The Testament of Yves Gundron

I wasn't sure what this book was about or where it was taking me, but as the plot unfolds I couldn't put it down and it's now one of my favorite books. One of the cleverest, most imaginative stories I've ever read, with a great message about our lives today. It's not at all religious, just very thoughtful and thought-provoking. A great book to share and discuss. If you have the opportunity to read this book, or are thinking about, just do it! Can't wait for Ms. Barton's next.

What a fascinating read! Emily Barton's novel is taut, intelligent and just really, really fun. It has some debut-author unevenness, but those bits are forgivable, as the characters come to life and the plot engrosses the reader. I can't believe this book wasn't a best-seller--I do see that it was NY Times Notable Book, which it richly deserves to be. I would give this book four and a half stars if that were possible; since it is not, I rounded up. Well worth the time.

A delightful novel full of pleasant surprises and beautiful prose. The age of invention (at warp speed), religion, death and love are themes that flow through this finely crafted story that filled my soul with appreciation for how fortunate my life is, and how lucky we are to have a book like this to enjoy. If you want to meet a cast of characters whom you will consider family after a few chapters and can't wait to find out what happens to them next, this is the book for you. This book even brought me joy while raking leaves this weekend.

What a fine book! Smoothly written, well structured, a challenging theme and a wonderful imagined world. One of the best books I have read in 5 or 10 years. Impressive for a first-time author just out of the gate; I hope she lives another hundred years and gives us a book of this quality every year. I usually despair about the current state of American fiction, but this book has restored my hope.

Ms. Barton has written a thoroughly engaging and involving story. That it is her first novel makes it all the more remarkable! The narrative moves so seamlessly from one paradoxical episode to the next that I hardly noticed how my assumptions were being challenged. The testament is both innocent and wise, so the reader cannot help but share Yves' delight, sorrow, pride and wonder as he observes and records the marvelous events of his life. The other characters who inhabit the world of Mandragora are simultaneously bizarre and believable. Some very funny episodes balance the underlying seriousness of the novel's dilemma. As the novel moved toward what I understood to be the inevitable outcome, I became more and more reluctant for it to end. Despite the difficult choices she poses for her characters (and her readers), Ms. Barton has written a story that is easy and satisfying to read. I look forward with pleasure to her next novel!