What do you think?
Rate this book
A Collar for Cerberus
Never meet your heroes...
A naïve English graduate arrives in Greece seeking experience and perhaps an encounter with his literary hero: Nobel laureate and irascible old hell-raiser Irakles Bastounis. Agreeing to act as driver for Bastounis, the young man finds himself on a hectic, adventurous and always challenging tour of Greece’s wonders – an apprentice in how to live life to the fullest.
As the road trip progresses, the questions arise. Is Bastounis still an addict? Who is following him and why? Is he researching his final, much-anticipated novel? Who are the people he’s meeting along the way? And how far will one young man ultimately go in the name of experience?
A Collar for Cerberus is a story about time, life, pleasure and the decisions we make.
Review
“I would love to read more by this author. This book is so good I hardly know how to word my review. It is fantastic.”
Cherie Homan (Reviewer)
“An interesting, literary book that is character-driven. The title alone made me curious enough to check this one out. Nicely done.”
Reading and Literary Resources
“I love this book to the moon and back! There is much to be savored in the words, much to be learned from the characters who jump off the page. Wow.”
Kaye Barley (Reviewer)
“A quote from the book is 'Acclaim is a dangerous currency', but I hope the author won't mind if I acclaim his work. It's compulsive reading and is rich and multi-layered. Throughout this excellent story are references to the twelve labours of Heracles (Hercules). Bastounis and his chauffeur share the same physical journey but embark on separate spiritual journeys, both facing their own labours - challenges they need to tackle. There are wonderful, vibrant characters and vivid settings in the book that captivate. You'll find the sights and soul of Greece within these pages. A marvellous novel.”
Books Are Cool
“A Collar for Cerberus is one of those delightful reads that creeps up on you. What at first glance appeared to be a road trip tale became a deep reflection on how we experience life, and what we want to get out of it, with wonderful discussions on Greek myth and the art of writing along the way. Marvellous writing.”
Nicki J. Markus
“You will savor every page of this book… filled with eloquent descriptions, ripe with vocabulary. The descriptions and thoughts on life can be more solid food than those of used to baby food may want. Literary fiction can be like that. However, the pace of the book was energizing enough to keep pulling me through the hard currents.”
Goodreads
“The depth of writing and character development is astounding and having a young man's naive dreams and an old man's regrets mixed in this story made it an enjoyable read… an unforgettable experience.”
Dora Archie Okeyo (Reviewer)
“I am engrossed… there are snippets of gold in between the lines.”
Nilichoandika
“When I read the description of this novel, I thought it was going to be a travelogue of Greece. However, it is so much more than that. It is about the journey of life and how to experience life to the fullest. This book delves into the deepest resources of our lives and transports the reader into Greek history and mythology, revealing their timelessness in today's world and in our own lives. The use of the English language is absolutely exquisite. The vocabulary is wonderfully rich. It was a true joy to experience this novel. I sincerely hope that Matt Stanley will grace us with more of his extraordinary gift of writing.”
Nan Williams (Reviewer)
About the Author
Matt Stanley was born in Sheffield in 1971. Following a degree in English and American Literature at the University of East Anglia, he taught English in Greece, China and Poland. Along the way, he's worked as a bookseller, a holiday rep, a hack journalist and a subeditor. For the last few years, he's been a freelance copywriter and - as James McCreet - is the author of a series of Victorian detective novels and a textbook on novel structure (Before You Write Your Novel, Routledge 2016). See also www. jamesmccreet. co. uk In 2012, he won the main prize in the Guardian's travel-writing competition. Judge Colm Toibin wrote: "This piece is written with flair and economy. Some of the short, darting, declarative sentences manage to suggest a great deal. The story is filled with sharp detail and yet it exudes a kind of mystery. In other words, the city is real, but 'the other me' remains ambiguous and may, indeed, be a dream aspect of the wandering self. This makes the layered account of being in a foreign place exact and credible, but also filled with a sense of adventure and uncertainty." A Collar for Cerberus is his tenth novel in ten years.
A naïve English graduate arrives in Greece seeking experience and perhaps an encounter with his literary hero: Nobel laureate and irascible old hell-raiser Irakles Bastounis. Agreeing to act as driver for Bastounis, the young man finds himself on a hectic, adventurous and always challenging tour of Greece’s wonders – an apprentice in how to live life to the fullest.
As the road trip progresses, the questions arise. Is Bastounis still an addict? Who is following him and why? Is he researching his final, much-anticipated novel? Who are the people he’s meeting along the way? And how far will one young man ultimately go in the name of experience?
A Collar for Cerberus is a story about time, life, pleasure and the decisions we make.
Review
“I would love to read more by this author. This book is so good I hardly know how to word my review. It is fantastic.”
Cherie Homan (Reviewer)
“An interesting, literary book that is character-driven. The title alone made me curious enough to check this one out. Nicely done.”
Reading and Literary Resources
“I love this book to the moon and back! There is much to be savored in the words, much to be learned from the characters who jump off the page. Wow.”
Kaye Barley (Reviewer)
“A quote from the book is 'Acclaim is a dangerous currency', but I hope the author won't mind if I acclaim his work. It's compulsive reading and is rich and multi-layered. Throughout this excellent story are references to the twelve labours of Heracles (Hercules). Bastounis and his chauffeur share the same physical journey but embark on separate spiritual journeys, both facing their own labours - challenges they need to tackle. There are wonderful, vibrant characters and vivid settings in the book that captivate. You'll find the sights and soul of Greece within these pages. A marvellous novel.”
Books Are Cool
“A Collar for Cerberus is one of those delightful reads that creeps up on you. What at first glance appeared to be a road trip tale became a deep reflection on how we experience life, and what we want to get out of it, with wonderful discussions on Greek myth and the art of writing along the way. Marvellous writing.”
Nicki J. Markus
“You will savor every page of this book… filled with eloquent descriptions, ripe with vocabulary. The descriptions and thoughts on life can be more solid food than those of used to baby food may want. Literary fiction can be like that. However, the pace of the book was energizing enough to keep pulling me through the hard currents.”
Goodreads
“The depth of writing and character development is astounding and having a young man's naive dreams and an old man's regrets mixed in this story made it an enjoyable read… an unforgettable experience.”
Dora Archie Okeyo (Reviewer)
“I am engrossed… there are snippets of gold in between the lines.”
Nilichoandika
“When I read the description of this novel, I thought it was going to be a travelogue of Greece. However, it is so much more than that. It is about the journey of life and how to experience life to the fullest. This book delves into the deepest resources of our lives and transports the reader into Greek history and mythology, revealing their timelessness in today's world and in our own lives. The use of the English language is absolutely exquisite. The vocabulary is wonderfully rich. It was a true joy to experience this novel. I sincerely hope that Matt Stanley will grace us with more of his extraordinary gift of writing.”
Nan Williams (Reviewer)
About the Author
Matt Stanley was born in Sheffield in 1971. Following a degree in English and American Literature at the University of East Anglia, he taught English in Greece, China and Poland. Along the way, he's worked as a bookseller, a holiday rep, a hack journalist and a subeditor. For the last few years, he's been a freelance copywriter and - as James McCreet - is the author of a series of Victorian detective novels and a textbook on novel structure (Before You Write Your Novel, Routledge 2016). See also www. jamesmccreet. co. uk In 2012, he won the main prize in the Guardian's travel-writing competition. Judge Colm Toibin wrote: "This piece is written with flair and economy. Some of the short, darting, declarative sentences manage to suggest a great deal. The story is filled with sharp detail and yet it exudes a kind of mystery. In other words, the city is real, but 'the other me' remains ambiguous and may, indeed, be a dream aspect of the wandering self. This makes the layered account of being in a foreign place exact and credible, but also filled with a sense of adventure and uncertainty." A Collar for Cerberus is his tenth novel in ten years.
332 pages, Paperback
Published May 20, 2018
5 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 20, 2018
All the Stars to A Collar for Cerberus! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
This is a sleeper of a novel that deserves the praise and accolades I have seen showered on it thus far. Thank you to my friend, Tudor Queen, for the recommendation! I would not have known about this book otherwise.
A Collar for Cerberus opens with a college graduate stepping off a bus just outside a small town in Greece. He has traveled there, on a whim and far from home, to hopefully meet someone he has admired in his studies of English, Nobel laureate Irakles Bastounis. From the opening paragraph, I knew I stumbled into an exceptional read.
