful. Essentially, he works in a creepy castle for a crazed Baron, he befriends some village thieves, and gets entangled with a village girl who is already involved with a local charismatic soldier who battling in some obscure war. In this dark dark world, Lucy must go through many trials and tribulations to get the girl. I know this all sounds ridiculous, but it's not about the story but how it's all told. In deadpan and ridiculously skilful prose, deWitt pulled me along, making me chuckle, smile, nod, cringe and every now feel sick to my stomach -- be forewarned, there are a a few disgusting scenes. This book will not be for everyone, but if you are open to extreme quirkiness and silliness, and enjoy delightful turns of phrase, this book is definitely worth a try. Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

“…appreciation at life’s small but dependable comforts.”This is the third Patrick DeWitt novel I have read, and like the others, it is unique and interesting in style and that is probably its biggest selling point. And that is not a bad thing by the way. UNDERMAJORDOMO MINOR is a well written quick read, with a clever and slightly absurdist approach to telling a simple story.The plot…Lucien (Lucy) Minor is offered a job as the under majordomo at Castle Von Aux. His life at home with his mother is pointless, so he accepts. This decision was greatly appreciated by me as it allowed me to meet some interesting characters and read some delightful interactions as Lucy navigates the world he is thrust into when he begins his new career.This is a novel peopled with charming and quirky characters, and the dry wit and snappy dialogue in this text is oftentimes laugh out loud funny. I loved that aspect of it. Almost every conversation between the Majordomo of the Castle Von Aux, Mr. Olderglough, and Lucy is a jewel. Sharp and witty. Joys to read. They abound with lines like this, “You have annoyed me mildly. It is abating as we speak.”A consistent thought I kept having while reading this book was that it felt like a movie made by Wes Anderson. Droll, a bit obtuse, absurd, very understated, and yet with an element that grabs you and keeps you in its grasp. Just a sampling of quotes from the text that stuck with me, for various reasons.• “You always bring God into arguments you know you are losing, for the liar is lonely, and welcomes all manner of company.”• “A marvel: how can the days be so full of someone wholly absent?”• “It was as though you had been waiting for it all along; as if you’d known it was approaching, and so when it arrives you reach out to greet it with an innate familiarity.”• “I woke up in a foul mood this morning, and the world’s been against me ever since.”• “…how curious life was, how unfathomably novel, and occasionally, wonderful.”• “It is a fine and clean and just-born day. There has never been a day quite like today.”• “Ah, but his greeds and desires got away from him, as greeds and desires are wont to do.”I enjoyed UNDERMAJORDOMO MINOR immensely, except for a scene of sexual fetish whose point I did not get. Perhaps it was meant to demonstrate the depravity of the characters involved, but I was not a fan. It hangs over the book in an uncomfortable manner.All in all, a good story simply told, but yet very well done. It is mostly dialogue, and the banter is one of the novel’s main joys. I will probably reread this book again at some point. And I will definitely read the one novel of Mr. DeWitt’s that (to date) I have not yet read.

"The Very Large Hole was very, very large."I heard Undermajordomo Minor referred to as a 'deconstructed fairytale' and I can't think of a more fitting description. This story has all the components of those legendary fables but it confounds expectations and winks at the genre's clichés in a playful and considerably more adult fashion.The action takes place in an unnamed European country, with a backdrop straight out of the Brothers Grimm. Lucien 'Lucy' Minor, our so-called hero, is yearning for adventure. He takes up his only offer of employment, the position of undermajordomo (basically a butler's assistant) in a distant castle belonging to one Baron von Aux. But he soon learns that this job is not what it seems. The creaky old castle is in a state of disrepair, the mysterious Baron is nowhere to be seen and the remaining staff are off their collective rocker. And that's not to mention the Baron's absent wife, the Very Large Hole and the alluring Klara from the local village. If Lucy is seeking adventure, he has certainly found it.What I loved most about this charming novel was the delicious dialogue. Not only is the castle itself a cross between Fawlty Towers and The Grand Budapest Hotel, the hilarious repartee stands up to the comparison of those wonderful comedic creations too. And some of the set-pieces are so madcap (e.g. the unforgettable dinner party), I expected Basil and Manuel to come bounding in at any second. The characters are intriguing because of their flaws and not in spite of them - Lucy's friend Memel is an unashamed thief who regards stealing as an art-form, and Lucy himself is compulsive liar who takes great pride in delivering a enormous fib:“Walking away on the springy legs of a foal he thought, How remarkable a thing a lie is. He wondered if it wasn't man's finest achievement, and after some consideration, he decided it was.” The pace never lets up - this is a story that can be read in a single sitting and indeed I found it difficult to stop myself devouring it. And while it doesn't quite have the heft of deWitt's Booker-shortlisted The Sisters Brothers, it is a hugely entertaining and irresistible caper from a delightfully absurd imagination.

