Sandy K

A revelation to the reviewer is that the artists whose work and lives are so thoroughly examined in this book were part of the "School of Paris". I knew some of the work of Soutine, Chagall, Modigliani, and others, but the author has helped me understand their artistic and personal cohesiveness and their common challenges as often impoverished Jewish emigrants. Meisler makes us aware of chauvinistic attitudes toward artists considered outsiders and dangers they faced as foreign nationals and Jews during the World War II German occupation, telling stories of local and international efforts to save them.

I would highly recommend Shocking Paris to anyone who wishes to explore the French emigré art scene of the early twentieth century through the 1940's and to delve into the biographical details, relationships, and sometimes personal demons of the artists.

The author puts the reader squarely into Marta's story through abundant detail about settings and actions as well as by writing in first person with Marta as narrator. We are able to experience Marta's thoughts, memories, and confusing visions, which tend to enhance our uncertainty about the truth. The central mystery is made possible partly by Marta's strict adherence to the role of a traditional housewife. The reader is motivated to continue reading by a desire to see if and how she breaks her bonds.

I enjoyed this novel very much, partly because of my Irish heritage and interest in Irish history, but readers of different backgrounds will also be held by its universal questions and themes. At first, I had some difficulty keeping track of characters and events because each chapter is narrated by a different but related character with 20 years between events. I was able to improve my understanding by careful attention to details and parallels between the narrators, and by realizing that the theme of reincarnation, essential to the novel, was enhanced by this construction.

The author's use of a vernacular version of English for the dialog of the native Irish characters aids in the reader's sense of experiencing the story personally, as do his marvelously detailed descriptions of places and people, and of events associated with phases of the Irish Troubles into which he blends his fictional characters.