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Paris By Starlight
A magical new novel from the critically acclaimed bestselling author of THE TOYMAKERS which will appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman and Erin Morgenstern.
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Every city has its own magic...
Every night on their long journey to Paris from their troubled homeland, Levon’s grandmother has read to them from a very special book. Called The Nocturne, it is a book full of fairy stories and the heroic adventures of their people who generations before chose to live by starlight.
And with every story that Levon’s grandmother tells them in their new home, the desire to live as their ancestors did grows. And that is when the magic begins…
Nobody can explain why nocturnal water dogs start appearing at the heels of every citizen of Paris-by-Starlight like the loyal retainers they once were. There are suddenly night finches in the skies and the city is transforming: the Eiffel Tower lit up by strange ethereal flowers that drink in the light of the moon.
But not everyone in Paris is won over by the spectacle of Paris-by-Starlight. There are always those that fear the other, the unexplained, the strangers in our midst. How long can the magic of night rub up against the ordinariness of day? How long can two worlds occupy the same streets and squares before there is an outright war?
______________________________________
Every city has its own magic...
Every night on their long journey to Paris from their troubled homeland, Levon’s grandmother has read to them from a very special book. Called The Nocturne, it is a book full of fairy stories and the heroic adventures of their people who generations before chose to live by starlight.
And with every story that Levon’s grandmother tells them in their new home, the desire to live as their ancestors did grows. And that is when the magic begins…
Nobody can explain why nocturnal water dogs start appearing at the heels of every citizen of Paris-by-Starlight like the loyal retainers they once were. There are suddenly night finches in the skies and the city is transforming: the Eiffel Tower lit up by strange ethereal flowers that drink in the light of the moon.
But not everyone in Paris is won over by the spectacle of Paris-by-Starlight. There are always those that fear the other, the unexplained, the strangers in our midst. How long can the magic of night rub up against the ordinariness of day? How long can two worlds occupy the same streets and squares before there is an outright war?
480 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2020
81 people are currently reading
2203 people want to read
About the author
Robert Dinsdale
10 books316 followersRobert Dinsdale was born in North Yorkshire and currently lives in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
He is the author of PARIS BY STARLIGHT, THE TOYMAKERS, GINGERBREAD, LITTLE EXILES and THE HARROWING
He is the author of PARIS BY STARLIGHT, THE TOYMAKERS, GINGERBREAD, LITTLE EXILES and THE HARROWING
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
November 20, 2020
2.5🌟
If you can plod through the first 250 pages of Paris by Starlight you will be rewarded with a decent in parts story. I found this book to be hard going and put it down for 2 days without a second thought. I thought of dnf'ing it but forced myself to pick it up again, my love of The Toymakers spurring me on. I quite enjoyed the second half of the book but, overall, it was a bit of a struggle, depressing and the magical realism/fabulism verged on parody. A bit deflated by the whole thing, if I'm honest. Probably not a good lockdown read, for me anyway😒
If you can plod through the first 250 pages of Paris by Starlight you will be rewarded with a decent in parts story. I found this book to be hard going and put it down for 2 days without a second thought. I thought of dnf'ing it but forced myself to pick it up again, my love of The Toymakers spurring me on. I quite enjoyed the second half of the book but, overall, it was a bit of a struggle, depressing and the magical realism/fabulism verged on parody. A bit deflated by the whole thing, if I'm honest. Probably not a good lockdown read, for me anyway😒
November 12, 2020
Robert Dinsdale beautifully depicts love, magic and hope even in the darkest moments in his enchanting tale The Toy Makers and he’s done it once again in Paris by Starlight.
Told mostly at night, in the winding, mysterious streets of Paris, this almost-folktale has unexplained magic breathed into the city by its newest arrivals. The starlit wild. Refugees whose homes have been destroyed and who seek a new life. One such family bring the Nocturne with them, a book containing stories and legends. Or are they? Paris suddenly becomes aglow with things that cannot be explained: flowers-by-night, waterdogs and other magical things and its citizens marvel until fear of the unknown creeps in, and the threat of war looms...
