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Edward Trencom's Nose: A Novel of History, Dark Intrigue, and Cheese
Situated on London's Foster Lane, there is a quintessentially Georgian, redbrick house with a green door bearing the sign trencoms, 1662. It's the home of the Trencom family's cheese store, a generational establishment begun by Humphrey Trencom that now, 303 years later, is run by Edward Trencom. Quaint though it may seem, it bears witness to a strange occurrence of "accidents" that seem to befall every generation of the curd-loving family.…
Edward Trencom has bumbled through life, relying on his trusty nose to turn the family cheese shop into the most celebrated fromagerie in England. This was no ordinary nose, but one long, aquiline, and furnishing the trademark circular bump over the bridge---the very same nose bestowed on all the Trencom men. It was extraordinary, able to discern the composition, maturity, and quality of cheese---and the Trencom noses had sniffed, whiffed, and judged the very best cheeses of the world.
But on an ordinary day, Edward's world is turned upside down when he stumbles across a crate of family papers. To his horror, he discovers that nine previous generations of his family have come to sticky ends because of their noses. When he investigates---despite his grandfather's caveat never to look into the origin of his nose---Edward finds himself caught up in a Byzantine riddle to which there is no obvious answer. And like his ill-fated ancestors, he is hunted down by rival forces whose identity and purpose remain a total mystery.
Trapped between the mad, the bad, and a cheese to die for, Edward Trencom's nose must make a choice---and for the last nine generations it has made the catastrophically wrong decision.
Giles Milton's deliciously comic debut novel is a mouthwatering blend of Tom Sharpe and P. G. Wodehouse. From the noble Roquefort to the piquant Èpoisses, every page is permeated by the pungent odor of cheese. Praise for Giles Milton
"He has a rare ability---a talent for sifting fine pearls from faraway sands and for transmuting the merely arcane into little literary gems."
---Simon Winchester, The Boston Globe
"Milton spins a fascinating tale. . . . Exuberantly eccentric characters stride the pages."--- Time magazine on Nathaniel's Nutmeg
"In an exceptionally pungent, amusing, and accessible historical account, Giles Milton brings readers right into the midst of these colonists and their daunting American adventure."--- Janet Maslin, The New York Times, on Big Chief Elizabeth
Edward Trencom has bumbled through life, relying on his trusty nose to turn the family cheese shop into the most celebrated fromagerie in England. This was no ordinary nose, but one long, aquiline, and furnishing the trademark circular bump over the bridge---the very same nose bestowed on all the Trencom men. It was extraordinary, able to discern the composition, maturity, and quality of cheese---and the Trencom noses had sniffed, whiffed, and judged the very best cheeses of the world.
But on an ordinary day, Edward's world is turned upside down when he stumbles across a crate of family papers. To his horror, he discovers that nine previous generations of his family have come to sticky ends because of their noses. When he investigates---despite his grandfather's caveat never to look into the origin of his nose---Edward finds himself caught up in a Byzantine riddle to which there is no obvious answer. And like his ill-fated ancestors, he is hunted down by rival forces whose identity and purpose remain a total mystery.
Trapped between the mad, the bad, and a cheese to die for, Edward Trencom's nose must make a choice---and for the last nine generations it has made the catastrophically wrong decision.
Giles Milton's deliciously comic debut novel is a mouthwatering blend of Tom Sharpe and P. G. Wodehouse. From the noble Roquefort to the piquant Èpoisses, every page is permeated by the pungent odor of cheese. Praise for Giles Milton
"He has a rare ability---a talent for sifting fine pearls from faraway sands and for transmuting the merely arcane into little literary gems."
