The Paris Hours by Alex George
Stunning! Clever and exquisitely crafted, the minutiae of everyday life is performed in cinematic fashion. The brilliant interweaving of well known literary figures who are brought to life through their seemingly inadvertent interaction with the ‘lesser-known’ protagonists of this tale makes this a sumptuous read.
The reader is kept guessing throughout how the various threads will come together and the skill of the storyteller shows in how this is rendered in a (to me) unpredictable fashion. It is full of colour, depth, texture, allusion, and humanity. Taking place during a single day in 1920’s Paris, the story carries along the reader in a journey that taps into empathetic heartstrings. George manages non-distracting contextual tangents that flesh-it our characters backstories and finally fulfil themselves in a toughly satisfying conclusion.
This is a delectable treat and a superb read. Highly recommended.