Not only does our main character meet his idol, he becomes his driver. Together they take on Greece in Bastounis’ dusty, vintage Peugeot.
What awaits the reader from this point on is practically indescribable as the two embark upon their journey. There are layers upon layers of things to ponder, sage words from Bastounis, and important life lessons learned along the way. I am keeping it short here because there is likewise a journey for the reader, and I want it to be completely yours as you experience it.
Overall, A Collar for Cerberus is an ode to Greece, its rich landscapes and history, as well as its beautiful people. A Collar for Cerberus is about living in the moment, and it is wholly engaging, enriching, and honest. At the end of it all, it was also resonant and affecting, and I absolutely loved it.
Thank you to Thistle Publishing for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own. A Collar for Cerberus will be published on July 26, 2018.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
This is a sleeper of a novel that deserves the praise and accolades I have seen showered on it thus far. Thank you to my friend, Tudor Queen, for the recommendation! I would not have known about this book otherwise.
A Collar for Cerberus opens with a college graduate stepping off a bus just outside a small town in Greece. He has traveled there, on a whim and far from home, to hopefully meet someone he has admired in his studies of English, Nobel laureate Irakles Bastounis. From the opening paragraph, I knew I stumbled into an exceptional read.
Not only does our main character meet his idol, he becomes his driver. Together they take on Greece in Bastounis’ dusty, vintage Peugeot.
What awaits the reader from this point on is practically indescribable as the two embark upon their journey. There are layers upon layers of things to ponder, sage words from Bastounis, and important life lessons learned along the way. I am keeping it short here because there is likewise a journey for the reader, and I want it to be completely yours as you experience it.
Overall, A Collar for Cerberus is an ode to Greece, its rich landscapes and history, as well as its beautiful people. A Collar for Cerberus is about living in the moment, and it is wholly engaging, enriching, and honest. At the end of it all, it was also resonant and affecting, and I absolutely loved it.
Thank you to Thistle Publishing for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own. A Collar for Cerberus will be published on July 26, 2018.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
June 27, 2018
Thistle Publishing provided an advance reader copy for the favor of my honest review.
I would have never chosen this book for myself, but when offered, was mildly intrigued by its premise.
Against the ire of his mother as well as his long-suffering girlfriend Clara, a young, unemployed British college graduate is fulfilling his desire to travel and roam. I didn't realize it until another reviewer noted this, but his name is never actually mentioned throughout the book. He is a great admirer of novelist and nobel laureate Irakles Bastounis, a reclusive author who hasn't written anything since the nineties. Fans of Bastounis' writing are passionate and obsessive about his whereabouts, whether he's still living, and most of all...will he ever write another book?
On a hunch that Bastounis might have returned to his ancestral village of Dimitsana, Greece, our young traveler makes this pilgrimage. As implausible as actually meeting the famous author might be, at least he could experience many of the details and settings from Bastounis' books. Well, the very first sentence of the book in chapter one states, "Never meet your heroes." After first denying his true identity to the young traveler, Bastounis later winds up knocking on his hotel room door. Now admitting he's the famous author, he's requesting that the young traveler drive him somewhere. Bastounis has an old, dusty... but reliable and sturdy Peugeot from the seventies.
I am actually overwhelmed by the thought of adequately describing the beauty and meaning of this story. Without divulging too many more details, I'll just say that this journey through iconic Greece is steeped with wonder, profundity, spirituality and LIFE. Yes, the underlying theme is to live your life to the fullest, that youth is wasted on the young. When you eat, eat like it's a symphony of flavors and savor it. Hunt an octopus right in its garden, kill it, cook it and eat it. Lay on a rock where Apollo stood, close your eyes and drink in its energy.
The author did a superb job with Bastounis' dialogue. His brilliant musings on life read exactly like the nobel laureate he was. This book definitely flew "under the radar" and is quite special. I highly recommend it.
I would have never chosen this book for myself, but when offered, was mildly intrigued by its premise.
Against the ire of his mother as well as his long-suffering girlfriend Clara, a young, unemployed British college graduate is fulfilling his desire to travel and roam. I didn't realize it until another reviewer noted this, but his name is never actually mentioned throughout the book. He is a great admirer of novelist and nobel laureate Irakles Bastounis, a reclusive author who hasn't written anything since the nineties. Fans of Bastounis' writing are passionate and obsessive about his whereabouts, whether he's still living, and most of all...will he ever write another book?
On a hunch that Bastounis might have returned to his ancestral village of Dimitsana, Greece, our young traveler makes this pilgrimage. As implausible as actually meeting the famous author might be, at least he could experience many of the details and settings from Bastounis' books. Well, the very first sentence of the book in chapter one states, "Never meet your heroes." After first denying his true identity to the young traveler, Bastounis later winds up knocking on his hotel room door. Now admitting he's the famous author, he's requesting that the young traveler drive him somewhere. Bastounis has an old, dusty... but reliable and sturdy Peugeot from the seventies.
I am actually overwhelmed by the thought of adequately describing the beauty and meaning of this story. Without divulging too many more details, I'll just say that this journey through iconic Greece is steeped with wonder, profundity, spirituality and LIFE. Yes, the underlying theme is to live your life to the fullest, that youth is wasted on the young. When you eat, eat like it's a symphony of flavors and savor it. Hunt an octopus right in its garden, kill it, cook it and eat it. Lay on a rock where Apollo stood, close your eyes and drink in its energy.
The author did a superb job with Bastounis' dialogue. His brilliant musings on life read exactly like the nobel laureate he was. This book definitely flew "under the radar" and is quite special. I highly recommend it.
July 3, 2018
Review on my Blog > Booklish Feelings
I am speechless here
This book is full of wisdom and motivations . One can only love this book . Thank you Matt Stanley for writing this gem . I felt like I was te one in the journey with Irakles Bastounis . You have to feel the book and read it again and again
A 20 something freshly out of college boy travel to Damitsana , Greece to meet his favorite writer Irakles Bastounis . Irakles is a nobel prize winner and one of the best novelists of his time . There, Irakles offer the boy to drive him to Napflio .
The boy accept his offer despite of no payment . He seeks experience and from there they start a journey . Irakles and the boy visit many towns across Greece where they meets his old friends and kin .
They both experience great things throughout the journey and meet strangers .
There are some of my favorite lines from the book :
✒You have to live with a book, read it over and over – and read it at different stages of your life.
✒Look at this man you made your rival and competitor – a man you had no respect for. Why compare yourself to him? Because I seemed to value him? Who dictates your self-worth and the truth of your ideas? Only you.
I am speechless here
This book is full of wisdom and motivations . One can only love this book . Thank you Matt Stanley for writing this gem . I felt like I was te one in the journey with Irakles Bastounis . You have to feel the book and read it again and again
A 20 something freshly out of college boy travel to Damitsana , Greece to meet his favorite writer Irakles Bastounis . Irakles is a nobel prize winner and one of the best novelists of his time . There, Irakles offer the boy to drive him to Napflio .
The boy accept his offer despite of no payment . He seeks experience and from there they start a journey . Irakles and the boy visit many towns across Greece where they meets his old friends and kin .
They both experience great things throughout the journey and meet strangers .
There are some of my favorite lines from the book :
✒You have to live with a book, read it over and over – and read it at different stages of your life.
✒Look at this man you made your rival and competitor – a man you had no respect for. Why compare yourself to him? Because I seemed to value him? Who dictates your self-worth and the truth of your ideas? Only you.
July 24, 2019
I have no idea how I stumbled across this book as it seems to be, amazingly, a bit of a sleeper.
Perhaps it's just one of life's weird fates as the story deals with a road trip around Greece and co-incidentally to a number of places I myself just visited on a road trip too. And whilst its one of the reasons I undoubtedly loved it there is much more to it than that.
In brief, the young British protagonist decides to visit the Greek village of his literary idol and Nobel laureate, now a crusty cantankerous old man who convinces him to take him on this bizarre road trip. There is a lot more than meets the eye and as the story unfolds in multiple layers it becomes one of those great 'finding yourself' novels leaving the reader with much to contemplate. The character development is excellent and you find yourself wishing you were in that old Peugeot, along with Homer, Heracles, Hemingway, Richard Burton, and numerous others. Hell Bourdain would have killed to be included - its right up his alley!
If you've ever been to Greece, especially on a road trip, or if you love philosophy, mythology or even just literature you will love this. And fans of Ove, Major Pettigrew and all the other #grumplit characters will meet their match with Irakles Boustanis.
