Customer Reviews

Capturing Paris: A Novel

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Here is a book to swallow whole. For years I've missed the rich novels of Laurie Colwin but in Katharine Davis I may have found the next master of domestic detail. Her fine novel, Capturing Paris,not only tells a deeply moving story of a marriage thrown off balance by a complicated new acquaintance, but it also brings Paris to life. Taste the pastry at a sidewalk cafe, sit at a table set for an intimate dinner party, walk the paths of a wild country garden,wash the freshest mussels from Brittany at an old stone sink. In Davis' capable hands, the reader falls into a world where life's important moments happen around the dinner table: wine, cheese, flowers, a perfectly roasted chicken, chocolate mousse, and a congenial coversation that barely covers the undercurrent of lust and betrayal.

With the painterly hand of an Impressionist master, Ms. Davis artfully renders the ravishing images, scents, and sounds of the City of Light in the accomplished manner of a seasoned novelist (this is, surprisingly, Ms. Davis' first full-length work of fiction). An acute observer of emotional nuance, Ms. Davis convincingly unspools her seductive narrative of personal relationships - relationships fragile, intricate, and enduring - within the alluring contours of glamorous Paris and environs. I shall spare our gentle readers another summary and instead leave you with a warning: Danger. Reading Capturing Paris will likely trigger an irresistable urge to visit the City of Light. In fact, I'm already packing!!! Bon Voyage.

As a confirmed Francophile, I'm always on the look out for both fiction and non-fiction books about Paris.

This one did not disappoint! For once, a realistic main character. Not one with the stiletto heels, high power job, looking for Mr. Right while romping in every bed available.

Davis's prose was smooth and enjoyable. Her characters and plot were believable and she wrapped up the ending in a timely fashion that left the reader satisfied.

I look forward to more novels from this author.

Davis knows and loves Paris and her words--whether describing an individual, a meal, a room, a park, or a photograph--get it right. It's a sensuous book. She has an eye, ear, and nose for details that bring the story alive, make it all believable, and engage the reader. And she knows the kinds of people and situations she's writing about. We connect with our own memories of Paris, our own experiences of relationships, of change, of self-discovery. It's a hard book to pull away from.

For a first-time novel, this effort is to be commended. Regardless of the fact that the plot is predictable, it is handled with grace and sensitivity. Very intimate knowledge of daily life in Paris, which was part of its charm. I would recommend it to any Francophile.

superb use of accurate French language and Parisian locale; nostalgic for those who love Paris

As the title suggests, it does in fact capture Paris. The author is so detailed with everything the city has to offer you almost forget that there's a story. The story itself is one that I've read many times before but the way she [the author] incorporates Paris into everything the character does gives it a new and interesting twist. This book was a very good read and I enjoyed it very much. The ending was just right in a bitter sweet way.

I really enjoyed reading this book en route to France. I don't want to give anything away, but as one reviewer commented, 'it is predictable.' But that didn't take away from it for me. What WAS predictable was the ending. I was enormously disappointed because I expected more from the author by that point. Still, it was an enjoyable read.

This novel has some of the mood and grace of an Eric Rohmer film. The Paris we see is charming and elegant. Davis convinces the reader that her characters matter, and that is what counts!

This is the best novel I've read in quite awhile.I didn't give it the extra star only because it was a bit slow-moving. I really felt like I was in Paris. Having never been there, I don't know if the descriptions were accurate, but I got the feel of Paris life. Some said the plot was predictable--well, maybe so, but you didn't know quite how it was going to go until near the end. I liked the main character, Annie, and was rooting for her the whole book. It was enjoyable and I looked forward to getting back to it to see what would happen next. I would read any new novels by this author. I enjoyed her style of writing and thought she did a good job of character development for the most part. One character, Daphne, was a bit weird, but then I guess she was supposed to be. I would recommend this book.