It starts very slowly, and for a good while, I'm not sure what it's leading to.

Then the characters line up for a wonderful journey in the footsteps of the American West colonists (which actually gives a longing for travel), and that's when it takes off!

By the way, it's a great idea to involve a Quebecois artist Blanc and an indigenous mechanic from the North Shore to experience this journey. The dimensions that these character choices bring to the story are completely revealed during the aforementioned journey.

Moreover, I attach a very great importance to the endings of stories in my appreciation of them, and this is one of the reasons why I really liked this book.

An amazing ending, the last two chapters are among the best in Quebecois literature.

For this reason, I consider this book a must-read.

I truly desired to have a liking for this book, and I persisted in attempting to like it right until the very end. However, it is precisely the sort of book that a Canadian might pen subsequent to a solitary road trip across the United States.

The simplistic plot, which revolves around one man's quest to find his kin, jumps from one iconic image to another, much like red-white-and-blue birdseed scattered along a wide open path. And indeed, the clichés rather straightforwardly (always leading West) guide the narrator to his long lost brother.

In the actual America, the icons lose their iconic status when observed up close, the people prove to be far more complex than one anticipates, and it is possible to lose track of a person forever, even when they are merely a few miles away. This place is far too vast to be so easily comprehended, and Poulin ought to have been aware of this fact.

This is the first French novel I have read (except for some comics).

It is a Quebecois novel, but I believe it has a very French sensibility - sad, picaresque, and sometimes a little funny.

The story follows the adventures of Jack and his relationship with the Great Grasshopper.

Throughout the novel, we see Jack's growth and development as he faces various challenges and obstacles.

The author's writing style is engaging and descriptive, making it easy for the reader to imagine the scenes and characters.

I really enjoyed this novel and will definitely be looking for more works by this author.

I will miss Jack and the Great Grasshopper, but I am excited to see what other stories the author has in store for us.

This book was truly a delight to read.

It was not overly challenging, which made it a great choice for those looking for a relaxing read.

However, it was still exciting in its own way, as it provided a wealth of information about Canadian history.

The author did an excellent job of presenting the facts in an engaging and accessible manner, making it easy for readers to learn and enjoy at the same time.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Canadian history or simply looking for a sweet and fun read.

It's the kind of book that you can pick up and lose yourself in for a few hours, and come away feeling both entertained and informed.

I really liked it, or perhaps I would have really liked it when I was younger.

The story was truly compelling. It was the kind of peregrinations that I have always enjoyed. The adventures and the journey within the narrative had a certain allure.

However, there were some drawbacks. The characters, unfortunately, were rather cliché. They seemed to follow the same old patterns and lacked originality.

What really annoyed me was that the girl fell into the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope. She was presented as this overly quirky and eccentric character whose sole purpose seemed to be to bring color and excitement to the life of the male protagonist. This tired and overused trope detracted from the overall quality of the story.

Despite these flaws, there was still something about the story that held my attention. Maybe it was the promise of adventure or the hope that the characters would somehow break free from their clichéd molds.

Overall, it was a bit of a mixed bag. While I could appreciate certain aspects of the story, the clichéd characters and the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope left me feeling a bit disappointed.

What a refreshing story it is! There are two characters, and the element of randomness is intertwined with a quest. This book is truly filled with love, a simple yet profound kind of love. However, it also encompasses history, hurt, disappointment, and anger. I have a particular fondness for this type of book. Even though the story may seem peculiar and perhaps, in a sense, unrealistic, it ultimately delves into the essence of life.

I simply couldn't put the book down. I felt an uncanny connection with both main characters, despite the fact that not many specific details are provided about them. We don't know their full names, their ages, or numerous other aspects. Strangely enough, I believe this is what makes them seem so real. It feels as if we all encountered each other on the side of the road, as if we all embarked on a journey in the old Volkswagen, searching for someone known only to the man, and even he has doubts about whether he truly knew his brother.

Jacques Poulin has skillfully drawn me into his bilingual world, where the French Canadian language and culture intersect with the American one. We learn about the conquest, we travel alongside the characters, and we experience their emotions. Isn't this precisely what we seek from a book? To learn and to feel?

In fact, it reminded me of "Into the Wild" because there is this underlying quest that, as the reader, we sense from the start will likely be hopeless and disappointing, at least in terms of the outcome. And perhaps, that is what makes the journey all the more worthwhile. After all the traveling, meeting new people, and traversing from the desert to the ocean, it is the journey itself that matters. As readers, we often intuitively know this, even if not consciously (admittedly, it may also be because we can see how many pages are left and thus make some guesses about the outcome). I don't know; I appreciate how simple the book appears, especially in its language, yet how deep and profound it truly is.

