Title: The Paris Key
Author : Juliet Blackwell
Publication date : September 1st 2015
by NAL
Family secrets is one of my new soft spots. A book about locksmith is unusual and since The Paris Key has a nice combo, I decided to read it, especially since it is set in Paris. Ever since I read more and more contemporary/chicklit books, I discovered that there are so many books set it France. I wonder why?
Genevieve Martin's marriage was crumbling apart and to make things worse, her locksmith uncle who loved in Paris passed away. Genevieve thought it was time to move on and take over her uncle's lock business despite of her minimal knowledge of lock and keys. As Genevieve unlocked more and more doors she found out that she also unlocked the family secrets that had been buried for decades that almost no one had discovered.
I love Blackwell's writing. It is sweet, light and has every characters of how a lovely chicklit book narration should be. It somehow reminds me of savory ice cream on a hot day. How can I not love that? The way she describe Paris, the shops, the lock and key nature, the statue of the Gargoyle, it's like walking on the street of the city myself. Blackwell knows how to write an enticing description.
"So, they won't open all the doors anymore?"
"Not all, of course not. But back in the day ... they probably opened most of them. Just like love -- this is what the saying means. Love laughs at locksmiths: love cannot be locked in or out. Remember that, Genevieve. Love has its own set of burglar keys!"
Unfortunately the book doesn't live up to my expectation. While the writing is beautiful, the plot of this novel is very thin. Since I was reading a book about family secret, I expected it to be mysterious and full of twist and turns. I didn't get any of them in this book, and frankly it was very disappointing.
During the first few pages, I found Genevieve to be a little too whiny for my taste. Yes, I get it that her marriage is falling apart, and that she's brokenhearted but, hey, she's an adult and I wish her to act like one. It's not until I reached the middle of the story that she grew into a tolerable state.
Love was destined to destroy you, was Victor Hugo's basic message, as far as Genevieve could tell. A couple of years ago Genevieve wanted to believe in love. But now ... now that her mother's abandonment had nearly killed her, she understood. Hugo got it right. Love was out to get you. To destroy you.
I hate to tell you this, but there's almost no family secrets you're going to find in this book. There is no mysterious side of it at all. How can a secret be not mysterious? I don't get it. The clue is out there in the open, I could tell the second I read about it. I hoped and hoped I got it wrong, but voila, I got it right. No surprising plot, nothing. I reached the last page questioning so, that's it? Where's the family secret you bragged about earlier?
I believe I wouldn't have gotten to the last page if it were not for the writing style. I hope Blackwell's future books will be better. Reading The Paris Key is like reading about something you already know, no excitement left anymore.
"I guess you know the secret to life in France by now, don't you, Genevieve?" Killian said in a low voice.
"Ne te rends jamais." Genevieve said with a nod, surrendering. "Never Give up."
2 rating for The Paris Key. How I wished it gave some twist and turns. If it's not a problem for you, go ahead pick this one, otherwise, there are many good books about Paris you can choose. So, have you read any good book set in the city of lights? Care to recommend? Do you like reading chicklits?
