I had the same experience with this novel as I did with The Elegance and the Hedgehog, namely, that the writing style is whimsical and charming but jarring and unsettling at times, which I believe is due more to the inherent issues of translation than any part of the respective authors. I was also underwhelmed by the appendix of "literary remedies;" the magic of Monsieur Perdu's talent would have been better served by remaining mysterious, as the fuller explanations felt a bit flat. Regardless, an enjoyable read - character descriptions are particularly evocative.