Helpful Score: 4
Elena Shapiro writes a most fascinating story about a simple square box he finds in his office. Inside are many objects left by a Parisian tenant. Who was this lady (Louise Brunet) that no one claimed her keepsakes that were inside this box? These artifacts tell the story of the box's owner, Louise Brunet, in a most captivating tale of love, passion, attraction, memory and mystery of time entwined in an enthralling novel. The book transports the reader not just to Paris but into the mysteries of the past. A most interesting read.
Helpful Score: 2
The basis of this book is an actual box of letters and mementos that the author has. Through each of these items, the author concocts an imagined life for the woman to whom box belonged. The book includes color illustrations of the items and smart-phone codes to links to more information about each item.
Unfortunately, I got lost in the writing style and the story - and not in a good way. I found it difficult to keep the characters and the time period straight. The stories from the past and the present intermingled. The imagined history of this woman includes a love that her father did not approve of, a love lost in the war, a practical marriage, and an affair that results from the unhappiness of that marriage. The same items could have resulted in a very different story. I simply did not enjoy the one the author had to tell.
Unfortunately, I got lost in the writing style and the story - and not in a good way. I found it difficult to keep the characters and the time period straight. The stories from the past and the present intermingled. The imagined history of this woman includes a love that her father did not approve of, a love lost in the war, a practical marriage, and an affair that results from the unhappiness of that marriage. The same items could have resulted in a very different story. I simply did not enjoy the one the author had to tell.
Helpful Score: 2
My rating of "did not like it" isn't entirely accurate. I started out enjoying the concept of the story. However, as it progressed it got increasingly difficult to keep track of which character was "speaking" and toward the end the book was just weird. Some may like it, but I found it hard to follow.
Helpful Score: 1
I want to call this an illustrated novel, but it's not. It's a puzzle and love story revealed by a collection of items found in a box, relating to the life of Louise Brunet. There are pictures of the items, which lends a certain tangibility to a tale that takes place over the First and Second World Wars. The story takes place as the finder of the box imagines the story they contain. Truly a unique point of reference. As he spends time musing over the objects, the story fills out and the puzzle is answered.
I was looking forward to reading this book as I love just about everything Paris! Having read The Paris Apartment, I hoped this box of mementoes would shed light on the life of Louise Brunet, who lived through both WWI and WWII. The concept sounded so interesting but the American professor who investigates the contents was just so boring. It was difficult to follow storyline and to determine who was sharing their memories. I couldn't finish this one.
A little bit too delicate, as far as I read.
Interesting novel based on an imagined history of contents of a box of mementos/photographs. Includes pictures of the box's contents, which were found by the author.