In a rural mountain area in an unknown part of the world (mainland Europe?) at an unknown point of time (mid-19th century?), a young man called Lucien Minor nearly dies from a terrible illness before his life has even begun. He miraculously survives, resolves to have something happen in his boring life and is subsequently appointed as the assistant to the Majordomo of the Castle Von Aux - an Undermajordomo - where his wish will be granted. Thieves, maidens, warriors, demented aristocrats await - and what is stalking the castle’s corridors in the night…? Patrick DeWitt’s third novel, Undermajordomo Minor, is as successful as his previous two without retreading old ground. This book is part love story, part Bildungsroman, and part gothic fairy tale - and something else which I’ll mention at the end as it’s a spoiler and I’m keeping the main review spoiler-free. While the book starts slowly, things pick up once Lucy (a name you’ll have to keep reminding yourself is the shortened name of the MALE protagonist) makes it to the castle. The overall look of the place feels like Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast with its gothic sprawl and hint of menace. But the best part of the book is the comedy of manners mainly between Lucy and his new boss Mr Olderglough whose banter is pure delight. Mr Olderglough and Lucy’s interactions and the surroundings made me think of Wes Anderson’s last movie, The Grand Budapest Hotel, as well as DeWitt having Anderson-ian interludes. Mr Olderglough tells Lucy at the end of one chapter, “Tomorrow we must locate, apprehend, and restore to normality the Baron” followed by an interlude entitled The Location, Apprehension, and Restoration to Normality of The Baron. It has the same wry tone and quirky approach to narrative which I loved being a Wes Anderson fan.Though it is a coming of age story with elements of gothic fairy tales, Undermajordomo Minor is predominantly a romance as Lucy falls in love with local village girl Klara. Though the courtship is pleasant, it’s very conventional in its development as is how Klara is written, which is one of the few criticisms of the book (which might be intentional as I mention in the spoiler). She’s a wallflower, viewed more as a prize for men, who feels quite content to be that way. That said, all of the women characters are written in a way as to suggest they’re better off without men. If you see them by themselves, they function well - if not better - without them while the men, when left by their women, regress to a primal state. The Baron becomes feral, Adolphus (Lucy’s rival for Klara) goes to war, and men do terrible things to ensure their women love only them. I’m not sure what the commentary here is - love is a terrible thing? It’s the driving force behind all motivations in this book and bad things do happen here. There’s also the Freudian Very Large Hole which plays a big part in the plot. Men disappear into The Very Large Hole and are never seen again. Is the Hole representative of women and is DeWitt saying that once a man falls for a woman he’s doomed? It certainly seems that way for quite a few of the male characters. And then there’s THAT scene - you’ll know it when you come across it - involving the tart. It seems like the men are generally written as lascivious, simplistic children and the women as their quietly suffering but tolerant and far more sophisticated keepers. It’s quite a negative view of love and relationships! I really enjoyed the novel though. It’s very entertaining and amusing, the dialogue is very sharp, I liked how the setting is vague and things just exist without explanation - why is there a Very Large Hole in the middle of nowhere, what is the war being fought about, why is there no money in this fiefdom, where and when is this all taking place; we never find out. The characters are very charming and, though I wouldn’t call it a plot-driven story, the book barrels along at a steady clip (though there are lots of short chapters, white space, and blank pages, so it’s not nearly as long as its 336 pages suggests).Patrick DeWitt does for the gothic romance in Undermajordomo Minor what he did for the western in The Sisters Brothers, refreshing it for a contemporary audience by telling a very good story in its genre. If you’ve enjoyed the author’s previous two books, you’ll definitely like Undermajordomo Minor. (view spoiler)[So this is the spoiler part of the review where I talk about what I think actually happened in the novel and what the ending means. The first chapter is entitled Lucy the Liar where we see Lucy lying about his prospects and trying to sabotage the relationship of his ex with her new boyfriend. We know he’s duplicitous then and emotionally immature - the latter part is understandable as he’s basically still a teenager. But we also see that he knows little about love. Earlier in that chapter we see him on his deathbed before he’s visited by a mysterious person - a man in burlap - who somehow takes away his illness and transfers it to his dad. Lucy recovers and his dad dies. But when he thought he was dying, Lucy made the wish that he hoped for “Something to happen” in his life. The man in burlap figure - let’s call him Death - grants Lucy that wish. Shortly after, a priest gets Lucy the post to the Castle Von Aux and his adventures begin. So here are two interpretations of what I think happened. None of what happens beyond the first chapter is real - it’s all a fantasy playing out in Lucy’s mind granted by the man in burlap. That explains why much of the world is so vaguely described and why Klara, seemingly his perfect love, would seem so one-dimensional; because Lucy hasn’t really known love yet and his experience with women is limited so his mind would create his ideal girl who would also fall for him.OREverything that happens does happen - Lucy is given a new lease on life by Death or God or whoever. But only for a little while to have some adventures and know true love and happiness because that ending might not be a hopeful one - Lucy sitting on a train to be reunited with Klara - because that’s actually the end of the line for him. His life is over, he’ll never see Klara again, and he’s headed to death. The book ends with his epitaph after all and he did see the man in burlap one last time - is he a harbinger of Lucy’s impending end? But what I really hope is that I’m wrong on both counts because I did end up liking Lucy. I want to believe he finds Klara and the two live happily ever after, like a fairy tale. (hide spoiler)]