---Simon Winchester, The Boston Globe
"Milton spins a fascinating tale. . . . Exuberantly eccentric characters stride the pages."--- Time magazine on Nathaniel's Nutmeg
"In an exceptionally pungent, amusing, and accessible historical account, Giles Milton brings readers right into the midst of these colonists and their daunting American adventure."--- Janet Maslin, The New York Times, on Big Chief Elizabeth
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
23 people are currently reading
402 people want to read
About the author
Giles Milton
40 books587 followersBritish writer and journalist Giles Milton was born in Buckinghamshire in 1966. He has contributed articles for most of the British national newspapers as well as many foreign publications, and specializes in the history of travel and exploration. In the course of his researches, he has traveled extensively in Europe, the Middle East, Japan and the Far East, and the Americas.
Knowledgeable, insatiably curious and entertaining, Milton locates history's most fascinating—and most overlooked—stories and brings them to life in his books.
He lives in London, where he is a member of the Hakluyt Society, which is dedicated to reprinting the works of explorers and adventurers in scholarly editions, some of which he uses in his research. He wrote most of Samurai William in the London Library, where he loves the "huge reading room, large Victorian desks and creaking armchairs". At home and while traveling, he is ever on the lookout for new untold stories. Apparently he began researching the life of Sir John Mandeville for his book The Riddle and the Knight after Mandeville’s book Travels "literally fell off the shelf of a Paris bookstore" in which he was browsing.
Copyright BookBrowse.com 2007
Knowledgeable, insatiably curious and entertaining, Milton locates history's most fascinating—and most overlooked—stories and brings them to life in his books.
He lives in London, where he is a member of the Hakluyt Society, which is dedicated to reprinting the works of explorers and adventurers in scholarly editions, some of which he uses in his research. He wrote most of Samurai William in the London Library, where he loves the "huge reading room, large Victorian desks and creaking armchairs". At home and while traveling, he is ever on the lookout for new untold stories. Apparently he began researching the life of Sir John Mandeville for his book The Riddle and the Knight after Mandeville’s book Travels "literally fell off the shelf of a Paris bookstore" in which he was browsing.
Copyright BookBrowse.com 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
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February 26, 2015I had the feeling that this was labelled a comic novel simply because it didn't fit conveniently into any other category. There is some history and plenty of cheese - a cheese shop is one of the principal settings in the novel, but 'dark intrigue' is over egging it. This could be a thriller for people who don't like to be frightened and wouldn't go near the edge of their seats without a safety harness on.
Although largely set in London at the end of the 1960s occasional chapters zap back in time and deal with the ancestors of eponymous hero.
Reading this after The Secret wasn't a great idea as little can compare with that in terms of craziness. In comparison with that a novel featuring a man who can tell where and when a cheese was made by its smell alone seems comparatively normal.
Its all safely wrapped up in the end, I felt that the characters were uninteresting while the story plodded along. All in all a fair rainy day read or ideal when travelling as it won't matter if you miss a few pages here and there.
Although largely set in London at the end of the 1960s occasional chapters zap back in time and deal with the ancestors of eponymous hero.
Reading this after The Secret wasn't a great idea as little can compare with that in terms of craziness. In comparison with that a novel featuring a man who can tell where and when a cheese was made by its smell alone seems comparatively normal.
Its all safely wrapped up in the end, I felt that the characters were uninteresting while the story plodded along. All in all a fair rainy day read or ideal when travelling as it won't matter if you miss a few pages here and there.
October 8, 2021
Delightful and quirky novel of a family who has run a cheese shop since the 1600's. Each generation seems to produce a person with an extraordinary nose who can sniff out the smallest details preferably about the cheeses but all kinds of other odors also. There is some dark mystery in the family as many of these men have met their demise under curious and outright murderous circumstances. Enter Edward, owner of the cheese shop in the 1960s. He leads a fairly regimented life centered on the cheese shop and it is quite an amazing pace. I can see myself roaming the cellars & sampling the wares. Anyway Edward is ignorant of the dark side of his family's history as no one talked about the deaths, but this is all about to change.
I loved the language and humorous bits strewn throughout the story. It bounces back & forth between the centuries as the family story unfolds. And, as a cheese lover, I loved the descriptions of the myriad of cheeses. I was interested in this journey for about 3/4 of the novel and then things fell off the rails for me.
