A Sweet Death / un Morte Sucree

Book excerpt: "The fundamental inanity of existence has already pierced my heart, and I know now that only cakes have any savor." In a tiny room under the Parisian rooftops, a precocious student concocts a rather unusual plan for a simple task: suicide. A dizzying array of desserts--pastries, chocolates, cookies, custards and more--are the instruments of her demise. A Sweet Death is the macabre and humorous record of a young woman's eccentric progression. A rumination on life, literature, philosophy, fashion, love, and--most importantly--food. By turns sumptuous, horrific and hopeful, Claude Tardat's novel is an original and compelling exploration of what it means to be alive.