Source: Netgalley
Publication Date: September 6, 2016
After surviving the accident that took her mother’s
life, Claire Broussard has worked hard to escape her small Louisiana hometown.
But these days she feels something is lacking. Abruptly leaving her lucrative
job in Chicago, Claire returns home to care for her ailing grandmother. There,
she unearths a beautiful piece of artwork that her great-grandfather sent home
from Paris after World War II.
At her grandmother’s urging, Claire travels to
Paris to track down the century-old mask-making atelier where the object, known
only as “L’Inconnue”—or The Unknown Woman—was created. Under the watchful eye
of a surly mask-maker, Claire discovers a cache of letters that offers insight
into the life of the Belle Epoque woman immortalized in the work of art. As
Claire explores the unknown woman’s tragic fate, she begins to unravel deeply
buried secrets in her own life.
I positively inhaled this book. Stayed up late to read it and woke up early
to finish it before going to work. Letters from Paris has all the scintillating
elements for an irresistible binge read - not one, but two mysteries connected
by an intriguing piece of art, dual narratives of the present and distant past,
colorful characters, mouthwatering descriptions of food, and ... to quote the
main character, it's in Paris. Need I say more? But before the story moves to
Paris, it spends some chapters in Louisiana, which I enjoyed as well. Blackwell
has a gift for making her settings and characters (especially Mammaw) come
uniquely alive.
Pleasing too is Blackwell's depiction of Paris as
Claire first encounters it - too touristy and isolating, not the usual
stereotype I was expecting. Like some of
the Parisian characters Claire meets, its charms and beauty slowly reveal
themselves to her, all the more delicious to savor.
I had read about L'Inconnue before in one of the
innumerable Parisian travelogues I devour.
I won't spoil it for the reader, just to say that it is a piece of art
that has haunted many an imagination about its backstory. I adore Blackwell's
rich and touching fictional interpretation of what if, which also ties in with
Claire's tragic circumstances. Just when I thought I knew where it was going,
the plot unfolded with surprises.
Letters from Paris is a satisfying delight.
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