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byp's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. This deals with more serious themes than I realized, but it's still a fun, quick read with lovely Paris scenery.
mskrzydlinski's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Simple, easy read. Read it in one afternoon. Nice story line, easy to follow.
Simple, easy read. Read it in one afternoon. Nice story line, easy to follow.
squirrelsohno's review against another edition
3.0
I was lucky to receive an ARC of FRENCH LESSONS from a Goodreads contest, and being the sucker that I am for chick lit and France, I was eager to read it. I finally found myself picking it up and jumping in, and the first thing I noticed was the writing style – third person, present tense, and a distinct leaning towards the poetic and literary. The immediate problem – this style of writing immediately seems more forced than effortless. In my experience, this literary lilt is much harder to pull off than your normal, everyday prose, and I feel that Sussman didn’t pull it off like I hoped she would.
The story follows three French tutors and their American clients over the course of a day in Paris, further linked by the filming of a movie on the Pont des Arts in Paris. The story is told mostly in the form of three linked vignettes connected with two short before and after scenes amongst the tutors Nico, Chantal, and Philippe. Their clients are Americans Josie, Riley, and Jeremy, in Paris for various reasons, but all suffering from relationship issues, person problems, identity crises, etc. Having visited Paris in January (for 12 hours on a day trip from London) and having taken two years of French in high school, I wanted to love this book. Instead, I only kinda sorta liked it.
Why, you ask? I felt no connection with the characters. Any of them. They all seemed like two dimensional characters that I couldn’t see as real. I didn’t feel them or believe in them. And, being so short, the story didn’t really give us any closure for many of the characters, and happy endings were in short supply.
Sussman has a tendency to use French language to convey things to other characters, except one teensy weensy problem… The characters understand, but the reader who hasn’t had a French class since 2002? Ehm… I had Google translate open on my computer ready and waiting and I was still confused.
But something about this book kept me intrigued and I finished it relatively quickly considering I was reading other stuff at the same time. It was interesting, the imagery of Paris stunning and alluring, but I couldn’t connect with the characters and their stories. I was more invested in discovering more about the City of Lights than the people inhabiting it. I think Sussman might have missed the boat a little on this, but she still delivers an interesting, light summer read that mixes literary fiction with a beachy flair that makes this ideal for the pool.
VERDICT: With characters that aren’t easy to connect to but a fascinating story to set the scene, FRENCH LESSONS doesn’t quite achieve what it sets out to, but for a beach read, it’s fairly good.
See my review at http://bookbrats.blogspot.com/2011/09/french-lessons-by-ellen-sussman-review.html
The story follows three French tutors and their American clients over the course of a day in Paris, further linked by the filming of a movie on the Pont des Arts in Paris. The story is told mostly in the form of three linked vignettes connected with two short before and after scenes amongst the tutors Nico, Chantal, and Philippe. Their clients are Americans Josie, Riley, and Jeremy, in Paris for various reasons, but all suffering from relationship issues, person problems, identity crises, etc. Having visited Paris in January (for 12 hours on a day trip from London) and having taken two years of French in high school, I wanted to love this book. Instead, I only kinda sorta liked it.
Why, you ask? I felt no connection with the characters. Any of them. They all seemed like two dimensional characters that I couldn’t see as real. I didn’t feel them or believe in them. And, being so short, the story didn’t really give us any closure for many of the characters, and happy endings were in short supply.
Sussman has a tendency to use French language to convey things to other characters, except one teensy weensy problem… The characters understand, but the reader who hasn’t had a French class since 2002? Ehm… I had Google translate open on my computer ready and waiting and I was still confused.
But something about this book kept me intrigued and I finished it relatively quickly considering I was reading other stuff at the same time. It was interesting, the imagery of Paris stunning and alluring, but I couldn’t connect with the characters and their stories. I was more invested in discovering more about the City of Lights than the people inhabiting it. I think Sussman might have missed the boat a little on this, but she still delivers an interesting, light summer read that mixes literary fiction with a beachy flair that makes this ideal for the pool.
VERDICT: With characters that aren’t easy to connect to but a fascinating story to set the scene, FRENCH LESSONS doesn’t quite achieve what it sets out to, but for a beach read, it’s fairly good.
See my review at http://bookbrats.blogspot.com/2011/09/french-lessons-by-ellen-sussman-review.html
brisbookreviews's review against another edition
3.0
I received an Advance Reader's Edition from the first reads giveaway. This was a good light but steamy read. Would like to see this become a movie.
dmitterhofer's review against another edition
3.0
This book wasn't what I expected. Perhaps the review's gave me the misconception.
While I was entertained with the first story, the rest pretty much lost my interest. I had a hard time finishing it.
While I was entertained with the first story, the rest pretty much lost my interest. I had a hard time finishing it.
adw7984's review against another edition
3.0
This book sure had quite a lot of adultery in it, fun! We started off with Nico and Josie, these two were my favorite story. Josie was grieving the loss of her married lover and Nico was helping her get through the process. I liked the way this section flowed, it moved quickly and the flashbacks were scattered through nicely.
Riley and Phillipe were the second section, and I thought Phillipe was so sketchy and gross. Why would Riley go back to his place! She was married with two children, yet we never really got to meet her husband. Her story was very quick and very underwhelming.
Jeremy and Chantal did not make any sort of move on their feelings, even though it seems they both wanted too. I thought his daughter was very perceptive, which might have come off as bratty, but overall it was a good thing.
I thought each section was a little underdeveloped. I didn't really get a sense of what was going to happen to these people after the day was done. I also didn't know who I should be rooting for. So I have mixed feelings on this book. It was a nice, enjoyable summer book but at the same time it was a bit frustrating!
*This book was provided for review on Confessions of a Bookaholic...All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Riley and Phillipe were the second section, and I thought Phillipe was so sketchy and gross. Why would Riley go back to his place! She was married with two children, yet we never really got to meet her husband. Her story was very quick and very underwhelming.
Jeremy and Chantal did not make any sort of move on their feelings, even though it seems they both wanted too. I thought his daughter was very perceptive, which might have come off as bratty, but overall it was a good thing.
I thought each section was a little underdeveloped. I didn't really get a sense of what was going to happen to these people after the day was done. I also didn't know who I should be rooting for. So I have mixed feelings on this book. It was a nice, enjoyable summer book but at the same time it was a bit frustrating!
*This book was provided for review on Confessions of a Bookaholic...All thoughts and opinions are my own.
stuffsamdoes_'s review against another edition
2.0
**I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I was given the Advanced Readers Edition.
Personally, I did not like this book at all. It was broken up into three different parts (stories) and as you started to get into one part of the story, it was swtich to another. They had some things translated into the French language which I was forced to look up. Between all three of the stories, the first one was my favorite. The rest of the book I ended up dragging myself through it.
Personally, I did not like this book at all. It was broken up into three different parts (stories) and as you started to get into one part of the story, it was swtich to another. They had some things translated into the French language which I was forced to look up. Between all three of the stories, the first one was my favorite. The rest of the book I ended up dragging myself through it.
socialworkstef's review against another edition
3.0
Basically a romance novel but enjoyable. A good beach read