The Siren of Paris

As is often the case when I read a new book, I Google a term or two to check on some things. When I first started to read The Siren of Paris by David LeRoy, I thought that the title of the book could refer to both meanings of the word 'siren', so I double checked definitions of this word.  A siren is, of course, a device producing a loud, often wailing sound as a signal or warning.  Having seen many films about World War II, the sound of air raid sirens immediately makes me feel anxious and filled with dread.  And when I Googled 'Paris sirens' (and skipped over the entries about Paris Hilton's perfume, Siren),  I learned that in Paris, France, and in other European countries, sirens are tested once a month in the national alerts system, and would be used "for real" to warn people in the event of nuclear war.  The French signal, I've read, sounds like the traditional air raid warning.  (I hope Europeans get used to these tests, that they become less frightening with recurrence.)  A siren is also: a woman regarded as seductive and beautiful (who may be dangerous, like the sirens in Greek mythology).  This would be Marie in the book, Marc's love interest, a nude model who poses for art students in life-drawing class, and who seems to grace the book's cover.

Published in 2012, The Siren of Paris is the author's debut novel, a story about World War II.  The book starts as a long flashback from the protagonist's grave to tell Marc Tolbert's story, which begins in 1939, when he leaves America and travels to Paris to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. Young and free, he becomes friends with an older woman, Dora, who introduces him to an elite group that includes Sylvia Beach, the owner of the bookstore Shakespeare & Company.  Marc accepts a job with William Bullitt, the U.S. ambassador to France, and meets leaders of other countries.  

The Siren of Paris is a war story unlike any other that I've read, because it's about the German occupation in Paris. While reading this book, I could hear the distinct, ominous sirens in my head. This novel is finely-crafted historical fiction about World War II,  and it had a firm hold on my attention throughout. It's a war story, and it's also a love story.  At École Nationale Supérieure, Marc finds himself increasingly attracted to the alluring nude model, Marie.

I admired LeRoy's intelligent and lucid writing, although some of the descriptions of war events,  "relived" by Marc, are difficult to read, as you'd expect.  However, sometimes I wasn't quite sure if what I was reading was supposed to be a dream, or real; time frames were blurry and unclear to me at times, although this could have been intentional; it was a bit confusing, although it did not detract too much from the novel. Marc seemed suspended between life and death, and between the past and present. This gives the book a dreamlike quality, although the brutal and senseless realities of war are illustrated on numerous pages.

"The door flew open to Marc's cell, and he woke to the guards screaming at him.  He struggled to stand at attention.  The same drama played out over and over again nearly every hour for three days, until finally, the door flew open, and Marc did not stand.  The guards dragged him from the cell and kicked him in the hallway.  Marc then woke up."
~The Siren of Paris, David LeRoy

La guerre, c'est l'enfer.

Thanks to Stephanie Ward and David LeRoy for including me in this book blog tour for The Siren of Paris.  Comments are welcomed.

The Forgetting Tree: Review and Giveaway

Even before I saw the gorgeous cover, I was interested in reading Tatjana Soli's new book, as I relished her first novel, The Lotus Eaters, published in 2010, my first novel about the Vietnam War.  In 2010 I was also fortunate to interview this gracious author, while she was working on her latest book. The Forgetting Tree by Tatjana Soli is the author's second novel, which was published earlier this month.

"Alone, the last of the sun on her skin, the moment took Claire back to her early days, peeling an orange as she walked through the rows of trees, dropping a confetti of rind behind her, eating the sun-warmed fruit, the girls small and playful as puppies, running in their coveralls through the trees--seeing eternity down the rows the long way, seeing only the bushy trees across--yelling, laughing, You're it!  You're it!  You're it!"
~The Forgetting Tree, Tatjana Soli

The Forgetting Tree is a novel about the life of Claire Nagy.  Claire relinquishes her literary education to follow her heart when she marries Forster Baumsarg, the son of California citrus ranchers.  Living on the ranch in Southern California, she develops an intense, lasting love of the land.  Early in the book, Claire experiences a horrific, heartbreaking loss at the ranch.  As time passes her entire family suffers, and she has ongoing problems with her two daughters, Gwen and Lucy, as well as marital difficulties.  Even when Claire is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, Claire's determined to stay on the ranch.

To be a good writer, you need to have style, and you need to have substance.  Tatjana Soli's new novel is rich in both style and substance. Beautifully written, sensuous, and profound, The Forgetting Tree is a book about relationships, including the relationships you have with yourself and with your surroundings (in this case, the citrus ranch).  The cast of characters in this novel--and I use the word 'cast' purposely because the book is cinematic--especially Claire, Forster, Gwen, Lucy, Octavio, Don, Mrs. Girbaldi, and, of course, Minna,  enact a story that's haunting, offbeat, and surprising at times.  Claire's caregiver, the mesmeric Minna, is a particularly alluring character; she helps Claire in numerous ways, and reignites Claire's "lost" love of literature.  Claire aptly rereads Wide Sargasso Sea (a book I've coveted since reading about it on The Reading Life). 

The Forgetting Tree features unexpected yet elegant illustrations by the author's husband, Gaylord Soli, which tie into the story well.  I could go on and on about this new novel, The Forgetting Tree.  Instead, I implore you to read it yourself, and provide a chance for you to win a copy of the book.

St. Martin's Press is generously offering a copy of The Forgetting Tree as a giveaway (U.S./Canada only).

• To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment.
• For another chance at winning, become a follower of this blog, or let me know that you're already a follower.
• For an additional chance, post about this contest on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.

Enter by 5 PM PDT on Monday, October 1.  One winner will be selected randomly and announced on Tuesday, October 2. 


Special thanks to Lisa from TLC for sending me an advance readers' edition of this book (and for this reason, the lines quoted above may be different in the final version of the novel). To read more reviews of this book, please visit the other stops on TLC's book tour for The Forgetting Tree.