Paris Archives

What a welcome break from the multiple WWII-set historical fiction novels I have read recently. Not that I haven’t enjoyed those, but something completely different was a refreshing change.

And 1856 Paris is pretty different.

I’ll be honest and say that the opening scenes of tarot reading drew me in and hooked me. I know of authors who will sanitize certain aspects of an era, so they don’t offend modern sensibilities.

And while I realize this seems strange to say in light of this book, I have seen reviews of others that were totally turned off by any mention of the potential supernatural or “other-world.”

I, for one, enjoy it immensely. So, I knew I would like the book just from that. But then the author did one better for my tastes and made Livia someone who is highly knowledgeable about the healing powers of plants…and the dangers of poison.

(Side note: while I was reading this book, I had conversations with at least half a dozen people about natural and homeopathic remedies for colds and flu. Totally unrelated to the book itself, but it struck me that some treatments have been around for centuries).

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Anyway, I liked that about Livia. Sure, she was a 19-year-old thrust into Paris intrigue, but she was smart and had a mind of her own. I particularly liked the friendship between her and Caterina, as well as the one she formed with Elisabetta.

Even without refreshing my instinct about the book by reading the blurb, it was easy to tell where the author was headed with the plot, especially taking Livia’s first meeting with Elisabetta into account.

What was unknown, was how it would all ultimately play out. And that is what made the story just so page-turning.

Any time there is a royal court involved, there is going to be intrigue. And if two countries are trying to forge treaties or have their own interests at the forefront of the empire, there is going to be even more intrigue.

And there is certainly plenty of it in this book. The author did a great job of dropping just enough information that it was difficult to figure out who might be responsible for what, who was trustworthy and who wasn’t, and what the endgame of it all actually was.

Nope, I’m not going to tell you.

Just let yourself get swept away to 1856 Paris, take in the lush descriptions and clever writing, and go with Livia on her journey to find her place in a complicated society.

Oh, and pay attention to the entries from her book at the beginning of each chapter. Not only is there good information, but you might get a hint of what is yet to come.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

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Author Bio:
Meghan Masterson graduated from the University of Calgary with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies, and has worked several unrelated jobs while writing on the side. When not writing, Meghan can often be found reading at all hours (even at breakfast), practicing archery and roaming through the woods with her dog.

I really enjoyed this author’s Beyond the Horizon. I thought it had interesting (and little-known) history and realistic characters. When I saw that more of her books were available, I was excited to see what else the author tackled.

On the surface, this one had a fantastic premise. Cat receives a mysterious letter and key in the mail; the letter urges her to call a lawyer in Paris. When she does, she is told that she has to fly to Paris to settle…something. But it’s mysterious.

Once everything is settled, she finds that she has inherited a Belle Epoque apartment that hasn’t been touched in decades. Everything from the furniture to the artwork and personal letters is just as the owner left it.

I loved these parts of the novel. The author vividly created the apartment and its furnishings so that I could practically feel the dust tickling my nose and see the moth-eaten fabrics. This was well-done.

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I also liked how Cat was a bit “vintage” herself. She seemed to prefer dress styles from the 30s and 40s, which made her a throwback perfect for the era of the apartment. This was a nice touch and a clever connection.

I gather from looking at publishing dates that this was one of the first novels (if not the first) written by the author. It shows in the dialogue and plotting. The conversations between characters seems very stilted and unnatural. For example, there are times when a name is used repeatedly instead of a pronoun.

There was also overuse of some words. Christian calling Cat “honey” ALL of the time comes to mind. I mean, I know that it’s possible he was just one of those people who only uses a pet name and that reflects his actual lack of commitment or connection to Cat. But it was a little too much.

And while we are on the subject of Christian, I didn’t like him. He was a snob (as were his friends and family) and pretty much a jerk. I know that was the point, but it was jarringly obvious that he was not the one for her.

The plot also meandered a bit. Loic and Cat seemed to argue too much about who the apartment actually belonged to – at times, it seemed as if neither one actually wanted it (which was weird). The middle could have used some tightening and each character’s perspectives could have been clarified.

These are some things about the book that indicate it was an early attempt by the author because they seemed unpolished. I still liked the plot of this one, and (since I read a later book of hers) I know that she has improved over time, so I look forward to more from her!

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Author Bio:

Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen languages, in twelve countries, and have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. A Francophile who has long been fascinated by secret histories set in Europe’s entrancing past, Ella has degrees in music, nineteenth-century women’s fiction, and modern European history. She lives in Melbourne with her two children and two Italian greyhounds who are constantly mistaken for whippets.

Ella loves to connect with her readers regularly through her facebook page and on her website.