Trevor Stratton finds a peculiar box in his office one day; naturally, he can hardly resist opening it, though he has no idea where it has come from. Inside he finds the memorabilia of the life of Louise Brunet, a Frenchwoman who lived much of her life stifled by a boring marriage and the staid affairs of a housewife. But Louise is innately passionate, having loved her young cousin, a soldier killed in World War I, and later developing illicit feelings for her neighbor. As Trevor unravels Louise’s story, he finds that one of his own is just beginning.
This was quite an odd book to start out with. Much of the beginning is actually written in second person and I can’t recall the last time I read a book that had such a strong component written like that. I must confess it threw me and I wasn’t sure I would like it, simply because it was so confusing. I wanted to have concrete facts, not have this peculiar vagueness. Lucky for me, and for the book, it all settles after the first quarter of the book or so. I figured out who all of the characters were and understood what the book was trying to do. After that, I enjoyed it a lot more. The book is composed of several different types of writing, between normal prose, letters, and the second person explorations of what’s inside the box.
One of my very favourite aspects of this book was the way that Trevor crafts Louise’s story from her memorabilia. I don’t know about you, but I do sometimes think about what I keep and what it says about me; this story is that writ large, an attempt to derive a woman’s life simply from the objects and letters she kept over the course of her life. There are pictures of all of the objects and I had a lot of fun puzzling over the photographs and examining each object in detail. It’s certainly fun for those of us who hoard to think that someday, someone might make something of all of those little treasures.
Another very appealing part of the book is Louise’s story itself. It’s impossible not to feel for her, even in contemplating adultery, because she is a vibrant person. I felt as though she’d been cheated by life, robbed of her love, and then had much of her spirit taken out of her. But she still leaps off the page with her strong character. I had the feeling that if life had treated her a little differently, she could have been a wonderful woman.
13, Rue Therese is an imaginative look back at the life of a Frenchwoman who survived much of nineteenth century history. Though confusing at first, it swiftly resolves and becomes a pleasant story of discovery and passion. Recommended.
I am an Amazon Associate. I received this book for free for review from Amazon Vine.
I have this coming up on audio and I’m so glad you recommend it. I too think about the things I save and wonder what my nieces and nephews will think one day when they’ll be forced to clean out my house.
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I almost picked this up, yesterday, at the store but couldn’t quite convince myself to do so. Reading your review, I’m regretting not buying it. It looks like it has a unique way of story telling, as well as the story itself. Looks like I’ll be going back for it…
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I have read some mixed reviews of this one, but after reading what you thought of it, I really want to go pick it up off the shelf and devote some time to it. Though it sounds initially confusing, I am glad to hear that things settle down quickly and that you enjoyed the book. Great review!
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I thought this was a clever book and I really enjoyed the unique way the story was told.
I’ve heard this book is very unusual! I really need to get my hands on a copy.
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I almost picked this one up, too, but thought it sounded a little vague. I might still give it a try and see if I can get through the first 1/4th of the book.
I have been unsure about this one but the cover really appeals to me.
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I enjoyed this book because of its uniqueness.
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I’ve been scanning reviews and going back and forth on this one. I think you’ve tipped the scales today and I’m adding it to my TBR list.
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I’m glad you enjoyed this one! I’ve read quite a few positive reviews of it. I like the idea of a book told through the things left behind, so the different format sounds like it could be really fun.
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