Monday, July 11, 2016

The Light of Paris - Review + Giveaway

The Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown

Rating: Loved It!
Source: Publisher

Description:  Madeleine is trapped - by her family's expectations, by her controlling husband, and by her own fears - in an unhappy marriage and a life she never wanted.  From the outside, it looks like she has everything but on the inside, she fears she has nothing that matters.  In Madeleine's memories her grandmother Margie is the kind of woman she should have been - elegant, reserved, perfect.  But when Madeleine finds a diary detailing Margie's bold romantic trip to Jazz Age Paris, she meets the grandmother she never knew: a dreamer who defied her strict staid family and spent an exhilarating summer writing in cafes, living on her own, and falling for a charismatic artist.  Despite her unhappiness, when Madeleine's marriage is threatened, she panics, escaping to her hometown and staying with her critical, disapproving mother.  In that unlikely place, shaken by the revelation of a long hidden family secret and inspired by her grandmother's bravery, Madeleine creates her own Parisian summer - reconnecting to her love of painting, cultivating a vibrant circle of creative friends, and finding a kindred spirit in a down-to-earth chef who reminds her to feed both her body and her heart.  Margie and Madeleine's stories intertwine to explore the joys and risks of living life on our own terms, of defying the rules that hold us back from our dreams, and of becoming the people we are meant to be.  (from Goodreads)

Genre: Fiction

Why I Picked This Book:  I've been wanting to try Eleanor Brown since I saw reviews for The Weird Sisters a few years ago.  Plus, I couldn't turn down the grandmother's diary and Jazz Age Paris!

My Impression:  I'm trying to restrain myself from being to gushy but I absolutely thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It's a relatively simple story.  A woman who has never felt good enough starts to realize that her marriage and her life aren't making her happy and aren't turning her into the person she feels like she needs to be finds the journals of her grandmother, a woman she had always found perfect and intimidating and instead finds a kindred spirit beginning a journey of her own.

I have mixed feelings about books with dual timelines.  Very rarely are they both equally interesting and frequently the bulk of the book is set in one time period with the occasional flashback that can be jarring.  In The Light of Paris Brown alternates chapters so we get equal time with Madeline in 1999 and Margie in 1924.  I loved that at the beginning of Margie's chapters we often get the voice of Madeleine as she explains what she has found in the journal or ponders what she thought she knew about her grandmother.  I had no problem slipping in between timelines and felt instantly connected at every chapter change.  It was interesting to see very similar emotions and situations over such a large gap of time and to see what opportunities Madeline is able to grab that Margie didn't have access to.  I really loved both stories equally and was rooting for them both and holding my breath for each of them as they struggled with what they really wanted and what they had to do.

I really liked how clearly Brown draws the characters and how well we're able to see what's going on in their heads.  I liked how complex the choice of making yourself happy is shown.  There are consequences and pressures not to disappoint and years and years of habit all of which make decisions far from easy.  And making yourself happy isn't just about choices but about taking the responsibility for that happiness.

Overall, I loved this book.  The characters are wonderfully vivid and so easy to connect too.  My heart ached for them and sang for them at different times and I was sad to see the last of them.

*Giveaway*

Thanks to the publisher I have one gorgeous hardcover of this book to giveaway!  All you have to do is comment below, tell me your favorite read so far this year, and leave an email address I can reach you.  On the morning of Tuesday the 19th I'll draw a random number and get in touch with the winner!   Giveaway is open till 11:59PM CST on Monday, July 18, 2016.  Unfortunately, US addresses only.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Definitely!  I really loved this book and am looking forward to visiting more worlds that Brown creates.

Would I Recommend this Book?: Absolutely!  I can't recommend this book enough.

20 comments:

  1. Oh this sounds like a book I would love. I love dual timelines, Paris, old journals, etc. I will have to check out her other book you mentioned too. Great review!! For the giveaway my favorite read this year may be the one I just finished - I'll Meet You There. So good! rebelmommybookblog@hotmail.com

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  2. I am not sure I have a favorite so far this year. Still looking.
    debby236 at gmail dot com

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  3. Sounds nice. It almost reminds me of Letters from Skye in the sense of the two timelines, although that was more of a WWi/ WWII thing and not Jazz age so much, and it wasn't all set in Paris either, but some similarities. Similar themes anyway. This looks like a nice read, and PAris is such a great setting!

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  4. Wonderful giveaway which sounds unforgettable. My favorite novel this year is The Secrets of Flight by Maggie Leffler. Thanks for this lovely feature. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  5. Your fabulous review captured my interest. This book with the two timelines interests me greatly. A book which I enjoyed was Lost Among The Living by Simone St. James. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. Oh I hear the enthusiasm for the book. I have to put it on my list. Like you I find dual timelines jarring and it seems every second writer is doing it these days. However great that it works in this one. Going to be a definite read so thanks for reading and reviewing - first time coming across it.

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  7. My favorite read of all time has been the 'Year in Provence' trilogy by Peter Mayle, and trying to relive that delight I read his "Hotel Pastis." This book, 'The Light of Paris,' seems the perfect Parisian journey experiencing the City of Light through two perspectives.
    kat8762@aol.com

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  8. This sounds wonderful, Katherine! It's difficult to manage dual timelines in a way that works, but it sounds as though Brown does a good job. Great review, too, because this isn't the sort of book I usually gravitate toward, but now I'm really interested in reading it.

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    1. Forgot to mention my favorite read of the year so far. It's probably The Murder of Mary Russell (Laurie R. King), although both Once a Soldier (Mary Jo Putney) and Marrying Winterborne (Lisa Kleypas) come close.

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  9. I never did read the Weird Sisters (still meaning to) but this one looks more up my alley. I'm a bit of a sucker for dual timelines. Thanks for putting it on my radar :)

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  10. Oh this book sounds so good! I am so glad to hear you liked it. I wish I had more history in my family, but I wouldn't trade that for a happy relationship. Thanks for reviewing, and the chance to win this book! karen@kissinbluekaren.com

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    1. OMG, I completely forgot to mention my favorite read of this year. My favorite read is either Red Rising by Pierce Brown or An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. I was kinda late reading both of these since they came out before this year. MY favorite release of 2016 is probably Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima.

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  11. My favorite read this year was the "Tradd Street Series" by Karen White. It's set in Charleston SC and I can't wait for the next book in the series.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  12. My favorite read this year was the "Tradd Street Series" by Karen White. It's set in Charleston SC and I can't wait for the next book in the series.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  13. You convinced me to use an Audible credit on this one!

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  14. Oh this sounds wonderful, i love books like this with journals. Ph I have a few favorites this year but Britt-Marie Was Here popped up first in my mind,

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  15. I did like how Brown reminded you, as she slipped back in time, that we were getting there by way of the journals. But once I was back in time I was so mesmerized by Paris that it did feel a little jarring to go back to the present!

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  16. I've already read 130 books and reviewed each one. My favorite this year so far is Fallen Light by Brian Sorensen....sort of The Odyssey, LOTR and Narnia with a bit of OZ tossed in for good measure

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  17. ooh, a giveaway with a book set in Paris? i can't pass it! Thanks!
    Out of the 50 books I have read so far, I'm going to say The Sacred Combe, by Thomas Maloney, such a beautiful book. Emma at Words And Peace

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