I loved the language and humorous bits strewn throughout the story. It bounces back & forth between the centuries as the family story unfolds. And, as a cheese lover, I loved the descriptions of the myriad of cheeses. I was interested in this journey for about 3/4 of the novel and then things fell off the rails for me.
October 4, 2018
It was ok, indeed. Milton clearly has a sense of humor and the idea was... interesting. But it was not intriguing neither unexpected. Being Greek and aware of the actual history, I found no difficulty to predict what would happen or the supposedly subversive end of the story.
It's a book that you have absolutely nothing to lose if you don't read it at all but still, you could find it amusing, even fun if you read it -as I did- on the beach.
It's a book that you have absolutely nothing to lose if you don't read it at all but still, you could find it amusing, even fun if you read it -as I did- on the beach.
June 2, 2017
Ένα μυθιστόρημα που θέλει να είναι κωμικό, αλλά δυστυχώς το χιούμορ του δεν βρίσκει στόχο και παραπαίει μεταξύ άνοστου και γελοίου. Δεν βοηθάει καθόλου το ότι είναι τουλάχιστον εκατό σελίδες πιο μακροσκελές απ' ότι χρειάζεται.
May 5, 2011
I thought it was actually a different clever little book... something a bit out of the norm but intriguing indeed! I did not get bogged down in the cheese names but rather just followed the story & have been pleasantly pleased with the entire experience :-)
i actually bought the book partly because i felt sorry for it being on the clearance rack and each week when I went to my bookstore & saw all the copies were still there, so I read the inside cover & decided to give it a go... I am really glad that i did so...
i actually bought the book partly because i felt sorry for it being on the clearance rack and each week when I went to my bookstore & saw all the copies were still there, so I read the inside cover & decided to give it a go... I am really glad that i did so...
June 20, 2007
Possibly not a book for the lactose intolerant, unless they like tormenting themselves.
It's enjoyably written, with some nice darkly humorous moments, characters that are generally likeable and an author that obviously loves words as much as he loves the components of the story.
And cheese.
It's enjoyably written, with some nice darkly humorous moments, characters that are generally likeable and an author that obviously loves words as much as he loves the components of the story.
And cheese.
February 23, 2008
quirky characters mixed up with a half-baked plot about revolution and muddled heavily with irrelevant Greek history lessons. edward trencom owns a successful cheese shop in london, complete with a vast cellar of rare and delectable preserved dairy products from around the world. what makes his shop so great is his prominent and highly recognizable nose, namely its intense sensitivity to smell and his ability to uncover the cheeses that taste the best.
his store undergoes an unavoidable catastrophe and edward's slight interest in the secrets of his family tree blooms into an obsession - and you, the reader, are forced to suffer through every little useless date and detail of it.
so you plod on. and on. and on. wading through the inevitably irrelevant tales of nine trencom patriarchs before edward actually physically DOES something about uncovering the truth to his past.
i won't give the whole tale away, but suffice it to say i did not feel rewarded for the dozen or so hours i spent poring over these pages. i loved the characters, loved the humor, but ended up with nothing more than a giant list of cheeses to pick up next time i'm at whole foods.
his store undergoes an unavoidable catastrophe and edward's slight interest in the secrets of his family tree blooms into an obsession - and you, the reader, are forced to suffer through every little useless date and detail of it.
so you plod on. and on. and on. wading through the inevitably irrelevant tales of nine trencom patriarchs before edward actually physically DOES something about uncovering the truth to his past.
i won't give the whole tale away, but suffice it to say i did not feel rewarded for the dozen or so hours i spent poring over these pages. i loved the characters, loved the humor, but ended up with nothing more than a giant list of cheeses to pick up next time i'm at whole foods.
January 29, 2022
Zanimljiv istorijski triler sa elementima komedije. Vrlo se brzo čita i napisana je izuzetno lepim pitkim stilom. Preporučujem!
