What do readers think of The Paris Winter by Imogen Robertson? Write your own review.

Having read Instruments of Darkness by Imogen Robertson I looked forward to reading The Paris Winter. I was not disappointed. It was evident that the author did a lot of research about the early 1900's in Paris. Her descriptions of the people, the neighborhoods, the treatment of women in general and female artists in particular was quite illuminating. I recommend this book to readers who like historical fiction with some tension.

Set in Paris at the end of 1909 and the beginning of 1910, the story draws the reader in almost from the beginning. Three young women from very different backgrounds are brought together through the art school, Academie Afon. Through a series of events, they find themselves entangled in a world of deceit, drugs and revenge. The storyline has many twists and surprises that keep the reader guessing what will happen next. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I felt the ending would have been stronger if the epilogue had been omitted. Instead, I experienced the "and they lived happily ever after" fairytale feeling..

You will yearn for a color plate of one of the paintings described in this novel.
The heroine, young English aspiring painter, goes timidly into the Paris Winter and discovers her own naiveté. Friends from the Parisian Acadamie Lafond, sashay thru their own adventures, into the fanciest Russian salons of Paris and into the bowels of Paris underground.
Robertson has done a great job describing the atelier of woman painters and the streets of Paris as she spins a tale of morals and mortals. Another story about strong women that doesn't include romance.

There are layers to this historical novel set in Paris towards the end of La Belle Époque during the winter of 1909-1910. Christian Morel hires destitute art student Maud to be a live-in companion to his much younger sister Sylvie. Maud provides English and art lessons to Sylvie in exchange for room, board, and a very generous weekly salary, but her employers are not what they seem. When Maud's fortunes change, it's her two art school friends Yvette and Tanya who help her in her quest to exact revenge. On its surface, Paris Winter is an historical novel. It's also a mystery and a story of betrayal. But ultimately it is a story about the role and value of women in society and the importance of friendship above all else, especially class distinctions.

By the end of the novel I was wanting to stroll through an art gallery,(perhaps the Louvre), sip some champagne and imagine the Paris of 1910. Each character has been carefully chosen to intrigue and strengthen the storyline, all independent people connected by the love of art and the want of a beautiful life style. It's the 'how to' accomplish this goal that keeps the lives of each character connected. This book held my interest from start to finish.

History, mystery, mayhem and murder! An insider look at the City of Light in 1909-1910 with its damaging flood makes a meaningful reading experience. Paris itself is as much a character as the human characters are.. The juxtaposition of bright, glittering salons, drab boarding houses, dark and dangerous alleyways mark the twists and turns that kept me guessing. The characters, while well-developed, sometimes verged on stereotypes. Nonetheless, Paris Winter is a compelling read.

This book is a bit hard to review because it is so many things at once: a romance, a thriller, a period piece. Although at times it seems almost confusing, the book is beautifully written and draws you into the characters and their lives. I kept wishing there were actual paintings to go along with the descriptions at the beginning of each chapter, though maybe it's better to imagine the artists style rather than seeing it.

If you like Sarah Waters & Matthew Pearl you will enjoy this historical crime novel. It is filled with intriguing characters and historic details. The story takes the reader to a very special time and place...Paris - Belle Époque...The Great Flood of 1910...