Blink Book Review: The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl

 Delicious!

If a book could be a gourmet experience, The Paris Novel would be a sumptuous six course meal full of enticing tastes, aromas and textures. The author, Ruth Reichl, comes by the food writing naturally as the former Gourmet magazine editor and New York Times food writer. She’s also written five memoirs, a novel and a cookbook.

Food is central to the engaging story that follows Stella, the main character, from her life as a young girl in New York City to her your adult Paris adventure that changes the trajectory of her life. Ruth overlays her culinary expertise with yummy storytelling to serve up this novel that leaves the reader tasting, smelling and touching every delicious bite.

We meet Stella as the young daughter of a wacky, irresponsible single mother living in New York City. Stella grows up a shy, awkward kid exposed to all manner of situations that children have no business experiencing.

As an adult, Stella becomes a meticulous and respected editor, living a solitary, regimented life with minimal social interaction. She lives alone according to a strict routine with little social connections to others.

So, when Stella’s estranged mother dies, the young editor is surprised by an odd inheritance. Stella’s mother left her a one-way plane ticket with instructions “Go to Paris.”

“Paris?” Stella wonders. But she goes.

The story follows Stella’s early days in Paris playing it safe without fully exploring the wonders of the city. But a return visit to a vintage dress shop has Stella trying on a dress that takes on an almost magical aura, Stella impulsively buys the dress. The mysterious shopkeeper also gives Stella instructions about how to enjoy wearing the dress and where to dine while wearing it.

This venture of dipping her fork into the magic of true Paris dining leads Stella to a friendship with a kind widower, Jules, who introduces her to food, art and culture – and a life-changing exploration of her own past. Jules’ encourages Stella’s connection to food, her past and the dreams she didn’t know she had.

While the story of Stella’s personal story is fun to read, it’s the author’s vivid descriptions of food that kept me turning the pages. The real-life settings, including cafes, markets, museums, and the quirky Shakespeare and Company bookstore, add enticing flavor to the story.

One of my favorite food description passages is the description of experiencing foie gras for the first time:

“The soft, smooth substance filled her mouth. Chocolate cream, she thought. The flavor grew richer, rounder, louder with each passing second. It was like music, the notes lingering in her mind long after the sound itself had vanished.”

Then there’s this one:

“The chef was a master of texture. Oysters trembled, suspended in jellied sea water as if Meneau [the chef] has caused the tides to stop. He transformed lobster into a limpid broth so powerful the entire animal seemed to have melted into liquid…”

Reichl treats the reader to passage after passage of this deliciousness using food to weave the story together. The Paris Novel is a delightful escape to a place where story lines are layered like lush pastries and enchanting characters mirror the variety of Paris dining pleasures.