De Rosnay is also the author of Sarah's Key which I absolutely loved (and as a side note- the movie was also great). I loved that book so much that I knew this one couldn't live up to it. This story didn't have that heart-pounding suspense. That said, I really did like this book. I think she is a terrific writer. If you have ever visited Paris you were no doubt struck by the beauty of the avenues and boulevards. Most of this was done in the 1860's by Baron Haussmann for the Emperor Napoleon III. I knew this fact but as with many things, I never thought about the impact it had on the people who lived in Paris at that time. This is the story of a woman named Rose . She was born in the "old" Paris. She married a man from the same neighborhood. They raised their children there. And now the house is in danger of being razed. The book is mostly written as stream-of-consciousness letters from Rose to her husband -who has been dead for 10 years. Through those letters we learn the happiness and tragedy of her life. I was enthralled with her story. And one more thing - the next time I hear of a new road being built or rerouted my first thoughts will not be about the improvements being made, but instead about the people who may lose the 'house that they love'.
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