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Belle Epoque (2013)

by Elizabeth Ross(Favorite Author)

3.62 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0385741464 (ISBN13: 9780385741460)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Delacorte Books for Young Readers

review 1: My minor quibbles about this book disappeared when I read that it was published as YA Fiction. Some of the scenes which I found simplistic and the choice of a 16 year old as the main character suddenly made sense. Despite these initial reservations, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel's descriptions of life in Paris in the 1880s and in particular the way it juxtaposed the lives of the wealthy with that of struggling workers and artists. Maude is a convincing character who develops as her circumstances change and her friendship with her fellow 'ugly' workers and Isabelle are convincingly drawn.
review 2: This is a book I truly enjoyed and would read again. I felt that it did a great job of blending the idea of "girl power" with many girls' (and women's, and probably... more lots of men as well) attitude toward self-worth being tied up in physical appearance. I'm giving it bonus points for the main character being considered plain-looking by general standards and NOT getting a makeover of any kind to fix her problems. I felt she was very real and easy to connect with as a reader. I also appreciated the development of the relationships in the novel, and it had just enough romance to keep us hopeless romantics happy. less

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