I laughed, I cried. I read the last 5 pages over 5 days as I just did not want to let go.....
There REALLY need to be a movie!
Perhaps it's just one of life's weird fates as the story deals with a road trip around Greece and co-incidentally to a number of places I myself just visited on a road trip too. And whilst its one of the reasons I undoubtedly loved it there is much more to it than that.
In brief, the young British protagonist decides to visit the Greek village of his literary idol and Nobel laureate, now a crusty cantankerous old man who convinces him to take him on this bizarre road trip. There is a lot more than meets the eye and as the story unfolds in multiple layers it becomes one of those great 'finding yourself' novels leaving the reader with much to contemplate. The character development is excellent and you find yourself wishing you were in that old Peugeot, along with Homer, Heracles, Hemingway, Richard Burton, and numerous others. Hell Bourdain would have killed to be included - its right up his alley!
If you've ever been to Greece, especially on a road trip, or if you love philosophy, mythology or even just literature you will love this. And fans of Ove, Major Pettigrew and all the other #grumplit characters will meet their match with Irakles Boustanis.
I laughed, I cried. I read the last 5 pages over 5 days as I just did not want to let go.....
There REALLY need to be a movie!
June 15, 2018
It was NetGalley where I got the book, but it was really my trip to Greece, some 20 years ago, that made me enjoy this story more than I would have thought.
It may sound strange but sometimes I had the feeling the author rode with me and my husband in our tiny car through the Peloponnesos. In the first half of the book, Bastounis follows almost exactly the route we did. Our narrator is having his first real taste of good Greek food... and we had exactly the same experience. We discovered you don't ask for a menu; just ask the cook for something nice and you'll be suprised. At one point in the book, our narrator and Bastounis have a meal somewhere where they find the carcass of the lamb they just ate hanging at the rear of the building. This same thing happened to us; the place was hardly recognizable as a restaurant, just one table and two chairs and a very nice women who cooked a delicious meal for us.
I could talk about these coincidences a lot more but unfortunately I'm not blessed with any literary talent. The book was a revelation, so many layers and so many things to think about. Although I've read some of the great books that are mentioned in this story, I had to look up certain things so it was like reading more than one book at the time. It was a wonderful experience more than just 'reading a book' and I'm very happy to have been given the chance.
When searching for more information on the author, I landed on the website of Andrew Lownie Literary Agency. O dear... n this site, there is an abstract of the book full of spoilers. What a pity!
It may sound strange but sometimes I had the feeling the author rode with me and my husband in our tiny car through the Peloponnesos. In the first half of the book, Bastounis follows almost exactly the route we did. Our narrator is having his first real taste of good Greek food... and we had exactly the same experience. We discovered you don't ask for a menu; just ask the cook for something nice and you'll be suprised. At one point in the book, our narrator and Bastounis have a meal somewhere where they find the carcass of the lamb they just ate hanging at the rear of the building. This same thing happened to us; the place was hardly recognizable as a restaurant, just one table and two chairs and a very nice women who cooked a delicious meal for us.
I could talk about these coincidences a lot more but unfortunately I'm not blessed with any literary talent. The book was a revelation, so many layers and so many things to think about. Although I've read some of the great books that are mentioned in this story, I had to look up certain things so it was like reading more than one book at the time. It was a wonderful experience more than just 'reading a book' and I'm very happy to have been given the chance.
When searching for more information on the author, I landed on the website of Andrew Lownie Literary Agency. O dear... n this site, there is an abstract of the book full of spoilers. What a pity!
July 11, 2018
Matt Stanley's novel A Collar for Cerberus entertains while presenting deep conversations about life lessons. I found it immensely enjoyable and chose it to begin my day's reading.
It is a love song to Greece. The descriptions of Greece are vivid, with beautiful descriptions of the landscape and its literary and historical associations offered through the dialogue and action. And the food! My mouth was watering!
The characters are wonderful. There is a young man who must decide what kind of life he wants to lead, and his literary hero, a cantankerous and manipulative Nobel Prize winner whose colorful life is legend.
The older man who lived life to the fullest teaches the unformed youth through a series of experiences that mirror the 12 labors of Hercules from Greek mythology. Hercules last task was to face and subdue Cerberus, a monster who guarded the gates of the Underworld. Literary and Greek mythological references are part of the travelers' mutual language.
Can the young man throw off the conventions of his background, take risks and rise to the challenges presented to him? Can he learn to be fully alive? Most of all, can he trust Irakles Bastounis? Or is he merely a willing tool? Is this author he has admired his friend?
Stanley has taken his experiences and presented them in an engaging novel. His story and love for his subjects is authentic. The plot may deal with death and big choices, but the distillation of the novel is joy.
I received a free ebook from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
It is a love song to Greece. The descriptions of Greece are vivid, with beautiful descriptions of the landscape and its literary and historical associations offered through the dialogue and action. And the food! My mouth was watering!
The characters are wonderful. There is a young man who must decide what kind of life he wants to lead, and his literary hero, a cantankerous and manipulative Nobel Prize winner whose colorful life is legend.
The older man who lived life to the fullest teaches the unformed youth through a series of experiences that mirror the 12 labors of Hercules from Greek mythology. Hercules last task was to face and subdue Cerberus, a monster who guarded the gates of the Underworld. Literary and Greek mythological references are part of the travelers' mutual language.
Can the young man throw off the conventions of his background, take risks and rise to the challenges presented to him? Can he learn to be fully alive? Most of all, can he trust Irakles Bastounis? Or is he merely a willing tool? Is this author he has admired his friend?
Stanley has taken his experiences and presented them in an engaging novel. His story and love for his subjects is authentic. The plot may deal with death and big choices, but the distillation of the novel is joy.
I received a free ebook from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
July 25, 2018
Rating 5 stars:
In the opening scene of A Collar for Cerberus, the protagonist, a recent college graduate from the United Kingdom, disembarks from a bus in a small dusty Greek mountain town. He is on an improbable quest to find his literary hero, Irakles Bastounis. Bastounis is a Nobel Laureate, who was a quite famous partier in his younger years, but has become a recluse in old age. He hasn’t published a book for twenty years. Bastounis does in fact live in the little village the unnamed acolyte stopped at, and they unexpectedly meet at the village café. The college graduate, has a freshly minted degree in Literature, and he idolizes Bastounis’ semi-autographical books. He thinks that he could learn so much, and live outside the mundane box that society has proscribed for him, if he could just meet Bastounis, and then take some time out to travel. As luck would have it, Bastounis eventually invites him to his ramshackle house, and then asks him to drive him, in his 1970’s model Peugeot, to a seaside Greek town a few hour’s drive away.
The student, is a bit reluctant because of Bastounis’ irascible personality, and the intrusions in his privacy that have already taken place. But eventually he finally agrees to be Bastounis’ driver. So begins a buddy tale; a coming-of-age story; a Greek travel story; and big dip in into Greek mythology. These layers are masterfully laid down by the author, Matt Stanley. At times you want to shake Bastounis’ and at times you want to shake the student. But all the time I was reading, I wanted to see what the next page held.
This was an erudite exploration of what it means to live life to the fullest. The vocabulary is lovely. I pride myself on my pretty extensive vocabulary, but I was glad to be reading this on my Kindle, so I could easily look up many words that I wasn’t completely sure of the meaning. That’s not to say that the book is dense or unapproachable, just that it made me stretch and learn in a good way. For instance, I had to look up the meaning of ‘Cerberus’ in the title. It is a 3-headed dog in Greek mythology that guards the entrance to Hades. The Cerberus is primarily known for his capture by Heracles, as one of Heracles' twelve labors. How clever to use this in the title since Irakles continues to give the student various labors that he needs to accomplish during the trip.
The pair eventually travel all over Greece, hitting many of the high points, Delphi, Olympus, Athos. But they also find calm and adventure in smaller towns along the seashore and in the mountains. There are wonderful descriptions of Greek food. It really made me want to pack my bag and fly to Greece tomorrow. But more than a Greek travelogue, the book explores what it means to be at the beginning of your life, and towards the end of your life. How does your life experience influence your outlook, and opinions? Is there any one right way to live a life? Should it be more than the 9-to-5 weekday routine with a two-week holiday thrown in once in awhile?
