Daudet has here written what we would now call a "coming of age novel," although it appeared at a time when concepts like "adolescence" and "coming of age" hardly existed, or at least did not have quite the status they have now. Anyway, young Daniel Elyssette, the protagonist and sometimes narrator of this text, which alternates between a first-person and a third-person point of view, goes through a series of misadventures, which repeatedly display his naivety. Initially humorous, even as somewhat sad events are taking place, the novel takes a decidedly serious turn as it approaches its conclusion. Rightfully so, because the end of Daniel's story, a bit like Pinocchio's (see review below), is assimilation into a rather humdrum world where dreams and adventures must be put aside. In this case, economic reality and "the right woman" work their levelling power. Daudet, for those who do not know him, is a delightful writer whose cleverness and frequently playful touches will keep the reader both turning pages and smiling. Though written in the 19th century and sometimes using vocabulary that sent this reader scurrying to his larger Larousse, the French is usually clear and easily followed.