appCould it be, she wondered, because here in Paris, in this restaurant, she had finally found the place where she belonged?app
Stella had lived a safe, conservative life ever since she was child. She had no desire to be like her mother, Celia, who traveled the world searching for adventure and romance.
Then she found herself listening to the reading of her motherapps will, only to be surprised by a letter and a generous sum of money insisting she go to Paris and finally experience life and the many exciting things a foreign city has to offer.
appThe Paris Novelapp by Ruth Reichl takes readers on an enchanting journey through Paris, highlighting the magic of fashion, food and culture. The main character, Stella, embarks on an unexpected adventure that leads her to a found family she didnappt realize she needed.
Not knowing what she had been missing, Stella stumbles upon French cuisine, art and literature as she navigates her way through Paris in the 1980s. Befriending an elderly art collector, she opens her eyes to a world of extravagance and culture she never would have discovered on her own.
Reichl, formerly the editor in chief of Gourmet Magazine and restaurant critic for both the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, leads readers through a culinary trail across Paris, highlighting some of the simplest yet most extravagant dishes for which the city is best known.
Her writing places oysters and foie gras right on the readerapps tongue with tantalizing detail. The desire to absorb French culture is overwhelming with every turn of the page.
Becoming a regular among the long-term tenants known as appTumbleweedsapp at the famous Shakespeare and Company Bookshop, a longstanding bookstore in Paris, Stella starts to find a purpose as she plays detective, searching for details about a female artist who never received the accolades she deserved.
As her research progresses, Stella finds lifelong friends turned family along the way.
Getting lost in the whimsy of Reichlapps writing, readers wonappt struggle to immerse themselves in the enchanting stories of Paris and Stellaapps new adventures. Granted, some of the accounts seem a bit far-fetched and outlandish, but they are in keeping with the theme of the story.
A bit of fantasy may be sprinkled among the narrative, but who wouldnappt describe Paris with a bit of enchantment?
If nothing else, readers may learn a few things from Stella about living outside the comfort zone of life and jumping into the great unknown. Sometimes, taking a risk results in great reward.
Christy Keller is a page designer for app.