October 6, 2018
Ευχάριστο ανάγνωσμα, χαριτωμένο! Ο Εδουάρδος είναι ένας μοναδικός γνώστης τυριών, ιδιότητα που χρωστά στην ασυνήθιστη μύτη του..Μέχρι που μια μέρα χάνει την όσφρηση του!
Αν το διαβάσετε, καλώς, πλάκα έχει. Αν πάλι όχι, δε θα χάσετε και τίποτα...
Αν το διαβάσετε, καλώς, πλάκα έχει. Αν πάλι όχι, δε θα χάσετε και τίποτα...
December 13, 2022
A book subtitled "A novel of history, dark intrigue, and cheese" should have been my ideal reading material, but wow, was it not. Edward Trencom has a gifted nose. His family has run a London cheese shop for centuries, and like his predecessors, he can identify every detail about a cheese--and many other things--with a whiff. Those descriptions are awesome. Less awesome is that every generation of cheesemonger in his family, as far as it can be traced, has been assassinated (why the entire family line hasn't simply been wiped out is one of the many frustrating mysteries of the book). As he realizes he's being followed by strange Greek men and his reliable nose becomes less reliable, Edward digs into his family history to find out why the pattern continues.
For one, very little was actually about real cheeses, and it ignored actual cheese history and availability in London, especially in the 1960s when commodity cheeses ruled and artisan cheeses were actively dying (YES, as a history and cheese geek, I will criticize this first). Even more, this is a 300-page book wherein there is almost no plot progression for 275 pages. Edward is told time and again that he'll be told the truth soon. Meanwhile, sporadic chapters detail the gruesome deaths of previous generations, and there are gratuitous descriptions of awkward sex, many of them reading like fat jokes. When things finally are revealed at the end, it doesn't feel like much of a surprise because the hints were all there early on, but Edward needed to bumble along for prolonged pages first. Many elements are left unexplained. The book seemed to go for British dry humor with magical realism, but from a strong start, it lost me as the plot itself lost its way. If it wasn't for the cheese angle, I would've stopped reading early on. I was left with the impression that this concept would've made for a great short story.
For one, very little was actually about real cheeses, and it ignored actual cheese history and availability in London, especially in the 1960s when commodity cheeses ruled and artisan cheeses were actively dying (YES, as a history and cheese geek, I will criticize this first). Even more, this is a 300-page book wherein there is almost no plot progression for 275 pages. Edward is told time and again that he'll be told the truth soon. Meanwhile, sporadic chapters detail the gruesome deaths of previous generations, and there are gratuitous descriptions of awkward sex, many of them reading like fat jokes. When things finally are revealed at the end, it doesn't feel like much of a surprise because the hints were all there early on, but Edward needed to bumble along for prolonged pages first. Many elements are left unexplained. The book seemed to go for British dry humor with magical realism, but from a strong start, it lost me as the plot itself lost its way. If it wasn't for the cheese angle, I would've stopped reading early on. I was left with the impression that this concept would've made for a great short story.
July 4, 2008
If you were the kind of person to call a book a 'romp,' then you'd waste no time in calling 'Edward Trencom's Nose' one. I'm not that kind of person. I WILL call it a quirky, fun novel---kind of a cross between 'Tristram Shandy' and Susskind's 'Perfume,' but jollier than both.
Edward Trencom is the last of the famous English cheese-purveying Trencoms. Like his forbears, he has a passion for cheese and knows everything about them. He can tell you where any given cheese was made, when, what the cows or goats were eating and what was in bloom in their surroundings at the time. Also like his forbears, he has a highly unusual nose, unusual both in looks and in its acute powers of smell.
The novel moves back and forth between Edward's life in late 1960s England and earlier centuries of various other cheesy Trencoms. There's a mystery here and Edward Trencom is going to get to the bottom of it---or die trying.
This is a perfect book for summer, when your brain is slightly baked and you don't ask for deep meaning or an exhaustive plot. It would also do nicely on a plane.
