What drew me first to Robert Dinsdale’s ‘Paris by Starlight’ was the cover and the title. I’ve been in Paris twice, and I still have so much to discover, and the plans to visit this magical city again this year has sadly been cancelled due to the pandemic. So reading Paris by Starlight was the next best things. Books are a great escape, a way to travel to different worlds even when you can travel physically. They are even more important this year with everything that’s happening.

‘Paris by Starlight’ is a story of many people, their lives entangled and affected by the old world reappearing again in Paris. But it follows predominantly Isabelle, a young woman on a quest to find her father, and Levon, a refugee from the old world, a magical place that ceased to exist, doing everything in his power to keep his family safe. But they find more they have expected.

‘Paris by Starlight’ has been enchanting, magical read, and what I enjoyed the most about the book, was the atmosphere of it. It drew into the story, into the place, and allowed you to get lost in this magical world, a world not without its problems and struggles, but enchanting, nevertheless. The middle section of the book somehow slows down, and it feels like the action doesn’t move forward. Isabelle has already found her father, and Levon’s family is safe for the moment, but inevitably all that follows, all that happens after this moment of peace, is even more heartbreaking as a result. The magic of the People isn’t enough to keep them safe and to even keep them together. I think that the reason while the latter part of the book was so moving and so hearbreaking is not only because the readers have already grown attached to the characters, but rather because despite the magical setting, ‘Paris by Starlight’ deals with inevitably relevant and hard situations. Underneath the magic, there is a story of a refugee family and a girl from a broken family. And it’s not a magical danger they encounter, but rather people fearing the outsiders, people threatened by new settlers and new ideas coming to their country.

It was a pleasure to read ‘Paris by Starlight’, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an atmospheric read.

This is a magical and enchanting read about family, acceptance and home. The first half of the story covers the struggle of families and other refugees to reach Paris, and there encourage the magic of the Old World to reinvigorate them and the city of Paris by Night. Descriptions of flowers that bloom by Starlight, vines that scramble up buildings and gardens that grow on rooftops were wonderful to imagine.
The second half of the story is much darker, as fear of the unknown shows the worst of humanity.
There is hope however, through the story of Isabelle and Levin and that encourages the Starlight again.

A magical book with strong themes throughout. To be kind to strangers, finding both home and kindred spirits and that little bit of extra sparkle.
Not all in Paris are swayed by this magic but a young woman and a refugee find each other and are drawn to one another from their history of loss.
This book is enjoyable and I love anything to do with Paris and a snowy one even more so.
There are definitely similarities with The Toymakers but nevertheless a perfect read for that little bit of something special.

Paris by Starlight is a beautiful book about magic and fairytales.In this book we get both 'Paris by Day' and 'Paris by Starlight', and we get a glimpse into the reality of our own world but with a twist of fantasy. There are so many important themes covered in this book, especially themes dealing with our daily life.

Paris is the setting for many stories, both old and new. Isabelle and Levon, our protagonists, come to Paris on separate journeys in the hope of creating a new life for themselves. Isabelle is searching for her long-lost father, trying to gain closure on why he left her seventeen years ago. Levon is searching for a place his family and fellow refugees can call home, somewhere they feel accepted and can thrive. Levon begins to teach Isabelle the ways of The People, specifically how the stories of The Nocturne; The People's sacred book, provide guidance within their culture. In doing, so the pair restore magic that was seemingly lost and transform the Paris we know, into a night-time spectacular of flying colours and enchantment.

Paris By Starlight is really an enjoyable read with a sprinkle of much needed magic that is a perfect read for this time of the year.

‘Paris by Starlight’ is both a gorgeous piece of fabulism and a harrowing tale of human nature. It’s a story you have to be in a good mood to read – otherwise the dark undertones can drag you down into a pit of despair. With everything happening in the world at the moment, it took me some time to read this book – but it’s beautifully written and its observations on human nature are spot on.

This is, at its heart, a story about finding home. Isabelle’s father left when she was six years old, and now – as an adult – she’s come to Paris to find him. But finding her father is harder than she thought, and memories and dreams never quite match up with the real thing. Levon’s home was ripped apart by war when he was a child, and he’s spent years trekking across borders and through refugee camps to find somewhere his family can call home. Against all the odds, he’s made it to Paris – but the life of a refugee is precarious, and places that seem welcoming can switch to hostile in a second.

