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The Merde Factor
The Merde Factor
Dec 21, 2025 10:29 PM

Author:Stephen Clarke

The Merde Factor

Englishman Paul West is living the Parisian dream, and doing his best not to annoy the French. But recently things have been going très wrong:

He's stuck in an apartment so small that he has to cut his baguettes in two to fit them in the kitchen.

His research into authentic French cuisine is about to cause a national strike - and it could be all his fault.

His Parisian business partner is determined to close their tea-room. And thinks that sexually harrassing his female employees is a basic human right.

And Paul's gorgeous ex-girlfriend seems to be stalking him.

Threatened with eviction, unemployment and bankrupcy, Paul realises that his personal merde factor is about to hit the fan...

Reviews

Has done more for the Entente Cordiale than any of our politicians.

—— Daily Mail

Edgier than Bryson, hits harder than Mayle.

—— The Times

Must-have comedy-of-errors diary of being a Brit abroad.

—— Mirror

That Khalifa has chosen to profile fanaticism from a feminine perspective, rather than the more predictable 'male martyr', is this book's great innovation ... courageous

—— Independent

Gloriously vivacious and nuanced

—— Guardian

Michael Hofmann ... comes as close as possible to giving us Fallada's work in all its coarse, humorous, immediate, tragic glory

—— Charlotte Moore , Spectator

Not for the first time, all praise is due to Michael Hofmann's art and feel for nuance. His translation catches the many voices - some exasperated, others bewildered, a few downright angry - that make this bold, exuberant and candid narrative sizzle with life and the relentlessly shocking reality of it all

—— Irish Times

Fallada's own experiences as a regional journalist in north Germany underlie the action, and it is this sense of realism, combined with an ear for dialogue and an acute understanding of human frailty, that make the novel such an authentic portrayal of an imploding era

—— Ben Hutchinson , Observer

A major new voice in historical fiction

—— The Bookseller

Wildly entertaining . . . One of the best historical novels I've read

—— Huffington Post

The thrilling follow-up to Treasure Island, as told by one of England's greatest contemporary writers...Silver is a worthy sequel to Treasure Island and a work of extraordinary authenticity

—— GQ

Like Stevenson, Motion has achieved that very difficult thing: a children’s novel that works even better for adults. Look to your laurels, Rowling

—— The Times

A solid adventure yarn, full of ghostly echoes of Stevenson, with a denser tropical atmosphere and an even more palpable sense of evil

—— TLS

There are sequels and prequels aplenty, but this follow-up to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure island by the former Poet Laureate reeks of authenticity, cunning, intrigue, suspense and adventure.It’s brilliant, and for all ages

—— Henry Sutton , Daily Mirror

He reinvents Stevenson’s world to reveal its dark underside, illuminating both its mysterious beauty and its grim immortality.Silver provides a fitting sequel to Treasure Island, certainly, but also stands in its own right as a companion volume to a literary classic.

—— Daisy Hay , The Observer

Silver is a deeply pleasing and convivial book… As with Treasure Island, Silver is left open to the possibility of its own sequel, and surely no one would wish Motion to swallow the anchor. All aboard! All aboard! All aboard that's coming aboard.

—— Ian Sansom , The Guardian

Silver…captures something of the old magic. The thrilling flight across moor and heather that Henry James admired in Kidnapped.... finds expression in Silver’s action scenes set amid Caribbean waters.

—— Ian Thomson , Financial Times

Beautifully written and genuinely exciting... Motion’s novel stays true to Stevenson’s original... Outstanding.

—— Emma Lee-Potter, author of House With No Name

Silver’s plot twists and turns and introduces elements beyond even Stevenson’s imagination. The result is a fascinating and richly coloured novel that can be read by children with an appetite for adventure and adults who will relish reliving the glory days of youth.

—— Alan Taylor , Herald

Elegant, affectionate homage to Robert Louis Stevenson is straight out of this classic adventure-story mould… A piece of writing born of genuine love and respect for the original.

—— Adam Lively , Sunday Times

A thrilling follow-up to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island...Silver is a novel that will appeal to readers of all ages. Beautifully written and genuinely exciting...Best of all, Motion’s novel stays true to Stevenson’s original tale while adding an extra dimension.

—— Emma Lee-Potter , Daily Express

Elegant, thrilling sequel...The plot is gripping, a mixture of high adventure, low cunning and desperation...Motion’s prose vivid and glowingly poetic, is a brilliant counterpoint to the fascinating action.

—— Eithne Farry , Daily Mail

This is a pacey tale with an appropriately feisty young heroine for modern readers

—— Lesley McDowell , Independent on Sunday

Andrew Motion brings lyricism but, more importantly, rollicking adventure to this sequel to Treasure Island

—— Mail on Sunday
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