“Merde Happens” is part 3 of the merde series. It helps to have read the previous installment. Compares to “Merde Actually”, this one is funnier. Perhaps because I have done my share of road tripping in US and I can relate the culture shock the main character Paul West has experienced. To recap, Paul West is a British who works in France, has quite a few extraordinary love affairs with the French girls, and in this episode, he is going to America with his girlfriend (finally) Alexa and his American poet friend Jake who speaks very strange English mixed with French. A good part of the book is spent on Paul and Alexa on a Mini in America. It is hilarious to experience the frustration of a couple trying to read map while understanding how the road system works. Just like in real life when – in general – women don’t like to read map and men don’t like asking for direction. There is a fair amount of US and European history being used as a plot. There is also some insanely hilarious moments on outsourcing. To that end, I would rank “Merde Happens” higher than “Merde Actually” and somewhat on par with “Dial M For Merde“. I have yet to read the first installment “A Year In The Merde”, and I am looking forward to doing so.
After reading a few of his books, I begin to see a certain pattern. Initially the story would be like going nowhere, then things begin to get exciting and the story would reach a climax. After which, it would be like going nowhere again (usually with a breakup of a relationship), with a rather melancholy ending that introduces plot opportunity for the next book. This book seems to take a little dive towards the end. But I would say, for most part of the story, “Merde Happens” is a hilarious read. Not a soul nourishing read, but one you would want to read on a holiday and by a beach underneath a palm tree.