Overview
Imagine believing in something for most of your life, only to find out years later, it was all a lie. The book for October’s lively The Ladies Who Brunch discussion was I’ll See You in Paris by Michelle Gable. It is based on the real life of Gladys Spencer-Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, a woman whose life was very rich and fulfilled. One hundred years after Gladys lived, a woman named Annie desires to better understand the Duchess. This leads her on the trip of a lifetime to Paris. Little does Annie know that the riddle of the Duchess will unveil the hidden lies in her own life.
Before the discussion began, the group welcomed new members and reiterated the goals of the group. The first goal is to have a good discussion about the chosen book. The second goal is to choose books written by women and published within the past few years. The third goal is to choose books across different genres.
Character Development and Suspense
There was not a true consensus about the overall book. Some participants said the book was hard to get through and that some characters lacked cohesiveness. Others found the historical aspect of the book to be a great balance between the past and the present; a way to build suspense between the characters.
The characters took up most of the discussion with mixed reviews. A few commented that there were too many to keep track of throughout the story. One example is Laurel, who read legal books and majored in English. She lacked a connection to Annie, her daughter. Throughout most of the novel, she lies to Annie about her past and her upbringing.Pru and Gus are another example of troublesome characters. It’s hard to determine their significance in the novel.
That being said, a novel with this many mysterious characters creates tension and suspense in order to make the story more engaging. Many unanswered questions about characters like Gus and Pru give the reader uncertainty, and this is where the novel could arguably drag or become interesting. The author has to create a balance between giving away too much plot and moving the story too quickly.
Final Thoughts
Back row, left to right: Rachel Slaiman and Karen Mitchell; Front row, left to right: Jill Wisoff, Alice Jacoby, Eileen Donovan, and Alicja Wesolowska
While this may not have been one of the group’s favorite books, we cannot dismiss it entirely. It is fair to comment that not every highly praised novel is right for everyone. However, in a world dominated by technology, it is refreshing to get a group of women together to discuss what is popular in the current day.
Members suggested several novels for future group meetings. These included Transcriptionby Kate Atkinson, The Witch Elmby Tana French, Everything Underby Daisy Johnson and Snapby Belinda Baurer. However, the group eventually chose The Masterpieceby Fiona Davis for their December 8th discussion. You can register for the event here!
Rachel Slaiman is a published freelance writer of several articles in both print and online as well an editor and copy editor of aspiring author’s manuscripts. She is currently the co-recording secretary for the WNBA and co-chair for the Brooklyn Book Festival. Rachel holds a B.A. in Communications and a M.S. from Pace University. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and writing short stories.
