This book told a story – a semi-fictional episode in the life of George Sand and Frederic Chopin – using the voice of a ghost haunting the abandoned abbey in Mallorca where they stay to get away from Paris for a time. The ghost at first seems like a character in the book, but by the end seemed like only a gimmicky device to explore the future and past of Sand.
There are a lot of side stories in here that were well-written: thoughts on gay/lesbian relationships in that era, the joys and perils of small town life, clever antics performed by the ghost to try to exert influence on the living. But most of this is a sort of biography on George Sand and her unique life. I was totally interested in her story, but the storytelling of the ghost and some of the other characters got in the way for me.
There is some beautiful writing in here, sadly not enough about food (with “delicious” in the title I was hoping for a more food-centric story) and I think I’d like to read a happier story written by the same author.
Next I am reading Mickey7 by Edward Ashton.
