With her latest novel Skylark, author Paula McLain brings us a gorgeously written tale of survival and resilience that is poignant and heart-wrenching, yet also ultimately hopeful and inspiring.
Using a dual timeline narrative, McLain starts off with the heartbreaking story of 18-year-old Alouette Voland, the daughter of a master dyer in 1664 Paris who longs to rise above the cruel circumstances she is placed under as a woman in a society of powerful men where, being female, she is expected to obey and do what she is told, to not ask questions, and most importantly, to not step out of bounds by daring to think that she is capable of doing anything outside of the cleaning tasks that she has been relegated to. Alouette yearns to be as free as the skylark that she is named after, but instead, after her father is framed and arrested, her efforts to save him lead to her being condemned as “hysterical” and “insolent,” which results in her being sentenced to the notorious Salpetriere insane asylum. In the nightmare of a prison where she is subjected to horrific treatments, Alouette meets other strong and brave women with whom she forges close friendships as they try to help each other survive. In a second, alternating timeline, Kristoff Larsen is a doctor at a psychiatric hospital in 1939 Paris who decides to join the resistance after the German invasion and subsequent occupation of France leads to devastating consequences for his patients. When his story line begins, Kristoff meets a stranger who introduces him to a series of underground tunnels that runs the expanse of the city and beyond – knowledge that comes in handy when Kristoff’s Jewish neighbors, the Brodskys, are rounded up by the authorities and he becomes the family’s only hope to help their teenaged daughter Sasha escape. Both timelines feature unforgettable characters who embark on harrowing journeys filled with hardships and impossible decisions. I was captivated by both stories and was so invested in the characters that I found myself feeling the emotional ups-and-downs of their journeys keenly.
Being a fan, I’ve read a lot of historical fiction featuring dual timelines, but this one is different in that the connection between the two timelines is way more subtle. Most of the time, I felt like I was reading two completely unrelated stories and when I got to the end, I actually had to think a bit (and do some re-reading) before I saw the connection, which is a different experience from what I’m used to with these types of alternating narratives. Not a bad thing of course, I just felt the structure was interesting, as it seemed that each timeline perhaps could’ve been separated out into its own full-length novel, which I personally would’ve preferred because I was so attached to some of the characters that I wanted more of their story.
It's been awhile since I’ve read such absorbing, transportive historical fiction and this book reminded me why I love the genre so much. Of course, it also helped that McLain’s writing is stunning and her characters are so realistically rendered that they felt like real people to me, which made the atrocities they endured particularly difficult to read about.
With its beautiful writing, nuanced storyline, and courageous characters whom you can’t help but root for, this haunting read is one I know will stay with me for a while to come. After finishing this book, I immediately put McLain’s backlist on my TBR and hope to experience more of works soon!
Received ARC from Atria Books via Netgalley
No comments:
Post a Comment