A word of warning---don't read this book if you're on a diet. The temptation to eat cheese while reading 'Edward Trencom's Nose' is mighty.
Edward Trencom is the last of the famous English cheese-purveying Trencoms. Like his forbears, he has a passion for cheese and knows everything about them. He can tell you where any given cheese was made, when, what the cows or goats were eating and what was in bloom in their surroundings at the time. Also like his forbears, he has a highly unusual nose, unusual both in looks and in its acute powers of smell.
The novel moves back and forth between Edward's life in late 1960s England and earlier centuries of various other cheesy Trencoms. There's a mystery here and Edward Trencom is going to get to the bottom of it---or die trying.
This is a perfect book for summer, when your brain is slightly baked and you don't ask for deep meaning or an exhaustive plot. It would also do nicely on a plane.
A word of warning---don't read this book if you're on a diet. The temptation to eat cheese while reading 'Edward Trencom's Nose' is mighty.
January 13, 2010
London-based journalist Milton is my favorite author. He is known for writing about exploration and travel history. This is his first novel. The story is that of the nine generation Trencom family cheese shop in London and an ancient Byzantine riddle. As the mystery unravels, the characters search for meaning and purpose in life in the attempt to discover their true genealogy. It's an expertly told, fascinating story.
September 14, 2017
Первый идиосинкратический (сиречь «комический» по издательскому определению) роман Джайлза Милтона (второй был про грибы, как мы помним). «Комизм» и юмор тут, конечно, скорее в самой фактуре — фабула представляет собой вариант сюжета известного конспирологического триллера «Святая кровь, святой Грааль», только с поправкой на сыр (и Палеологов). Собственно шуток там никто не отмачивает, все — исключительно серьезные люди. Основное действие происходит в 1969 году в Лондоне, но это не тот Лондон, к какому мы привыкли из-за рок-н-ролла и прочего свинга. Совершенно другая вселенная, в общем, и что-то мне подсказывает — более достоверная.
Приятный сюжетный бонус — все герои Милтона (не только в этой книжке) проявляют нехарактерную для триллеров нормальность человеческих отношений и практикуют удивительную супружескую верность. Мужья и жены у него везде — верные союзники друг друга, а это, гм, несколько освежает.
Приятный сюжетный бонус — все герои Милтона (не только в этой книжке) проявляют нехарактерную для триллеров нормальность человеческих отношений и практикуют удивительную супружескую верность. Мужья и жены у него везде — верные союзники друг друга, а это, гм, несколько освежает.
May 31, 2021
2.7 stars. This was quirky, odd and not like anything I've read before but it didn't quite win me over. It was somewhat entertaining to read but even if it was odd, it want memorable for me.
June 18, 2008
The most entertaining thing about this book were the cheese metaphors I came up with while I read it.
It started with a weak "cheesy", developed into "emmentaler - not exciting and not classic, but still quite good on pizza", briefly climaxed with "Gorgonzola - excellent, though you don't want to look at the blue parts too closely", and then it went downhill to "cheese skewers - the cheese is fine for the evening, but what are the barely alive pickles doing there?" until it finally reached "Gouda".
I probably should have known that "mild, fragrant humour" was supposed to be a warning rather than a recommendation. But the premise was good: Edward Trencom, cheese shop owner in xth generation (did I mention that I LOVE cheese?), stumbles into family mystery etc.
Apart from Trencom being an utterly uninteresting character and the writing being, well, not bad, but also uninteresting - why did the author have to subject me to descriptions of the Trencoms more than uninteresting sex life? If this was an attempt to spice up this plat of hard Dutch cheeses, it failed badly.
The mystery - actually, I forgot what the mystery was about, because the rest of the book was so boring. I do remember that Byron and a goat were briefly mentioned, without doubt the highlight of the book. (if you understand the joke, drop me a comment? I think I might like you. *g*)
There's really nothing about this book I can recommend. It's not bad, but I didn't find it in the least enjoyable or entertaining.
