Paris Never Leaves You is Historical Fiction story set in WWII with a dual timeline and is a story about survival and the lengths people will go to protect those they love. It sounded perfect for me but unfortunately, this book didn't work for me for several reasons.
My biggest issue was the choppy, disjointed nature of the writing. The two timelines, set only 10 years apart, aren't distinctly separated on the page with no transition given to the reader. No page break, no symbol, nothing to differentiate the two eras. And the fact that Charlotte and her daughter Vivi are in both eras muddle things up even more.
The story begins with an emotional scene and setting but that emotion doesn't transfer to the rest of the book. There are some interesting issues addressed (Jewish identity, survival at all costs, rebuilding your life after extreme loss ..) but they aren't given much depth and for a book set in such an emotional and violent time, there's a decided lack of tension in the plot.
The story begins with an emotional scene and setting but that emotion doesn't transfer to the rest of the book. There are some interesting issues addressed (Jewish identity, survival at all costs, rebuilding your life after extreme loss ..) but they aren't given much depth and for a book set in such an emotional and violent time, there's a decided lack of tension in the plot.
I'm going to chalk this one up to good premise but weak execution. I struggled to connect with the story and characters, so much so that I skimmed much of the last half of the book. With its uneven flow, a disconnect with the characters, awkward, unnecessary romances (one was quite cringey & questionable) and a plot without enough direction, this book didn't live up to its potential.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to St Martin's Press for providing me with a complimentary eBook copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
My Rating: 2 stars
Author: Ellen Feldman
Type and Source: eBook from publisher via NetGalley
Publisher: St Martin's Griffin
First Published: August 4, 2020
Opening Lines: They were ripping off the stars. Filthy fingers with broken
dirt-encrusted nails were yanking and peeling and prying.
Book Description from GoodReads: Living through WWII working in a Paris bookstore with her young daughter, Vivi, and fighting for her life, Charlotte is no victim, she is a survivor. But can she survive the next chapter of her life?
Alternating between wartime Paris and 1950s New York publishing, Paris Never Leaves You is an extraordinary story of resilience, love, and impossible choices, exploring how survival never comes without a cost.
The war is over, but the past is never past.
Alternating between wartime Paris and 1950s New York publishing, Paris Never Leaves You is an extraordinary story of resilience, love, and impossible choices, exploring how survival never comes without a cost.
The war is over, but the past is never past.
Agree! I struggled as well!! I have a review coming up. It is definitely a miss by the author. And I hate that!
ReplyDeleteMe too, Reeca. I hate it when I don't connect with a story.
ReplyDelete