Isabelle is a delightful character. Her love of music shines through every page and illuminates her life, and her adventurous spirit is a joy to read about. However, her life is fraught with difficulty, and it tugs on the heartstrings how trying to do the right thing to often ends in despair. Robert Dinsdale really makes you care about his characters, and it makes the hardships he puts them through truly difficult to read about.

Levon is a man torn between two worlds – the world of his People, whose home has been destroyed, and the world of Paris he’s ended up in. His loyalty to his family and his People is lovely to read about, but it regularly puts him into conflict. Like Isabelle, Levon has a big heart and always tries to do the right thing – but it’s never clear what the right thing is, and when push comes to shove Isabelle is the stronger. That being said, Levon’s relationship with his sister Arina is a light, especially in the second half of the book.

Fabulism is a very hit or miss genre for me – too often it tips over too far into the fantastical and throws me out of the story. ‘Paris by Starlight’ achieves the rare feat of getting the balance between the real and the fantasy just right. The magic elements illuminate the story but don’t overcrowd it, sitting beautifully alongside the smaller tales of ordinary people just getting by. I adored the imagery and the whimsical, impossible nature of everything happening – which made it all the more harrowing when the dream started to shift into a nightmare.

The tonal shift in this book is gradual. It starts of beautiful, dreamlike, evoking vibes of books like ‘The Night Circus’ – but things start to shift, and a dark cloud descends over the magic. I found this shift difficult to cope with. This is marketed for fans of Erin Morgenstern and Neil Gaiman, but I’ve never found either authors work to feel quite so insidious or harrowing. It’s exceptionally cleverly done, and I respect the author’s decision to inject some realism – the world, after all, is rarely kind – but I wasn’t expecting it, and at a time of high stress I simply needed a lighter read. I don’t want to criticise the author for what is entirely a personal preference at this moment in time, but I want to be honest about what readers should expect. This is not always a happy book, and the sheer depth of emotion – a sign of how good the writing is – can make the reading experience a rocky road.

Overall, this is an exceptionally written piece of fabulism with gorgeous, evocative imagery – but one that has a darker side that won’t be for everyone. In times as stressful as those we’re currently in, this may well be a marmite read.

4.5 rounded up to 5

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Ray Publishing for this ARC.

I won't lie, I've been sitting on this review for a while. It took me half of the month to read because it felt like a book that needed to take it's time. And the review isn't any different. I still don't really know how to put my thoughts down for this book but I'll give it a go.

We follow a few characters intimately but I would say that Isabelle is our MC. She is a 23yo musician who has grown up in the rural south of France and moves back to Paris to try and find her absent father.
On her journey through the music venues of Paris, she finds a starving girl who can't speak french, gets her a meal and walks with her until they manage to track down her family.

Upon finding them, it's apparent that they are refugees from a country known only as 'The Old Country' - which was quickly and seemingly quietly taken over by the Russians. We know that it's on the 'landlocked sea' and a lot of the language / clothing & culture has similar aspects to other countries surrounding the Caspian Sea.
However, it also has a magical history and tales of plants and creatures that glow in the dark with phosphorescence as well.

At the apartment, Isabelle finds many children, a woman with a baby, an elderly woman and a young man (Levon) all living in a small space, after having travelled 3000 miles together. Levon is the only one who speaks French and wants to thank her for saving his sister, he ends up taking her to all the under the radar music venues and helping her on her journey to find her father. They also end up falling in love.

The book is, arguably, told in two main parts. We see stories from the past, stories from The Nocturne (book of fairy tales from the old country), stories from people all over Paris, stories of Refugees making their way to safety and more.

The first half is Isabelle and Levon, with the family and other refugees coming together and stoking the magic of the Old World to take over Paris and make a wonderful and safe place for refugees and others.
Whereas, the second half is much much darker. I won't say too much but it deals a lot with prejudice against Refugees, nationalism, xenophobia, violence, terrorism etc.

This was a 5* to me until the second half, and that's not to say that there was anything about the second half that knocked it down - it's more that it just upset me so much, gave me anxiety and made me so mad with human nature that I started not enjoying the book. But that is probably more to do with me being exposed to something ugly and real and, as I'm an idealist, not enjoying being exposed to the reality of the situation.

There is a lot of ambiguity to this book, from some descriptions I gathered that it's potentially meant to be set sometime in the 80's but it's never specified. I only came to that conclusion from the random mentions of landline telephones, synthesizers and a few other little things dotted around. But I could be completely wrong!

This book is a journey and I feel like it's going to be really popular. However I would say that the cover doesn't do it justice, it makes it seem like a basic romance story and it's so so much more.

