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kelseyd_reads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.75
meghanlovesbooks's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sarah621's review against another edition
Not great writing, stilted dialogue, couldn't get into it
sslovesbooks_1's review against another edition
4.0
1944 - Jean-Luc works on the French railway at a station that is taken over by the Germans who begin moving people from this station to special camps in the East. One morning he is handed a young baby by a woman who is being transported on the train and he decides to escape Paris and makes the journey with the baby and Charlotte for a new life in the USA.
sophieec's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed the first half of the book with the direct telling of both sets of characters stories.
The second half was slower paced and I found this harder to get through and it wasn’t the most enjoyable part of the book overall.
Loved Samuel’s adoptive family and exploring Sarah’s relationship with him. However I did find the explanation of Sarah’s part more monotone.
The second half was slower paced and I found this harder to get through and it wasn’t the most enjoyable part of the book overall.
Loved Samuel’s adoptive family and exploring Sarah’s relationship with him. However I did find the explanation of Sarah’s part more monotone.
santifelisse's review against another edition
5.0
I thought this book was all about the cruelty of Germans towards Jewish people who lived in France during WWII. But it was about family, how David and Sarah survived in the Auschwitz just thinking about their son being alive. It was a difficult decision for Sarah to give her baby to a stranger who was working for Germans. But she thought it was the right thing to do so she could save her baby from cruelty.
When I read the story, I realized how people could be cruel to someone if you give them power. History tells us about what happened in Auschwitz. How Jewish struggled when Germans tracked and hunted them to kill. I was thinking if I were in their shoes, I don't think I could survive. Imagine, being a Jewish was a crime that time. I asked myself, what if 'Christians' will be hunted down to persecute them, what would I do? Could I stand against my enemies or would I give up my faith just to spare myself?
Well, just questions and thoughts running in my head. Anyway, read this if you're into historical fiction and stories about family.
When I read the story, I realized how people could be cruel to someone if you give them power. History tells us about what happened in Auschwitz. How Jewish struggled when Germans tracked and hunted them to kill. I was thinking if I were in their shoes, I don't think I could survive. Imagine, being a Jewish was a crime that time. I asked myself, what if 'Christians' will be hunted down to persecute them, what would I do? Could I stand against my enemies or would I give up my faith just to spare myself?
Well, just questions and thoughts running in my head. Anyway, read this if you're into historical fiction and stories about family.
gabiriehm's review against another edition
5.0
An emotional roller coaster, true love and unimaginable pain throughout. Love a happy ending.
rfwads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
3.0
What I liked about While Paris Slept:
While Paris Slept isn't your typical World War II novel—it's so much more than that. Instead of merely recounting the Nazi occupation of France and the challenges faced by Jews during that time, it compels you to reflect on your own potential responses in similar circumstances. I appreciated how the book delved into broader themes such as identity, heritage, and the yearning for home. I also appreciated Ruth Druart's skillful use of alternating voices. It provided a sense of closeness and depth to the narrative, offering a touching glimpse into the heart-wrenching choices faced by a mother during unimaginable trauma. How the story unfolded allowed me to empathize deeply with the characters and their struggles.
What I disliked about While Paris Slept:
I can't pinpoint any one thing I disliked about While Paris Slept - it was a heartbreaking story involving the immense sacrifices many made to save a child. However, I personally wanted more from the narrative. I felt some of the chapters were too short and the story could have benefited from more historical details to create an even richer emotional experience.
What I think would have made While Paris Slept better:
To make While Paris Slept a truly absorbing historical fiction novel, I felt it needed more immersive historical details to vividly transport the reader to Nazi-occupied Paris. A stronger sense of the constant danger and daily struggles inherent to life under occupation would have added authenticity and tension.
Would I recommend While Paris Slept by Ruth Druart:
This is a beautifully written novel, though light on historical fiction elements. At its core, it explores the impossible dilemma of a mother forced to give up her child to protect him during wartime occupation. If you are looking for an in-depth portrayal of the WWII era you may be disappointed in While Paris Slept. This book is better suited to readers seeking a profound character portrait rather than a vivid historical setting or action-driven war tale.
