A Paris Apartment: A Novel

A good story based on a real-life incident. The Paris Apartment is referring to an actual apartment that was "discovered" in 2010. It had been closed up since 1940, and dates back to the Belle Epoch period of Parisienne history. Other authors have written fictional accounts of this same apartment and its original owner, Marthe deFlolrian. This author, Michelle Gable, wrote her fictional account of this historical event. It is a well written, interesting, account of an incredible era, an incredible woman, and here incredible, numerous, and valuable works of art, furnishings, and collectible items. The story surrounding Marthe deFlorian is the author's creation. The true story of Marthe DeFlorian has yet to be told.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Being an avid antiques lover certainly added to my enjoyment and the story is truly fascinating -- very unusual, a little hard to believe, but quite the story. I can't imagine opening an apartment door to all those treasures! I liked the character development, though I wished for more for some of the characters. I feel like it all came together a little too quickly in the end. And I didn't like the way it ended. The ending did not go with the story to me. It just suddenly ended and I feel like many things were left hanging and not pulled together. Maybe it was on purpose and there is a sequel in the works. If that is the case, I will give it 5 stars!

Well. I began reading this book because there really WAS an apartment in Paris that had been unopened for something like 70 years...and when it was opened, it was filled w nearly priceless art and furniture, mostly from the Belle Époch era. But I really thought I wouldn't finish it when I was about 15% into it...didn't really like any of the characters very much, and it just felt like it was going to be a slightly better-than-average chick-lit romance. And it kind of was. But I DID finish reading it. And it turned out to be okay. The characters even grew more likeable, more nuanced...and the interesting 'discussion' about marital infidelity (would you really want to know if a spouse had slept w someone else if it wasn't anything more than a fling and was very unlikely to be repeated?) gave me pause for thought. The ending was a bit of a surprise (not the auction of the contents, but the revelations of the surviving heiress), so that was a nice wrap-up. And I learned many, many useful French phrases along the way, all presented in context which allowed even a non-French speaker to figure out what was being said. Best of all possible ways to insert a 2nd language into the text...and it was well done. For a debut novel, it's pretty good; I'd give the book a B- You might find yourself wanting to know more (as I did), once you get about 1/3 of the way into it.

A labyrinth of yearning, primed with passion and unrequited love; evoked not only for the finely draw characters, but for the author herself! Yes, this was quite the best book I've ever read. How is it possible for an author to write a character so well drawn that the reader, instantly, falls head over heels in love? I'll leave it to you to work out which protagonist I mean. From the start: April, surging into the apartment, filled with the relics and flavors of the past, to the unremittingly exquisite revelation of "Mart", towards the gritty awkwardness of personal relationships, until the revelation that, perhaps, there is more to perfection than the incarnation of its ideal...a thought to savor in the darkest hour, but not one to allow you to cave on humanitarian responsibility...this book never lets you down. A story beautifully told, with all the smarts of a modern fairytale, and all the facts to realize why we hold fairytales so dear. Please don't miss this novel, even if it's the only one you read this year.

I loved this book. I had read the article about the apartment and thought it would be interesting to see how someone could write a fictional account of this because it is so intriguing. I enjoyed the book a ton, but that being said, and even though fiction, I felt like I had more questions for the real account. It was fun to read the diary entries, to imagine the real life of this woman and those she met. The writing was good, though very crass and abrasive on behalf of the main character at times, but that's what makes a character. If I thouht I could do better, I spose I would be an author, and not a reader! I would recommend this book, just beware, if you find the subject intriguing, you will end with more questions and a desire to know more than when you started.

This was a fun read. At times it just seemed to go on & on. I kept expecting a different resolution to the story, but was fine with the way it did resolve. There are several novels based on this actual occurance. It is a fascinating story on its own & it is fun to see how authors are playing off it to write stories. It allows us all to savor the facts without dealing just in the facts. Imagination is a wonderful thing. Critique: The husband seems a bit of a dull headed guy which also didn't ring as true given the lead up into the story. This book was a bit long on the meetings of appraiser and attorney. But that was part of the story. I suppose I didn't feel this scenes were as well written or compelling. The mood of the book was a bit rocky. It felt like the author wrote three separate plot lines and then integrated after the fact. But I still enjoyed it

Well written. The main character shows growth in the book. The story is fascinating. I ended up looking up a lot of the characters and paintings on line. It was interesting to see them and get a better grasp of the story. There were some twists that were interesting and logical and not forced at all. A very enjoyable read.

A famous auction house appraiser of continental furniture spends time in Paris to appraise an apartment full of treasures that have been locked up for 70 years. While the apartment full of furniture and paintings are magnificent, it is the diary of the owner that is the true treasure. The story unfolds in the voice of the appraiser, alternately told with the voice of the apartment owner Marthe. Her story is fascinating as it includes famous painters and the movers and shakers of Paris in her time. Included in this tale, we have an almost romance, a shaky marriage and many other diversions! The diary reveals things that are completely shocking and we are unable to resist it's story. My favorite part of this whole is Marthe , the writer of this diary! As satisfying a read as Champagne and Truffles! Enjoi^

This book was a delightful surprise. It immerses one in two eras of life in Paris, more than a century apart - the City of Bright Lights of today, the La Belle Epoque of the 1890's. Through the eyes of a modern Sotheby's appraiser, with her own life issues, we are introduced to a demimondaine who was the lover of famous artists and writers whose names you will still know today. She left behind a treasurehouse of antiques and artifacts, but more importantly, her journals. Very well written; just when you think you understand all, an unexpected factor is introduced. At one point, I thought there was a danger of it turning into a romance novel, but the author managed to sidestep that issue. Highly recommended.

bonne

I saw this book in a list of Paris reads by Everyday Parisian blog post. So glad I was able to get a copy of this book as it just brilliantly written.

Really enjoyed this author, will follow for more

Spannend und unterhaltsam.