Paris Never Leaves You is one of those books that leaves you feeling both happy and sad, fulfilled but equally unfulfilled. It is a beautifully written novel with prose that I just wanted to swim in, and one that has left its mark on me. I have read many, many books set during WW2, both fiction and non-fiction, and a lot of those books were set in France, the country I grew up in, and the one that will always be home to me. What sets Paris Never Leaves You apart from many of the WW2-based fiction I have read is that the main characters are not your typical war heroes, Résistance fighters, or camp survivors. They are flawed (but likeable) every-day characters who tried to survive in any way they could.

The story takes place in NYC in the 1950’s (“now”), and in Paris in the 1940’s. Charlotte and her daughter Vivi live in NYC, in an apartment above Charlotte’s boss and his wife’s home. She works as an editor for Horace’s publishing house, and Horace and his wife Hannah sponsored Charlotte and Vivi’s visas to the US after Paris was liberated. Between the NYC present and Charlotte’s Parisian past we slowly learn what happened to Charlotte during the war, how she survived, and why she is reluctant to tell Vivi about her background, the war, and why she refuses to revisit the past.

I love how accurate the descriptions of wartime Paris are. I also loved how the author weaves the intrigue through the storyline, leaving crumbs for the reader to pick up along the way, guessing parts of the story, but not getting the entire truth until closer to the end. I also enjoyed the double romance storylines too, “now” and then, and how both of Charlotte’s choices are guilt ridden but also true to life - love is so often messy and never perfect. And as much as I pride myself on being super knowledgeable on all areas of Europe-related WW2 information, I have rarely read about Jewish men hiding in plain sight as Wehrmacht officers. It was a great addition to the novel, and I think the author really deals well with the topic of survivor’s guilt, as well as the judgment of others.

How would I have survived the war? I have no idea. Would I have made the same choices as Charlotte? As Horace? As Julian? As Simone? I don’t know. None of us know. Paris Never Leaves You leaves you with the lingering question which asks you “What would you have done?” 

This is a strong 4.5 stars for me, and I’m looking forward to reading more of Ellen Feldman’s work as her writing style really is gorgeous.