Cabaret: A Roman Riddle

by Lily Prior

Freda Lippi comes home one afternoon to find her apartment overrun by the police and her ventriloquist husband, Alberto, his dummy, and her parrot, Pierino, gone without trace. Though distraught about Pierino, her true soul mate, Freda feels nothing short of exaltation at the thought that the husband she despises may never return. From there, she chronicles the surreal events of the days that follow with flashbacks to her own tragic life that explain why she married Alberto; from the horrific accident that devastated her world as a teenager, to the life-changing cruise around the Mediterranean with a sinister but hilarious one-armed companion; from the funeral parlor where Freda works by day as an embalmer, to the seedy cabaret where she performs at night, unleashing her repressed passions.

Genres: Fiction, Italy, Literary Fiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Jaidee · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 "surrealistic slapstick that was mostly semi-shitty but occasionally scintillating" stars!!!


I am at a loss for words..

20 percent was campy, entertaining and kind of fun ....kind of like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVBiZ...

80 percent was more like this however....(make sure you have the volume on the lower side)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8_-N...


That's all for now folks. XOXO Jaidee

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books, and I'm not sure why.
The story doesn't always make a whole lot of sense (why is the Detective always in disguise?!, is the dummy female or male!!, and what about that ending??), and you should be prepared to finish the book with a lot more questions than answers.
Still, the story isn't like anything I've ever read before, and the writing is absolutely lyrical and beautiful.
Basically this story is about a 20-something woman trying to find herself in Rome, Italy, during the 60's. She does so with the help of - ...inspite of? - her intense and somewhat crazy sister, her husband, a lovestruck detective, her aunt and uncle and, among a dozen others, an obsessed lesbian.

[Jade Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

enjoyed the campy parts, easy to read, not that engaging for me unfortunately but it was fun enough

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un deliciu suprarealist.

[Dacia.Golanas · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok-ish cartea nu m a impresionat neaparat da finalul o fost cel mai unpredictable

[Mike Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the author’s attempt to replicate a vibe similar to Pynchon or Heller. The style is easy to read and the action chugs along at a decent pace. The last third of the book is the best in my opinion, due to tangible character development and solid dialogue.

Overall, the humor falls short in a number of ways. A lot of the random details don’t add to the comedy. Dialogue could have helped round out more of the characters, and could have been a useful vehicle for some of the jokes.

It was pleasant waste of a few hours. I had a few laughs, and the parts I didn’t like didn’t last very long. I probably won’t read it again, but I’d recommend it for someone looking for something light they can finish in an afternoon.

[Maris Anamaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was super funny. I love how random was in some cases. Maybe the ending was too straight forward but it was fine. An easy and pleasant book.

[Adelaide Silva · Rating 1 out of 5]

Muita fantasia, tragédia e humor negro que se misturam entre si e com a realidade.
Uma leitura rápida mas que não me cativou

[Jovana Vesper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed this book so, SO much, it's simply wonderful! It is incredibly funny and witty with one of a kind characters who are so lively they could jump out of the book; to say the least you could easily find them in your own surroundings, amongst your friends, neighbors and family.
The story is fast paced, and the comedy of absurd is at its highest but the star of the show is definitely perspicuity and flash of wit of the heroine. She is marvelous.
The title says clearly - its a riddle, almost nothing is solved but you can find hints of clues if you pay attention (a postcard under the mat!) yet nothing can prepare you for the crescendo of the last chapter, last pages, last hoot out that will leave you desperately looking for more.

[Ladiibbug · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love Lily Prior's bizarre novels -- magical realism, surrealistic, or whatever they are!

She infuses her wild stories with humor, surprises and absurdity. My only complaint is that as of now I have only one unread LP book. Hope she's writing more!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun, sensual, funny--love Lily Prior!

[Filipa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Acima de tudo, um livro muito divertido :) Uma leitura descontraída!

[Eilish · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unnecessarily weird, and ultimately pointless. Nothing is ever really resolved and you hate all of the characters, they are quirky but in the worst kind of way.

[Filipa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uma historia bastante divertida!!

[Pandele Ana maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

o carte funny! nu este o capodopera, se citeste foarte usor, dar are pasaje poznase si intreaga carte te distreaza pur si simplu :)

[MÉYO · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read weird enough to keep the reader hooked to the book but not as warped or imaginative as Prior's other offerings.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast, funny read, perfect for a distracting commute

[Adelaide Silva · Rating 1 out of 5]

Muita fantasia, tragédia e humor negro que se misturam entre si e com a realidade.
Uma leitura rápida mas que não me cativou

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully refreshing and unexpected.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was something about this book that was oddly intriguing, and kept me wanting to read more and more. I liked the character of Freda, and found her to be quite the opposite of what you would expect the main character of a book to be. There were a few parts of the book that I didn't really like, and would have wished they were taken-out (e.g. many aspects of the cruise which were a bit dragged-on). However, most of the book was pretty-good, although there were a few twists and turns that I didn't fully understand, and the ending was definitely one that I didn't expect! I am definitely hoping for a sequel, just to see how things turn-out.