A review by apostrophen
Fool's Errand by Louis Bayard
4.0
Patrick Beaton is a rare sort of gay male protagonist - he's not incredibly passionate, he's not perfect, he's romantic, but he's also got his head so far up in the clouds that he's a little bit of a sap and a pushover.
So, when Patrick decides that someone he saw barely (and maybe even in a dream) is Mr. Perfect, he starts to hunt him down. Between his hunting down Mr. Perfect in all the wrong places, he has to deal with a slew of complications:
1. His ex - who has hooked up with a Mr. Wonderful of his own.
2. Mr. Wonderful's ex - who wants Patrick to find his own Mr. Perfect to drive Patrick's ex to a jealous return, so that Mr. Wonderful comes back on the market. Did I lose you there?
3. Crazy rats.
4. The CIA.
5. His best friend's love life, and her meddling in Patrick's love life.
and
6. A confusing and unnanounced visit from his father.
All in all, this is a heartwarming tale, and I liked the direction it went. The ultimate conclusion is a plausible one, amidst a novel that's just shy of slapstick in places. There's a gentle touch to this story, in both dialogue and Patrick's thoughts, and it was a warm and snuggly sort of reading experience.
So, when Patrick decides that someone he saw barely (and maybe even in a dream) is Mr. Perfect, he starts to hunt him down. Between his hunting down Mr. Perfect in all the wrong places, he has to deal with a slew of complications:
1. His ex - who has hooked up with a Mr. Wonderful of his own.
2. Mr. Wonderful's ex - who wants Patrick to find his own Mr. Perfect to drive Patrick's ex to a jealous return, so that Mr. Wonderful comes back on the market. Did I lose you there?
3. Crazy rats.
4. The CIA.
5. His best friend's love life, and her meddling in Patrick's love life.
and
6. A confusing and unnanounced visit from his father.
All in all, this is a heartwarming tale, and I liked the direction it went. The ultimate conclusion is a plausible one, amidst a novel that's just shy of slapstick in places. There's a gentle touch to this story, in both dialogue and Patrick's thoughts, and it was a warm and snuggly sort of reading experience.