All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio

 

All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio – 240 pages

When Caroline wakes up in a Paris hospital with no memory of her past, she’s confused to learn that she’s lived a sad, reclusive life for years in a sprawling apartment on the Seine. Slowly regaining vague memories of a man and young child, she vows to piece her life back together–though she can’t help but feel she may be in danger. A budding friendship with the chef of a charming nearby restaurant takes her mind off of her foggy past, as does a startling mystery from decades prior…
In Nazi-occupied Paris, young widow Celine lives a quiet life with her father, the local florist, and her daughter, Cosi. When a ruthless German officer discovers the family’s Jewish ancestry, he blackmails Celine, forcing her to become his mistress in exchange for the others’ safety. The trio plans an escape, but their mission goes horribly awry and Celine’s beloved father and daughter are sent away to a cruel fate. Initially distraught, Celine fears the worst. Yet she soon discovers that Cosi has snuck away and followed her into captivity. More motivated than ever, Celine must now fight to hide and protect the person she loves most. Parallel timelines intersect when Caroline discovers Celine’s diary tucked away in a closet, and it is revealed that the walls of her apartment harbor dark secrets. With the help of a local student from the Sorbonne, she realizes that she may have more in common with Celine than she could ever imagine. 

My Review: 3.5 stars

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All the Flowers in Paris was a dual timeline story, both taking place in Paris, one in present-day, and one during the horrific Nazi occupation. This book reads easily and will immerse you into the city of lights.

I really enjoyed the protagonist in the historical timeline much more than the present-day story. I believe the premise of finding a missing letter, diary and/or getting amnesia is getting a bit overused. I understand why authors use it; it always works! I can assure you though, if I found an old diary or letter, I’d go digging to learn the story behind them too.

Not many people realize the how much devastation was brought upon the Jewish population of Paris and I’m glad the author brought this to light. The horrendous treatment of Jews was palpable. They were bullied and broken and could barely eke out a living, let alone a life. I was broken by Celine’s abuse from the German officer. She also held the weight of her family on her shoulders and like most Jews, never believed it could happen ‘to them’. She and her father ignored many warnings, which again, I think most people would do too. The storyline also showed how quickly friends, customers and vendors of a Jewish person or business could simply disassociate themselves from their relationships.

The flowers were a beautiful metaphor that ran throughout the novel. I’m always been impressed with Jio’s writing. I’ve enjoyed many of her novels, especially Goodnight June.

Quotes I liked:

I am currently a person without a story. But I feel more like a person without a soul.”

“We will see her again. That’s what love does. It binds people together with ties that are stronger than time, stronger than war and destruction, evil, or pain.”

“Forgiveness is a gift, both to the receiver and to yourself. But no one can give a gift when she’s not ready to.”

“It’s funny, I had a crush on him my whole life, and he finally noticed me when I was an old lady.”

“Our customers are leaving us in a mass exodus, but can we even blame them? Associating with Jews is risky, everyone knows that. And yet, we are the Jews. The very Jews they turned to for the most beautiful arrangements for their most important moments of their lives: weddings, luncheons, christenings, births of babies, deaths of loved ones, engagements. If they trusted us then, why don’t they trust us now? We haven’t changed, but Paris has. And now our business is finished.”