Eiffel's Tower for Young People by Jill Jonnes, Rebecca Stefoff (2019)This nonfiction book is an adaptation for younger readers of Jill Jonnes' history of the Eiffel Tower. It's more than just the story of the Eiffel Tower; it places it in the context of the time and purpose for which it was built, the 1889 World's Fair in Paris. It's a great approach, but sometimes it felt like the book talked more about other things than it did about the Tower. The Eiffel Tower faced a lot of hurdles and opposition, yet the narrative kind of glosses over a lot and things happen very quickly. There were a few typos and the formatting was kind of odd at times - the main narrative would sometimes be interrupted by a page spread about another topic often not directly related to the Eiffel Tower or even the Fair, and instead of putting it at the end of a chapter, it would just appear when you turned a page, even if the previous page ended in the middle of a sentence, which I really don't like. It takes the reader out of the story in the most jarring way. I enjoyed all the pictures, although the blue tone of a lot of them blurred the images. 3 stars
A dual timeline historical fiction novel that takes place mostly in Paris. In the 1950s, Alice's husband is the British ambassador to France. Married life isn't quite what she imagined it would be, and when she meets Antoine, her heart is pulled in another direction. In the present day, Lucille's grandmother asks her to venture to France to retrieve a Dior gown from her youth, but the trip turns into something much more than Lucille bargained for. I really enjoyed this book! Paris is always a wonderful setting, and I was so drawn into Alice's story. I loved seeing the way she blossomed with Antoine and how taken he was with her. Her closetful of Dior dresses sounded so glamorous, and I found myself Googling images of the dresses. I wasn't as crazy about Lucille; she sounded a little innocent and clueless at times, but I liked her journey to find her grandmother's dress. That there was such history and such memories behind the items of clothing was really interesting. Of course, family secrets abound, but the story unfolds nicely, if not a little predictably. 4 stars
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I tend to be ok with a story being predictable if I enjoy the journey. The dresses sound like a fantastic extra in the story
ReplyDeleteThe focus on fashion was a unique take in a historical fiction novel!
DeleteBoth of these sound interesting. I enjoy books like Eiffel's Tower, which use the history of a particular object or subject as a lens for exploring a wider history. I'm listening to one now: Threads of Life: A History of the World Through the Eye of a Needle, by Clare Hunter.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds really interesting!
DeleteI do like dual timelines, and that second one sounds fun. Paris is such an amazing setting anyway...
ReplyDeleteSo true!
DeleteI love that the historical fiction has such a focus on fashion. I haven't read many books like that but have always enjoyed a unique angle.
ReplyDeleteYes, it definitely adds something new to a time period that may be a little oversaturated in books.
DeleteThe Last Dress From Paris does sound fun, I like the idea of dual timelines and the focus on the dresses.
ReplyDeleteI love a dual timeline story!
DeleteI feel like I just visited Paris virtually! I do enjoy books that give a sneak into the history of Paris. You might enjoy Mrs. Goes to Paris if you haven't seen the movie yet. The Last Dress From Paris gives me similar vibes. :)
ReplyDeleteOoh, I'll have to look into that, thank you!
DeleteI'm aorry the book about the Eiffel tower wasn't as good as it could have been -- it's such a fantastic bit of history!
ReplyDeleteI know! I wonder if the original nonfiction for adults would have been better, but this is the one that was available at my library.
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