3 out of 5 stars
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A French Dream by Barry A. Whittingham followed the life of Michael Morgan, a French teacher at Barfield School. Michael was eleven years old when he had his first visit to France. This visit was the first of three, and he fell hopelessly in love with the country. His dream was to move to France eventually. This book narrated everything he had to do to pursue this dream. Read it to know if he did or didn't fulfill his dream.
This story in this book is narrated in sophisticated and refined language. Readers who appreciate advanced grammar might be impressed by the author's language. The storytelling is leisurely and has no hurry in its tone. Most of the chapters are short, which makes it an easy read. However, readers with a limited vocabulary might need help understanding the author in certain places.
The story could have appealed to me more if it had been more lively. The blandness of the narrative was only occasionally interrupted by small bursts of excitement, especially when certain other characters were involved. There were no dazzling scenes filled with suspenseful tension and no intriguing thrills to be experienced. The story was a low-vibe narration of one man's life, family, and dream. To better understand this story's vibe, imagine those kinds of movies that would follow lone characters living dreary lives as they try to make something out of their lives.
One admirable thing about Michael's character was his keen sense of observation. He seemed in tune with his environment and the nuances of the people around him. In addition to this, Michael was as human and normal as anyone could be. Michael was a reserved character with a 'dream' reminiscent of the usual life trajectory. I saw him plagued by the typical insecurities that often beset human existence, even as he embarked on a rocky journey to find love. Michael's character was not one with whom readers would immediately fall in love. Warming up to his character would be somewhat of an acquired taste for some readers. For others, he might be a haunting image of who they didn't want to be because of his seemingly uneventful life. Either way, his character was relatable.
The book was good, even though it could have been more entertaining. I loved that the book had a philosophical feel to it. It resulted from the profound observations the story revealed about human nature. Michael Morgan's thought processes might arouse readers' meditative thinking spirit.
A French Dream was professionally edited, but a few errors were found. I'd recommend it to readers who enjoy realistic stories. Considering the negative comments, I'd rate A French Dream three out of five stars.
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A French Dream
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