"I am going to die and there is a flavor that has been teasing my taste buds and my heart and I simply cannot recall it."

So mourns renowned (and reviled) French food critic Pierre Arthens, who's on his literal deathbed and desperate for a final taste of a food that he can't recall except to know that it changed his life. He proceeds into a series of ruminations that take him back through the most important food experiences of his life -- and in the process reveal his arrogance and unlikeability -- each memory alternating with ultra-short, eulogy-like reminiscences by more than a dozen of his relatives, acquaintances, and pet :)

The narrative structure brings to mind the numerous points of view in Anita Shreve's Testimony, although this narrative does not benefit from the forward movement of an underlying story as Shreve's did. Indeed, it took me days to finish this short novella, and I learned to not put it aside when I was in Monsieur Arthens' point of view because I'd dread picking it up again. Thankfully, the other narrators add a lively, interesting and sympathetic balance. In the end, I'm happy to have persevered and finished, because in the final pages Monsieur's food descriptions finally move from intellectual to sensual, sending me to the Internet to research and create tasting goals of my own!

Pierre Arthens is a thoroughly loathsome man. His ego and arrogance is commensurate with his reputation as one of the world's great food critics. His writing and his persona has redefined the role of food critic in French society. He is also dying. His physician has told him he has 48 hours to live. In the time he has left to him Arthens is determined to remember that one flavor, that one taste sensation that could be said to have defined his life.

Lying on his death-bed in his elegant Paris apartment, Arthens reaches back in time trying to recall moments in time and a `tastes' in time that may mark that one great flavor. Each brief memory (in the form of a short chapter) is followed by the reflections of those who have for better or worse, usually worse, have had dealings with Arthens. These include his neglected wife, his children, a nephew, cooks, other food critics, restaurateurs, and even his cat and a small piece of artwork. That in summary is the plot and structure of Muriel Barbery's "Gourmet Rhapsody".

"Gourmet Rhapsody" was Barbery's first novel, published in France in 2000. It set in the same building as a later work, "The Elegance of the Hedgehog". Hedgehog was published in English by Europa Editions in 2008 to great critical and popular acclaim. Subsequently, Europa decided to translate and publish "Gourmet Rhapsody". I think the fact that Gourmet Rhapsody was her first book is apparent. It is not nearly as polished and does not flow nearly as smoothly as Hedgehog. However, the book is still very much worth reading and if I had read it before Hedgehog I would have believed it showed a great deal of promise.

On the plus side: Barbery's writing is very fluid and insightful. There are passages that are just dazzling. She manages to take a thoroughly unlikable main character and wrap a story around him that is well written and absorbing. At the same time, Arthens' memories, even though they center on his lifetime fascination with food, do manage to tell the story of a life and even if one never comes to admire Arthens the man I did get a feel for the life he led.

On the minus side: the splicing in of other characters' memories, while an interesting artifice just didn't hold up as I think it was intended. It may be that as arrogant and pompous as Athens was, he certainly seemed aware of it and seemed to have a sense of self-reflection that was one redeeming feature. However, because the vignettes of the long suffering wife, the children, and others were so fleeting their stories conveyed little more than their sense of suffering at the hands of Arthens. That lack of investment in these drive-by characters really makes fully half of the book simply nothing more than an echo chamber to bring us back to Arthens.

Ultimately, I think the plusses, specifically Barbery's writing outweighs the minuses and I have no problems recommending "Gourmet Rhapsody" to others. I would suggest, however, that it would be best to read "Gourmet Rhapsody" before turning to "Elegance of the Hedgehog". That way, the reader would be introduced to a good author's good first book followed by a more eloquent and sophisticated follow-up. L. Fleisig

After reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog, I eagerly awaited Muriel Barbery's next novel. Anyone familiar with her work recognizes her as one of the most beautiful writers of our day. Gourmet Rhapsody is another example of her fine writing style and her incredible skill at character development.

As described in the product description, the story is of the last days of the world's most famous food critic and his desperate attempt to identify that one supreme flavor and to experience it one last time. He reflects back on a childhood filled with culinary influences ranging from soulful home cooks to renowned masters. His journey extends to his evolving appreciation for fine wine as well as Scotch. He recalls the most refined and sophisticated meals of his past, but his most cherished memories are of some of the simplest and the least pretentious meals with friends and family. The journey uncovers many longings and regrets and we quickly realize that his search is for something more than a culinary experience.

This novel did not grab me like The Elegance of the Hedgehog - one of my favorite novels of the past 10 years. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this beautifully written and touching story. I look forward to reading more of Muriel Barbery's masterful work.