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Kay D. (Strongsville, OH)
Blending Real Life and Fiction
i was fascinated by the premise of this book - a Paris apartment found that had been abandoned over 40 years previously. I recalled a recent news story about the same and discovered that this book was, indeed, based on fact.
Michelle Gable does a wonderful job of taking those facts and weaving them into two fictional stories - one focusing on April Vogt and taking place in present day and the other spinning the tale of Marthe, the original owner of the apartment. She creatively moves back and forth between the stories and time periods while linking the two women in many ways.
This is an engaging read and keeps
…more the reading turning the pages. The time spent in the past - the Belle Époque - was some of the most fascinating time spent. One can hear the sounds and smell the smells of the Paris of the time. Recommend this for a brief escape into two other fascinating lives. (less)Michelle Gable's, A Paris Apartment, is an excellent read for anyone who loves art, history and romance. The novel takes you into the life of April Vogt, a furniture specialist. She is sent to Paris to appraise the furniture and belongings discovered in an apartment in Paris. The apartments contents are like discovering jewels of a treasure chest. The main character is very dynamic with many personal and professional issues that keeps the readers interested and waiting to see what happens next. A major find at the apartment are a collection of journal entries by the apartments last occupant that take the reader
…more into the world of 19th century Paris. The novel explores the life of a French woman and her struggles to survive in Paris in a world controlled by men.
The novel is original and unlike anything I have previously read. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who has an interest in historical fiction and art history. (less)The characters are connected by interests, history, love and a certain amount of 'je ne sais quoi'. The author presents April Vogt or 'Avril' living in the present day but reading a diary from a prior century in hopes of adding some provenance to each piece from the Paris apartment that eventually will be auctioned. She eventually becomes more involved in the personal journals than in the actual furniture. The reader will be introduced to French culture, art, food, verse, landmarks and romance. The story is enjoyable, a good read that will hold your interest while allowing your imagination to travel.
Roberta M. (Saratoga, CA)
The Paris Apartment
The Paris Apartment reminds me of several books I have read recently with the theme of Paris. The book shifts from current time, with a Sotheby's appraiser overseeing an apartment filled with antique furniture. What is intriguing is not the furniture itself but the story behind how the woman who lived in the apartment during the late 1800s came to own the treasured pieces.
The book is interesting from a collector's standpoint but the story is light and interesting enough to be a good beach or travel read. It's not weighty enough for a book club read, the characters are not well developed or particularly
…more interesting.
I would still recommend it for a fun read set in The City of Light. (less)The Paris Apartment has numerous themes running through which make it a book readers might not want to put down. The majority of the story is set in Paris. Readers will be totally immersed in the lifestyles, culture, and habits of the French.
April, the protagonist, has a "not too common" profession as an auction house expert (a name she prefers to a mere auctioneer) that provides an opportunity to get the inside story of that profession.
The apartment defines her major reason for the business trip to Paris but sets off numerous sidetracks.
She delves heavily into French history with flashbacks taken and read from
…more a client's journals about the client family history. This is not confusing.
Family issues threaten and themes of romance and friendship are intertwined with history and culture. The author chooses to plant us all firmly in Paris by her overuse of the French language in many sentences and especially in conversation.. I always felt I was missing something as it happened frequently and that feeling never left me. She is saved by her multi-themed story with well developed interesting characters.
Book clubs may enjoy discussing how other countries differ from ours regarding family values. (less)Michelle Gable does an excellent job of telling the parallel stories of Marthe, a renowned courtesan of Paris' Belle Epoque, and April, a very modern furniture appraiser. Although life has changed greatly in the past one hundred and twenty years, love, the bond between parent and child, the desire to feel important, and the relationship between the sexes remains much the same. The story kept my interest and the final fourth of the book was a page turner. Some further editing in the middle third of the book would move this story from very good to excellent. I would definitely read future works by this author.
Marjorie H. (Woodstock, GA)
I'll Take Paris
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author is very skillful in moving back and forth between centuries without a lot of confusion. Her descriptions of Paris and the Gilded Age held my attention completely. Unfortunately, I did not like April. Despite her education and knowledge, she impressed me as being a whiney brat - certainly not mature enough to navigate her life. And I don't mean to diminish her husband's infidelity. It seems she should have put all that on hold until her assignment in Paris was finished. She became very tiresome. Tho' I realize her resentment and confusion added to the plot.
The ending
…more was fairly predictable. I would recommend this book as a great beach read. (less)The story of Marthe de Florian is fascinating and certainly made me run to do some research about the apartment and Boldini, Marthe's lover. The author has clearly done her research about the history of the period and portrays the sumptuous elegance and extravaganza of Marthe's world convincingly. I was also introduced to the wonderful paintings of Boldini, with the lavish swish of the fabulous fabrics and the stylish people of his portraits.
It was also interesting to read about the world of top end auctions through the story of April Voigt. However, I found her an irritating, rather superficial person and it
…more was difficult to care much about her dilemma with her failing marriage, especially as Troy was such a one dimensional character.
I wish the author had done as much research about modern day France and spoken French. I found the errors in the snippets of French distracting. For example, the solicitor, Luc, who is French would surely not use a masculine adjective when asking April if she is ready. Similarly, the term for having a drink was wrongly translated by April who was supposed to be fluent in French. Surely a good proofreader would pick up these mistakes. (less)
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