In a magical Parisian setting, steeped in starlight and dreams, we follow a young woman as she searches for the father who left when she was a child. But arriving in the big city, she finds refugees and underground music that are brimming with stories from the old world, stoking the revival of magic in Paris, and adding to the prejudice against those who have come to Paris in search of a new life.

The writing is wonderfully atmospheric, bringing to life the nightlife and streets of Paris and blending the magical seamlessly into the city. You can almost imagine that this world exists, with flowers growing over famous landmarks and lakes where their should be catacombs. The imagery is beautiful and the stories that are woven into the plot add character and wonder to the narrative. It's very much like a fairytale filled with lots of other fairytales, centering around our main character Isabella and the people she meets who enhance her life.

Isabella is a great character. She arrives in the city naive and full of hope, and never really looses these qualities. She's also incredibly kind and loving, and you can see why Levon is instantly drawn to her and welcomes her warmly into his family. The two face many obstacles on the road to happiness, including prejudice and compromise, and through it all their relationship feels genuine and heartwarming. Their similar history draws them together. I also really liked Levon's grandmother, matriarch and story teller. She's the glue that holds the family together.

Lyrical writing in a richly descriptive world, with enchanting characters. Paris by Starlight is sure to charm lovers of the city, as well as satisfy those looking for a beautiful fantasy read.

A beautifully written book with a stunning cover to guide you in, this book was a true pleasure.

The book setting time is unknown but it is filled with such magic and reading it at Christmas really made it more wonderful for me. A warm and cosy story about two characters who both have had loneliness and loss in their life but both seeking something from the enchanting and captivating place but with a tinge of darkness within. Both our characters, Isabelle and Levon have daddy issues, where their fathers abandoned them or disappeared and are seeking something from their journey when they have a chance meeting. Levon's family welcome Isabelle with open arms and hearts but the warmth they have for each other isn't what they get from their father's who have both abandoned them and moved on to have children with other women, staying within their children's lives, supporting them, this is a difficult thing to deal with and they have to find a way of reconnecting with compromise and acceptance.

This book has a simple moral and story to tell is that we need to learn to accept one another despite our differences, one of the hardest things to learn. But so beautifully written about, so praise for Robert Dinsdale, I loved it! Recommend this one, check it out!

With thanks to Robert Dinsdale, Penguin Random House Publishers and of course Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC for an honest review, all opinions are my own.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Version reviewed: ebook (viewed via the Kindle app)

Note: Content warnings include but are not restricted to: homophobia (mentions of the f-word), discrimination against refugees, death on-page, absent family members, animal torture and murder on-page, graphic description of bodies, war,

As I dnf'd this book at 54%, my review only covers the first half of the book.

Paris. You may be familiar with the city. Associated with romance and home to some of the world's most well-known landmarks. However, did you know that there is another side of Paris? That the Paris you know is only Paris by Day? That there is another side of Paris which comes out at night.
..
Where does this new Paris come from? What has happened to make it so? Who are the People, newcomers to Paris having lost their old country? What is the Nocturne?

All this and more is revealed in this new novel by Robert Dinsdale, the author of the much love 'The Toymakers'. Mixing real-world issues with magic and wonder, Dinsdale has created a new world of wonder but only darkness in this novel.

We follow several different characters throughout the novel, seeing the world of Paris by Night through their eyes or joining them on their journey to the new world. The book mostly focuses on Isabelle, a young musician who is searching for her father and Levon, one of the People who has come to Paris from the old world with members of his family.

Impression on the book

First of all, I will admit, this was partly a cover request. The cover completely captivated me and coupled with the synopsis, I couldn't wait to read this. I was so happy when the acceptance came through and dived into the book, waiting to absorb the magic and wonder.
And boy, did the opening deliver.

However the further I got through the book, the more I realised the following. 1) my expectations were for something different and 2) my own reading preferences were not aligning very well with the way the book is. A case of it's not you, it's me. But then it became more than that. I started to realise what my issues with the book were and when the book took a sudden unexpected turn, I decided to put the book down.
Does that mean I don't like the book at all? Absolutely not. In fact, it's with great sadness and disappointment that I'm walking away.

