Having absolutely loved The Elegance of the Hedgehog, I was very excited to see Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery. It tells the story of Pierre Arthens as he is dying. Every other chapter is from a different person's perspective, the other chapters are from Pierre's perspective as he is remembering his life and seeking out that "flavor" which is the essence of living for him.
It's a slim novel, without the difficult passages that many people found troublesome in "Elegance" but, to me, it was also without the depth of character and development that "Elegance" brought forth. I truly cared deeply about the characters in Elegance, but didn't really about the characters in Gourmet...perhaps that's because I got such a brief view of each of them except for Pierre, and he really is an unlikeable character.
I did find it an enjoyable read even so and recommend it. Especially to those who like reading books about food.
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