The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel

Location: New York/France Type: Physical Book

Timeline: Linear Genre: Historical Fiction

Narration: Multiple viewpoints

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Review

Stars: 5

Wow! What a compelling book! I haven't had a book sit on my heart so heavy since reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Lots of history but also some twists I didn't see coming. Kristin Harmel has a talent and clear passion for writing WWII novels. This one definitely goes down as my favorite of hers (so far).

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Sex:

It is mentioned but quite discretely. It was not a noticeable subject/theme.

Language:

• GD: 1

• Bastard: 2

Triggers:

• Infant death

• Child death

• Family separation

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Questions:

Elise took up sculpture as a way to work through her grief.

Have you ever tried a new hobby to help work through grief or other strong feelings?

What was the hobby and was it successful?

Elise's husband was excited about the baby. When Elise was pregnant, her husband said "the best parts of you and me. Someone to carry our legacy."

What legacy (from both parents) is being left in your child(ren)?

What legacy did your parent's leave in you?

From the beginning we learn that the relationships each woman has with her respective husband is very different from the other.

Compare and contrast the two couples relationships.

Which is most like your relationship with your significant other or spouse?

In chapter 7, Elise gives birth to her daughter, Mathilde. She asks herself "what sort of world was she welcoming her daughter into." Of course the book is referring to the uncertainty of the war ahead. But even today there are challenges and threats we face as we bring children into this world.

What are some things you fear in the world for your children?

How do you protect your children from these challenges or threats?

For many people that lived through WWII the star was a symbol that alienated, lead to destruction, lead to death. But for Mathilde and Elise, the room of painted stars was a refuge.

Is there something in your life that may be negative or hurtful to others but brings you comfort?

Oliver betrays Elise to the Germans instead of his co-conspirators.

Do you think he was right in doing this?

Did your opinion of the situation change when you found out that Oliver had documents for his family to be able to escape?

Why or why not?

When it was time for Elise to tell Mathilde goodbye, Paul kept trying to rush the event.

Do you think he was insensitive to what was happening or do you understand his place of fear and protection for his family?

In Part 3. Juliette finds out the Elise is alive and that she wishes to know what happened to her daughter. Juliette is less than happy to hear that Elise is alive and she seems to hold some hostility towards Elise.

Do you understand where Juliette is coming from or is she wrong in her negative feelings toward Elise?

Once the story is in 1960, we learn that Lucie has had a hard time breaking away from her mother even though she is 20.

At what point in your life (or what event in your life) do you associate with gaining full independence from your parents?

Do we even truly stop seeking maternal approval or a mother's permission?

Quote from chapter 24: "And if Claude and Alphonse had lived, would Lucie have died?Is that the outcome her mother would have preferred? Lucie had the sense that her mother's answer to that question would have been yes."

How do you think this effected Lucie growing up?

What differences in her do you recognize from her childhood to her adulthood that could be attributed to this truth?

When Juliette ripped up the painting that Lucie made, what were your first thoughts?

Why do you think she did it and why did she think she was right for doing it?

Was it a sign when Paul didn't answer Juliette?

When you found out that Lucie was really Mathilde, did Juliette's anger towards the girl start making sense?

Or was Juliette just being cold?

How do you think Elise felt the moment she saw Mathilde before the plane crash?

Do you think what Juliette did was forgivable?

There was an all-encompassing theme of handling intense grief: Juliette lived in the past; Elise lived in the present; Ruth lived in the future. Each woman handled the events differently.

Compare and contrast how each woman handled grief.

Is there a right or a wrong way to grieve?

If you could change something in the book what would it be?