I will (hopefully) post a more detailed review later. Since I'm going to study this book in class, I suspect it will enhance my critique.

Volkswagen Blues is a pleasant novel to read, but I must admit that I was a bit disappointed.

It has to be said that I had high expectations. I had been promising myself to read it for a long time!

Although the story takes place in the early 1980s, it rather gives the impression of taking place in the early 1960s. Another anachronism that bothered me throughout the novel is that after spending a whole summer together, 24 hours a day, a guy and a girl would have long since stopped using the formal "vous" to address each other. Especially after having slept together.

In the end, it is a style that gently rocks us from page to page, while making us love the two main characters of this "road trip" from Quebec to San Francisco where far too many Americans speak French.

Overall, while there were some flaws, the novel still had its charm and managed to keep me engaged until the end.

Just ok.

Not sure what all the fuss was about.

This statement seems to convey a sense of mild dissatisfaction or confusion. Maybe the person had expected something more remarkable or exciting, but ended up with just an average experience.

It could be that they heard a lot of hype or praise about a particular thing, but when they actually tried it or experienced it themselves, they didn't see what all the commotion was for.

Perhaps it was a movie, a product, a service, or an event. Whatever it was, it didn't meet their expectations.

However, it's also possible that the person's perception was influenced by their own biases or preconceived notions. Maybe they were looking for something specific and didn't give the thing a fair chance.

In any case, this simple statement reflects a common human experience of having expectations that are not always met.

This was truly an enjoyable book.

It was written in a rather odd and mysterious style, which added a certain allure to the story.

Particularly when it came to the characters of Jack and La Grande Sauterelle, their actions and interactions were filled with an air of enigma.

The book is a quick read, which is both a blessing and a curse.

On one hand, it allows you to breeze through the pages and get to the heart of the story quickly.

On the other hand, it makes it difficult to put the book down once you start.

I found myself completely engrossed in their trip to find Theo, constantly eager to know what would come next.

Every turn of the page held a new surprise and a new clue, drawing me further into their world.

Overall, this book was a great read and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique and captivating story.

UPDATED review from January 2018.

The first time I delved into this book, I was truly captivated and awarded it four stars. However, upon a second reading, I noticed that it seemed to progress at a slower pace than I had initially recalled. The cat remained my favorite character, but I found it more difficult to empathize with the narrator this time around.

Following the Oregon Trail was an interesting experience, although there were some rather dull moments. Nevertheless, I still value the references and allusions to other works. All things considered, I have decided not to change the star rating, but I will note that on this reread, my appreciation for the book was somewhat diminished compared to my first encounter with it.

ORIGINAL REVIEW
Merci beaucoup!

This is an absolutely wonderful story that I am extremely glad to have come across in a course on Travel Narratives. I must admit, my favorite character might just be the cat, as it is such a charming addition to the story that I simply cannot resist its appeal.

I highly recommend looking into some of the allusions to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the text. For instance, \\"The Grasshopper\\" is also a French film. These allusions add an extra layer of depth and meaning throughout the story.

The ending is not what one would typically expect, and I truly enjoyed the fact that there was no \\"perfect\\" resolution for the characters. One of my favorite scenes is a romantic encounter where the protagonist prematurely explodes when \\"The Grasshopper\\" attempts to ride him out in the open. Apparently, nature had a profound effect on him, and he simply could not contain himself. It was truly adorable.

Highly recommended for those interested in travel narratives. Additionally, I believe you would thoroughly enjoy this book if you have a penchant for reading Canadian novels. Overall, it is just a delightful read!

The text in general was good.

It had some interesting ideas and engaging descriptions.

The language was fairly流畅 and the story seemed to be developing well.

However, the end was disappointingly abrupt.

It felt as if the author had simply run out of steam or perhaps thought that they had done enough work on this particular book and needed to finish it as quickly as possible.

This left the reader with a sense of dissatisfaction and a feeling that the story could have been developed further.

It's a shame because the potential was there for a really great piece of writing, but the rushed ending detracted from the overall quality.

Hopefully, in future works, the author will take more time to ensure that the ending is as strong and satisfying as the rest of the text.

This book can only be described as "delightful".

It is a truly wonderful road trip book that combines a little adventure, mystery, romance, and history.

The story takes the reader on a journey through various landscapes and experiences, filled with unexpected twists and turns.

The characters are well-developed and engaging, making it easy to become invested in their lives and relationships.

The author's writing style is流畅 and engaging, drawing the reader in from the very first page.

I found myself completely immersed in the story and was sad to have finished the last page.

This is a sure sign that it's a definite winner!

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an entertaining and engaging read that will take them on a memorable journey.