Reviews - The Paris Apartment

253 reviews for:

The Paris Apartment

Kelly Bowen

4.18 AVERAGE

allison_21's review against another edition

4.5

hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

deniseco's review against another edition

5.0

This book had me hooked from the very beginning.

This story takes place during two time periods and is told through the perspective of four different people.

The first time period takes place during WWII and is told through the perspectives of Sophie and Estelle. Sophie's story is immediately heartbreaking, taking place the day that Germany first bombs Poland. Sophie's journey is one where she works as a translator and later as a spy for the Inter-services Research Bureau. Estelle's story begins the day when France surrenders to Germany. She works as an ambulance driver and eventually begins helping out allied soldiers leave France while taking care of her Jewish surrogate's family child after they've been sent away.

The second time period takes place in the modern day and it is told through the perspectives of Gabriel and Lia. Lia is Estelle's granddaughter. After Estelle's death, Lia receives a painting by a man named William Seymour and the key to Estelle's Paris apartment. There, she discovers some troubling things that lead her to believe her grandmother was a nazi collaborator - including valuable artwork. This leads to her investigating the Seymour family and hiring Gabriel - William's grandson - who works with art. Together they uncover Estelle's truth and get to give his grandfather closure as Sophie was his missing sister.

I liked the characters. Sophie's entire story was so incredibly heartbreaking and I did cry for her at the beginning of her story and at the end of her story. I thought the romance between Gabriel and Lia was cute without being too much. I loved Estelle's brave and protective spirit. I liked Piotr and Jerome. Aviva's story was so sad and I really felt for Rachel and Serge's fate.

nesssiie's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

anamendeslopes's review against another edition

4.0

This is such a wonderful book!
Very well written, loads of history and art, many layers to the story, great characters and no loose ends!
Everything is so carefully constructed, explained or just hinted that the whole plot (plots?) feels natural and believable.
It is based on true events, yes, but Kelly Bowen got the right balance between historic facts and fiction.

Another WWII novel with all the sadness and tragedy that we all know, but must never forget.

Well worth 4 bright stars.