In the end, while I don't think that I could have lived with Bastounis’, I would certainly be challenged by him in many of the same ways that the student was. I’m not sure I’d make the same choices that either of them did, but I loved seeing how the discussions, and exhortations, and sharing affected both parties. I’m giving this 5 glorious stars. I highly recommend this book! Opa!!
‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; Thistle Publishing; and the author, Matt Stanley; for providing a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In the opening scene of A Collar for Cerberus, the protagonist, a recent college graduate from the United Kingdom, disembarks from a bus in a small dusty Greek mountain town. He is on an improbable quest to find his literary hero, Irakles Bastounis. Bastounis is a Nobel Laureate, who was a quite famous partier in his younger years, but has become a recluse in old age. He hasn’t published a book for twenty years. Bastounis does in fact live in the little village the unnamed acolyte stopped at, and they unexpectedly meet at the village café. The college graduate, has a freshly minted degree in Literature, and he idolizes Bastounis’ semi-autographical books. He thinks that he could learn so much, and live outside the mundane box that society has proscribed for him, if he could just meet Bastounis, and then take some time out to travel. As luck would have it, Bastounis eventually invites him to his ramshackle house, and then asks him to drive him, in his 1970’s model Peugeot, to a seaside Greek town a few hour’s drive away.
The student, is a bit reluctant because of Bastounis’ irascible personality, and the intrusions in his privacy that have already taken place. But eventually he finally agrees to be Bastounis’ driver. So begins a buddy tale; a coming-of-age story; a Greek travel story; and big dip in into Greek mythology. These layers are masterfully laid down by the author, Matt Stanley. At times you want to shake Bastounis’ and at times you want to shake the student. But all the time I was reading, I wanted to see what the next page held.
This was an erudite exploration of what it means to live life to the fullest. The vocabulary is lovely. I pride myself on my pretty extensive vocabulary, but I was glad to be reading this on my Kindle, so I could easily look up many words that I wasn’t completely sure of the meaning. That’s not to say that the book is dense or unapproachable, just that it made me stretch and learn in a good way. For instance, I had to look up the meaning of ‘Cerberus’ in the title. It is a 3-headed dog in Greek mythology that guards the entrance to Hades. The Cerberus is primarily known for his capture by Heracles, as one of Heracles' twelve labors. How clever to use this in the title since Irakles continues to give the student various labors that he needs to accomplish during the trip.
The pair eventually travel all over Greece, hitting many of the high points, Delphi, Olympus, Athos. But they also find calm and adventure in smaller towns along the seashore and in the mountains. There are wonderful descriptions of Greek food. It really made me want to pack my bag and fly to Greece tomorrow. But more than a Greek travelogue, the book explores what it means to be at the beginning of your life, and towards the end of your life. How does your life experience influence your outlook, and opinions? Is there any one right way to live a life? Should it be more than the 9-to-5 weekday routine with a two-week holiday thrown in once in awhile?
In the end, while I don't think that I could have lived with Bastounis’, I would certainly be challenged by him in many of the same ways that the student was. I’m not sure I’d make the same choices that either of them did, but I loved seeing how the discussions, and exhortations, and sharing affected both parties. I’m giving this 5 glorious stars. I highly recommend this book! Opa!!
‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; Thistle Publishing; and the author, Matt Stanley; for providing a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 2, 2018
In Greek mythology, Cerberus is the horrifying multi-headed dog-creature that guards the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. For Heracles twelfth labor, he was sent to bring back this “hound of Hades”, which seemed to be an impossible task.
If this interests you so far, then you will savor every page of this book. Recently, I have read summer beach stories set in sunny Greece. This is not a chick lit rom com. This is a serious piece of literary fiction, and it succeeds in being an interesting and fascinating read.
This book is a first person account, told by a recent college graduate who is wandering through Greece while he figures out what to with his life. The young man stops in a small town, with a vague idea of searching for his author-hero, the Nobel Prize winning Irakles Bastounis.
He does meet the author at a café, but it is the great man himself who takes over. Bastounis gets the young fellow to drive both of them on an epic journey through Greece, visiting famous sites of ancient Greece. As they travel, Bastounis belittles the young man and his way of thinking, so, he assigns him 12 challenges. The scene where they catch, prepare and cook an octopus is a highlight.
The book is filled with eloquent descriptions, ripe with vocabulary that was unfamiliar to me. The descriptions and thoughts on life can be more solid food than those of used to baby food may want. Literary fiction can be like that. However, the pace of the book was energizing enough to keep pulling me through the hard currents.
Irakles Bastounis will remain a memorable character. His backstory is exciting, and his current life is unusual and he shares many interesting observations. The young man doesn’t know himself at all, so he is not as fully formed in the book.
The book begins with this thought, “Never meet your heroes.” And ends with, “You have your whole life in front of you. Use it well.”
Was the famous author a great and wise man, or was he a decaying old pompous failure? Was the young man right to live a cautious, careful life or should he fly to the sun? I recommend this thoughtful, well-written book.
If this interests you so far, then you will savor every page of this book. Recently, I have read summer beach stories set in sunny Greece. This is not a chick lit rom com. This is a serious piece of literary fiction, and it succeeds in being an interesting and fascinating read.
This book is a first person account, told by a recent college graduate who is wandering through Greece while he figures out what to with his life. The young man stops in a small town, with a vague idea of searching for his author-hero, the Nobel Prize winning Irakles Bastounis.
He does meet the author at a café, but it is the great man himself who takes over. Bastounis gets the young fellow to drive both of them on an epic journey through Greece, visiting famous sites of ancient Greece. As they travel, Bastounis belittles the young man and his way of thinking, so, he assigns him 12 challenges. The scene where they catch, prepare and cook an octopus is a highlight.
The book is filled with eloquent descriptions, ripe with vocabulary that was unfamiliar to me. The descriptions and thoughts on life can be more solid food than those of used to baby food may want. Literary fiction can be like that. However, the pace of the book was energizing enough to keep pulling me through the hard currents.
Irakles Bastounis will remain a memorable character. His backstory is exciting, and his current life is unusual and he shares many interesting observations. The young man doesn’t know himself at all, so he is not as fully formed in the book.
The book begins with this thought, “Never meet your heroes.” And ends with, “You have your whole life in front of you. Use it well.”
Was the famous author a great and wise man, or was he a decaying old pompous failure? Was the young man right to live a cautious, careful life or should he fly to the sun? I recommend this thoughtful, well-written book.
May 28, 2018
A Collar for Cerberus and reading material for people who really enjoy reading. I say this because of its setting in the literary world. The book worked for me on a variety of levels because I am, in fact, I person who is in love with literacy and reading. A Collar for Cerberus also works as an interesting, literary book that is character-driven. The title alone made me curious enough to check this one out. Nicely done.
May 30, 2018
A Collar for Cerberus
The book begins with the warning “Never meet your heroes”, since they have a tendency to turn out rather disappointing in real life, and initially that definitely seems to be the case for the narrator of this book. He has travelled to Greece to meet his idol, the Greek author Irakles Bastounis. Bastounis is an era-defining author who has brushed shoulders with many others and been married to Miss Venezuela, amongst other wives. Not surprisingly our young man, whose name we never learn, is daunted when his dream actually comes true and so he fluffs up his initial meeting with the literary giant. However, he gets a second chance when Bastounis commands, not asks, him to drive him somewhere. This one somewhere becomes many as the two form an unlikely partnership as they travel through Greece together to places with significance in Greek mythology. “Myths are our roots,” according to Bastounis.
Another quote from the book is “Acclaim is a dangerous currency”, but I hope the author won’t mind if I acclaim his work. It’s compulsive reading and is rich and multi-layered. Throughout this excellent story are references to the twelve labours of Heracles (Hercules). Bastounis and his chauffeur share the same physical journey but embark on separate spiritual journeys, both facing their own labours – challenges they need to tackle. It’s probably our narrator who gets the most out of them, but Bastounis isn’t far behind. They learn more about each other too, and initially what the young man learns about his companion isn’t flattering. Opinionated, rude, privacy-invading, outspoken – other than an amazing way with words Bastounis doesn’t seem to have much going for him. However, perhaps this is another one of our young man’s challenges: to see beneath the surface, to see what’s really there in front of you.
As we and Bastounis discover, our narrator isn’t as insipid as he might first appear. He’s witty, wry, very observant and while it’s true he has a lot to learn, he’s definitely the man for this job as he’s receptive to all that Greece and Basounis have to offer him. He realises neither family nor friends will appreciate the enormity of what he’s going through with his irascible companion. They just think he’s wasting his time bumming around in Greece but he’s aware that it’s them living the vacuous, shallow lives.
