THE ALLEY CAT

by Yves Beauchemin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 14, 1986

Rambunctious, episodic novel from a French-Canadian writer, about the struggles of a young Montreal entrepreneur. Florent Boissonneault is just another wage-slave when his alertness in helping an accident victim impresses a passer-by, Egon Ratablavasky. Rat is a mysterious old man with foul-smelling feet, but he has money and connections, so when he smoothes the way for Florent to buy a neighborhood restaurant in Montreal, the would-be businessman grabs at the chance. With the help of loyal wife Elise and master chef Picquot, The Beanery packs 'em in, but then disaster strikes. Florent's health collapses and he sells out to his partner Slipskin, to discover too late that the ""Anglo asshole"" has been drugging him and is in cahoots with Rat, who, in an unconvincing turnabout, has become Florent's nemesis, popping up at unexpected moments to harass Florent and terrify Elise. Florent makes unsuccessful attempts to probe Rat's murky past, and even hires a hit man to intimidate him, but there is no showdown; at the end he has started a new restaurant and driven Slipskin out of business, while Rat just fades into limbo. There are, however, all sorts of diversions: a trip to Florida to start up a hotel for a wealthy aunt, a spell of antiquing in backwoods Quebec, and the raising of a bratty six-year-old, Monsieur Emile, whose passions are beer, his alley cat Breakfast, and escaping from his negligent mother, and who is lured to his death by Rat (a scene that works neither as melodrama nor black comedy). What promises to be a picaresque feast turns into an unconscionably long tease, with effects that are always more cutesy than comic. No feast, then, but an endless series of appetizers; indigestion sets in early.

Pub Date: Oct. 14, 1986

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1986

Categories: FICTION