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Goat In The Meze: A farcical look at Greek life
A hapless American couple who are stranded in the bonkers backwater Greek village of Astakos are befuddled and bemused by the antics of the villagers who charm and outrage them with their quirky ways. The elusive underwear thief is busy plundering the local washing lines hoping his identity will never be revealed, whilst the Pappas is up to his neck in nefarious schemes. Mail order Russian bride Masha is indulged by that old fool Vasilis in her passion for plastic surgery, and Stavroula plots to extricate herself from her marriage to the supposedly dead Toothless Tasos. Not a day goes by in Astakos without deviousness and humour as part of the scenic backdrop. The humorous antics of life in a fictional Greek village have the feel good factor to make you laugh-out-loud.
383 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 22, 2017
98 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Katerina Nikolas
8 books6 followersKaterina Nikolas lives in a small Greek village with her teen son and cat. She is thinking of acquiring a goat.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 27, 2017
A funny book that could be the next Carry on film! The characters are what you would expect to find in a typical greek village, and their antics highlight human traits of jealousy and greed.
As the subtitle suggests, a farcical look at Greek life that would still be funny without the farce.
As the subtitle suggests, a farcical look at Greek life that would still be funny without the farce.
August 17, 2018
Light-hearted tale of two Americans who lose their way in Greece. Great summer read that will transport you back to Greece. I read this on the plane and there are a few humourous bits that got me a few funny looks from the other passengers.
March 21, 2021
To brighten up a dull day I decided to re-read this book and was surprised to find I hadn’t already left a comment about it! I’m putting that right now, but I probably forgot at the time from being full of the giggles after enjoying the trials and tribulations of Deidre and Quentin. If you enjoy books set in Greece and having a laugh, this is the book to take away the blues!
June 6, 2018
I used this book to try out the new Kindle Word Runner app that shows you 1 word at a time and all you have to do is stare at one place on the screen to read a gazillion words a minute. I want to read fast. I have more books on my to-read list that I have read and I am 57. Not good.
Anyway, I thought the book was amusing at first and was enjoying the silliness. Mid-west American couple on vacation on a Greek island hit a goat and wreck their car. They have to stay in a village while their car gets fixed. They eat the goat. Many corny things happen. More goats die and get eaten. But then the silliness started to annoy me and I stopped reading.
Also, I discovered that 1-word-at-a-time is not for me. I tend to go back to sentences that I particularly liked, or were loaded with info, nuance, foreshadowing or whatever, and re-read them. That is impossible with Word Runner. Back to plodding along reading all the words left to right and wasting the eye movement back to the left.
Anyway, I thought the book was amusing at first and was enjoying the silliness. Mid-west American couple on vacation on a Greek island hit a goat and wreck their car. They have to stay in a village while their car gets fixed. They eat the goat. Many corny things happen. More goats die and get eaten. But then the silliness started to annoy me and I stopped reading.
Also, I discovered that 1-word-at-a-time is not for me. I tend to go back to sentences that I particularly liked, or were loaded with info, nuance, foreshadowing or whatever, and re-read them. That is impossible with Word Runner. Back to plodding along reading all the words left to right and wasting the eye movement back to the left.
July 9, 2019
A trap in Greece
This book was vey amusing. An American couple's car broke down in the middle of nowhere (close to a village actually) and an Adonis (his name) stopped and took them to the village with a promise his cousin would fix their car. In Greece everyone is a cousin and if you don't know it they will try to fleece you. That is exactly what Adonis did, kept them there long enough to sell them a falling down old house. Quentin and Deidre stayed for several weeks waiting for their car to be repaired. The author is so great at weaving great stories involving the village people so by the time you finish the book you feel as if you know them. A mail order bride, a woman who buried 3 husbands already, a murderess, a lawyer and many others you will come to love. I recommend this book for a good laugh!!
This book was vey amusing. An American couple's car broke down in the middle of nowhere (close to a village actually) and an Adonis (his name) stopped and took them to the village with a promise his cousin would fix their car. In Greece everyone is a cousin and if you don't know it they will try to fleece you. That is exactly what Adonis did, kept them there long enough to sell them a falling down old house. Quentin and Deidre stayed for several weeks waiting for their car to be repaired. The author is so great at weaving great stories involving the village people so by the time you finish the book you feel as if you know them. A mail order bride, a woman who buried 3 husbands already, a murderess, a lawyer and many others you will come to love. I recommend this book for a good laugh!!
February 24, 2019
Funny and Entertaining
Quentin & Deirdre are on vacation visiting various countries when they get unexpectedly stuck in a little Greek village due to their car breaking down. While waiting weeks for their car to be repaired, they meet several of the village's local residents, becoming good friends with several of them. Falling in love with the atmosphere, the landscape, the famous local dishes, and their new friends, they decide to buy a rundown old home in the village and fix it up to use as a beloved vacation home.
Don't let the number of chapters overwhelm you. The chapters are short and the storyline easy to follow so the reading goes much faster than expected at first. The book is an enjoyable read, and has many plot twists and funny parts!
Quentin & Deirdre are on vacation visiting various countries when they get unexpectedly stuck in a little Greek village due to their car breaking down. While waiting weeks for their car to be repaired, they meet several of the village's local residents, becoming good friends with several of them. Falling in love with the atmosphere, the landscape, the famous local dishes, and their new friends, they decide to buy a rundown old home in the village and fix it up to use as a beloved vacation home.
Don't let the number of chapters overwhelm you. The chapters are short and the storyline easy to follow so the reading goes much faster than expected at first. The book is an enjoyable read, and has many plot twists and funny parts!
April 4, 2018
Loved this.......
Loved this ensemble of eclectic characters and the nononcence means of breathing life into them . The anecdotes of their various antics are true belly laughs with tints of sadness holding the stories together. My ideal nights read.
Loved this ensemble of eclectic characters and the nononcence means of breathing life into them . The anecdotes of their various antics are true belly laughs with tints of sadness holding the stories together. My ideal nights read.
August 13, 2018
Out of the Ordinary Read
Too funny! Loved all of the characters and the crazy lives they lead, weaving their eccentricities inside and out life in a small Greek town. Very enjoyable.
Too funny! Loved all of the characters and the crazy lives they lead, weaving their eccentricities inside and out life in a small Greek town. Very enjoyable.
August 10, 2017
An Enjoyable Read
A most unusual book, but a fascinating read, based as it is on Greek life with all it's humerus twists and turns, and many fascinating characters.
A most unusual book, but a fascinating read, based as it is on Greek life with all it's humerus twists and turns, and many fascinating characters.
March 23, 2018
Tiresome and not authentic
Repetitive and boring and don’t know where author got the ghetto accent and thought it sounded Greek. Disappointing and not authentic.
Repetitive and boring and don’t know where author got the ghetto accent and thought it sounded Greek. Disappointing and not authentic.
April 6, 2018
Very funny!
I loved this book!. It was laugh out loud funny. I enjoyed the cast of characters and their nicknames. I felt like I was in the village with them.
I loved this book!. It was laugh out loud funny. I enjoyed the cast of characters and their nicknames. I felt like I was in the village with them.
December 11, 2019
Very basic characterisation and writing. Vaguely entertaining.
August 17, 2020
Was not sure about this but grew into it and now looking forward to more in the series.
May 26, 2021
Full of many colorful characters
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews