Overall, what do you think of The Paris Hours? (no spoilers in this thread, please)

Overall, what do you think of The Paris Hours? (no spoilers in this thread, please)

Overall I really enjoyed it! It took me a while to get into the story but once I did it was a great read! I liked how the characters were developed and how the book was plotted!

I loved reading this book. I enjoyed the inter-connectiveness of the characters. What I most appreciated about the story line was the fact that all problems were not neatly resolved by the final page. Some characters did not get what they wanted. A true slice of life, as it really is.

I really enjoyed it. I liked the 4 stories and how you went from one to the other. It was fun to see the stories develop and the anticipation of getting back to a story.

I loved it! the stories were so different but the characters were all charismatic and interesting. I also liked that the book was not predictable or too far fetched.

This is the best book I have read in quite a while. I have already recommended it to several friends/family. The storyline flowed easily and the writing style (unique to me) kept the characters separate until the end. A fantastic read!

I really enjoyed the book -- particularly the way the four stories moved toward each other as the book progressed, and the way each character's backstory was developed then evolved, all within the context of a single day and the way they all landed together in the final few pages.

I differ from the reviews already posted. I had mixed feelings about the book. The writing was beautiful at times, and books about Paris are always appealing (such a magical city). I think it needed more editing however. I was about 40% into the book and was unsure what the book was about. Although the stories were moving I think the themes and characters were too sketchily developed. It was kind of like putting 4 short stories together and calling it a novel and adding a twist at the end. However, it still stayed with me in that it created the atmosphere well.

Bravo!!!

I absolutely loved it! Read it in two sittings.

I, too, read it in two sittings. At first, I hated leaving a character in mid-story to move to another and then come back later to the original person. But, then, I thought, this is how it is in life, you pass people on the street and catch a glimpse of what is happening at that moment in their lives and then you may see them at the grocers or on the metro or going across the park. We interact with each other in small gulps. Once I got that pace this aspect of the book was fine. I loved the diversity of the characters and their circumstances, and I liked the people each one had in family, friends or acquaintances. Those supporting characters and the settings in which the protagonists found themselves gave a richness and depth to them and their stories. I also liked the fact that the luminaries were kept in the background and that their appearances in the story were logical -- those interactions could have happened, realistically

I think it was beautifully written, engaging and will recommend it to my reading friends. It was the kind of book to be savored, I didn't feel the need to rush through it to find out what happens as much as to read leisurely and enjoy all that is happening and being wonderfully described.

I enjoyed the book! I liked how the chapters switched out between the characters.

I enjoyed it very much. The writing was beautiful and I marked several passages I want to remember. The characters stories were compelling and I became attached to them and grieved with them. The plotting also kept me involved as I noted the various places and people that linked the characters. The mysteries that were intertwined were cleverly done. I became immersed in the story and read it quickly and when I was done I just sat for awhile to absorb all I learned and all the emotions I felt.

A word that kept coming to me was sensual. The characters were so alive and one could see and almost smell their setting and interactions. As someone already said I would like to reread it slower.

After I finished writing on this discussion yesterday I went to youtube and listened to the entire 20 minute Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue and then sought out Ravel's third movement, Passecaille, of his Piano Trio. I wanted to hear those bass notes and the tinkling strand that surrounded them. I can imagine Ravel playing it over and over but not Suzanne and her daughter singing them

I loved it! What’s not to love about 1927 Paris? Alex George packed so much into 259 pages.

This is a gorgeous, beautifully written book. It is true, and heart-breaking, and exhilarating, and joyous, and yes, even funny. I adored it.

I must add to my previous comment: I do not understand why anyone would want a sequel. This book is a perfect, self-contained gem as it is.

I agree with Olivia. I did not find the book to be that interesting. The characters did not hold my interest and I did not feel that the author tied things together very well.

I enjoyed the book and thought it was "good, but not great." I struggled getting into it/understanding what was happening at first and did not really emotionally connect with any of the characters. I did appreciate the word choice/writing style and although it isn't one of my favorites, I do think it will stick with me for a bit.

I enjoyed this book. The writing is beautiful and the characters interesting. I liked that it is four separate stories that eventually come together. I normally am a fast reader, however, this book made me want to take my time and really relish the characters and plot lines.

This is a rich and very rewarding novel. I especially enjoyed the interplay of the four stories and the interjection of real-life figures into those stories. And Paris in 1927 became its own character. All in all, a deeply satisfying book.

I liked this book....i am not as enthusiastic as most of your reviewers. The writing was beautiful at times but inconsistent..George deserved a better editor..I was over halfway into the book before I understood where it was going. If I had not been reviewing, I would have given up. The sense of Paris and the atmosphere the author created were truly believable but, like the stories themselves, nothing was ever fully developed. While Souren was my favorite, I never really cared about him or the other three. I felt like I read four short stories or novellas that were put together for the sake of writing a "novel."

I really enjoyed the book. The writing was poetic and I felt like I was in Paris myself! I did need to keep notes on the charcters at the beginning of the book to keep everyone straight in their story. Once the stories were developed, I was totally engrossed with all of them.

Overall, I enjoyed this book very much! I liked the entwined stories and felt a connection with the characters.

I really loved this book! I loved the time frame and the location and every story was interesting in its own right, but really loved how they were woven together and culminated on a single day. Great character development and I felt a connection with each one.

This is a beautiful book, skillfully written. The way the stories are constructed and intertwined is amazing!
At the beginning I found it difficult to put down, and I loved the way the mystery was set up.
However, as the story progressed I found it too sad to enjoy. I did finish the book but did not enjoy the
story.
Unfortunately our world is filled with sadness and uncertainty right now, so I am reading and enjoying literature that offers some escape from reality!

I also have mixed feelings about this book. I love that the story was set in Paris in 1927 but it seemed longer than 1 day. I know at times they went back in time which helped explain some of the characters behaviors. The chapters seemed like vignettes, many I enjoyed, but it took me a while to understand the connection between the characters.

I liked it. I found Jean-Paul and Camille's stories extremely fascinating and was less pulled in by Guillaume's and Souren's. The inclusion of Gertrude Stein was entertaining and brought some levity to stories that were, for the most part, very melancholy. Yet I felt hopeful as the story moved on.

I was lucky enough to review this book for "First Impressions." It's been a while, but I remember thinking at the time that I did not want the book to end. I enjoyed all the characters and the twist at the end was masterful.