PENDULUM READS || The Paris Novel Whisks You Away to a Modern Fairytale in Paris
Coming across the right book at the right time can change your life for the better. Lift your spirits. Make things seem brighter.
This is how I felt after reading the Paris Novel, by Ruth Reichl. For me, the book gave me exactly what my soul was seeking at the moment—an appreciation for the periods in our lives where we feel lost, detached from our routines and anxious.
The story begins with the main character, Stella, learning of her estranged mother’s passing. She leaves behind an odd “gift”: plane tickets to send her to Paris and traveller’s cheques that would sustain her for some time. The rest, Stella was to figure out. Even in her passing, her mother is curt, leaving behind a few words telling Stella to ‘go to Paris’.
Stella starts her getaway with the usual tourist haunts in her default mode, making detailed daily schedules with visits to museums and city sights along the beaten path. That is, until Stella stumbles upon the dress, the dress that would change everything. Given my previous life in fashion as a stylist and show producer, this was an instant hook for me, the premise that clothes could change how we perceive ourselves and reveal the confidence within us. Not to mention that the dress is supposedly a vintage Dior(!)
From here, Stella’s character develops in several ways through her relationships with the supporting cast. She would reluctantly let go of her caged self and her belief that she would always lead a boring life, learn to see things in a more positive light, and welcome a more adventurous side of herself.
Given the author’s background as a chef, food writer, and editor, we are treated to numerous delectable feasts brought to life by her words throughout the story. Stella meets an art consultant, Jules, and they embark on a culinary journey. The author’s words paint numerous pictures of scrumptious meals that will make your mouth water. Fresh oysters, sous vide foie gras, lobster bisque with a hint of tomato, morel mushrooms paired with rabbit, gingerbread and a hot cup of café au lait…the book whisks readers away to the flavours, restaurants, and markets of Paris. I couldn’t have asked for a better mental escape on a rainy weekend.
More than the food, I appreciated Stella’s development through the story. For me, breaking from her rigid routine, hesitantly tiptoeing into various adventures in Paris, and finally becoming comfortable with herself to find what she was meant to do, is what I would like for myself. This is why the story resonated with me. For others, it may be the food, or her found family in Paris.
I was sad as I neared the final pages of the book; I savoured the final chapters. When I read the Author’s Note, where Ruth Reichl details why she wrote the book, I was touched by her commitment to writing the story about the dress for her late editor.
All in all, The Paris Novel was a five-star read that made my weekend all the more magical and inspired me to order a latte and croissant to pair with the last few chapters of the book.
