The Paris Novel
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4.3 • 740 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A “mouthwatering” (The New York Times) adventure through the food, art, and fashion scenes of 1980s Paris—from the bestselling author of Save Me the Plums and Delicious!
“An enchanting and irresistible feast . . . As with a perfect meal in the world’s most magical city, I never wanted this sublime novel to end.”—Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, author of Good Company
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Saveur, Food & Wine, Bookreporter, The Charlotte Observer
Stella reached for an oyster, tipped her head, and tossed it back. It was cool and slippery, the flavor so briny it was like diving into the ocean. Oysters, she thought. Where have they been all my life?
When her estranged mother dies, Stella is left with an unusual inheritance: a one-way plane ticket and a note reading “Go to Paris.” Stella is hardly cut out for adventure; a traumatic childhood has kept her confined to the strict routines of her comfort zone. But when her boss encourages her to take time off, Stella resigns herself to honoring her mother’s last wishes.
Alone in a foreign city, Stella falls into old habits, living cautiously and frugally. Then she stumbles across a vintage store, where she tries on a fabulous Dior dress. The shopkeeper insists that this dress was meant for Stella and for the first time in her life Stella does something impulsive. She buys the dress—and embarks on an adventure.
Her first stop: the iconic brasserie Les Deux Magots, where Stella tastes her first oysters and then meets an octogenarian art collector who decides to take her under his wing. As Jules introduces Stella to a veritable who’s who of the Paris literary, art, and culinary worlds, she begins to understand what it might mean to live a larger life.
As weeks—and many decadent meals—go by, Stella ends up living as a “tumbleweed” at famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, uncovers a hundred-year-old mystery in a Manet painting, and discovers a passion for food that may be connected to her past. A feast for the senses, this novel is a testament to living deliciously, taking chances, and finding your true home.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The reason why Ruth Reichl is one of America’s best food writers is that she writes about what we eat with the emotion, wit, and sensuality of a great novelist. Which is exactly what makes The Paris Novel such a delight. In 1980s New York, thirtysomething Stella has settled into a comfortable life after a tumultuous childhood with her larger-than-life mom. But after her mom dies unexpectedly, Stella learns that her inheritance comes with a catch: she has to go to Paris to get the money. You might not associate the neon-colored ’80s with the City of Lights, but you’ll love hearing Stella discover the era’s fashion, art, literature—and soooooo much food. This isn’t a simple rom-com (some of Stella’s childhood memories are downright disturbing), but it’s a charming tale of self-discovery and reinvention.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Food critic and novelist Reichl (Delicious!) serves up a delectable story of an introverted copy editor's life-changing visit to Paris in the 1980s. Stella St. Vincent's quiet New York City routine is turned upside down when she learns her recently deceased mother, Celia, has bequeathed her a ticket to Paris and the means to stay there for six weeks. Celia had spent time in Paris in her early years, and Stella interprets the gesture as an exhortation for her to be more adventurous. The "Cinderella"-esque plot hinges on Stella's encounter with the proprietor of a Parisian dress shop, who inexplicably lends her a $6,000 Christian Dior dress for one night. Wearing it, she walks with a newfound confidence and sensuality ("With each step, the scent of apricots and vanilla came wafting up"). While enjoying her first oysters at a restaurant, she attracts the attention of elderly art dealer Jules Delatour. The two become fast friends, and Jules brings her around to the Shakespeare and Company bookshop, where she hobnobs with Allen Ginsberg and other famous visitors. The expressive prose makes tangible Stella's awakening as she develops a passion for French culture and cuisine like foie gras: "The flavor grew richer, rounder, louder with each passing second." Reichl serves a feast for the senses.
Customer Reviews
I ate it up!
Deliciously written. I love her style of writing where it leaves the reader feeling like they are in that moment experiencing every smell, taste or emotion. I was a fan of the book all the way through, but did feel like the ending was rushed? Left me wishing for more closure and connection with the characters I had grown to know and love!
The Paris novel
My favorite book ever. A perfectly spun, heart felt adventure !
Paris
I bought this on a whim, and picked it up months later. It transported me. I was in Paris alongside Stella the entire time.