Last Twilight in Paris (by Pam Jenoff)
Historical fiction novels possess the remarkable ability to transport readers to distant eras, allowing them to witness pivotal events and the individuals who lived through those times. Pam Jenoff is an incredibly talented writer and has continued to impress me with her latest novel, Last Twilight in Paris. In this beautifully crafted story, she transports us to World War II and narrates the intertwined stories of two women who experience the war from different perspectives.
We meet Louise, a housewife living in London, a few years after the war ends in 1953. She’s working at a secondhand shop when she finds a box from a famous Paris department store, Levitan, with a necklace inside. During the war, Louise worked with the Red Cross in Nazi-occupied Europe. She is certain she’s seen the necklace before, and she thinks it was connected to the death of her friend Franny.
Before the war, Helaine meets and marries a famous cellist named Gabriel. Helaine is Jewish, and Gabriel does everything he can to protect her and fight against the Germans. Sadly, the two are separated when Gabriel is sent to another country to play the cello. Helaine is later arrested and held inside Levitan, the department store, where the Germans unload and sell the home furnishings and accessories to the Germans.
Last Twilight in Paris is another remarkable novel by Pam Jenoff. It was engrossing and fast-paced. Stories about WWII are always incredibly sad and astonishing — I never get used to learning the atrocities committed by humanity. Pam crafted characters full of strength and determination to confront the challenges of war while also unraveling mysteries that ultimately reinforce the power of hope and love.
I borrowed the audiobook of Last Twilight in Paris from my local library with the Libby app. The narrations by Therese Plummer and Saskia Maarleveld were exceptional.
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