Mum's Monday: A Week in Paris by Rachel Hore

This book starts off as an ordinary story, only to become strange, when Fay, as a school pupil, in her reaction to the bell ringing in the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Next it suddenly changes direction with Fay’s mother Kitty in a hospital back in England, continuing to suffer from a breakdown. This maybe the result of keeping information from Fay about her past as well as losing her husband, Fay’s father during the war.

Fay is an adult now and is going back to Paris to play in an orchestra, Kitty has a change of heart and tells Fay where she can find something that will help with Fay finding out what Kitty is trying to hide, or keep to herself. Although it isn’t easy to admit things, Fay has a right to know something if it is for her benefit. I wanted to read on, to find if it was, or not.

If Fay learning the truth, makes Kitty feel better and aids her recovery, it can only be a good thing, however, it depends on what Fay finds out and how it will affect in the long run.

Flash back chapters gives in depth views of Kitty’s time in Paris. Chapter 8, although a bit long, the chapter seems rushed and the character Serge Ramond, in this chapter just appears only to disappear and only to reappear at the end, the story of this character becomes clearer near the end of the book, but to start with there seems no reason for this character to be in the book. Again this kept me reading this book to find out more.

In this chapter 8 Kitty’s life has moved on, so fast, I know sometimes in reality, life for some people does move on at a fast pace, but this chapter could’ve been split in 2 and would still work.

This book is well written, describing Fay’s reactions to situations that are trigging memories from her unknown past. She is, also beginning to have more faith in Adam, which is nice to see him being very supportive, written in a realistic way, and not over the top.

In chapter 11 the writing is so well done to portray the realistic emotion of the past. It is good to see Nathalie has doubts about telling Fay her back-ground story, but when Fay’s mother Kitty hasn’t, it is unfortunately left up to Nathalie, although she hasn’t spoken to Kitty in years.

This book is very well researched, it gives us an insight into the beginning and during world war 2, whilst living in another city in another country, Paris, France as opposed to London England.

With each chapter I became more and more intrigued, Fay was quickly finding out about her past, but is it all the truth? We find out yes and no, but how much can Fay, being only 4 years old, be blamed for what happened? I am pleased how it turned out for Fay. After what happened, a split second decision made by Nathalie, when she was sister Therese, that is rationalised afterwards as a bad call causes the rift between Kitty and Nathalie, we know what the future holds as Fay is with Kitty, but again I wanted to read on to see how it all worked out for all of them.

 I think it is a good idea for Kitty to return to Paris with Fay, to lay ghosts to rest and to get to know the new chapter in Fay’s life.