I just finished reading Freddy and Fredericka, Mark Helprin's new novel.  It may be my favorite so far and I've loved them all.

The premise of this one is: what if the Prince of Wales, having messed up his public image so badly that the future of the monarchy were in danger, had to go on a quest to regain his claim to the crown?  And what if the quest involved the Prince and Princess, (an alternate universe version of Charles and Diana), being dropped by parachute into New Jersey with nothing but the clothes on their backs and their aristocratic upbringing to help them conquer America?

And what if they succeeded?

This story is not as trippy as A Winter's Tale was, and not as sad as Memior From Antproof Case, but it was laugh out loud funny all the way through.  And I'm not talking smile and chuckle, I'm talking everyone on the plane would've been staring at me.

OHmigod  I just watched an alligator take out a goat on DISCHD!! Sweet.

There's a character in the book who happens to be a Senator who is trying to gain the GOP's presidential nomination.  This guy is hilarious and all the more so if you know that Mark Helprin took time off in '96 to be the head speechwriter for Bob Dole.

Mr. Helprin doesn't think much of American politics.

I haven't enjoyed a book so much since I read the Time Traveler's Wife. 

Read it, Margy!!

 

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