The writing style reminded me a lot of Laini Taylor and Erin Morgenstern, there were so so many layers and everything threaded together so well. It's magical realism at its finest.

CW: Prejudice against refugees, nationalism, racism, xenophobia, Animal torture, murder, mutilation, Terrorism, detention camps, violence, blindness, death, absent father,

A beautifully written book about magic and fairytales, and sadly, about how easily darkness and hate can obscure the light of hope.
The People come from a small, and now obsolete, country in the Russias. They are cast adrift and have nothing, and nowhere. Some are drawn to Paris, and there they start to put down roots. One family decides to go back to the tradition of living by night, and it sparks the magic; beautiful plants that glow in a myriad of colours are just the beginning. As more people join Paris By Starlight, the magic grows. But some people see beauty as evil; the temptation of the poison apple and the hate starts to spread it's darkness.
We are all people, and people build themselves homes, and the walls become boundaries, what is owned is protected. But when those walls fall, then surely we all have a right to try and find a new place to call home. This is an important issue, especially with the ongoing refugee crisis and hopefully this book will help us to see the light of hope instead of the darkness of fear .

This is a really memorable read. The story is not just about magic and a way of life. It deals with hatred and resistance to change and other cultures. There is so much packed into this story. It can mean so many things. The whole story is beautifully written and brought everything to life in my imagination. I am so glad that I requested this book. There are some brilliant characters and some totally unlikeable ones as well. Robert Dinsdale has a wonderful way of weaving his imagination into such a magical story.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I yo-yo-ed between loving this and finding it slightly tiring.
However, the opening chapter is intriguing and you know immediately that you are about to be drawn into a well-imagined, unique and magical world. My initial excitement slowed down however as it took a while to work out where the plot was going. At 60 % I almost thought of giving up. This is partly due to multiple perspectives, which while helping create a rich tapestry of history slowed the action. Also, the opening chapter focussed on a character that we didn’t meet again until over half way through. Once we met her again it did all make sense and everything starts to come together. The last 40% picked up pace most satisfactorily.
It was hugely topical with the plight of refugees at its heart. Written from both sides of the conflict as the native Parisians turn against the People, I did enjoy the unbiased writing and think that many readers will love the predicament that the main protagonists find themselves in.
It wasn’t as special as ‘The Toy Makers’ partly because I didn’t feel as invested in the characters, but also the relentless night setting was visually quite tedious. It was like being stuck at Longleat’s Festival of Lights, which is great fun for the first hour then becomes relentless and gives you a headache.
I’m sure that after editing, that some of repetitive descriptions will be ironed out, but there were far too many ‘manifestations’ for me and ‘frigid’ air and ‘clots’ of people.

I do love a fantasy book that is set in a contemporary location.

Paris is the setting for Robert Dinsdale's new novel - but in two distinct environments, Paris by day, and Paris by starlight. It is the People who inhabit Paris by Starlight, a society of refugees, driven by persecution from their original home, and now bringing their magic to Paris.

Levon is one of the key characters of the People - an independent young man, brought up in the traditions of the Nocturne, and now falling in love with Isabelle who originates in the daylight world. Together they build a relationship and try to bring the two halves of the Paris community together, but persecution and fear persists.

This is a magical story, populated with luminescent flowers which hatch fantastic birds, marvellous fairytales, and intriguing characters. I was caught up in Levon and Isabelle's stories, and the pure fantastical nature of the world that Robert Dinsdale is so good at creating.

This book promised so much, it started really well. I was really invested in this new Paris. But then it’s got boring. Nothing was happening with the plot just more flowers and refugees. I found myself not wanting to read.

What a magical fantastical world this author has. He has recreated a Paris that is spellbinding but also a place of sadness and shadows.

A girl looking for her father meets a man, a refugee, looking for answers of his own. They tell stories from this book called La Nocturne and it's a book of fairy stories that reveals secrets of history and heritage and their forefathers.

Despite the magical setting there are some serious issues dealt with in the book such as longing, homelessness, living stateless and more. This is a reading experience you should go into blind to fully appreciate it unfold and those silver magical threads wrap around your imagination.

Another story of magic from Robert Dinsdale. The themes in Starlight are similar to that in The Toymakers— finding home, strangers being kind, a touch of magic, and being kindred spirits. Here a young woman in Paris and a young man, a refugee from another land, are drawn to one another because of their similar fate of loss and longing for family. Maia (bebia/the young man's grandmother) has read to the people who had journeyed to Paris, from a book called The Nocturne. It is a book of fairy stories, adventures, stars, sailors following stars, land locked by sea and more. It is the story of their ancestors who lived by starlight.

