Monday, August 27, 2012

Review: The Siren of Paris

The Siren of Paris
By David LeRoy
335 pages
Book provided by Book Promotion Services

The Siren of Paris

The Siren of Paris is a novel about a young man caught up in the violence and betrayal of World War II. In the late 1930s, Marc travels to Paris to study art. He falls in love with one of the models in his class and is beginning to feel at home in his new city. But the war is encroaching on Paris, and it is not long before Marc is losing friends, doubting the woman he loves, and deciding where he stands in the war between good and evil.

This self-published novel really exhibits the amount of time and effort that its author took with his research. Mr. LeRoy takes his readers through the streets of Paris and shows the way the Parisian people were ignorant of the true toll of the war before it rolled down their own streets. He also uses many events of the time period, some that are well-known and some that are less known. I think even readers who are fond of World War II novels will learn about the underground resistance in Paris and the wartime tragedy of the RMS Lancastria.

The Siren of Paris jumps around a lot. It starts at the end and then goes back through the story. The transitions often struck me as awkward. I felt as though the previous section hadn't really ended and I was suddenly reading about another day or another character.

The beginning device in the novel is indicative of how many characters are thrown into this novel. Marc is making friends and acquaintances from the moment he gets to Paris, and it can be confusing. The sheer volume of characters makes it difficult to really connect with them. Unfortunately, it also contributes to distance from our protagonist. While I was interested in him, I never really found myself fearing for him or anxious to find out what would happen next. 

I think Mr. LeRoy has some serious potential as a writer of historical fiction. His passion for history comes through on every page of meticulous research. While The Siren of Paris struggles with transition and character development, it is a book that sheds new light on lesser known historical events and the blurring of lines between good and evil during times of war. 


To the ladies and gentlemen of the FTC: I received this book from the author and Book Promotions Services in exchange for a review. The opinions expressed here are my own. 

9 comments:

  1. Excellent review, Lindsey -- beautifully written and balanced. :-) And I think you expressed clearly why this novel clicks with some readers much more than others.

    Although I think I enjoyed this a bit more than you did, we more or less picked up on the same things. I remember mentioning in my review of this novel that I really liked it even though it's a less character-driven type of story that I generally seek out. The wealth of historical detail, and the way it captured the zeitgeist of the time, was the main thing I loved about it.

    I love your style of writing and reviewing -- adding myself as a follower. :-)

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    1. Thank you, Stephanie. I felt like there were just too many characters and not enough time given to Marc's personality and making us really care for him.
      I'm off to check out your review!

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    2. I know exactly what you mean, Lindsey. Again, great review!

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  2. I too agree, excellent and balanced review. I too will be reviewing this book September 6 over @ http://impressionsinink.blogspot.com
    I'm a new follower to your blog!

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    1. Thanks Annette! I will definitely check out your review and see if we agree. :)

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  3. Thank you Lindsey for a great balanced review. The feedback is helping me as I work on this next story, which has a far smaller cast of characters, and is not as epic as The Siren became. Thank you again.

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    1. Thank you so much for sending me your book. I wish you the best of luck in writing your next one!

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  4. I might have to keep my eye open for this book. I love history, I love historical fiction and I especially love an author who gets the details right :)

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    1. Me too! My husband likes to tease me about the number of WWII era books I read, but it's just so interesting!

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