This book gives you much to think about. Who actually is the real hero here, the Heracles? Our narrator or Bastounis? And who’s Cerberus? Cerberus was the three-headed Hound of Hades. It was his job to stop the dead escaping from the underworld. So if he’s collared, that means presumably that these lost souls can break free. They can live again. Does collaring our young man to act as his chauffeur allow Bastounis a last chance to make his mark, or by befriending and de-clawing Bastounis is it our narrator who can run from the shadows into the light?
As well as such fascinating teasing, there are wonderful, vibrant characters and vivid settings in the book that captivate. You’ll find the sights and soul of Greece within these pages. A marvellous novel.
I received the novel from the publisher and have voluntarily written this review.
The book begins with the warning “Never meet your heroes”, since they have a tendency to turn out rather disappointing in real life, and initially that definitely seems to be the case for the narrator of this book. He has travelled to Greece to meet his idol, the Greek author Irakles Bastounis. Bastounis is an era-defining author who has brushed shoulders with many others and been married to Miss Venezuela, amongst other wives. Not surprisingly our young man, whose name we never learn, is daunted when his dream actually comes true and so he fluffs up his initial meeting with the literary giant. However, he gets a second chance when Bastounis commands, not asks, him to drive him somewhere. This one somewhere becomes many as the two form an unlikely partnership as they travel through Greece together to places with significance in Greek mythology. “Myths are our roots,” according to Bastounis.
Another quote from the book is “Acclaim is a dangerous currency”, but I hope the author won’t mind if I acclaim his work. It’s compulsive reading and is rich and multi-layered. Throughout this excellent story are references to the twelve labours of Heracles (Hercules). Bastounis and his chauffeur share the same physical journey but embark on separate spiritual journeys, both facing their own labours – challenges they need to tackle. It’s probably our narrator who gets the most out of them, but Bastounis isn’t far behind. They learn more about each other too, and initially what the young man learns about his companion isn’t flattering. Opinionated, rude, privacy-invading, outspoken – other than an amazing way with words Bastounis doesn’t seem to have much going for him. However, perhaps this is another one of our young man’s challenges: to see beneath the surface, to see what’s really there in front of you.
As we and Bastounis discover, our narrator isn’t as insipid as he might first appear. He’s witty, wry, very observant and while it’s true he has a lot to learn, he’s definitely the man for this job as he’s receptive to all that Greece and Basounis have to offer him. He realises neither family nor friends will appreciate the enormity of what he’s going through with his irascible companion. They just think he’s wasting his time bumming around in Greece but he’s aware that it’s them living the vacuous, shallow lives.
This book gives you much to think about. Who actually is the real hero here, the Heracles? Our narrator or Bastounis? And who’s Cerberus? Cerberus was the three-headed Hound of Hades. It was his job to stop the dead escaping from the underworld. So if he’s collared, that means presumably that these lost souls can break free. They can live again. Does collaring our young man to act as his chauffeur allow Bastounis a last chance to make his mark, or by befriending and de-clawing Bastounis is it our narrator who can run from the shadows into the light?
As well as such fascinating teasing, there are wonderful, vibrant characters and vivid settings in the book that captivate. You’ll find the sights and soul of Greece within these pages. A marvellous novel.
I received the novel from the publisher and have voluntarily written this review.
June 7, 2018
Cerberus – the multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. Capturing him was one of Heracles’ 12 labours. This original and entertaining novel is entitled A Collar for Cerberus and the elderly protagonist is called Irakles. So inevitably we must ask to what extent is the book a modern take on the old myth. Not, I think, that you need to know about Cerberus to enjoy the book, but I certainly found myself pondering on the implications. If Cerberus now has a collar, can the dead leave the underworld? Can there be a new beginning? Perhaps there is for a young graduate from England, whose name we never learn, when he arrives in Greece on a pilgrimage to hopefully catch at least a glimpse of his literary hero, the Nobel laureate Irakles Bastounis. A chance meeting with the writer finds our young hero embarked on an adventure he could never have envisaged when Irakles asks him to drive him on a road trip. During the journey the young man has to face many challenges as he soon finds himself well outside his comfort zone. The sights and sounds of Greece are atmospherically and expertly portrayed as the unlikely couple visit the places significant to Irakles – and to Greek mythology. I really enjoyed this unusual quest novel. Irakles is a larger than life character, admittedly, and some of the exploits verge on the farcical, but overall I found it an engaging and thought-provoking story of a young man’s coming of age as he chooses between the certainty that awaits him back in England and the uncertainty, but at the same time, the potential fulfilment, of a more demanding life.
June 2, 2018
What an incredible experience! Yes, this novel was not so much a book, but rather a deeply felt experience. From the very beginning the reader is thrust into the sights and sounds and tastes and odors of each scene, giving us the feeling of genuineness.
When I read the description of this novel, I thought it was going to be a travelogue of Greece. However, it is so much more than that. It is about the journey of life and how to experience life to the fullest. This book delves into the deepest resources of our lives and transports the reader into Greek history and mythology, revealing their timelessness in today’s world and in our own lives. The entire journey is just a couple of weeks long, but yet covers a lifetime.
The characters are richly drawn and beautifully fleshed out. The timeline is straight forward and moves well. It was a page turner in that I never wanted to put it down. However, it was a slow read as I enjoyed savoring and digesting each page.
The use of the English language is absolutely exquisite. The vocabulary is wonderfully rich. It was a true joy to experience this novel. I sincerely hope that Matt Stanley will grace us with more of his extraordinary gift of writing.
Many thanks to Net Galley, Thistle Publishing and David Haviland for the ARC of this novel.
When I read the description of this novel, I thought it was going to be a travelogue of Greece. However, it is so much more than that. It is about the journey of life and how to experience life to the fullest. This book delves into the deepest resources of our lives and transports the reader into Greek history and mythology, revealing their timelessness in today’s world and in our own lives. The entire journey is just a couple of weeks long, but yet covers a lifetime.
The characters are richly drawn and beautifully fleshed out. The timeline is straight forward and moves well. It was a page turner in that I never wanted to put it down. However, it was a slow read as I enjoyed savoring and digesting each page.
The use of the English language is absolutely exquisite. The vocabulary is wonderfully rich. It was a true joy to experience this novel. I sincerely hope that Matt Stanley will grace us with more of his extraordinary gift of writing.
Many thanks to Net Galley, Thistle Publishing and David Haviland for the ARC of this novel.
August 23, 2018
I really loved this novel - if not the best I have read this year, then certainly one of the most enjoyable. Why? This was a trip down memory lane for me. In the 1980s I backpacked around Greece as a callow young man, visiting all the sites I had read about and meeting all sorts of wonderful (and a few weird) people as I went. The un-named narrator of this story visits many of the same places I did and it was both emotive and fascinating to view them through his eyes. Greece is such a fascinating country and the author captures its essence and that of its people with uncanny precision. I really felt that I was back there travelling along with the narrator and his companion, an irascible, infuriating Nobel Prize winning Greek novelist, coming to the end of his life. So good.
May 26, 2018
A young university graduate has a hero. He has traveled from England to Greece in order to find the soul of the country. His hero is a Greek author, Irakles Bastounis, who lives in a certain small village. When our young man arrives in the village, and sits at a cafe, he meets his hero.
Bastounis is rude and crude and acts as though he cannot stand the young man. But, then he asks a favor. Will the young man drive him to an appointment in another small town?
And thus starts the sunny journey. After the first short trip, there are other stops along the way.
Bastounis has secrets he does not intend to share. He does provide advice on life. He observes everything around them. His observations are accurate. The young man has a difficult time adapting to Bastounis and his advice. Bastounis' thoughts and ideas do not translate well for our young man. Complete freedom is an unknown factor.
He feels just on the edge of life. Bastounis becomes his guide to a completely new perspective.
I have learned that Mr Stanley has written this novel based upon his own history and travels in Greece. It is evident he has a great love for Greece and the Greek people.
The reader can almost feel the hot sun.
I have never been to Greece, but Mr Stanley has provided this reader with the knowledge that I am missing a great deal.
I received this book from the publisher. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.
Bastounis is rude and crude and acts as though he cannot stand the young man. But, then he asks a favor. Will the young man drive him to an appointment in another small town?