Now, the present gets magical, like the land in the stories — Big flowers, winterlights as they are called in the book, bloom in twilight and disappear into pavements when the Sun shines. There are secret pathways and tunnels, dreamers (who are believed to have dreamed this world into existence) and more. If you have a thing for snowy Paris, beauty reflected in people and in city life, searching and finding loved ones, a whiff of magic etc, this book is for you.

Paris by Starlight is enjoyable. However if you've already read and loved The Toymakers, you might yearn to re-read it. The Toymakers remains my favourite book.
Rating : 3.5

A captivating wintery tale which shows that fairytales can transform a world, hope can make impossible things true, but even pure magic can wither in the face of hatred and fear.

Levon is a refugee from an unnamed but now destroyed country. He led his family to safety on a dangerous journey through Europe until they finally settled in Paris. Isabelle travels to Paris in search of her father who left seventeen years earlier. The two are drawn together through music, loss, and a belonging to the underground world of night time Paris. Levon’s grandmother used to tell him tales from the Nocturne, the book his ancestors lived by. As the tales are told again, and the family begin living by starlight, the magic from the stories becomes real and Paris-by-night is born. Luminous flowers which drink in the light of the moon creep over rooftops and abandoned spaces, lightjars fly and drink glowing nectar, and water dogs roam alleyways, each carrying the magic of starlight. At first, Parisians welcomed the beauty brought to Paris by the People, and enjoyed sharing in the night markets themselves. But as more strangers reach Paris and live by night, fear and suspicion of the People and their new magic grows. Two worlds struggle to live side by side, leaving Levon and Isabelle on opposite sides of a city at war.

Paris by Starlight is a slow burn, and it needs to be. The magic grows over time: at first to wonder, but all things come to an end, or must change in some way. Hatred becomes mingled in gradually, and builds in momentum alongside the magic of a changing city until conflict becomes inevitable. This build up is what makes the magic believable, and the story powerful. You see a beautiful new world emerge and become threatened. The final third of the book really picks up pace, and at this point I appreciated being fully introduced the world, characters, and conflicts.

Paris-by-night is a captivating and imaginative world. The descriptions of flowers-by-night and night markets are enchanting and vivid, and the simplicity of this setting gives it a dreamlike quality. While fantastical, the magic is plausible and reflects the real world. The time period is not specified, but there are grandparents who fought in WWII, and it seems to be before mobile phones and the internet were widespread. The contrast as Paris-by-night and Paris-by-day become divided, the cost of this, and how multiple worlds can live in one city, is woven through beautiful descriptions.

There are obvious parallels between real world Paris (and many other cities) sought by refugees trying to find somewhere safe to live, and the unrest driven by those who fear change. The pictures we see of families smuggled in boats and lorries, countries and people destroyed by war, far right protests, and intolerance to anything that threatens life as it is (even if the new thing is beautiful) is reflected in this book from the real world. Beneath all the magic and conflict is a tale of love and family, the personal story in the midst of newspaper headlines. The narration focusses mostly on Levon and Isabelle, but we also hear from secondary characters on the fringes of the conflict, to give a rounded view of the city as it changes.

The Night of Seven Stars falls at the same time as Christmas, making this a great - if not a light - winter read. Paris by Starlight has depth, relevance, and magic. I loved the extracts from the Nocturne, and the references to these stories throughout. The fairytale magic is infused all the way through this book, in the characters, the stories they believe in, and the world all around.

Thank you to Cornerstone and NetGalley for providing an Advance Review Copy, which I have reviewed voluntarily and based on my own opinion.

To my shame, I have not read Dinsdale's Toymaker. However, was immediately drawn to Paris by Starlight, because of the gorgeous cover and the plot. Magic in Paris. How can you not be hooked by that?
To compare it with the work of Gaiman or Morgenstern describes perfectly what awaits you in this book. You have the one and the other side, which mirrors today's society for me. Paris by Starlight is a book of courage, acceptance, and love. I really have not read a book before this, in which reality slights into another in which hope is present. A magnificent work!

Plot - no spoilers
Paris is the setting for many stories, both old and new. It is a city for many that symbolises hope, the future, a chance to start a new. Paris is all of the above for many of the characters in Paris by Starlight, but even more so for The People; a nation whose homeland once thrived with magic yet was torn apart by the advancement of civilisation. Both Isabelle and Levon, our protagonists, come to Paris on separate journeys in the hope of creating a new life for themselves. Isabelle is searching for her long-lost father, trying to gain closure on why he left her seventeen years ago. Levon is searching for a place his family and fellow refugees can call home, somewhere they feel accepted and can thrive.

