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dev921's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, War, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Alcohol
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, War, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, and Terminal illness
Minor: Pregnancy and Racism
kelly_e's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Title: The Paris Hours
Author: Alex George
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 2.5
Pub Date: March 5 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Original • Lyrical • Vivid
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Set in Paris between WWI and WWII, The Paris Hours tells the story of four regular people each in search of something they have lost. Told over the course of a single day, each of their stories unfold, eventually all converging on an unforgettable climax.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I am not exactly sure what my thoughts are about this book. I thought the plot was original and had so much potential, and yet the unique way in which the author delivers the story really didn't work for me. The writing is beautiful and brought 1920s Paris to life, but at the same time I was confused most of the way through. I enjoyed a lot of the characters backstories, yet there were so many characters and plots lines converging that I couldn't keep everyone straight. If the author had stuck to the four main characters, and not added in a whole cast of secondary characters and real-life people, it would have been much easier to keep track of what was what. All of that to say, the writing style just wasn't for me. A week after finishing, I wouldn't be able to easily recap exactly what happened, making it a forgettable story. For me, it was just okay, and I'm definitely in the minority, so if historical fiction is your thing, I'd definitely suggest checking it out for yourself.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who enjoy multiple perspectives
• Paris lovers
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Some things you cannot leave behind. Your history will pursue you doggedly across frontiers and over oceans. It will slip past the unsmiling border guards, fold itself invisibly into the pages of your passport, a silent, treacherous stowaway."
Author: Alex George
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 2.5
Pub Date: March 5 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Original • Lyrical • Vivid
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Set in Paris between WWI and WWII, The Paris Hours tells the story of four regular people each in search of something they have lost. Told over the course of a single day, each of their stories unfold, eventually all converging on an unforgettable climax.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I am not exactly sure what my thoughts are about this book. I thought the plot was original and had so much potential, and yet the unique way in which the author delivers the story really didn't work for me. The writing is beautiful and brought 1920s Paris to life, but at the same time I was confused most of the way through. I enjoyed a lot of the characters backstories, yet there were so many characters and plots lines converging that I couldn't keep everyone straight. If the author had stuck to the four main characters, and not added in a whole cast of secondary characters and real-life people, it would have been much easier to keep track of what was what. All of that to say, the writing style just wasn't for me. A week after finishing, I wouldn't be able to easily recap exactly what happened, making it a forgettable story. For me, it was just okay, and I'm definitely in the minority, so if historical fiction is your thing, I'd definitely suggest checking it out for yourself.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who enjoy multiple perspectives
• Paris lovers
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Some things you cannot leave behind. Your history will pursue you doggedly across frontiers and over oceans. It will slip past the unsmiling border guards, fold itself invisibly into the pages of your passport, a silent, treacherous stowaway."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Minor: Grief
bouebooks's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Told over the course of one day in Paris in 1927, The Paris Hours follows four characters as they each pursue something. Jean-Paul is an America-obsessed journalist searching for his long-lost daughter, Souren is an Armenian refugee who performs puppet shows for children in the park, Guillaume is a starving artist desperately trying to pay a debt, and Camille is Marcel Proust's former assistant with a dark secret.
This book reminded me a bit of a few others I have read recently, particularly All the Light We Cannot See and The Sun if Also a Star, because of the several-characters-eventually-brought-together-by-fate-and-circumstance trope (which I love). My favorite part was starting to make the connections between the four characters as more details and backstories were revealed. I also enjoyed the Midnight in Paris-esque setting and brushes with the famous artists of the time. On the other hand, I have to say that while I liked all the characters well enough, the only one I really loved was Souren(so this book definitely lost points for his ending) .
Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just my judgement of how happy the ending is because I always wish someone would tell me this before I read books):The ending was bittersweet and a bit ambiguous (in a good way, in my opinion).
This book reminded me a bit of a few others I have read recently, particularly All the Light We Cannot See and The Sun if Also a Star, because of the several-characters-eventually-brought-together-by-fate-and-circumstance trope (which I love). My favorite part was starting to make the connections between the four characters as more details and backstories were revealed. I also enjoyed the Midnight in Paris-esque setting and brushes with the famous artists of the time. On the other hand, I have to say that while I liked all the characters well enough, the only one I really loved was Souren
Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just my judgement of how happy the ending is because I always wish someone would tell me this before I read books):
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Blood, Genocide, and Sexual assault
The genocide mentioned is the Armenian genocide. Nothing is shown explicitly except for a forced march and one scene in which a child is burned to death. Sexual violence is also implied. Other deaths are mentioned from attacks during WWI and illness.
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