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gin19's review against another edition
3.0
It was an interesting enough story but I could not get past the overwhelming desire to slap Grace and tell her to wake up to herself. This book frustrated the hell out of me to be honest!
kawanajane's review against another edition
5.0
It took me a little while to get into this book but about half way through I was hooked. The second half of this book really captured my heart and I started really loving the characters and rooting for their successes. Really good book!
daffy1's review against another edition
5.0
Oh wow loved this book my kind of story. Had to read the whole way through found hard to put down. I loved all the characters but liked the main one most. Grace the main character was so strong willed and knew what she wanted and dreamed for and went for it no matter what. I love how her life turned out made me so happy it was a lovely ending and yes I know it was based on actual people. I can't wait to read again.
juliavt1212's review
2.0
I am actually envious of those that enjoyed this book, to me it felt painfully slow and just would not end, even though this was actually an easy read. The writing was ok, the plot would have been great if it didn’t name drop every possible artist, politician or a celebrity. Despite it being inspired by true events, this was just very unrealistic. Lots of eye rolls from me throughout the book.
fictionalkate's review against another edition
4.0
The Paris Model is a beautifully written novel which combines the Australian countryside with the fast paced Parisian fashion world. There’s mystery and drama delivered alongside a love story and some famous historical figures of the fashion world. I loved the atmosphere of this novel. It’s so wonderfully Australian yet when the heroine relocates to France the European vibe is palpable.
This is a book set during the 1930’s but it tells a different story than most wartime era novels I’ve read before. I wasn’t surprised to find out that this is based on true story because I could picture Grace and her adventures perfectly in my mind. The outback to the runway – there is an authenticity about how the author told Grace’s story. There’s so much to appreciate in The Paris Model. From the fashion to the vivid descriptions of the worlds Grace inhabits, this is a book which feels cinematic at times. The plot is overall satisfying but at times I found the character of Grace hard to like and I disengaged slightly from her plight.
This is a book set during the 1930’s but it tells a different story than most wartime era novels I’ve read before. I wasn’t surprised to find out that this is based on true story because I could picture Grace and her adventures perfectly in my mind. The outback to the runway – there is an authenticity about how the author told Grace’s story. There’s so much to appreciate in The Paris Model. From the fashion to the vivid descriptions of the worlds Grace inhabits, this is a book which feels cinematic at times. The plot is overall satisfying but at times I found the character of Grace hard to like and I disengaged slightly from her plight.
ahyggelibrary's review
4.0
To quote my friend this book is a "hot mess," but I love it. There is so much I could say about this book. It's like Danielle Steele meets Mission Impossible. If you love French history and French fashion you should add this to your TBR. Grace is not the perfect character, and I think Joel shows that by how much Grace lies to the people in her life. Yes, she's trying to escape her life in Australia, but she gains nothing by lying so much. She is very ambitious which works in her favor, but she is also very naive about the world around her. Interestingly, learning more about real life people like Coco Chanel widens her knowledge of the events going on. I also loved the scene when she meets Julia Child. I wished she had been more sensitive towards her husband when he came back from the war as he may have had PTSD, but that's not to excuse his behaviour towards her. I really love Phillippe and could easily see him being played by Mathew Goode.
myreadingcorner's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read and loved another book earlier this year by Alexandra Joel, The Royal Correspondent and couldn’t resist the opportunity to review The Paris Model.
Inspired by real people and events, The Paris Model spans nearly two decades from the early 1930’s and takes the reader from an Australian sheep farm to post war Paris. This story of identity and ambition captivated me from beginning to end.
The main thrust of the story is Grace’s success as a much admired mannequin at the House of Christian Dior however the surrounding themes of family secrets, espionage and the consequences of wartime collaboration with the enemy led to a story full of drama and at times heart rending decisions. Grace was such an engaging character, albeit a stubborn one and some of her impulsive decisions frustrated me at times. Just wait and listen Grace!
With its detailed descriptions of stunning Dior designs and heritage this is undoubtedly a book for the fashion lovers with its behind the scenes look of an historic fashion house. I enjoyed the cameos of the rich and famous that appeared throughout; for example Grace’s friendship with Jacqueline Bouvier (later to become Jackie Kennedy) and the gossipy mentions of Coco Chanel. Grace’s supporting friendships were expertly crafted as was the romance element with its intrigue and heartbreak.