As so many Parisian storylines go, the paths of our protagonists were entwined from the moment they both arrived in the city. Levon begins to teach Isabelle the ways of The People, specifically how the stories of The Nocturne; The People's sacred book, provide guidance within their culture. In doing, so the pair restore magic that was seemingly lost and transform the Paris we know, into a night-time spectacular of flying colours and enchantment.

But not everyone is thrilled to see Paris change. A resistance forms and defies The People's starlit ways. The resistance wants Paris to remain what it is, allowing Parisians live freely during both day and night. How long can the resistance tolerate the ways of The People? How long can two very different worlds live alongside each other before war breaks out in the city? Paris by Starlight may start out as an airy romance; however, it doesn't last for long...


Pros
From the introduction of this book, I was hooked. Dinsdale has such a magical way of writing it almost feels as if you are in a dream. His descriptions of the scenery and characterisation gives the book a certain aura that can only come from the feeling of true enchantment. The author takes us on journey to better understand the characters, the lives they have lived and the journeys they have been on. In doing so, when we meet the characters from the resistance and follow their story, it stirred feelings of pure anger. I hated everything that they were and how they went about protesting their views. However, I only felt that way because of how well those characters and story lines were written. Many authors are focused on creating on overall positive ambiance, a couple of mishaps, a villain, a happily ever after. Dinsdale wasn't afraid to push the boundaries and create a work that challenged the typical Parisian love story. He has created a story that in its own way is beautiful but doesn't necessarily fit into the typical Paris shaped mould.


Cons
Whilst the initial chapters were gripping, I felt the book lagged during the main body. As there aren't many significant events that take place in this novel, it seems like the author is drawing the events out, thus making the chapters longer and at times difficult to get through. The descriptions, whilst wonderfully written as said above, were occasionally too much and not needed in certain places; if something happens in an instant, we don't need an abundance of adjectives to understand this. If the vision the author has is clear enough, it can be portrayed in fewer words and still resonate the same response. Personally, too much time in this novel is spent on lesser events, causing the ending of the novel to seem rushed. The crescendo should hit home and cause readers to feel some sort of emotion, whether it be joy or sadness. In this case, I felt as if I was trying to keep up with what was being written, almost as if the words couldn't be put on the page quick enough. Any sort of emotional stir was simply lost. This section of the novel could have benefitted from a little more of that tactical description, as it could have been used in a powerful manner to really set in stone the messages the author wanted to portray. The balance of the novel was a little off for me, I can't quite pinpoint exactly what it was, maybe it was the pace, but I was always left feeling slightly disappointed and wanting the story to progress into something more.


Final thoughts
Paris by Starlight is an enchanting novel. The author is able to build a truly magical version of Paris and blend two cultures into one. The characterisation has to be the best part of this novel, as I said previously, I had feeling of pure hatred towards some, whilst I adored others. This is the standard of description and writing I wish was embedded throughout the whole narrative. I can only encourage you to pick up a copy of Paris by Starlight and make your own judgement.

Dinsdale's previous novel, The Toymakers, is a particular favourite of mine, which I read in the lead up to Christmas as the magic contained within is of that particular type.

His new novel, Paris by Starlight, is written in the same vein. No particular time in history is offered for the setting, though I would suspect it's before the advent of smartphones and portable technology.

There are two main protagonists: a young woman who finds herself drawn to Paris in search of her father, and a young man: refugee from an unnamed country which no longer exists. The couple find each other in Paris and are drawn together by their parallel themes of family and loss.

The magic in this book comes from the young man's ancestry, and the legendary stories his family share from The Nocturne, a volume of fairy tales. As the refugees settle in Paris, they retell stories from the Nocturne of times past when the country lived by starlight and magical flowers bloomed and glowed in the evening light. Soon these stories begin to come to life, first around their new-found home, then spreading outwards across the whole city.

At first, the native Parisians find the nighttime blooms enchanting, but as more seek refuge and to live by Starlight in their city, Paris finds it's inhabitants divided, and so do the star-crossed couple...

Paris by Starlight is certainly an enchanting book, with themes we may find parallel to our own experience and feelings towards real-life asylum seekers who seek safety at our shores. Love and magic are the prevalent themes here, and while I don't find this novel quite as unforgettable as The Toymakers, it is certainly a beautiful novel in which to lose oneself in the depths of imagination.