****
Can you imagine being in a situation where the fear for your baby's life is so intense that you have to trust them to a stranger?
In Nazi-occupied Paris in 1944, French railway worker Jean-Luc Beauchamp faces a heart-wrenching decision when a Jewish prisoner hands him her infant, pleading with him to save the baby from deportation to the camps. Sheltering the child secretly puts Jean-Luc at risk, but how can he turn away? Years later, in California, Jean-Luc's peaceful life with his wife and son is disrupted when authorities question his wartime actions. This gripping novel delves into the enduring trauma of occupation and the impossible choices made to safeguard the innocent, revealing how the past refuses to stay buried.
While Paris Slept isn't your typical World War II novel—it's so much more than that. Instead of merely recounting the Nazi occupation of France and the challenges faced by Jews during that time, it compels you to reflect on your own potential responses in similar circumstances. I appreciated how the book delved into broader themes such as identity, heritage, and the yearning for home. I also appreciated Ruth Druart's skillful use of alternating voices. It provided a sense of closeness and depth to the narrative, offering a touching glimpse into the heart-wrenching choices faced by a mother during unimaginable trauma. How the story unfolded allowed me to empathize deeply with the characters and their struggles.
What I disliked about While Paris Slept:
I can't pinpoint any one thing I disliked about While Paris Slept - it was a heartbreaking story involving the immense sacrifices many made to save a child. However, I personally wanted more from the narrative. I felt some of the chapters were too short and the story could have benefited from more historical details to create an even richer emotional experience.
What I think would have made While Paris Slept better:
To make While Paris Slept a truly absorbing historical fiction novel, I felt it needed more immersive historical details to vividly transport the reader to Nazi-occupied Paris. A stronger sense of the constant danger and daily struggles inherent to life under occupation would have added authenticity and tension.
Would I recommend While Paris Slept by Ruth Druart:
This is a beautifully written novel, though light on historical fiction elements. At its core, it explores the impossible dilemma of a mother forced to give up her child to protect him during wartime occupation. If you are looking for an in-depth portrayal of the WWII era you may be disappointed in While Paris Slept. This book is better suited to readers seeking a profound character portrait rather than a vivid historical setting or action-driven war tale.
****
Can you imagine being in a situation where the fear for your baby's life is so intense that you have to trust them to a stranger?
In Nazi-occupied Paris in 1944, French railway worker Jean-Luc Beauchamp faces a heart-wrenching decision when a Jewish prisoner hands him her infant, pleading with him to save the baby from deportation to the camps. Sheltering the child secretly puts Jean-Luc at risk, but how can he turn away? Years later, in California, Jean-Luc's peaceful life with his wife and son is disrupted when authorities question his wartime actions. This gripping novel delves into the enduring trauma of occupation and the impossible choices made to safeguard the innocent, revealing how the past refuses to stay buried.
bec_wheels's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit of a slow start, but once I got to a certain plot twist, I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the ending, but this book had so many heart-wrenching twists.
shxwnx's review against another edition
5.0
beautiful book that was out of my comfort zone as it took place during WWII (historical fiction)
i loved seeing the small sentences in French. i grew attached to the characters and truly wanted them to be happy
i enjoyed the transition from first person to third person pov and from 1944 to 1953 as it truly contributed to the story
4,5/5
PS : honorable mention to the “Poem for an Adopted Child” at the end of the book, it perfectly describes what it’s like to love someone whose blood isn’t the same as yours.
i loved seeing the small sentences in French. i grew attached to the characters and truly wanted them to be happy
i enjoyed the transition from first person to third person pov and from 1944 to 1953 as it truly contributed to the story
4,5/5
PS : honorable mention to the “Poem for an Adopted Child” at the end of the book, it perfectly describes what it’s like to love someone whose blood isn’t the same as yours.