And thus starts the sunny journey. After the first short trip, there are other stops along the way.
Bastounis has secrets he does not intend to share. He does provide advice on life. He observes everything around them. His observations are accurate. The young man has a difficult time adapting to Bastounis and his advice. Bastounis' thoughts and ideas do not translate well for our young man. Complete freedom is an unknown factor.
He feels just on the edge of life. Bastounis becomes his guide to a completely new perspective.
I have learned that Mr Stanley has written this novel based upon his own history and travels in Greece. It is evident he has a great love for Greece and the Greek people.
The reader can almost feel the hot sun.
I have never been to Greece, but Mr Stanley has provided this reader with the knowledge that I am missing a great deal.
I received this book from the publisher. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.
September 25, 2022
A hidden gem 💎 Touches on lots of topics about life and living and makes you think and talk.
May 28, 2018
A Collar for Cerberus by Matt Stanley
Thank you Net Gallery, Thistle Publishing and David Haviland for allowing me to review this novel.
If you are reading a book right now finish and pick up this book.
It is fantastic.
I hated Mr. Bastounis at the very beginning but he grew on me. A very smart man who knows what he wants in the last half of his life. Mr. Bastounis recruits a young graduate student to drive him around to see anything and everything in Greece. Not to mention we get to feel like we are actually there with the great telling of this book. This book is hard to put down it's filled with crazy characters and free will. When Cerberus and Mr. Bastounis get to the end of the road sort of speak you find out why. They pick up hitch hikers and run from reporters. Never a dull moment in this book. I would love to read more by this author. This book is so good I hardly know how to word my review.
Cherie'
Thank you Net Gallery, Thistle Publishing and David Haviland for allowing me to review this novel.
If you are reading a book right now finish and pick up this book.
It is fantastic.
I hated Mr. Bastounis at the very beginning but he grew on me. A very smart man who knows what he wants in the last half of his life. Mr. Bastounis recruits a young graduate student to drive him around to see anything and everything in Greece. Not to mention we get to feel like we are actually there with the great telling of this book. This book is hard to put down it's filled with crazy characters and free will. When Cerberus and Mr. Bastounis get to the end of the road sort of speak you find out why. They pick up hitch hikers and run from reporters. Never a dull moment in this book. I would love to read more by this author. This book is so good I hardly know how to word my review.
Cherie'
June 15, 2018
A wonderful novel that sets out telling you that you should never meet your hero’s as you will be sorely disappointed. This book has the heart of Greece within its pages. It has a great storyline that grips you from the beginning until the end and characters that you care about and enjoy reading about. This book contains a lot of heart and I throughly enjoyed reading it. 😍
July 23, 2018
When our unnamed British narrator meets his literary hero, Irakles Bastounis in (Greek for Podunk) Dimitsana on holiday, he figures he'll get a selfy or a quote or an entertaining story out of the experience. Never did he expect it to become a cross-country, life-changing confrontation with death. As a reader I too was constantly seduced and enthralled - by Matt Stanley's genius writing and this loving tribute to the beauty, culture, and history of the Greek islands.
It hurt my heart every time the young Brit doesn't say what he's thinking to everybody, he lives so inside his head it's a shame. I didn't realize he didn't have a name until I tried writing this review, wasn't sure if it was unmemorable or if the character was meant to be that invisible. I liked the series of challenges Bastounis sets for his milquetoast companion, and practically cheered out loud every time they were achieved!
This would make for a great book club discussion. Stanley really gets to the heart of what makes great lit: "Huge books - monumental in the sense of Roth's American Pastoral or Heller's Catch-22 (he'd known them both). Era-defining books, though perhaps currently out of favour in the same way that Mailer's books of the sixties and seventies seemed now to reek too strongly of testosterone and a specific cultural moment. Then there was the style - nobody else like him. There'd been comparisons with Nabokov, McCarthy, Joyce and others, but nobody is truly alike at that level. All are unique and immeasurable. He was one of those whose prose gives you vertigo, halts your breath and forces you immediately to re-read and discern the hidden power of its silences and syllables."
It hurt my heart every time the young Brit doesn't say what he's thinking to everybody, he lives so inside his head it's a shame. I didn't realize he didn't have a name until I tried writing this review, wasn't sure if it was unmemorable or if the character was meant to be that invisible. I liked the series of challenges Bastounis sets for his milquetoast companion, and practically cheered out loud every time they were achieved!
This would make for a great book club discussion. Stanley really gets to the heart of what makes great lit: "Huge books - monumental in the sense of Roth's American Pastoral or Heller's Catch-22 (he'd known them both). Era-defining books, though perhaps currently out of favour in the same way that Mailer's books of the sixties and seventies seemed now to reek too strongly of testosterone and a specific cultural moment. Then there was the style - nobody else like him. There'd been comparisons with Nabokov, McCarthy, Joyce and others, but nobody is truly alike at that level. All are unique and immeasurable. He was one of those whose prose gives you vertigo, halts your breath and forces you immediately to re-read and discern the hidden power of its silences and syllables."
July 22, 2018
I was kindly given an e-ARC of the book by the publishers and NetGalley in return for an honest review.
First of all, I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting this book to be as good and as wonderfully written as it was, for it to have such valuable lessons in it. This book is a hidden gem and I hope I get to read more from this author because damn, he can write!
Confession time here, I am not sure I am going to be able to write a review that could do this any justice. I am going to try to do that anyway.
The book starts with a freshly graduated young man in his twenties visiting Greece on his own. It was an impulsive decision on his part and perhaps one of the only decisions he had really taken with some input of his own. He decides to visit Dimitsana, Greece because he wanted to get a glimpse of his literary hero, Irakles Bastounis. Irakles is a Nobel prize winner along with being one of the best novelists of his times. For the young man, meeting Bastounis is dream come true in idea however when he does meet his hero, it turns out that Bastounis isn’t just the Noble prize winner or one of the best novelists in the world, he is also devastatingly human.
The initial theme of the book seemed to be ‘Never meet your heroes.’ And it sticks true to that for a while because frankly, Bastounis bullies the younger man into driving him around Greece for no payment, he is constantly making the younger man aware of how out of depth he really is.
However as the story progresses, we begin to see the novelist as a human who has really lived his life. Who still lives it with the same vigor if not in physical sense then in emotional sense, Bastounis is a man who has seen a lot in his life and in his own irascible ways, and he is trying to teach some lessons to younger man.
The duo then drives around Greece and the younger man experiences many new things, he is shown many places of historical importance, meets new people who, in their own way, teach him new ways of living life. There are so many moments in the book where I wanted to pause and savour the dialogues, there were many mentions of various books that I had to look up because I hadn’t really heard/ read them. I am kinda interested in reading them now, I am not sure if I am going to add them to my Goodreads yet.
There is Greece food, a veritable feast really and frankly, I was just getting hungry as I was reading those scenes. Such beautiful imagery, god! I wanted to go out and have some Greek food. The sheer beauty of the language used by the author was so good. Every new chapter was rich with descriptions and teeming with life.
By the end of the book, I felt like I also learned some lessons along with the young man which was such a good feeling? Throughout the book, we come to know that despite Bastounis’ acidic tones and observations, the younger man isn’t completely thick, he does have a dry wit and he uses it very well. There’s no set plot however it’s literally the journey that counts in this book.
The vivid descriptions of Greece, the way every secondary character is presented and the primary characters are so well fleshed out that frankly I couldn’t help but love the book. This book made me think about life in a different way and taught me some things alone the way, what more could I really ask for in a book?
I would totally recommend to people who love to read about travel, life and just sheer brilliance of well written characters. I am really hoping to read more from this author.
First of all, I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting this book to be as good and as wonderfully written as it was, for it to have such valuable lessons in it. This book is a hidden gem and I hope I get to read more from this author because damn, he can write!
Confession time here, I am not sure I am going to be able to write a review that could do this any justice. I am going to try to do that anyway.
The book starts with a freshly graduated young man in his twenties visiting Greece on his own. It was an impulsive decision on his part and perhaps one of the only decisions he had really taken with some input of his own. He decides to visit Dimitsana, Greece because he wanted to get a glimpse of his literary hero, Irakles Bastounis. Irakles is a Nobel prize winner along with being one of the best novelists of his times. For the young man, meeting Bastounis is dream come true in idea however when he does meet his hero, it turns out that Bastounis isn’t just the Noble prize winner or one of the best novelists in the world, he is also devastatingly human.