In regards to things I loved about the book:
- The writing style: I absolutely adored the descriptive text within this book. The way Dinsdale brought this book to life filled me with happiness and wonder every time Paris by Night was on the page. This was easily my favourite part of the book, and watching this world grow was such a delight.
- The Nocturne: This is also an element I adored in the book. I would have actually liked to have seen more about this, seeing as it was mentioned in the synopsis and I did think it would play more of a part. Seeing the extracts was great and how it fits into the People's history.
- Levon's Bebia: she's easily one of my favourite characters, if not my favourite character in the book. I found her much more developed than others and more interesting.

Which leads me to what I didn't like about the book:
- The rest of the cast: It saddens me to say this after seeing so many reviews about how people connected with the characters and felt they were done well. But I disagree. I personally felt like I didn't know the main characters Isabelle and Levon, other than what they were doing and a little of their personality. It felt more like they were vessels to show us the world rather than being completely part of it. Which is a shame, as this is not a feeling I had at the beginning. This is something which sank in as the book progresses. I could tell you a little about these characters but after a couple of minutes? Nothing else. The rest of the characters either weren't in it either to be enough but background characters or distracted the pacing.
- Pacing: I really wasn't a fan of this. From sudden time jumps which led me wondering what I'd missed during them (and disconnected me from the main characters) to perspective switches at times which I felt weren't right, this really slowed the book down for me. I'd get into a plot with one character and then it would switch and slow down, which pulled me out of the book and made me wonder why we were jumping at that moment. I was struggling to see the point, especially as this would usually be in the middle of a chapter, rather than be at the beginning of a new one.
- The sudden tone shift: This really is a book of two halves and in the second, the tone shifted so suddenly that it was the final straw for the book. I have read dark books in the past and maybe this is just a preference, but going from a happy scene straight into a scene with a graphic description of a town on fire was really jarring for me. The first half is about the wonder and magic of the world. The beginning of the new world. Then when the tone shift happened, it took me completely off guard and I feel like the scene would be disturbing for some readers, especially when it comes out of nowhere. The scene concerned has a whimsical description in one paragraph for the second to then plunge the reader into a flashback. This could have been handled better through copy editing I feel; it does feel like it's something which could have been dealt with better.
I have nothing against graphic content but being handled like that? No thanks.

Although I am dnf'ing this book, this is one I may return to in the future. For now, though, I am going to just think about the wonderful world of Paris by Night and all of the things I love, rather than dwelling on the darkness.
If you're a fan of books such as The Night Circus and want a magical book paired with discussion on immigration and discrimination, then this could be the book for you.

Returning to the ‘old ways’ and becoming night people living a nocturnal life, brings new dimensions and magic to the streets of Paris.
A beautiful love story which weaves the beliefs of ancient ways of living with old and new characters, and creates a vibrant dynamic. Great depictions of the old ways and the night flowers which glow and bloom in the ordinary streets of Paris, turning the mind and into the magical.

I absolutely loved the Toy Makers and have made so many people buy that this was one of my most anticipated reads.

The writing is beautiful, the world Dinsdale creates is absolutely magical and I cannot fault that.

Unfortunately that was pretty much all I loved in this one, I didn’t feel the characters romance was believable and the pace was just too slow for me, whether this was because I hyped it up to much or I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind to read it, I don’t know

We're people, and people look after each other...

I loved Robert Dinsdale's The Toymakers (it's one of my all-time favourite books) so I couldn't wait to get my hands on Paris by Starlight - and that cover is gorgeous!
Every night on their long journey to Paris from their troubled homeland, Levon’s grandmother has read to them from a very special book. Called The Nocturne, it is a book full of fairy stories and the heroic adventures of their people who generations before chose to live by starlight. With every story that Levon’s grandmother tells them in their new home, the desire to live as their ancestors did grows. And that is when the magic begins…

While Paris by Starlight is a fabulous fairy tale of refugees inadvertently recreating the magical flora and fauna of their home country (I imagined it looking like something out of Avatar), there is a grittier story hidden beneath it, of dispossessed people suffering cruelty and harassment as they try to find sanctuary. Some want to recreate their old world, others just want to blend in. They meet those who want to learn more about their ways and customs, and experience the magic they've brought with them - and those, less friendly, who want them to leave and will do anything to achieve that.