The short chapters made this a ‘…just one more chapter’ read and it was very hard to put down. It is very much a story with light and shade and far from being a frivolous read it has sufficient depth especially in character formation. The political turmoil facing France together with other disturbing events affecting Grace contrasted with the glamour and glitz of the Dior world and its inhabitants. I very much enjoyed this blend of fact and fiction and was especially interested by the author’s note at the end explaining the background to the book and which parts were fiction and fact. One to recommend.
jeep8read's review
4.0
This fascinating read about actual people is structured in two time periods, the early 1900s and the mid-1900s, juxtaposed to tell the story of a young girl who leaves her home in rural Australia for Paris, France, to become a sought after Dior model. It's a good strong tale with grit, courage, love and laughter and I enjoyed it very much.
I gave it four stars because there was so much time jumping in the early part of the book that it interfered with the flow of the story and I think someone made a poor decision in that regard.
I gave it four stars because there was so much time jumping in the early part of the book that it interfered with the flow of the story and I think someone made a poor decision in that regard.
kfish1829's review against another edition
3.0
This book was fun! It was a little dramatic and silly but I enjoyed it. The best part was upon reading the author’s note, I realized that the characters were based on real people and certain parts of the story were true!
The Paris Model is about an Australian woman named Grace who escapes her abusive husband and family drama to become a mannequin (model) for the House of Dior in Paris. There she falls in love with a spy, and heartbreak, chaos, and espionage ensue.
The descriptions in this book are really beautiful. The author writes about Dior’s beautiful creations and the city of Paris so well that it’s like word candy or something. Grace is also a lovely character who you continue to root for because she’s cute and clever, even when she’s being obstinate. I will say the plot was kind of a lot and there were so many different cliches going on that it made the book seem a tad foolish. On another good note though, the author inserts a lot of real people seamlessly into the story, Like Jackie Kennedy and Julia Child, and the author’s note really lent credibility to their inclusion.
I read this book off and on for the past couple of months so it’s not something that you’ll devour in a night because it’s so good, but it was sweet and easy. 3/5 stars.
The Paris Model is about an Australian woman named Grace who escapes her abusive husband and family drama to become a mannequin (model) for the House of Dior in Paris. There she falls in love with a spy, and heartbreak, chaos, and espionage ensue.
The descriptions in this book are really beautiful. The author writes about Dior’s beautiful creations and the city of Paris so well that it’s like word candy or something. Grace is also a lovely character who you continue to root for because she’s cute and clever, even when she’s being obstinate. I will say the plot was kind of a lot and there were so many different cliches going on that it made the book seem a tad foolish. On another good note though, the author inserts a lot of real people seamlessly into the story, Like Jackie Kennedy and Julia Child, and the author’s note really lent credibility to their inclusion.
I read this book off and on for the past couple of months so it’s not something that you’ll devour in a night because it’s so good, but it was sweet and easy. 3/5 stars.
melodie157's review
3.0
3.5 stars; audiobook.
If this book wasn't inspired by true events, I would have found it unbelievable! Some of the twists and coincidences were baffling. This historical fiction ended up feeling way less historical, and very much fictitious.
I did enjoy the story as a whole, but it certainly wasn't my favorite. I lacked any true connection to the characters; they all seemed a little flat in my opinion (though that can be due to audiobook narration). There were so many different things going on in this book, from Australian horse farmers, to WWII, to modeling for Dior, to identity crises, to abusive husbands, to a bunch of random famous people who like to party, to secret undercover missions, to nuns.... It's quite chaotic to think about! I wish there had been more focus on character development of the main characters and less on the wild plot. All in all, this book is almost nothing like the cover/title suggests.
If this book wasn't inspired by true events, I would have found it unbelievable! Some of the twists and coincidences were baffling. This historical fiction ended up feeling way less historical, and very much fictitious.
I did enjoy the story as a whole, but it certainly wasn't my favorite. I lacked any true connection to the characters; they all seemed a little flat in my opinion (though that can be due to audiobook narration). There were so many different things going on in this book, from Australian horse farmers, to WWII, to modeling for Dior, to identity crises, to abusive husbands, to a bunch of random famous people who like to party, to secret undercover missions, to nuns.... It's quite chaotic to think about! I wish there had been more focus on character development of the main characters and less on the wild plot. All in all, this book is almost nothing like the cover/title suggests.