The initial theme of the book seemed to be ‘Never meet your heroes.’ And it sticks true to that for a while because frankly, Bastounis bullies the younger man into driving him around Greece for no payment, he is constantly making the younger man aware of how out of depth he really is.
However as the story progresses, we begin to see the novelist as a human who has really lived his life. Who still lives it with the same vigor if not in physical sense then in emotional sense, Bastounis is a man who has seen a lot in his life and in his own irascible ways, and he is trying to teach some lessons to younger man.
The duo then drives around Greece and the younger man experiences many new things, he is shown many places of historical importance, meets new people who, in their own way, teach him new ways of living life. There are so many moments in the book where I wanted to pause and savour the dialogues, there were many mentions of various books that I had to look up because I hadn’t really heard/ read them. I am kinda interested in reading them now, I am not sure if I am going to add them to my Goodreads yet.
There is Greece food, a veritable feast really and frankly, I was just getting hungry as I was reading those scenes. Such beautiful imagery, god! I wanted to go out and have some Greek food. The sheer beauty of the language used by the author was so good. Every new chapter was rich with descriptions and teeming with life.
By the end of the book, I felt like I also learned some lessons along with the young man which was such a good feeling? Throughout the book, we come to know that despite Bastounis’ acidic tones and observations, the younger man isn’t completely thick, he does have a dry wit and he uses it very well. There’s no set plot however it’s literally the journey that counts in this book.
The vivid descriptions of Greece, the way every secondary character is presented and the primary characters are so well fleshed out that frankly I couldn’t help but love the book. This book made me think about life in a different way and taught me some things alone the way, what more could I really ask for in a book?
I would totally recommend to people who love to read about travel, life and just sheer brilliance of well written characters. I am really hoping to read more from this author.
July 24, 2018
*****
“This thing about not hoping and dreaming – it’s important. You need to understand. It’s not that you shouldn’t dream or wish – it’s that these things are not substitutes for action. They’re placebos. You don’t know it yet – you can’t possibly conceive it – but life is unutterably short. We prevaricate. We procrastinate. We delay our pleasures and fulfilments in expectation of a time to come – but there’s no such time. The only time is now!”
*****
I really really enjoyed this book – but then again, what’s not to like about a young whippersnapper tracking down and then chauffeuring his idol, a veritable Greek J.D. Salinger?
This is the tale of a young man who knows he wants more than what life has shown him so far, but the problem is he cannot conceive of what that more might entail. He is lost and looking to be found – and his solution is to track down his lifelong literary hero, a reclusive Greek Nobel Laureate who has been off the radar for some time now. When he finds him, his life changes in ways he could not possibly have imagined – and in ways the reader couldn’t have either. But don’t imagine for a second that this reads like a stereotypical vision quest – there’s much more to it than that, and that is largely due to the beautiful writing and the crystal clear voices that Stanley gives his characters. Each is unique and poignant and spot-on perfect to capture the lesson being learned (or ignored), and it is what makes the book so magical.
But beyond that, this was also such a fun read. It was full of piss and vinegar and the wisdom of a life lived (thanks to Irakles), unbridled optimism shrouded in anxious Millenial youth (thanks to our unnamed protagonist), and a cast of supporting characters that spans the range of human possibility and provides untold amusement, insight, and spot-on counterfoils time and again. The writing was brilliant – if at times a little too much so. It made the plot a little slow-building, but each sentence was a delight and well beyond worth the time it took to read.
I’ve seen other reviewers call this a love song to Greece. It definitely is that, and I learned a lot as a result. But it is also a love song to the importance of living life, not just letting it pass you by because of fear or apathy or convention. And I learned a lot there, as well… Kudos to Matt Stanley for managing to weave both of those things into one entertaining, tragic-comedic novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Many thanks to Thistle Publishing for introducing me to this fantastic book and providing my review copy.
“This thing about not hoping and dreaming – it’s important. You need to understand. It’s not that you shouldn’t dream or wish – it’s that these things are not substitutes for action. They’re placebos. You don’t know it yet – you can’t possibly conceive it – but life is unutterably short. We prevaricate. We procrastinate. We delay our pleasures and fulfilments in expectation of a time to come – but there’s no such time. The only time is now!”
*****
I really really enjoyed this book – but then again, what’s not to like about a young whippersnapper tracking down and then chauffeuring his idol, a veritable Greek J.D. Salinger?
This is the tale of a young man who knows he wants more than what life has shown him so far, but the problem is he cannot conceive of what that more might entail. He is lost and looking to be found – and his solution is to track down his lifelong literary hero, a reclusive Greek Nobel Laureate who has been off the radar for some time now. When he finds him, his life changes in ways he could not possibly have imagined – and in ways the reader couldn’t have either. But don’t imagine for a second that this reads like a stereotypical vision quest – there’s much more to it than that, and that is largely due to the beautiful writing and the crystal clear voices that Stanley gives his characters. Each is unique and poignant and spot-on perfect to capture the lesson being learned (or ignored), and it is what makes the book so magical.
But beyond that, this was also such a fun read. It was full of piss and vinegar and the wisdom of a life lived (thanks to Irakles), unbridled optimism shrouded in anxious Millenial youth (thanks to our unnamed protagonist), and a cast of supporting characters that spans the range of human possibility and provides untold amusement, insight, and spot-on counterfoils time and again. The writing was brilliant – if at times a little too much so. It made the plot a little slow-building, but each sentence was a delight and well beyond worth the time it took to read.
I’ve seen other reviewers call this a love song to Greece. It definitely is that, and I learned a lot as a result. But it is also a love song to the importance of living life, not just letting it pass you by because of fear or apathy or convention. And I learned a lot there, as well… Kudos to Matt Stanley for managing to weave both of those things into one entertaining, tragic-comedic novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Many thanks to Thistle Publishing for introducing me to this fantastic book and providing my review copy.
July 23, 2018
This was probably the most challenging read I have had this year. I started this book over a month ago and only finished it last week. I struggled to get into the mood, the feel and the trajectory of the story. However, I was determined to get into it and grab hold of it. As I did, I was left very satisfied.
It wasn't until I past the 40% mark, that I finally started to get the feel for it. This book follows a young man who wants to live his dreams of meeting his most esteemed literary hero, Irakles Bastounis, but quickly finds out that his hero is not someone that he thought he was going to be.
When they initially meet, Bastounis is callous and rude to the young man, exaggerating his interest and mocking him for appreciating his work. The next day, Bastounis asks him to be his driver and takes him on the most amazing journey of self-discovery that anyone could be so lucky to take.
Stanley does an amazing job at taking things back to the human level and back again to a mythical sphere as our main character and his hero Bastounis discuss esoteric experiences, travel around Greece, and fully learn what it must be like to be faced with the realities of our own creation and untimely demise.
Not only does this book create a satisfying adventure as we meet new characters throughout the adventure, develop hatred for appropriate enemies, and learn more about each of our main characters as they conclude their journey, but we also learn more about ourselves in the process.
As I read the story, I was continuously challenged in my own mind to see things from a new perspective, and this I believe, is what made the story so challenging for me in the beginning and yet so satisfying in the end. I felt like I had traversed the country and ensuing challenges right along with our main characters.
An amazing read and journey for all who might be interested!
It wasn't until I past the 40% mark, that I finally started to get the feel for it. This book follows a young man who wants to live his dreams of meeting his most esteemed literary hero, Irakles Bastounis, but quickly finds out that his hero is not someone that he thought he was going to be.
When they initially meet, Bastounis is callous and rude to the young man, exaggerating his interest and mocking him for appreciating his work. The next day, Bastounis asks him to be his driver and takes him on the most amazing journey of self-discovery that anyone could be so lucky to take.
Stanley does an amazing job at taking things back to the human level and back again to a mythical sphere as our main character and his hero Bastounis discuss esoteric experiences, travel around Greece, and fully learn what it must be like to be faced with the realities of our own creation and untimely demise.
Not only does this book create a satisfying adventure as we meet new characters throughout the adventure, develop hatred for appropriate enemies, and learn more about each of our main characters as they conclude their journey, but we also learn more about ourselves in the process.
As I read the story, I was continuously challenged in my own mind to see things from a new perspective, and this I believe, is what made the story so challenging for me in the beginning and yet so satisfying in the end. I felt like I had traversed the country and ensuing challenges right along with our main characters.
An amazing read and journey for all who might be interested!
