Paris by Starlight by Robert Dinsdale

I spotted Paris by Starlight on the new-in shelf at the library and whilst it looked like something that was definitely not my cup of tea, I picked it up and read the blurb. One sentence captured my attention: “perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman and Erin Morgenstern”. I’m a big fan of both authors and so I was excited to read Paris by Starlight. 

I really enjoyed the world-building first part of the novel. I thought the imagery of the night-blooming flowers gradually taking over the rooftops of Paris was enchanting. I loved the idea of the land-locked sea and the stories that travelled to Paris with the People. However, I felt as if most of what was outlined in the blurb was answered within those first two hundred pages which left me wondering what the rest of the book was about.

The rest of the novel was simultaneously slow-paced and too quick. Overall it was a slow read, however, there were many moments where Dinsdale skipped over things that I thought needed more explanation. The story also seemed to end hastily, which didn’t fit with how emotionally charged the situations were, things couldn’t go back to alright as quickly as the ending had you believe. 

The bizarre wasn’t my only problem with the writing. For some reason, Dinsdale switched between narrative points of view in paragraphs. It felt a bit jarring to be reading Isabelle’s thoughts for most of the chapter and then to switch to Levon’s in the next sentence. I often found myself going back and rereading parts to make sure I hadn’t missed a linking statement. 

Overall, I gave Paris by Starlight three and a half stars, which is probably on the generous side, but I really enjoyed the imagery evoked. It didn’t help anything that I went into the novel hoping for something as good as The Starless Sea or Coraline. 

C🌙