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book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
3.5***
Paris 1927. Home to Josephine Baker, Maurice Ravel, Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway and Marcel Proust, among others. But in addition to the many famous “lost generation” members, the City of Light was also home to many who led much quieter lives. George tells the story of four such souls, whose stories converge over the course of one day and night in Paris.
These four people are working hard but not succeeding at what they most want. One is a survivor of the Armenian genocide and suffers great guilt that his family perished. A painter and a writer struggle to produce the kind of work that will fully express their thoughts, hopes, disappointments, and dreams (and achieve financial success as well). And a woman is consumed by her job and the devotion she shows to her employer. They all mourn what they have lost and struggle to find a way forward. Some scenes are difficult to read about. Oh, how my heart aches for them!
I’ve read many a book with multiple perspectives, but this felt fresh and new. George deftly handled these different storylines to produce a cohesive tale. Despite the constant change in point of view and some long reminiscences that took me farther into the past of each character, I never lost interest in where it was going. The connections between the characters really didn’t gel until the last couple of chapters, and the ending was a nice surprise.
George used the setting of 1920s Paris to full advantage. The characters have interactions with the famous, sometimes just a small touch (one character hears a pianist playing the same piece every day in the apartment downstairs … it is Ravel), others enjoy a significant relationship (another character is Proust’s trusted maid).
Paris 1927. Home to Josephine Baker, Maurice Ravel, Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway and Marcel Proust, among others. But in addition to the many famous “lost generation” members, the City of Light was also home to many who led much quieter lives. George tells the story of four such souls, whose stories converge over the course of one day and night in Paris.
These four people are working hard but not succeeding at what they most want. One is a survivor of the Armenian genocide and suffers great guilt that his family perished. A painter and a writer struggle to produce the kind of work that will fully express their thoughts, hopes, disappointments, and dreams (and achieve financial success as well). And a woman is consumed by her job and the devotion she shows to her employer. They all mourn what they have lost and struggle to find a way forward. Some scenes are difficult to read about. Oh, how my heart aches for them!
I’ve read many a book with multiple perspectives, but this felt fresh and new. George deftly handled these different storylines to produce a cohesive tale. Despite the constant change in point of view and some long reminiscences that took me farther into the past of each character, I never lost interest in where it was going. The connections between the characters really didn’t gel until the last couple of chapters, and the ending was a nice surprise.
George used the setting of 1920s Paris to full advantage. The characters have interactions with the famous, sometimes just a small touch (one character hears a pianist playing the same piece every day in the apartment downstairs … it is Ravel), others enjoy a significant relationship (another character is Proust’s trusted maid).
matteahayn's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
tiffanyvokt's review against another edition
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
bubbaandlew's review
4.0
It took me a bit to get into this one, and I wasn’t sure it was for me, but I decided to follow the 50-page rule and I got sucked in just before I hit that mark. Probably would have finished sooner but I kept pausing to google all of the real-life characters on the periphery of the story.
bookswithmaddi's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
This book is impossible to rate. For most of it I was settled on three stars, but the ending was incredible albeit a little rushed. George's writing is beautiful and the imagery is stunning. However, I wasn't as wowed by many of the characters. I can't figure out if it was because I listened to this on audiobook or because the characters were so similar, but they all kind of blended together. Many of the main male characters were described very similarly and their lives were so complex and difficult to keep track of. The book was very detailed which isn't something I always appreciate especially when it drags things out or just becomes confusing. And then at one point the author threw in the "I'm not like other girls" trope for the only female character who's perspective we were able to follow which was blehh. Also, in order to emphasize the masculine appearance of Gertrude Stein, characters continually misgendered her which was a little weird and uncomfortable. On top of that, I found Marcel Proust's character really creepy when I think he was supposed to be endearing. I think my problems outweighed my love for the ending (which I'm realizing had A LOT of loose ends) so I'm settling on 3.5 stars. Although this novel actually has a lot of sequel potential.
There is no doubt that this novel is a masterpiece though. It was clearly well planned out and is historically accurate. I loved how it look place over 24 hours, and honestly that was the main selling point for me. I would honestly definitely recommend this book for an intriguing historical novel told from many perspectives.
This book is impossible to rate. For most of it I was settled on three stars, but the ending was incredible albeit a little rushed. George's writing is beautiful and the imagery is stunning. However, I wasn't as wowed by many of the characters. I can't figure out if it was because I listened to this on audiobook or because the characters were so similar, but they all kind of blended together. Many of the main male characters were described very similarly and their lives were so complex and difficult to keep track of. The book was very detailed which isn't something I always appreciate especially when it drags things out or just becomes confusing. And then at one point the author threw in the "I'm not like other girls" trope for the only female character who's perspective we were able to follow which was blehh. Also, in order to emphasize the masculine appearance of Gertrude Stein, characters continually misgendered her which was a little weird and uncomfortable. On top of that, I found Marcel Proust's character really creepy when I think he was supposed to be endearing. I think my problems outweighed my love for the ending (which I'm realizing had A LOT of loose ends) so I'm settling on 3.5 stars. Although this novel actually has a lot of sequel potential.
There is no doubt that this novel is a masterpiece though. It was clearly well planned out and is historically accurate. I loved how it look place over 24 hours, and honestly that was the main selling point for me. I would honestly definitely recommend this book for an intriguing historical novel told from many perspectives.
aprilcote's review against another edition
3.0
The writing is beautiful and meandering. It’s poetic and lyrical, so much so that the beauty of the story is often lost in the prose. This is a highly character driven novel with very little to hang a hat on unless you care about the outcome of the four main character’s individual plights. I was well past a third of the way into the book until anything of substance happened. The language was so indirect that I confused a couple of the characters until writing this review.
At that point, I was so over it that I have to admit, I didn’t care, I just wanted it to be over.
Once I finally got a really firm hold on who was who and why I cared, the book was finished. It was just done, just like that. The End. I felt it was a shame really to have built up that much character and backstory to have the tale hang as it did without much, if any, conclusion. There are some writers (Liz Moore) who can end a story without putting a bow on top and you still feel satisfied. To me, the melancholy subtext of each character’s story and the lack of wrapping things up made me feel empty.
full review: www.aprilsnovelthoughts.com
shirleytupperfreeman's review
This is the story of four 'regular' folks on a day in Paris in 1927. The four don't know each other but their lives converge in a dramatic fashion at the end of the novel. All four had their lives irrevocably altered about 10 years ago mostly as a result of things that happened during the war. Marcel Proust, Gertrude Stein and Ernest Hemingway are also key figures in the story. The novel was an interesting listen, well read by Raphael Corkhill, with an ending that leaves you wondering.
ccriss12's review
1.0
Couldn’t go on any longer. Had zero interest in storyline if there even was one, zero investment in characters... maybe I’ll come back to it one day.