I admit, the premise made me think twice. Would it be the novel I've been waiting for my whole life, or would it be kind of silly? Yes, yes it would, both. This is extremely funny, very smart, and beautifully written. Chevillard's ability to actually structure this thing around a fairly traditional plot--as our narrator tries to track down a racy-sounding story that Nisard published before he got all respectable--is astonishing. His ability to include formal variations in what is, basically, an extended sigh of "Fuck off" is breathtaking. Chevillard. How I love you. ( )