Of all the many joys present in deWitt's new novel Undermajordomo Minor, its greatest trait is that it is relentlessly funny. In the same vein as deWitt's much-acclaimed predecessor, The Sisters Brothers (which remains a personal favourite), Undermajordomo Minor delights in word play, finely crafted dialogue, all while providing a moving literary love story. Rather than forcing comedy, the novel's dialogue is the most reliable source of humour, reflecting hilarity in the characters' nature. The novel is filled to the brim with an eclectic cast that finds themselves in situations that become increasingly absurd but entirely believable under deWitt's deft pen. It is best not to know much about the story, save that Lucien Minor is leaving his hometown to take up the position of Undermajordomo at a castle. Along the way he meets delightful and memorable characters, and even manages to find himself falling in love. Through struggles in his new employment and the vagaries of love, Lucy leads the reader on a journey not like any other. I found my face pulled in permanent smiles throughout the read. I relished the naturalistic dialogue, the peculiar situations, love made more complex by others' plans, and took in the beautifully turned phrases with reverence. This novel is a delight and, indeed, one of the strongest books I've read in a year in which I've read many outstanding books. Fans of The Sisters Brothers or deWitt initiates will revel in this novel. I certainly did, and it made for a lovely cap on my Christmas day. Read this, you won't be sorry that you did.

What type of book IS Undermajordomo anyway? Is it an old-fashioned adventure tale? A dark fairy tale (think: Brothers Grimm)? A serio-comedy narrative in the vein of his earlier work, Sisters Brothers? It’s hard to define, exactly, but I will say this: for a reader like me, who leans towards strong character-driven or theme-based novels, I was a bit out of my comfort zone and that was just fine. The strong writing and the plot kept me eagerly turning pages and I surrendered to DeWitt’s talent.The main character is Lucien Minor (consistently called Lucy), an earnest and naïve young man. Spindly and pale, and – at the very beginning – at risk of dying – he sees a shadowed man who asks him what he wants out of life. His answer: “Something to happen.”The rest of the book explores what DOES happen as he goes into service to the Majordomo, Mr. Olderglough, a good-hearted man who has a tenuous grasp of reality. The characters of an adventure tale are all here – a mad love-sick baron (who reminded me a bit of the “crazy wife in the attic” from Jane Eyre), an extraordinarily handsome and potentially dangerous soldier, two sneaky (but redemptive) thieves, and of course, the fair maiden who gives Lucy a reason to live.We don’t know exactly where and when this tale takes place (think: Ishiguro’s Buried Giant) but it feels somehow familiar, somehow knowable. There was a point over half-way through – a scene of debauchery – where I began wondering, “Where is the heart of the story? It’s a fine “read”, but what do I take away from it?”On reflection, I had my answer. The book is about life itself. As the majordomo himself says, “What are rooms for if not entering, after all. Or else exiting. Indeed, think of how many rooms we enter and exit in our span of days, boy. Room to room to room. And we call it a life.” A life – defined in this book – is when something happens and we show up for it. Patrick DeWitt delivers again.

Patrick De Witt is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. UNDER is such a fun, dark, and deep fairy tale that isn't a fairy tale. Impeccible voice and timing and a sense of how story can take us into a different world. Beautiful and brutal and hopeful. Loved it.

Odd, and oddly charming. This is the second book I have read by Patrick deWitt, and with both I have been so thoroughly entertained by the uniqueness of both his writing style and stories. You never quite know where his characters are going or the places they'll visit along the way, or what the events in the middle really mean to the story except to create the weird, dark, disturbing, and somewhat nostalgic-feeling atmosphere. This being said, it does not linger or drag in any place.I think this is a great book to try if you're looking for something unusual to break up your reading habits.I would love to see this as a screenplay. What an unusually compelling movie that would be (in my opinion).

Well, well, this was one of a kind novel. I'm not sure what it was about, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was highly absurd, illogical and totally unexpected. Amusing, with a great dead-pan delivery.I'm not quite sure what era and what country the novel was set in, but it's irrelevant. Patrick deWitt has an uncanny way of pointing out people's idiosyncrasies, unreasonableness, weirdness and what we all call human nature. Undermajordomo Minor was highly original, surprising, albeit dark at times. DeWitt owns the English language. I loved the somewhat older, educated British way of speaking, in total contradiction with the modest social status of the main characters. I can't remember a better writer of dialogue. There's plenty of dialogue in this novel, which makes it a very quick read.Divine writing! Fantastically entertaining read!Highly recommended.

This is gently funny, deeply strange and completely entertaining - I was charmed by this very odd book.

The author of The Sisters Brothers was never going to produce anything but the unexpected, so he's gone from a re-imagining of the western to a re-working of a gothic fairytale - a kind of gothic farce, if you like. The weirdness is at first quite, well, weird but once you get what's going on it's hilarious. Suffice to say, I doubt you'll read a more singular book than this all year.