A review by siobhanward
Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I by Heather Webb, Hazel Gaynor

emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

 When I realized that this was next in my pile of Christmas books, I rolled my eyes a bit. I've gotten pretty tired of wartime historical fiction, particularly about women. It seems like in the last decade, the genre of women doing unusual jobs (spying, flying planes, etc.) during the war has exploded and I've just read too much of it. However, this was a pleasant departure from the usual overdone fare.

First, I was surprised to find that this whole book was told through letters. While a few felt awkwardly shoehorned in to catch the audience up on something that happened off-page, most of them fit in well and the use of secondary characters was well done. I appreciated the mix of letters, telegrams and articles - it made everything feel more real.

While the book was predictable, I really enjoyed it. It wasn't meant to keep me guessing, and it didn't, but the plot was interesting and fairly unique. The story of a woman on the home front during the war has become an underused trope and I'm glad to have found it in this book. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings