The Paris Hours (sort of) follows the 24 Hours in the Life of trope, though we spend the majority of our time in the characters’ pasts, which dilutes the sense of urgency and import of the 24 hour period in 1927 on which the author would like us to focus.

Souren, Guillaume, Jean-Paul, and Cami have all got problems. Big ones. And they’re (maybe sorta kinda) related to one another’s problems. The delivery and import of their individual narratives are of mixed success.

Cami is easily the strongest and most distinct narrator, and she also got the best character arc of the four. Souren’s take is also a unique and compelling one. More problematic are Guillaume and Jean-Paul, whose stories are far too similar and whose voices are near identical.

Both Guillaume and Jean-Paul have plotlines that deal with a missing daughter. Though the specifics of this and their own back stories differ, it became hard to keep track of which was which when the narrative wasn’t using proper names. The fact that their voices are not particularly distinguishable from one another didn’t help.

At one point Jean-Paul mistakes one little girl for another of greater significance to him. I found myself thinking, me too bro, me too! Or actually it may have been Guillaume who did this. Which I suppose further proves my point.

The theme of guilt about past actions looms heavily at the forefront of the novel. The author does handle that theme well, though it’s no particular favorite of mine and overused in fiction.

If you like cameos, you’ll be in hog heaven with this book. Everyone who was anyone in Paris during this era turns up. Some are interwoven into the story with success, such as Josephine Baker and Gertrude Stein. Others not so much (Hemingway being the most notable fail).

It’s through the cameo though that we get our best story arc: The one that focuses on Cami and Marcel Proust. I actually would have happily read an entire book that was just this storyline. It’s easily the most unique and compelling of the four, solidly plotted and written from start to conclusion.

In all The Paris Hours is mostly an entertaining read, suffering a little from the characters overwrought sense of guilt and a lot from muddled, indistinct narration. Still, it’s characters are mostly endearing and the story is propulsive enough to recover adequately from its muddy lack of clarity.

The author came up with an original idea for a story which I always appreciate as a reader. It might not have hit me on quite the emotional level I was hoping for, but it was still an enjoyable reading experience. Paris in the 1920s was a wise choice for a setting as it's not a time period that is captured as often in historical fiction as say, the 1940s during World War 2.

The story takes place over the course of a day and alternates between four characters. By the time my copy of the book I arrived at my houese, I had actually forgotten the synopsis and I just decided to dive right in without refreshing my memory. I am glad I did because part of the enjoyment I got from reading this book was learning about each character bit by bit and watching things slowly unfold rather than getting a heads up about their backstories. If you don't mind taking a leap of faith on a book, I recommend going into this one blind rather than reading the publisher's synopsis.

This book can be classified as historical fiction although you could place it in the literary fiction genre as well. There are a few famous people from the 1920s era that pop up in the story but for the most part this is a work of the author's imagination rather than relying heavily on historical facts or events. I've been having a kick lately out of reading this type of historical fiction as it's fun to see where a writer's creativity will go.

This is a well-written story and I liked seeing how everything came together in the end. Unfortunately I didn't feel much for the characters minus a few moments here and there. I felt invested in them to want to find out what was in store for them, but not much more than that. There was potential here for this to be one of those good emotional type reads but in that area it fell flat, at least in my eyes. But just because I didn't necessarily feel anything while reading that doesn't mean this book wasn't worthy of my time. Might not have been the ultimate reading experience but it was still pretty darn good.

Told in alternating chapters, four everyday Parisians magically mingle with some of the most feted creatives of the Jazz Age over 24 hours.

Camille, the devoted maid to Marcel Proust, is the character I most identified with, but the other three characters' storylines are just as strong.

With quick pacing and a dream-like ambiance, it was easy to get lost in the story.

While there’s no shortage of historical novels set in Paris, no other recent novel both embraces and transcends its Parisian setting like Alex George’s new book, The Paris Hours. Set over the course of a single day, with plenty of detours into the fascinating backstories of its four main characters, The Paris Hours brims with beauty, music, tragedy, uncertainty, and hope. While the chapters fit into an arc with a clear beginning, middle, and end, they also function like self-contained short stories, providing glimpses into each character’s life that resonate deeply.

A very involved story of four individuals from 1927 Paris each with a back story of grief and loss. Mix in a rich cast of historical characters, some of them American expatriates known as the "Lost Generation" - such as Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, and Sylvia Beach. Recommended!

I usually love these types of books but this one seemed disjointed. It was hard to follow at times. I'm sure there are those that will enjoy this book but I found it to only be okay.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

When you make a dough and you put just not enough water - the dough becomes dry and not sticky.
This is how this book felt for me.
The story was there, but the juices flown away somehow making this book simply just not for me.

This was a good story but felt disjointed at times. The concept was there, it just didn't flow. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Told over the course of a single day in 1927, The Paris Hours takes four ordinary people whose stories, told together, are as extraordinary as the glorious city they inhabit.

And it was absolutely wonderful! I enjoyed every moment with it. I really feel this is where Alex George shines – when he writes historical fiction. I adored A Good American! I really liked Setting Free the Kites as well, but this return to historical fiction was where I fell in love with his writing and the story all over again.

In The Paris Hours, we have four very different, unknown to each other, but they are joined together in small ways because they are all searching for something – something they’ve lost, something they wish to hide, something they wish to find again, all while living in Paris......see the full review on the Literary Hoarders site, with link below.

One day in the City of Lights. One night in search of lost time.

Paris between the wars teems with artists, writers, and musicians, a glittering crucible of genius. But amidst the dazzling creativity of the city’s most famous citizens, four regular people are each searching for something they’ve lost.

Camille was the maid of Marcel Proust, and she has a secret: when she was asked to burn her employer’s notebooks, she saved one for herself. Now she is desperate to find it before her betrayal is revealed. Souren, an Armenian refugee, performs puppet shows for children that are nothing like the fairy tales they expect. Lovesick artist Guillaume is down on his luck and running from a debt he cannot repay—but when Gertrude Stein walks into his studio, he wonders if this is the day everything could change. And Jean-Paul is a journalist who tells other people’s stories, because his own is too painful to tell. When the quartet’s paths finally cross in an unforgettable climax, each discovers if they will find what they are looking for.

Told over the course of a single day in 1927, The Paris Hours takes four ordinary people whose stories, told together, are as extraordinary as the glorious city they inhabit.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49532216-the-paris-hours?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=9g1bgYRoVi&rank=1

The Paris Hours take place over a single day in Paris in 1927. It follows a unique cast of characters as they deal with their inner demons and tragic backstories.

The Paris Hours left me feeling a little disappointed. The novel was a little difficult to get into due to the continual character and time jumps and by the time I really got interested in the story, it ended. The constant name dropping of American expats served as more of a distraction than an elevation to the story. If Hemingway, Stein, and Proust had been left out I could definitely see this book being considered a literary work instead of just a quick, fun read at the beach.
If the book had gone on for another 20-50 pages or included just a simple cast of characters with no cameos I think I would have enjoyed it so much more. While reading, I just felt like this novel was on the brink of becoming great but never found the gas it needed to get over the hump.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Finished this insightful, creative novel in two days (only because I had to sleep). Beautifully written encapsulating the era and personalities of the early 1900s in Paris -- or I at least thought they were quite believable. .

The Paris Hours is an excellent read! Not only does this book have a charming plot, but the author has a charming writing style. It’s a historical fiction story set in 1920’s Paris over the course of 24 hours. In just one day, you see into the lives of an Armenian refugee, a housemaid, a painter and a writer and how their lives intertwine. I loved all the elements of Hemingway and Gertrude Stein, jazz, mystery and surprise.

Did not finish this book. Could not engage with the characters, story or writing and I read a lot of history fiction.

“Paris between the world wars is the setting for this novel, which unfolds over the course of one day in 1927. The cast of characters is colorful and engaging. Secrets, regret, loss, and betrayal loom in the shadows as each character continues throughout their day. Chapters are narrated by each of the four different characters. An interesting and entertaining story. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A book that takes place in one day is always a plot device that gets my attention- it's a cool way to center the story especially when you're bringing in several characters who presumably have nothing to do with one another but that they're in Paris in 1927 and going about their lives until an event brings them all together. There's a languid storytelling that enriches it's "literary" merit because it's powerful if lazily luxurious, like the hours spent in a hot bath.

I wasn't completely pulled in by the characters, but more by the writing and the addition of the celebrities of the time all in Paris and around Europe was eccentric but not necessary especially when George explains that they're not exactly based on true research and facts. Some of the basics are there, but not everything and that's why I guess it always felt pushed in for no other reason than to heighten the Gatsby-esque vibes. Otherwise it brought you back to a different time and place, if just for a day.

Beautifully written book, all taking place in
Paris in 1927. Four people seemingly not connected but their lives somehow intersect in interesting ways. Along with some well known characters thrown in for added interest.

I don't often read books that are set in the 1920s and this one sounded interesting so I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did because I very much enjoyed this one.

It did start a bit slow but I still kept reading because it kept my interest.

I do recommend.

One day in Paris, right after World War I is experienced by four different Parisians. While I was not able to emotionally connect with any of them, it was fun watching them through the “window” of a book. Making brief appearances are Ernest Hemingway, Josephine Baker and Sylvia Beach from the bookstore Shakespeare and Company. Geez, I just wished it would have ended on a happier note. You are left in suspense at the end with a knock on the door of a hotel. It is beautifully written and while I often lose interest in books where I can identify with no one, I didn’t lose interest in this one

So I liked this book but didn't really love it. So many characters and the way the individual stories jumped around was just confusing and hard for me to follow. The ending redeemed it a little as I see now how the stories intersected. I think many will enjoy this book but I will hesitate to recommend it just because of the confusing flow.