Patrick DeWitt

Undermajordomo Minor is the raucous, poignant and spectacularly enjoyable new masterpiece from the author of Man Booker Prize-shortlisted The Sisters Brothers.

Undermajordomo Minor

Patrick deWitt

A love story, an adventure story, a fable without a moral, and an ink-black comedy of manners, international bestselling author Patrick deWitt's new novel is about a young man named Lucien (Lucy) Minor, who accepts employment at the foreboding Castle Von Aux. While tending to his new post as undermajordomo, he soon discovers the place harbours many dark secrets, not least of which is the whereabouts of the castle's master, Baron Von Aux. Lucien (Lucy) Minor is the resident odd duck in the hamlet of Bury. Friendless and loveless, young and aimless, Lucy is a compulsive liar, a sickly weakling in a town famous for begetting brutish giants. Then Lucy accepts employment assisting the majordomo of the remote, foreboding Castle Von Aux. While tending to his new post as undermajordomo, he soon discovers the place harbours many dark secrets, not least of which is the whereabouts of the castle's master, Baron Von Aux. In the local village, he also encounters thieves, madmen, aristocrats, and Klara, a delicate beauty whose love he must compete for with the exceptionally handsome partisan soldier, Adolphus. Thus begins a tale of polite theft, bitter heartbreak, domestic mystery, and cold-blooded murder. Undermajordomo Minor is a triumphant ink-black comedy of manners by the Governor General's Award-winning author of The Sisters Brothers. It is an adventure, and a mystery, and a searing portrayal of rural Alpine bad behaviour, but above all it is a love story. And Lucy must be careful, for love is a violent thing.

Undermajordomo Minor.

Charming, but with a darkness. Like all good fables. Sort of Romeo and Juliet mashed with Gormenghast! 

Jan Jackson

Patrick Book

This a bizarre yet completely charming fable. I love this guy's stories.

2023 UPDATE: This is so interesting! To a point it could almost be a story for bizarre children. It’s bold of DeWitt, after the incredible characterization of his previous works, to give his lead character essentially no personality whatsoever. But the cast of characters leap off the page, and the light/obvious fantasy/whimsy of the plotting is oddly compelling. It may seem like a trifle at first, but what a nifty little piece of work it is.

azliana aziz

though not as charming as the sister's brothers but i'm now a lifelong deWitt's fan. his style of almost poetry, formal like dialogues between the characters is wonderful and play itself like a black comedy. all around quirky characters that is well fleshed and even the most minor ones got the chance to shine. so now, where is the news of film adaptation for this book ?
*
'How remarkable a thing a lie is. He wondered if it wasn't man's finest achievement, and after some consideration, decided that it was.'

also deWitt's books got the BEST, catchy title ever.

Rochelle Butcher

Jordan

Kyle Curry

Ashley McFarland

Nora 

Jeff James

Katie Chua

Alex Q

Lisa Stephenson 

Anthony Sabourin

Jennifer A.

From the bestselling, Man Booker-shortlisted author of The Sisters Brothers, comes a brilliant and boisterous novel that reimagines the folk tale. A love story, an adventure story, a fable without a moral, and an ink-black comedy of manners, Undermajordomo Minor is Patrick deWitt’s long-awaited follow-up to the internationally bestselling and critically acclaimed novel The Sisters Brothers. Lucien (Lucy) Minor is the resident odd duck in the bucolic hamlet of Bury. Friendless and loveless, young and aimless, Lucy is a compulsive liar, a sickly weakling in a town famous for producing brutish giants. Then Lucy accepts employment assisting the Majordomo of the remote, foreboding Castle Von Aux. While tending to his new post as Undermajordomo, Lucy soon discovers the place harbors many dark secrets, not least of which is the whereabouts of the castle’s master, Baron Von Aux. He also encounters the colorful people of the local village—thieves, madmen, aristocrats, and Klara, a delicate beauty whose love he must compete for with the exceptionally handsome soldier, Adolphus. Thus begins a tale of polite theft, bitter heartbreak, domestic mystery, and cold-blooded murder in which every aspect of human behavior is laid bare for our hero to observe. Undermajordomo Minor is an adventure, a mystery, and a searing portrayal of rural Alpine bad behavior, but above all it is a love story and Lucy must be careful, for love is a violent thing.

Undermajordomo Minor

Reviews