The Glutton by A. K. Blakemore, 2023
Jacqui Delbaere, from The Little Green Bookshop in Herne Bay, said: “Choosing my all-time favourite book is so difficult! For a long time, it has been Anna Karenina but a new contender has come along – ‘The Glutton’ by A. K. Blakemore. Published in 2023, it is the novelisation of The Great Tarare, a real-life figure in 18th century France. A sudden act of violence sees him left for dead and the attack ignites the strange phenomenon of his all-consuming appetite.
“The story follows Tarare as he joins a band of rogues romping through central France towards the epicentre of the Revolution in Paris. He becomes their meal ticket, the Glutton of Lyon, a sideshow performer.
“As Tarare’s journey unfolds I felt both horrified and empathetic towards his plight. Illiterate, repulsive and shunned by most others, his brief brushes with love and lust offer glimpses of the life he could have had if he were not afflicted by his ferocious hunger. Even though he breaks every moral code, I still felt sympathy for him.
“What I absolutely loved about this book is Blakemore’s exquisite use of language. She describes Tarare’s huge, horrifying appetite with stomach-churning delight as he feasts on everything from animal carcasses to household objects in front of crowds, watching with morbid fascination.
“Blakemore brings the past to life through rich, lyrical language and precise imagery, I felt completely immersed in the period. Her masterful way with words retains the sensual style of her work as an award-winning poet.
“The Glutton made me feel like I was right there with Tarare through his extraordinary life, and he is still with me today, long after I finished the book.”
(Image: Jacqui Delbaere, The Little Green Bookshop, Herne Bay)