As I said: it's Gouda.
Many people will like it because they won't even think about it. For the others, there's really no reason to eat/read it. And personally, I wonder if it should even be called "cheese".
I think I'll pick up some Livarot tomorrow...
It started with a weak "cheesy", developed into "emmentaler - not exciting and not classic, but still quite good on pizza", briefly climaxed with "Gorgonzola - excellent, though you don't want to look at the blue parts too closely", and then it went downhill to "cheese skewers - the cheese is fine for the evening, but what are the barely alive pickles doing there?" until it finally reached "Gouda".
I probably should have known that "mild, fragrant humour" was supposed to be a warning rather than a recommendation. But the premise was good: Edward Trencom, cheese shop owner in xth generation (did I mention that I LOVE cheese?), stumbles into family mystery etc.
Apart from Trencom being an utterly uninteresting character and the writing being, well, not bad, but also uninteresting - why did the author have to subject me to descriptions of the Trencoms more than uninteresting sex life? If this was an attempt to spice up this plat of hard Dutch cheeses, it failed badly.
The mystery - actually, I forgot what the mystery was about, because the rest of the book was so boring. I do remember that Byron and a goat were briefly mentioned, without doubt the highlight of the book. (if you understand the joke, drop me a comment? I think I might like you. *g*)
There's really nothing about this book I can recommend. It's not bad, but I didn't find it in the least enjoyable or entertaining.
As I said: it's Gouda.
Many people will like it because they won't even think about it. For the others, there's really no reason to eat/read it. And personally, I wonder if it should even be called "cheese".
I think I'll pick up some Livarot tomorrow...
July 27, 2023
Re-reading for the 2nd time. I love this odd book. (I think you'd have to have an weird sense of humor to enjoy it though...like me.) It is quirky, unique, and witty!
In some ways it reminds me of some of Joan Aiken's adult novels like Blackground or The Trouble With Product X. OR, I think if you enjoyed Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, this might work for you. But who knows? I like odd books, and this is definitely one of those. YMMV.
In some ways it reminds me of some of Joan Aiken's adult novels like Blackground or The Trouble With Product X. OR, I think if you enjoyed Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, this might work for you. But who knows? I like odd books, and this is definitely one of those. YMMV.
July 22, 2008
I was charmed by this book. It wasn't gripping or profound, but it was comfortable, dryly witty, clever and a bit unusual. I like books that don't grab you by the gut and drag you through the story and this was definitely one of them. NOTE: If you are conservative, as I am, you might want to be warned that there is some very integrated married sex--not graphic, not titillating. It is used to drive the plot and define the characters. There is one non-married sexual relationship which was again, not titillating, but perhaps it could be described as... earthy. I wasn't bothered. Much. Hm. Anyway, be warned.
Having disclaimed, I must now admit that I really liked this book. I even laughed out loud a couple of times at the understated humor. A gentle, lyrical, friendly read.
Having disclaimed, I must now admit that I really liked this book. I even laughed out loud a couple of times at the understated humor. A gentle, lyrical, friendly read.
July 27, 2011
If, like me, you love odd, bizarre, and extremely unconventional stories then this is for you. Otherwise, don't try it.
November 7, 2025
el millor llibre que m’he llegit mai, ficció històrica, salseo i ‘tism vibes. Te amo edward trencom, el únic anglès al que voldré mai. No apte per a intolerants a la lactosa
January 7, 2020
This book was a little...wait for it...cheesy. I suppose that's the point, but it can't seem to decide what kind of book it wants to be. Part of it is comedic, satirical, what with all the cheese references. Part of it is a mystery/crime novella, part of it borders on historical fiction, and none of it really works all that well. It treats sex like a very delicate subject to be danced around, but describes violence and murder in often gory detail. At least it's a quick read, although the ending was rather abrupt.
It gets points for being quirky and somewhat out of the norm.
