Synopses & Reviews
16 August 1870, Alain de Monèys makes his way to the village fair. He arrives at two o'clock. Two hours later, the crowd has gone crazy; they have lynched, tortured, burned, and eaten him. With frightening precision, Jean Teulé reconstructs one of the most shameful stories in the history of France.
Synopsis
Jean Teulé reconstructs each step of one of the most shameful stories in the history of nineteenth-century France.
Synopsis
'Sticking closely to the known facts, Jean Teul 's novelisation offers no easy explanations for what happened but the transformation from rural idyll to hell on earth is terrifyingly convincing.'
Financial Times A true story.
Tuesday 16 August 1870, Alain de Mon ys, makes his way to the village fair. He plans to buy a heifer for a needy neighbour and find a roofer to repair the roof of the barn of a poor acquaintance.
He arrives at two o'clock. Two hours later, the crowd has gone crazy; they have lynched, tortured, burned and eaten him. How could such a horror be possible?
With frightening precision, Jean Teul reconstructs each step of one of the most shameful stories in the history of nineteenth-century France.
Based on a shamefully brutal incident from French history, Jean Teul 's riveting story shows how easily a group of individuals can turn into an irrational, bloodthirsty mob.
Reviews
'Teul 's milieu is centred on the "merriment of vice and cruelty." His novels are bawdy, full of rollicking sex and roiling violence. However, he undercuts this with a graphic humour born of his earlier career as an illustrator.'
The Independent 'Exceptionally well written, Eat Him If You Like will have a very special appeal to suspenseful mystery enthusiasts, students of 19th Century French history...'
Midwest Book Review 'An engrossing book to be read in one big gulp'
Kirkus Reviews 'Teul 's vivid account of ordinary folk inexplicably transformed into monsters resonates long after reading'
Publishers Weekly 'Makes you feel uncomfortable for all the right reasons ... a thought provoking novella'
Savidge ReadsSynopsis
Jean Teul reconstructs each step of one of the most shameful stories in the history of nineteenth-century France in this 'engrossing book' Kirkus Reviews].
'Terrifyingly convincing' Financial Times
A true story.
Tuesday 16 August 1870, Alain de Mon ys, makes his way to the village fair. He plans to buy a heifer for a needy neighbour and find a roofer to repair the roof of the barn of a poor acquaintance.
He arrives at two o'clock. Two hours later, the crowd has gone crazy; they have lynched, tortured, burned and eaten him. How could such a horror be possible?
With frightening precision, Jean Teul reconstructs each step of one of the most shameful stories in the history of nineteenth-century France.
About the Author
Jean Teulé lives in the Marais with his partner, the French film actress Miou-Miou. An illustrator, filmmaker and television presenter, he is also the prize-winning author of ten books including one based on the life of Verlaine. He has also written biographies of Rimbaud and François Villon.
Emily Phillips is a freelance translator.