Sound familiar?

Paris by Starlight is a very clever mix of magic realism and social commentary - which means it might not be for everyone. (It's quite dark in places.) Robert Dinsdale writes beautifully and has an incredible imagination. I loved his 'starlight' world and the sweet romance between Levon and Isabelle as they struggled against all odds. Engaging and very moving, Paris by Starlight is one of my favourite reads this year. Recommended, particularly for fans of magic realism and authors such as Alice Hoffman.


Thank you to Robert Dinsdale and Del Rey for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Paris By Starlight is the perfect magical read for this time of year. Levon and his family have travelled thousands of miles from their homeland which has been destroyed to the beautiful city of Paris in search of a new life. Levon’s grandmother brings with her her book The Nocturn, which contains all the stories of the old country, where their ancestors lived by night, and magic ruled. As she reads these stories the magic returns, slowly spreading over the city capturing the hearts of many of the Paisians. But not everyone is as enamoured by the new residents and their magic, fear in what they don’t understand starts a division and war between the Paris of the day and Paris of the night, can the two sides co-exist or will the magic disappear forever.

Paris By Starlight has been perfectly described as a fairytale for adults, and where better to set a magical tale than the beautiful Paris, a city with it’own magic. All fairytales have a girl and boy who fall in love but have to over come obstacles thrown in their way, there is aways a an element of evil against the good but hopefully it all has the happily ever after. In Paris By Starlight the star crossed lovers are Isabelle and Levon, who have to overcome their different lives; Isabelle is from the Paris from the day and Levon from the night. Whilst they feel no prejudice in their relationship others feel that Isabelle should not be with Levon, a refugee and someone who is part of the night. There relationship is further put in jeopardy by the faction of Parisions who march and protest about the refugees, and their magical night world ,a protest that results in an unforgivable act of violence. Most fairytales also have a moral, and Robert Dinsdale has the thread of how lack of understanding of different cultures can lead to fear and ultimately to confrontation. Acceptance, humility and education is what is needed.

At the centre of the story is the relationship between Isabelle and Levon. Isabelle has come to Paris in search of her father who left when she was six. All she has is the harp he left her and the hope of finding him playing in one of the clubs in Paris. Her journey brings her much more than she bargained for after her chance meeting with Levon and his extended family who welcolme her into their hearts. Levon’s father also left when he was young, and as the family fled their homeland Levon chose to leave with his family rather than fight with his father. Both Levon and Isabelle have to cope with the fact that their fathers went on to have other children after abandoning them, and that reconnecting with them isn’t the fairytale they expected. Their relationship shows the best of both their worlds, acceptance, love, compromise and being able to live together in peace and harmony no matter what others may feel.

Robert Dinsdale creates such a beautiful and captivating world in Paris By Starlight, the colourful flowers that flourish at night and grow over buildings like Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower, as well as between cracks in the pavements. One of my favourtie places in the book was the catacombs under Paris that turn into the old world with a lake filled with shimmering fish, plants and flowers irredescent with light and nightjars flitting around. Along with the magic and romance there are many more serious issues delt with; the treatment of refugees, segregation between races, the hardship of getting to a new country and of course the fear of what we don’t understand. What really shone through this book for was the message of that wherever you are in the world you carry your heritage, values and history inside you, and you can create your own piece of magic in your new home.

I adored reading Paris By Starlight and being swept away on a magical and captivating journey. This book literally has light and dark, the day and the night, love and fear,and the conflict in-between. The stunning nighttime world and the stories from The Nocturn were vividly brought to life in full technicolour. Add in the romance between Isabelle and Levon and you have all the ingredients for an enchanting, engaing and enthralling read; simply sublime.