It gets points for being quirky and somewhat out of the norm.
February 17, 2011
Who could resist a title like that, especially when cheese is involved? Certainly not me.
However, I was a little disappointed by the insufficiency of cheese geeking in the book. I expected there to be more. It's as if someone took a Kage Baker with less knowledge of the writerly craft and Dan Brown, made them do the fusion dance, and had the result write this book. (+ for bothering to look up the names of actual med/Ren health/food manuals, - for concocting an ostensible 18th C. newspaper article and getting the style all wrong.) Some parts are absolutely fantastic, but the characters are a bit two-dimensional, and the conclusion is ... anti-climactic. This is a mildly amusing read which won't require you to think too much.
However, I was a little disappointed by the insufficiency of cheese geeking in the book. I expected there to be more. It's as if someone took a Kage Baker with less knowledge of the writerly craft and Dan Brown, made them do the fusion dance, and had the result write this book. (+ for bothering to look up the names of actual med/Ren health/food manuals, - for concocting an ostensible 18th C. newspaper article and getting the style all wrong.) Some parts are absolutely fantastic, but the characters are a bit two-dimensional, and the conclusion is ... anti-climactic. This is a mildly amusing read which won't require you to think too much.
December 4, 2017
The book can be summed up by a quote from one of the secondary characters "'I must confess, you've lost me,' said Barcley after a long silence. 'I'm not quite sure what you mean. You're trying to tell me that this disaster - the flood - is in some way linked to you nose?'"
Women in the book are mothers, dumb or of sexual interest... Even the famous nose only makes one appearance on a woman- the matriarch of the clan who elevates the Trencoms from nobodies to the ridiculous white saviors they try to be. If the book hadn't been an effective sleep aid, I would've returned it to the free library long ago. Now I've finished it and merely feel irritated at the plot that thought itself too clever by half.
Women in the book are mothers, dumb or of sexual interest... Even the famous nose only makes one appearance on a woman- the matriarch of the clan who elevates the Trencoms from nobodies to the ridiculous white saviors they try to be. If the book hadn't been an effective sleep aid, I would've returned it to the free library long ago. Now I've finished it and merely feel irritated at the plot that thought itself too clever by half.
June 15, 2009
What a strange book. A strange idea as well - a tale of a man who has a nose for cheese, a fantastic nose indeed. But strange happenings are occurring, and he loses his sense of smell (about the same time he discovers sex), becoming mixed up with a missing heir, a murder, various disasters, and most of all, cheese. Lots and lots of cheese. Clever, amusing, strangely compelling. But how this concept was sold to a publisher, I will never know.
August 18, 2008
Well now, I think the subtitle is nearly perfect. This is unique. If smell is the sense that best brings back memory, then this should be memorable book... and it is. Read it.
Only flaw is a slightly predictable ending.
Only flaw is a slightly predictable ending.
October 10, 2010
Why: Sale rack at the book store and we are flying to Montana on Monday
Review: Delightful book. Michael was so enthralled that he is reading his non fiction books as well. One is about white slaves in the Arab world. We are eating more cheese.
Review: Delightful book. Michael was so enthralled that he is reading his non fiction books as well. One is about white slaves in the Arab world. We are eating more cheese.
October 13, 2014
Historical fiction and cheese. What more can a girl ask for? Lots of intrigue...not necessarily a mystery but more a family quagmire. So many cheeses and I barely knew any. Makes you very hungry to read, at least I was.
December 15, 2007
Went into this book somewhat dubious , but it was an utter delight to follow the remarkable trencomes trough history and pray Edward avoids the curse. It has also helped my knowledge of cheeeeesssse
August 3, 2008
I liked this book very much. I learned a good bit about cheese and appreciated an inventive plot.
November 10, 2009
The title gave the indication that this was no ordinary, run-of-the-mill read and it lived up to that promise.
June 16, 2010
This book was fun! Some repeated overuse of specific words, but a very interesting and funny story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews