Paris Never Leaves You by Ellen Feldman

Paris Never Leaves You by Ellen Feldman
Publisher/Year: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2020
Format: ARC – paperback
Pages: 351
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

Living through WWII with her young daughter Vivi, working in a Paris bookstore, 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.

What I thought

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book took me completely by surprise. In a genre that many would argue is “overdone,” this WWII historical fiction offered a fresh, unique perspective that managed to be one of the most heart-wrenching, thought-provoking books that I’ve read thus far this year. This was a quick read, and even though the prose was spare, I found myself absolutely immersed by the story and its characters. I’m being intentionally vague here to avoid spoilers, but my point here is that this is an incredibly moving story that is going to stick with me for some time. Beautifully told, it examines the human condition and our need for connection and asks the question: “What would you do in order to survive?” I’d highly recommend this one for historical fiction fans and book club members–this novel begs to be discussed! As for me, I’m looking forward to reading more from Ellen Feldman!