Such a beautiful, moving novel about love, loss and identity, family, acceptance and home.
Following those who have been displaced from their homeland and their journey to find a new home and life in Paris. They bring with them flowers that bloom by Starlight, vines that scramble up buildings and gardens that grow on rooftops that spread through the city as the old ways are remembered.

In Paris by Starlight, we meet a nation of refugees, the People, whose country - never named - has been absorbed into "the Russias". It was, in olden times, a wonderful, magical country whose inhabitants lived by night, not day, under their own Seven Stars. They lived among wonderful, glowing plants - the "Flowers-by-Night" through which flitted birds called lightjars. They set sail on the Landlocked Sea, in which swam the Water Dogs - creatures with both legs and gills. And their stories were written down in a fabulous book called the Nocturne.

Those splendours are long past, but still remembered as the last of the People make their journey some three thousand miles through Europe, scaling fences, enduring prisons and detention centres, begging and stealing, to find somewhere they can make a home.

At last, some of them come to Paris. (I think, by the way, this is a slightly alternate Paris - Dinsdale introduces it as "Paris, not so long ago" and the atmosphere had - to me - a slightly 50s vibe: no mobiles, the news is all on the radio and in the papers, no mention of Internet. But the events the book is founded on - the plight of refugees - feels very modern).

Also in Paris, Isabelle is searching for the father who abandoned her nineteen years before. Club by club, night by night and bar by bar, she performs her music, hoping to eventually cross paths with him. But instead she runs across a girl of the People, wandering and starving, and is drawn into their covert world of loss and beauty.

For things are changing in Paris. The presence of the People, and the stories from their Nocturne, seem to be re-creating their lost country. Water dogs flit in and out of the Seine and lightjars are seen blazing above flowers-by-night which spout among the concrete overpasses and tower blocks of northern Paris.

In the first half of the book, Dinsdale explores this glorious transformation as he establishes his group of characters. Besides Isabelle there is Levon and his family, which includes Arina, the girl she found scrounging for food in an alleyway, as well as his grandmother Maia. Levon also lost his father, Hayk, when the soldiers came and has protected his family along all the hard miles of the Trail. And there are others too whom Isabelle has connections with: Hector and his wife and young son and their circle.

Things all seems to be going well, but the reader will suspect that trouble is ahead. Readers of Dinsdale's previous book, The Toymakers, will I think notice a similarity of themes in Paris by Starlight. In both, vagabond, outcast people from the East find their refuges in wealthy, complacent Western cities and kindle some of the magic of their homelands. In both, we see that this magic is not sufficient to ward off conflict, either within families and peoples, or between them. And in both, that conflict is destructive both of beauty and safety. In Paris, a "New Resistance" grows up, harping on a romanticised version of the Second World War and of the effort against German occupation but really a cover for thuggery and narrow-mindedness. Elements of the People respond in kind, seemingly dooming any hope of peace and acceptance, and things get very dark indeed.

It is a book I enjoyed a lot. However, I do one reservation about the central idea and about the way it is used and developed. Dinsdale's People clearly stand for the myriad refugees currently fleeing across Europe, denied shelter and safety, and the refusal of so many to accommodate these actual, real people should itself move and anger us. It shouldn't - surely it shouldn't? - be necessary to dramatise this idea by having the presence of people fleeing persecution generate a bewitching nighttime beauty and then having hoodlums trash that, and it bothers me somehow to see the crisis portrayed in that way. I'm not sure if I am right to be bothered, but this did make it hard at times for me to stay with the story, especially towards the end of the book.

That said, in Paris by Starlight Dinsdale creates a galaxy of characters (hard to avoid the stellar metaphor) who I found myself caring about a great deal. Paris by Starlight is beautifully, often movingly, written and the central love story is tender and sad, rooted in these well-drawn characters. The respective losses of their fathers have, for example, shaped both Isabelle and Levon. There's a touch of the unreliable narrator about Isabelle, for example in the way the novel gives us a certain impression of her mother as being slightly shiftless, romantic and unreliable which is then belied once she makes a (rather late) appearance in the book. That is typical of the writing here: despite the starkly contrasting positions taken up, the most arresting characters are conflicted, changeable and contradictory. I took a message from it that the way out may, perhaps, be embracing those contradictions, rather than trying to tidy them away.

