A Paris story navigating through family, floods, secrets, illness, and figuring out if the past can be resolved.

I enjoyed reading “Sarah’s Key” so I was excited for this one. Unfortunately, this was not my favorite by Mrs. De Rosnay. I just felt like the story was a bit scattered and so slow. It felt like she built up to these monumental moments and revelations but it turned out to be nothing.

After reading a couple of her books, I don’t think this is the author for me. I don’t enjoy her writing style, especially where dialogue is concerned. This story was good, very slice of life, which isn’t my favorite. But I liked the main character. It was fine and a quick read, but I don’t think I’ll read any more by this author.

This book felt like such a chore to get through and I hate that because after reading Sarah's Key, I was so excited to read it. Alas, I could not connect with these characters and the slow moving plot never seemed to grab me.

I went back through and cleared out all my ancient ARCs. I am not sure why I kept passing over this one as the cover is beautiful and the description is something I would love.

I had a hard time getting past the first chapter. The book did pick up and I am glad that I finished it. I love that this book is set in Paris. That is for sure on my bucket list of travel. This book is filled with family struggles that are relatable to readers. I was expecting this read to feel more emotional and that didn't ever happen. I found the characters pretty immature and unwilling to show much growth. Overall, this was an average read and not like the typical love I have for Tatiana de Rosnay novels.

Thank You, NetGalley for a chance at an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A family re-union/celebration in Paris is interrupted by a force of nature. The torrential rain is not letting up and the Seine River is rising.

The Malegarde family find themselves trapped in a flooded city and the celebration they were looking forward to takes a tragic turn and they now face a devastating loss. The background of the gloomy, ominous weather adds to the atmospheric setting.

As the family deals with loss, past secrets and regret surface. They are revealed slowly and the family dynamics shift from sadness to forgiveness.

A slow burn of an emotional journey, clashing family dynamics and loss sums this one up. Recommend to fans who enjoy character driven novels with extensive descriptive writing.

Thanks to SMP for my copy to read and review. Approx. pub on 10/30/18

I found the aspect of the Seine flooding areas of France compelling. However, I am disappointed it managed to monopolize the entire narrative. I wasn’t emotionally drawn to any of the characters, they were flat and dispassionate despite what was revealed past and present. The family made some headway mending issues as well as dealing with a few new revelations as best they could, another area falling short for me. Overall, this book led me with mixed feelings. I expected more of this family, instead, it focused far too much on the situation with the flooding. The gravity of Paul and Lauren’s health issues, especially Paul’s medical event, should have taken precedence and flooding a backseat, in my opinion. The Suzanne storyline, although I understand it could have been completely omitted - it was unnecessary. Interesting story of a family lacking communication, assuming and inexpressive interactions, strangers within a family unit.

I asked for an ARC and received an online version that i never got to read during the really crazy year or two of COVID.

I cannot rate this interesting sounding book as it’s no longer available here on NetGalley. My deepest apologies!!

I’ll rate it 4* since it’s required in order to send this review in but clearly not for accuracy

I enjoyed reading this book I just never got around to writing a review. I will continue to read works by this author

This author has been one of my favorites since "Sarah's Key" but this eagerly awaited book was a dismal disappointment. While sometimes leaving the conclusion to the reader's imagination is an clever conceit, in this instance it was an utter failure. The characters were neither interesting nor sympathetic and the story was dull and repetitive.

Linden heads to Paris from his home in San Francisco to meet for a family gathering. It is his father's birthday and his parents' wedding anniversary. The timing is bad since a deluge of rain over several days has raised the Seine to flood levels. The city is essentially shut down and their plans are interrupted. Over the years, each family member has gone their separate ways and this is a time to reconnect, but they have difficulty communicating and revealing their true selves. Paul, Linden's father, suddenly collapses and lies in the hospital The family waits nearby and try to carry on in spite of these two set backs.

This is a book about family and secrets and trying to make their way back to each other. The writing is excellent, but the descriptions of the rain and flooding tend to take over the narrative and it feels too repetitive. Maybe the author's intent was to drown the reader as well as the characters. Nothing really happens in the first half of the novel -- just rain, rain, rain and living inside Linden's head. The book dragged on and bored me immensely. de Rosnay's Sarah's Key was so outstanding that I expected more from this book. It just didn't live up to her previous work.

Maybe I’ve just read too many historical fictions set in France. Maybe I just set my expectations too high after Sarah’s Key. But this book just fell flat for me. In a very boring way. It felt excruciatingly long. And although the writing was beautiful, as expected by de Rosnay, it wasn’t enough for me. I even had to start skimming just to get through.

This book really felt as if I was transported to Paris, which is an incredible feat as an author. While the setting was well written I don't think the characters were as well developed. I found it a bit challenging to connect with them. Overall it was just okay.

This is the story of a family reunion and the tense relationships that exist in this family. They all go to Paris for the reunion. Everyone has their own struggles and challenges. Will the family and each person hold together, or will everything fall apart?

This was in the same league as Sarah's Key for me. While it was okay while I was reading it, I wouldn't actively seek it out. It was overall just a "meh" book for me.

3 soggy stars

It rained in Paris. The rain came down and the flood rose up. Slowly at first, like the book. A family reunion at the wrong time. Each member of the disfunctional, non-communicative Malegarde family has issues. Besides the flood and this odd family, let’s throw a major health crisis into the mix. Don’t forget to add in a horrible car accident memory from the sister. Her alcohol husband contributes to the mess.

There was stuff happening, but I felt very distanced from this book. I felt like I was watching it from a rain spattered window instead of walking on the drenched streets of Paris. When Paul, the dad, starts narrating it takes a moment to figure out the timeline just shifted back a generation. I have no problem with dual timelines, but it would be helpful to say who was speaking. Maybe that was the point – to feel disjointed. Words from the book: unnerving, powerless, anxiety, roiling, dusky. “Paris has lost its luster, its sharpness, its delineations dwindling into a slippery uncertainty fascinating to behold and to photograph.”

It bugged me that chapters started with quotes in French – and no translation. De Rosnay’s writing was very good, but I just wasn’t in the mood for slow stormy drama.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tatiana de Rosnay has a talent for writing novels that stick with you, and The Rain Watcher is no exception. She's given us a well-crafted plot with vivid descriptions and dimensional characters. I really love her knack of setting moods, and I always appreciate her delicate touch with dialogue. Highly recommend.

Any book with the transformative powers to send you back in time, to another country and provide the atmosphere which cocoons you in the past is bound to be excellent.
Tatiana de Rosnay did not disappoint!

It does take a minute to understand the family dynamics and fully immerse yourself into their familial bonds, but once you have the structure, the story reels you.

Did anyone else reach for stories set in places we could not travel to during this unprecedented time in our world? I did and for Paris, it’s always Tatiana de Rosnay. While the characters in this book navigate relationships against the tragic results from a devastating flood, it is very relatable. How do we hold on to the ties we have through big things? This author never disappoints. I recommend The Rain Watcher.

The Rain Watcher is one of the most enchanting novels I have read this year. This is a family story wrapped in secondary story about the floods of Paris, this book will capture your attention from the beginning. Happy Reading!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.