The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles

A Novel

By: Katherine Pancol, Helen Dickinson - translator, William Rodarmor - translator

Narrated by: Ellen Archer

Le Divorce meets The Elegance of the Hedgehog in this hilariously entertaining mega-best seller from France.

When her chronically unemployed husband runs off to start a crocodile farm in Kenya with his mistress, Joséphine Cortès is left in an unhappy state of affairs. The mother of two - confident, beautiful teenage Hortense and shy, babyish Zoé - is forced to maintain a stable family life while making ends meet on her meager salary as a medieval history scholar. Meanwhile, Joséphine's charismatic sister Iris seems to have it all - a wealthy husband, gorgeous looks, and a très chic Paris address - but she dreams of bringing meaning back into her life.

When Iris charms a famous publisher into offering her a lucrative deal for a twelfth-century romance, she offers her sister a deal of her own: Joséphine will write the novel and pocket all the proceeds, but the book will be published under Iris's name. All is well - that is, until the book becomes the literary sensation of the season.

©2013 Katherine Pancol; 2013 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A satisfying read." (The Washington Post)

"Bonjour, book lovers. Get ready for best-selling French author Katherine Pancol’s American debut. It’s a charmer about fortysomething sisters Iris and Josephine, who have taken very different paths in life but come together when each finds herself in need of a little reinvention. Read it and ouip." (Daily Candy)

"Lucky you! You're about to succumb to France's most irresistible writer! At the end of this delicious, tender, funny, heartwarming novel, you'll feel as if Iris and Joséphine are part of your family." (Tatiana de Rosnay, New York Times best-selling author of Sarah's Key)

Un très beau livre poétique et passionnant

J’ai été séduite de nouveau par ce livre que j’avais déjà lu.
On y fait connaissance des Cortes (Joséphine et Antoine, Hortense et Chloé) et du reste de leur famille. Les personnages vont réapparaître dans d’autres livres du même auteur.

Dans ce roman, c’est le courage de Joséphine, le départ de son mari au CrokoPark, le désarroi des filles, ...et les crocodiles qui occupent le récit. Envoûtant.

Fascinating, moving, unforgettable

Listened through audible, while walking. The story kept me walking for hours without even knowing I was burning calories by the 1000's 😘

The irony

The book was good. It came full circle while it showed the reader that we all chase dreams but Karma will find you good or bad.

THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FIVE STAR BOOK

Would you listen to The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles again? Why?

MAYBE I DOUBT IT THO. BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO PEOPLE. IT WAS A FUN LISTEN.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles?

THERE WERE SEVERAL. THE SCENE WHEN HENRIETTA CAME TO MARCEL'S OFFICE LOOKING FOR DIRT ON HIM.

What does Ellen Archer bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

OH SHE IS WONDERFUL!! SHE WAS GOOD AT DOING DIFFERENT VIOCES FOR DIFFERENT CHARACTERS, SHE MADE IT ALIVE.

If you could take any character from The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles out to dinner, who would it be and why?

IT WOULD HAVE TO BE GARY. I STILL FELL AS IF I DID NOT KNOW HIM AT THE END OF THE BOOK. I LIKED HIM. HE SEEMED SO MATURE AND IN CONTROL OF HIMSELF.

Any additional comments?

THE READING WAS AMAZING. I LOVED THE WAY HENRIETTA WAS DONE, I MAY HAVE GIVEN ONE STAR LESS IN THE OVERALL IF IT WAS NOT FOR ELLEN ARCHER'S READING.

As substantive as a macaroon

Maureen Corrigan recommended The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles as a light, fun escape. I usually like her recommendations, but this is an exception. I thought the plot was predictable and labored, and the characters were tedious. I found it neither fun nor entertaining, and finished it only because it was the only book on tape I had on my iPhone on the long drive home.

I'm usually a Francophile and expected to enjoy this book if only because it was written by a French author. But sadly, no. Josephine, you're no Amelie.

Poorly translated and performed

This story and its setting are French but the idioms and vocabulary are American. It's jarring and renders the story amateurish at best. Poorly drawn characters and motivations for an American story, but possibly ok for a French sensibility. I finally looked up the book to confirm my suspicion that it was a translation. I wish the narrator had a French accent instead of an American one. It was hard to like any of the characters and their actions and motivations made no sense to me. The story had promise, but not as translated and performed.