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There are currently 36 member reviews
for The Paris Hours
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Lorraine D. (Lacey, WA)
THE PARIS HOURS - A PAGE TURNER THAT TOUCHES EVERY EMOTION
I lost a lot of sleep due to this book and loved every minute of it. I read at night and my reading sessions were up to 2 a.m. I couldn't put the book down.
The Paris Hours is not only captivating, it is so beautifully written. Vivid and visual depiction of various scenarios, be they tender or rough, are presented in a wonderful flow of poetic prose, painting a distinct image for the reader.
Some novels that introduce characters in separate chapters drag on in length before you become acquainted or engrossed with any of them. These characters are introduced independently, in short chapters, but by the end of each one of those chapters, from the very first introduction on , you are totally engrossed. It was like that with every chapter, from the novel's beginning to end.
Alex George weaves through each character's separate, distinct story with a capacity to capture their emotions, fears, motivations, and history in such a precise way, with minimal words, that is hard to define. Each character's situation and story are totally different from the others. Then, through creative mastery, the last chapters bring together the full picture – with a mind-boggling conclusion.
The Paris Hours touches on the beauty and mystery of the city, the implications and impact of war, the power of love, determination, and the struggle for survival in challenging circumstances.
I've already discussed this book with my book club members; they are waiting for its release. It will definitely be on the next reading list.
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Debra S. (Thurmont, MD)
A Delight
The Paris Hours is a delightful book. I very quickly found myself caring about each character and wanting to keep reading, and did. This glimpse into life in Paris between the wars is full of art and color with places that are beautifully described by Alex George. I don't usually like historical fiction - this book may have changed my mind.
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Judith S. (Binghamton, NY)
Best of the Year
Oh my! This man Alex George is an extraordinarily talented writer. His style is reminiscent of Amor Towles who wrote "A Gentleman in Moscow". A tip: have a dictionary handy to further enjoy the stories of these terrific characters and enhance your lovely read. I will definitely read his other novels. The Skylark Bookshop will be a destination if we are ever in Misssouri. Many thanks to Davina of BookBrowse for choosing this novel.
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Julia A. (New York, NY)
I didn't want it to end
Rarely do I say about a book "I didn't want it to end." That is, however, the way I felt about The Paris Hours. Once I got used to the novel's pacing, the jumping back in time between the World War I years and the between-the-wars day in 1927 when the stories take place, and the alternating stories of the four principal characters, I was thoroughly hooked. I found the narratives captivating, particularly the ones involving Camille and to a lesser extent, Jean Paul. That's not to say that Souren and Guillaume's stories aren't also interesting. The famous people hovering at the fringes of the stories, such as Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein, are almost a distraction, though I understand why they are there. After all, they were omnipresent in 1927 Paris. Then there is the painting that is almost a fifth major character in the novel. Without anything away, I will say that the final sentence of the novel ("He pushes open the front door and steps inside.") could be the opening of a whole other novel about what comes next in the lives of the surviving characters. It also suggests a parallel with the painting, whose door didn't appear able to be opened or provide entry into the house. Read this book!
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Sylvia G. (Scottsdale, AZ)
What a Day!
With a combination of fictional characters and real historical figures, Alex George has crafted a novel covering a single day in Paris in 1927. Each individual story has some unique situation, but all the stories begin to slowly interconnect like a beautiful puzzle. Loved it!
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Nancy D. (Raleigh, NC)
My Paris Friends
The Paris Hours is a wonderful book. The writing flows and all the scenes and people of 1927 Paris come alive in Mr. George's book. You meet four regular people who you will get to know through their histories and through the struggles they endure. Camille's secret, Souren's guilt, Jean Paul's sorry and Guillaume's disappointment. They become your friends and you become totally invested in the outcome of their lives. You come to like all of them with their faults and learn that they all have met their destiny. Added to the great writing and character development, there is a little twist at the end which just adds to the enjoyment. I look forward to another book by Mr. George.
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Sheryl M. (Marietta, GA)
Ordinary Lives in an Extraordinary City
I quite simply loved this book. Set in Paris on a single day in 1937, it tells stories of four ordinary people, unknown to each other, but connected nevertheless. Each is struggling with a powerful loss; memories of those losses inform their daily activities. They will encounter the consequences of their actions or inaction. Some will succeed, others will not.
This is a beautifully written book, so empathetic to the characters that I felt I knew each and wanted all to overcome their obstacles. The Paris Hours is a small book and can be read in one sitting. I did so, not because it was possible, but because I did not want to put it down. The interweaving of the various characters' stories was done so skillfully that the climax when all are brought together seemed the most natural occurrence possible. Alex George is a great storyteller and a brilliant writer. Into this tale of ordinary people, he includes cameos of a few celebrities and ex-patriots to round out the picture. I highly recommend this book.
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