July 22, 2018
I love this book!
What would you say if you met your favorite author? You, a voracious reader who has always dreamed of writing, and met him/her while on your journey to learn about yourself?
I am a reader. I'm jealous I may never get to experience Greece and meeting your fave author the way this young Englishman did with Bastounis. Bastounis feels like he's larger than life, a master of life, of words, of experience. The young man, who's name seems to have never come up at all, could've been you or me in their naivete and experience, with the same notions on the books he's read, the reasons why he's on his journey and his understanding of life. He is the student to Bastounis professor and their journey is unique and yet not.
This story is wonderfully written, meant to be savored not devoured without thought but to reach the end. I've never been to Greece, still on my bucketlist but the way it is described...as if you expect to see, hear, taste, touch the things of significance to myth and classics still there, only to be disappointed by how modern life has practically erased all traces. But the food...I wish I was there eating with them.
This book has so many highlights now because the words, the quotes from Bastounis hit me deep. To live fully, to experience things fully. Perhaps the best thing about this book is that it makes you reflect and think about your life.
Thank you Thistle publishing for a copy of the book!
What would you say if you met your favorite author? You, a voracious reader who has always dreamed of writing, and met him/her while on your journey to learn about yourself?
I am a reader. I'm jealous I may never get to experience Greece and meeting your fave author the way this young Englishman did with Bastounis. Bastounis feels like he's larger than life, a master of life, of words, of experience. The young man, who's name seems to have never come up at all, could've been you or me in their naivete and experience, with the same notions on the books he's read, the reasons why he's on his journey and his understanding of life. He is the student to Bastounis professor and their journey is unique and yet not.
This story is wonderfully written, meant to be savored not devoured without thought but to reach the end. I've never been to Greece, still on my bucketlist but the way it is described...as if you expect to see, hear, taste, touch the things of significance to myth and classics still there, only to be disappointed by how modern life has practically erased all traces. But the food...I wish I was there eating with them.
This book has so many highlights now because the words, the quotes from Bastounis hit me deep. To live fully, to experience things fully. Perhaps the best thing about this book is that it makes you reflect and think about your life.
Thank you Thistle publishing for a copy of the book!
November 22, 2023
Having read a very complimentary review in a creative writing magazine of "A Collar for Cerberus" by Matt Stanley, I decided to listen to the novel as an audiobook. It's about a young man, a recent English Literature graduate, who goes to Greece in search of a famous novelist, now a reclusive old man, whom he idolises. He ends up as the writer's chauffeur on a mysterious road trip through Greece, during which, as a kind of modern Labours of Herakles, the old man tries to make a man of the immature and rather pompous young man, in his own mould. The book appealed to me at many levels - my love of Greece and familiarity with many of the places they visit, the references to Greek myth and history, the discussions of what it really means to be both a writer and a man. But, I found the author's style to be very literary. This didn't work well for the spoken word which often sounded affected. Yet, to be fair to the novel, the story is being narrated by the young man, who is self-centred, pretentious and over-educated. I found myself completely drawn into this wonderful coming of age adventure which progressively made me care very much about what would happen to them both. Now that I have finished listening to the novel, I find myself wanting to read the book itself, to savour its language and reflect on its many messages. It is not only a powerful evocation of Greece, but a moving and motivational reflection on how to be a good writer and to lead a full life as a man.
July 19, 2018
A Collar for Cerberus by Matt Stanley is a masterpiece of a novel! It combines an original plot, quality writing, classical and literary references, and a whirlwind tour of Greece as seldom seen by tourists.
It tells the story of a naive young graduate who travels to Greece and looks up a literary Nobel laureate whom he admires. Turns out the writer, Iraklis Bastounis is a caustic, irascible old man who holds the world in contempt, including any fans who have the audacity and idiocy to look him up. He manipulates the young man into chauffeuring him all over Greece while spouting gems of a brilliant, twisted, intellectual mind. Along the way they meet a panoply of unusual characters and the young man continues to be disappointed with Bastounis’s lack of any kind of humanity or growing affection.
The book contains many classical references and quotes, and the pair visit sites of renown, not in the usual way of tourists, but according to some vague plan of the old writer. The novel ends with a brilliant twist and a satisfying end. I highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a complex, cleverly written novel.
It tells the story of a naive young graduate who travels to Greece and looks up a literary Nobel laureate whom he admires. Turns out the writer, Iraklis Bastounis is a caustic, irascible old man who holds the world in contempt, including any fans who have the audacity and idiocy to look him up. He manipulates the young man into chauffeuring him all over Greece while spouting gems of a brilliant, twisted, intellectual mind. Along the way they meet a panoply of unusual characters and the young man continues to be disappointed with Bastounis’s lack of any kind of humanity or growing affection.
The book contains many classical references and quotes, and the pair visit sites of renown, not in the usual way of tourists, but according to some vague plan of the old writer. The novel ends with a brilliant twist and a satisfying end. I highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a complex, cleverly written novel.
June 7, 2018
A Collar for Cerberus is one of those delightful reads that creeps up on you. What at first glance appeared to be a road trip tale became a deep reflection on how we experience life, and what we want to get out of it, with wonderful discussions on Greek myth and the art of writing along the way. The characters were larger than life, and yet utterly believable, and in some ways, Greece itself became a character through the beautiful descriptions of its towns, food, and culture. This is a thought-provoking piece that also somehow gladdens the heart. By the end, we, as readers, have shared in the experience with the young narrator, and hopefully, like him, come out better for it. Marvellous writing, and well worth a look for literary fiction fans!
I received this book as a free review copy from the publisher.
I received this book as a free review copy from the publisher.
June 10, 2018
Sometimes you come across. book that you know will stay with you long after you reach the final page. This is one of those books. There's a lot of thought-provoking stuff in here, and I'm probably going to be pondering it for some time yet, but I do know I really loved reading it. This is a book for book lovers - it's rich in references to other books and writers from Greek mythology and philosophy to modern writers and everything in between. I liked so many things about this book - both characters were well done and believable, and I enjoyed their different journeys. There's a lot of social commentary, which made me reflect on my own life. All in all a solid 5 stars, I'm going to be looking out for more from this author.
August 22, 2018
A Collar for Cerberus by Matt Stanley from Thistle Publishing is a wonderful, engaging, fun book. It is well written and Matt Stanley is without a doubt a wordsmith, maybe a tad to much but that tad never took from the story. The story held my attention right from the start with the wonderful descriptions of Greece and the adventures of the main characters. Mr. Stanley is an exciting writer and I look forward to more from him. I highly recommend this fun book to everyone.
Thank you to Matt Stanley, Thistle Publishing and David Haviland for a copy of this book. This review is my own opinion and was not required.
Thank you to Matt Stanley, Thistle Publishing and David Haviland for a copy of this book. This review is my own opinion and was not required.
October 21, 2023
Overall, this is an enjoyable enough bildungsroman combined with a travelog around Greece, apparently largely based on The Rough Guide to Greece (Travel Guide eBook) - slightly ironically given its equivocal view of guidebooks. It's also a celebration of the rather macho and somewhat dated attitudes of mid 20th century American authors, embodied in the character of the domineering fictional Greek (but previously American resident) author Irakles Bastounis, the protagonist's mentor through the book. There's something in old Irakles's ideas but to a 21st century reader they can seem self-indulgent and occasionally mysogynistic. It's not to say that they aren't challenged in the book, but they are at its core.
If Irakles is bombastic, manipulative and selfish, the (apparently unnamed) protagonist is a caricature of a callow Englishman abroad.
The author oddly invites comparison with The Magus, mentioning it early on, maybe because he realised that it was inevitable. Sadly, there is nothing here to compare, despite the similarity of the dynamic between the controlling older man and the naive youngster.
If Irakles is bombastic, manipulative and selfish, the (apparently unnamed) protagonist is a caricature of a callow Englishman abroad.
The author oddly invites comparison with The Magus, mentioning it early on, maybe because he realised that it was inevitable. Sadly, there is nothing here to compare, despite the similarity of the dynamic between the controlling older man and the naive youngster.
July 31, 2021
After all the swelling 5-star reviews a bit of a dissapointment
August 22, 2024
I started to write a fancy review but decided that it sounded too pretentious. I'll keep it simple: read this book if you love well-written literary mysteries, myths and have an appetite for life. It's infinitely more entertaining and clever than some of the inane tosh that makes the bestseller charts. Please, give it a go!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews