It’s month the first for the Around the World in 12 Books Challenge and we’re visiting FRANCE! Which I have been to, and it was wonderful. Spent two weeks with my sister in Paris (she lived there for a few years as an artist-in-residence and au pair) and got to Fontainebleau, Bayeux (where the famous Bayeux Tapestry is on display), as well as Alexandre Dumas’ country house, the Château de Monte-Cristo. Which was very cool. Two weeks is not enough time in such a country, though, so it’s definitely a place I want to revisit.
Have you been? Lived there? Favourite memories/place etc.? Never been but dearly want to? What do you love about France? What is outside your comfort zone? (You do not have to be participating in this reading challenge in order to talk about France!)
Leave links to your reviews of novels set in France here – and please leave a comment after linking.
Utter crap
It was okay
Liked it but ...
Really liked it
LOVED it!
Oh, I’m looking forward to this month! I actually have lived in France for the past eight years, but I’m terrible about reading French books. I’m planning to read Muriel Barbery’s The Elegance of the Hedgehog (in French), so I’ll come back and link up when I’m finished and have written my review.
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Shannon Reply:
January 7th, 2013 at 8:48 pm
@Beth, Oh wow, that sounds so great, how are you liking it? Good, I hope, since you’ve been there so long! (But I won’t assume it – I’ve been in Canada for 7 years and I would gladly have moved home years ago if I could have!)
I have The Elegance of the Hedgehog too (in English!) but to be honest I’m a bit intimidated by it. I know that it’s philosophical in some ways and I always worry that I’m not in the right frame of mind for it. I have a hard time concentrating these days. Looking forward to hearing what you think of it.
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Wow, that sounds like a great trip! Believe it or not, I have only been to France for one DAY…as a stop on a cruise. So if you think 2 weeks was short, try 8 hours!
We were in Villefranche (beautiful) and took the train to Nice for most of the day. Gorgeous beaches and I loved eating an authentic salad nicoise! I am dying to go to Paris though. I think I will be reading Paris My Sweet for this challenge.
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Shannon Reply:
January 7th, 2013 at 8:50 pm
@Kelly, Oh no, eight hours is so, so short! Though I hear Nice is lovely – I didn’t make it that far. So much still to see in France! Adam loves nicoise (I’m glad you wrote that because I had no idea how it was spelt!) but I don’t like olives so I always pass.
I don’t think I’ve heard of Paris My Sweet. I’ve gone through my books here and found quite a few set in France so I have a bit of choice and I’m still undecided!
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hi! such a coincidence: i am also reading Muriel Barbery’s “The Elegance of the Hedgehog”, started it some days ago. and while looking through shelves, i came across my copy of “The Little Prince” – and after opening it, i knew i wanted to re-read it.
last time i’ve been to France actually was – last year, on a short trip to Paris. so this month in the reading challenge brings back all kinds of good memory, even some french: Bonjour & Bonne année (“have a nice day & a good new year”)
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Shannon Reply:
January 13th, 2013 at 9:59 am
@Dorothee, I’ve never read The Little Prince – not sure if I even have a copy. I should fix that.
I don’t know any French and I was far too intimidated to say anything to anyone! Very different from moving to Japan, where I made an effort to learn thank you and other basic words straight away!
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Here we are – my first book for the month of January, a decided classic by Balzac – “Eugenie Grandet”. I am also working on a more contemporary read, “The Confidant” by Helene Gremillon, but am not finding it as enthralling as I’d hoped. I may get another review or two done – I am also re-reading several short novels by Colette, “Gigi” and “The Cat”.
Barb in B.C. recently posted..Review: Eugenie Grandet by Honore de Balzac
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Shannon Reply:
January 13th, 2013 at 10:00 am
@Barb in B.C., I read The Confident too, Barb – not particularly exciting at first but I found myself getting into the story and I loved how it ended. I have Gigi and the Cat but have never read it – hoping to get to that too.
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Oh – and I’ve never been to France, unless you can count a stop in an airplane while en route to Germany way back in 1972 – never left the plane, though. I would love a chance to visit there someday. Might still happen, but for now my visits are all in print.
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Shannon Reply:
January 13th, 2013 at 10:02 am
@Barb in B.C., I hope you get there Barb, it’s a city that really does live up to its reputation I think!
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Another one for France – a novella, actually. Anyone else reading Colette? Now I must get on with The Confidant!
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Shannon Reply:
January 15th, 2013 at 8:33 pm
@Barb in B.C., I’m hoping to squeeze in Colette – I have that same book, which includes “The Cat”. Haven’t been able to get hold of anything else by her.
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My book choice this month is “The Painted Girls” by Cathy Marie Buchanan. Loved it!
I’ve never been to Paris but it’s definitely on my list of places to go one day. I think I’ll wait for a while, I want to take the kids when they’re older so they can use their French while we’re there.
Shan recently posted.."The Painted Girls" by Cathy Marie Buchanan
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Finally finished my French novel with just a few days to go! I read Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda, which I enjoyed very much.
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Ooh là là! I’ve started this challenge by reading Chéri by Colette, which depicts the affair between a young man and a middle-age Parisian courtesan. A great start to this reading challenge. Thanks for hosting Shannon!
Sarah recently posted..Review: Chéri
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Yes, thanks for hosting, Shannon! I read “The Elegance of the Hedgehog”, my review with a conversation in the comments & movie clip is here: http://bit.ly/W476zK
and in addition, i revisited my copy of “The Little Prince”, which i really enjoyed. Also, i watched 3 French films, one even with some real French with subtitles.
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