It's a complex book and one that will stay with me. You really should try it and see what you think - I'm really looking forward to discussing this one!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK and Robert Dinsdale for the opportunity to read this book. Having loved The Toymakers I was delightd to get my hands on this new story. Beautifully written and a deeply moving story. Absolutely magical book. Perfect for fans of The Night Circus and Caraval.

We were blessed to recieve this book both as ARC on here as well as in hardback thanks to Penguin Random House.
It is a stunning book and a wonderful magical story.

I had seen a lot of people saying that Dinsdale's writing reminded them of the Night Circus or Laini Taylor's writingstyle.
And where I still haven't read the Night Circus, I am a big fan of Laini Taylor's work and now... I am of Robert Dinsdale too.

The writing is almost poetic it is so beautiful. The magical setting felt warm and cozy.
Eventhought the story is quite dark.
I loved all the characters and all I can say this is well worth the read so please do check it out!

Having read (and loved!) the magic, enchantment and child-like wonder of The Toymakers, I was really excited when I heard about Robert Dinsdale’s new book.

Paris by Starlight certainly does capture some of the same elements as The Toymakers. The wonder of the illuminated night blooming flowers and the lightjar birds, intrinsically linked to the stories of old, drove home the majesty of an already magical city.

But, the story. And it is here with a heavy heart, where I tell you that I found it difficult to connect with the story. Where The Toymakers pulled me in, and hundreds of pages whipped past in the blink of an eye. Paris by Starlight started well, but then encountered a lot of repetition and moved slowly, and I had to push myself to keep going.
This book just wasn’t for me.

Many thanks to Robert Dinsdale, Random House UK, Cornerstone, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful novel set in Paris. The writing is poetic and lyrical, creating a magical atmosphere. This is a dark and emotional story of refugees and their suffering. Their sadness, loneliness and exclusion is emphasised by the night time setting. It is a slow-moving story about love, sense of community and the stories that shape our lives.

This is a beautiful book (and topical too with strong reference to the worldwide treatment of refugees and other displaced people) that sadly missed the mark for me due to an abundance of repetition. At first I was charmed by the prose, but quickly grew irritated by an overuse of ellipses which makes for constant pauses and interrupts flow. The author also seems enamoured with terms and phrases that are used again and again in a way that becomes tiresome for the reader. Three thousand miles was one, The People and The Old World became others, serving as placeholders for what I was hoping would be more efficient worldbuilding that sadly never came to pass. This left me only half in love with Paris By Starlight which while wonderous in places left a lot to be desired overall.

Robert Dinsdale beautifully depicts love, magic and hope even in the darkest moments in his enchanting tale The Toy Makers and he’s done it once again in Paris by Starlight.

Told mostly at night, in the winding, mysterious streets of Paris, this almost-folktale has unexplained magic breathed into the city by its newest arrivals. The starlit wild. Refugees whose homes have been destroyed and who seek a new life. One such family bring the Nocturne with them, a book containing stories and legends. Or are they? Paris suddenly becomes aglow with things that cannot be explained: flowers-by-night, waterdogs and other magical things and its citizens marvel until fear of the unknown creeps in, and the threat of war looms...

This is Paris, in all its glory and at its darkest, casting a shadow on the divide between love and hate and what home means when yours is gone. It’s a poignant, timely tale about home, belonging and family. From estranged fathers to finding your community, it's a really lovely book, thought-provoking really, with undercurrents of hope and faith in our capacity to love one another. A story to be savoured, and one that will linger after it's been read.

3.5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2020/11/09/paris-by-starlight-by-robert-dinsdale/
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Beautifully written tale of home

The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale is an absolutely gorgeous book full of magic, toys and beauty, I loved it and so you may imagine that my expectations were astronomical when it came to Paris by Starlight and whilst I might not have loved this book as much as The Toymakers it certainly demonstrates the writing chops of this particular author.

The story is essentially a tale of home, and the fact that home can be found anywhere that family resides, intertwined with a love story of two characters searching for something more.

Isabelle is a young musician. She trawls the streets of Paris, playing her lute at bars. Essentially she’s looking for the father who left home when she was only a child. Isabelle’s father was also a musician and Isabelle hopes that she might draw his attention by playing the precious lute that he gave her. One evening Isabelle finds herself responsible for the care of a young lost girl and this is when she meets Levon and his family, refugees living a hidden life in Paris.

The People, as they are known, were cast out of their own country where they lived and worked on the landlocked sea. They’ve travelled thousands of miles carrying their few belongings and clinging to thoughts of safety and new beginnings. Eventually, their traditions, cultures and stories create a magic of their own, the rooftops are full of night blooming flowers and beautiful birds, water dogs begin to appear and underground caverns lit by phosphorous plants appear. More People flock to the City, keen to find a home amongst their own and the magic spreads further. Unfortunately, not everyone welcomes these changes and soon enough the People find themselves in a war between those who live by day and those who live by night.

What I really loved about Paris by Starlight is the writing. Dinsdale writes with a beauty and style that is really captivating and brings scenes to life with vibrant detail. The magic here is captivating and well wrought and without doubt this envisaging of Paris is something truly wonderful to read about. I can see where the comparisons to Gaiman come from with the place being split between two worlds, in a similar way that Neverwhere existed beneath the streets of London.

The setting and magic are amazing. Paris is an enchanting place to begin with and really lends itself to the magic created here. The Eiffel Tower alive with tendrils and flowers, hotels with underground tunnels and caverns and the many dark clubs where haunting music plays into the night.

We predominantly follow Isabelle and to be honest that’s something of a relief as she is a good character filled with hope and love. Some of the other characters are less easy to like, they have their own agendas, or are filled with anger and resentment.

In terms of criticisms. I felt that this could perhaps have been cut a little, only because it felt a little repetitive in some parts and there was a slowing of pace about half way through where I began to wonder if anything more would actually happen. Obviously, I got past this point and the tension and action were ramped up but for a moment I started to feel like everything was dragging out a little more than I liked and it definitely held things up for me.

I enjoyed Paris by Starlight but I didn’t fall completely in love with it as much as I’d hoped or expected and I think that this lies mainly at my own door, probably because elements of this felt more real than I expected and at the moment I’m all about the escapism. Without doubt, this is a tale with a message. It’s about finding home and overcoming adversity in a way that really drives home what is truly important. There’s a message about acceptance and learning to live amicably with others in spite of differences.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the author, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

The writing is stunning and lyrical. I made many annotations in my copy.
The themes in the book were very universal. A magical group of people called "the People" lose their home and find new magic in Paris.
The first half of the book was magical and felt like the People welcomed me with open arms. To the fairy tales that had lessons. How people can learn to support and accept each other.
The book tells the story of different perspectives which is lovely. People that seem good or evil, get balanced out in the grey of it all.

The fact that Jews or the holocaust weren't or barely mentioned, especially since the former members of "la resistance" encourage young children to act like Nazi's was disheartening. Not only because it flips the meaning upside down. But mostly because of the violence and deep hatred we are seeing now in the world. The stark reality that refugees are treated terribly and we have seen time and time again, slowly but surely people can do horrible things.
I myself have seen families with small children on the streets of Paris in November 2017 and it was heartbreaking. Not only that they were living on the streets, but that the French government wasn't helping them quickly enough. We should not stand idly by to watch people suffer.

Because 2020 is well... 2020, I wished the book would have continued in the first half of hope and reconciliation. That Levon, a leader who doesn't see himself like one, actually would lead to integrate and carve a piece of Paris for them. Isn't that what we all want. To feel part of a community, but also be accepted by the larger communities?
I think the second half is closer to what the reality is and would be in this instance.

I hope that everybody finds a their community and acceptance.

