Initial Journal Entry: "Another book found on an internet list of 'books you should read before you see the movie'."

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After reading:

It's obvious that Richard Morais has traveled and lived outside the United States. His grasp of the language and general knowledge of France is evident. Until I read that he hadn't lived in or traveled to India, I was certain he was familiar with that country as well. Either way, he made me feel as if I was on a personally guided tour of both countries.

The book is written about the life and from the perspective of Hassan Haji, a young Indian boy recently emigrated from Mumbai after the violent death of his mother. We travel with him first to England. There, his big, bombastic father, Abbas, must work through the depression gripping him since the loss of his wife. Although Hassan, his siblings, and extended family settle in Southall, they never really make it a home. One day, when his Papa snaps out of his depression, they move on to begin their first business venture since leaving India. In the small town of Lumière, where they settle after their Citroën breaks down, they finally put down roots and start a restaurant.

It is in Lumière, just across the street, that Hassan meets Madame Mallory, the taciturn, sharp-tongued, and frightening proprietor of an inn / restaurant named Le Saule Pleureur. Madame Mallory has earned two Michelin stars, has left room on her wall for a third, and finds the Haji's restaurant, Maison Mumbai, an affront to all she holds dear. A stubborn, mulish war is fought between Hassan's father and Madame Mallory until one day the discovery that Hassan has an inborn, savant palate coupled with an unfortunate accident make Madame Mallory re-examine her life.

After years training under Madame Mallory, Hassan finally moves from the small town of Lumière to build on his knowledge and become a chef in his own right. Over time he becomes one of the stars of the glittering, back-biting, pretentious world of haute cuisine that is Paris. When he opens his own restaurant, he chooses its name after the insult Madame Mallory hurled at his father years ago, Le Chien Méchant ("un chien méchant" or "a mad dog").

Morais reveals in the Acknowledgements at the back of the book that he wrote this novel as an homage to film producer Ismail Merchant (of Remains of the Day fame) after they built a friendship on their shared passion for food. He goes on to say that he hopes that the book will one day be made into a movie - the movie he'd intended his friend to produce. Usually I'm not at all excited by movies based on books I've already read. This one, however, I'll be very interested in seeing. Not only do I look forward to watching the talented Helen Mirren give life to Madame Mallory (who I came to hate and then love in equal measure), but the book was written in such a visually descriptive way that I don't think it will lose anything in translation from text to movie.

Having said that, Morais' writing was the engaging sort that pulls you past the words into the story and makes you forget you're reading. It was only when I'd hit a grouping of French words that I'd come back to reality, often to go look up the meanings. I loved Morais' use of food terminology in describing situations as well.

Papa stared at us coldly, as if we had betrayed him, but gradually the hardness in Papa's face dissolved, and it was something quietly miraculous, like watching a chilled lump of goose fat warming in a hot pan.

This book was a delightful, informative adventure of a read - one I'm not doing enough justice to with this review. I'd urge you to get a copy and read it yourself to find out what I mean. As for me, I look forward to the movie and, hopefully, more novels by this author in the future.

I gave this book to my sister to take home to Australia for her next book club read.