The Toymakers was and is one of my favourite reads so I’ve been so excited since I saw Robert Dinsdale was writing another book - and about magic too!
Paris by Starlight is really a book in 2 halves, the first half is a beautiful story of magic, love, belonging, salvation, finding and creating family and i found myself smiling reading it, it’s just delightful and warm.
This story tells the tale of Isabelle, a young musician looking for her father in Paris, instead, through helping a lost girl, she meets Levon and his family and enters a stunning world of magic. Levon’s family are refugees who fled 3,000 hard miles from a lost land known as The Old Country, they are the People. The People traditionally live by night and read stories from the Nocturne, through living this way flowers bloom lighting up the night sky, water dogs swim in the waters, glowing birds fly in the sky, however the People had to scatter to survive,. It is Levon’s grandmother’s dying wish for her family to start honouring their culture and tradition and live by night as she did, and when Levon agrees, Paris by starlight starts to come alive, with more and more of the People finding their home and their hearts in Paris and the magic they had to leave behind.

Unfortunately, the 2nd half of the book isn’t quite so easy and enjoyable to read, and this isn’t a criticism of Dinsdale’s work, if anything I see it as necessary, but it’s uncomfortable reading at times. Like The Toymakers referencing war and ptsd with the magic of toys, mixing magic with brutal reality, as does this book with xenophobia and racism. As the book goes on, and the magic spreads into the streets of Paris, fear of the unknown, fear of these strangers and jealousy of their different ways splits Paris into 2 worlds, one that is neither safe or welcoming. While this persecution is difficult to read at times, it is also a sad truth that we see in the news (or sadly experience in person) and Dinsdale doesn’t shy away from this, it’s what makes the magic so much important. As much as I wanted a perfect fairytale, that isn’t life.

The world building is stunning, Paris by Starlight is a spectacular visual and it is utterly charming. The writing as well is so charming: “Passports and countries, kings and queens, good and evil, it’s all things we imagine - and imagine so hard they come to life....The world, and everything in it, is just this extraordinary outburst of the imagination. By the Stars, that isn’t being foolish, that’s just ... being alive”. This book will stay with me for quite some time, not just for its very important social relevance, but it’s message of the magic we all carry inside of us.

Having absolutely loved Robert Dinsdale's previous book "The Toymakers", I couldn't wait to read this one (they are not connected by the way),

As with "The Toymakers", I found it hard to put down the book and leave the story - even for a few hours. The book is a bittersweet mixture of magic and reflections of humanity - good and bad.

The main characters of Isabelle and Levon are beautifully drawn - so different and yet having much in common. The supporting cast is strong, with some "good" (in nature), some "evil", and the rest a mix of those striving to be better and others easily led into appalling behaviour - a good reflection of society at large I guess..

The book splits into two sections - not in a formal sense, but in an atmospheric and emotional sense. The first section - where we experience the wonders of "Paris by Starlight" - is absolutely magical. The imagery is beautiful and makes you long to be able to see it for yourself. The second section is darker, and has some very upsetting incidents - making one despair for humanity at times.

It's a book about people, and wanting to find home. It is an accurate reflection of how things play out in some real world scenarios - with "strangers" cautiously welcomed to begin with, but then the tide turning against them when the existing residents of a place begin to feel threatened by the newcomers' way of life.

I enjoyed this book - it took me longer to read than I expected as I kept re-reading the passages describing the beauty of "Paris by Starlight". It made me thing about a lot of things, and I will probably re-read it after a while.

I look forward to more by this author - beautiful prose.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

This book was magical, heart-warming, heart-breaking and beautiful all at the same time. It left me breathless and wanting more. It brought out of me this sense of wonder and awe that only a couple other books ever have. And I don't really know how to go on after this, because surely all other books I read now will never be as breath-taking and will never ignite within me these emotions. Perhaps, some of you might say that I'm exaggerating, that a book can't possibly be this good. But it is. To me, it feels like home.
I look forward to getting my own copy of this book, so that I can read it again and again whilst highlighting and annotating my favourite parts and exploring all over again the wonder that is, Paris-by-Starlight.
And, Robert Dinsdale, thank you for creating a piece of literature that I will cherish for the rest of my life.