This is Paris, in all its glory and at its darkest, casting a shadow on the divide between love and hate and what home means when yours is gone. It’s a poignant, timely tale about home, belonging and family. From estranged fathers to finding your community, it's a lovely book, thought-provoking really, with undercurrents of hope and faith in our capacity to love one another. A story to be savoured, and one that lingers after it's been read.
Thank you to the author for a review copy via Netgalley
Read more reviews on Velvet Opus
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Told mostly at night, in the winding, mysterious streets of Paris, this almost-folktale has unexplained magic breathed into the city by its newest arrivals. The starlit wild. Refugees whose homes have been destroyed and who seek a new life. One such family bring the Nocturne with them, a book containing stories and legends. Or are they? Paris suddenly becomes aglow with things that cannot be explained: flowers-by-night, waterdogs and other magical things and its citizens marvel until fear of the unknown creeps in, and the threat of war looms...
This is Paris, in all its glory and at its darkest, casting a shadow on the divide between love and hate and what home means when yours is gone. It’s a poignant, timely tale about home, belonging and family. From estranged fathers to finding your community, it's a lovely book, thought-provoking really, with undercurrents of hope and faith in our capacity to love one another. A story to be savoured, and one that lingers after it's been read.
Thank you to the author for a review copy via Netgalley
Read more reviews on Velvet Opus
Find us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn
October 22, 2020
Another story of magic from Robert Dinsdale. The themes in Starlight are similar to that in The Toymakers— finding home, strangers being kind, a touch of magic, and being kindred spirits. Here a young woman in Paris and a young man, a refugee from another land, are drawn to one another because of their similar fate of loss and longing for family. Maia (bebia/the young man's grandmother) has read to the people who had journeyed to Paris, from a book called The Nocturne. It is a book of fairy stories, adventures, stars, sailors following stars, land locked by sea and more. It is the story of their ancestors who lived by starlight.
Now, the present gets magical, like the land in the stories — Big flowers, winterlights as they are called in the book, bloom in twilight and disappear into pavements when the Sun shines. There are secret pathways and tunnels, dreamers (who are believed to have dreamed this world into existence) and more. If you have a thing for snowy Paris, beauty reflected in people and in city life, searching and finding loved ones, a whiff of magic etc, this book is for you.
Paris by Starlight is enjoyable. However if you've already read and loved The Toymakers, you might yearn to re-read it. The Toymakers remains my favourite book.
Rating : 3.5
Much thanks to Cornerstone for an e- copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
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Now, the present gets magical, like the land in the stories — Big flowers, winterlights as they are called in the book, bloom in twilight and disappear into pavements when the Sun shines. There are secret pathways and tunnels, dreamers (who are believed to have dreamed this world into existence) and more. If you have a thing for snowy Paris, beauty reflected in people and in city life, searching and finding loved ones, a whiff of magic etc, this book is for you.
Paris by Starlight is enjoyable. However if you've already read and loved The Toymakers, you might yearn to re-read it. The Toymakers remains my favourite book.
Rating : 3.5
Much thanks to Cornerstone for an e- copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
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December 5, 2022
„Big worlds might end, but little ones are forever being forged.“
What a beautiful read…
4.5 ⭐️
What a beautiful read…
4.5 ⭐️
July 21, 2021
Loved the world building in first half, but the rest didn't click within me.
July 27, 2021
My review is on my website www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
Paris by Starlight by author Robert Dinsdale is the bestselling novel of The Toy Makers that was his first venture into magic. Paris by Starlight is a warm-hearted and beautiful a very well written adult fairytale full of fantasy and magic.
Paris by Starlight is a beautiful tale of love and acceptance set in a magical yet familiar Paris. It’s a beautiful glittery book, with a wonderful storyline that is just perfect to sit outside on a nicer summers day out in the garden .
Paris by Starlight would make a welcome gift. The beginning threw me straight into the book.
About the wonderful story.
Esme is forbidden to open her bedroom shutters, that her father built to block out the night. The stories Esme loves are the ones her father tells her each night aren’t they full to bursting with courageous girls doing forbidden things? With Esme ‘s father telling her once upon a time stories this reminded me of when I was a little girl and my late father told me once upon a time fairytale stories, until I fell off to sleep.
You can tell how talented this author is when he sets character Levon in an uncertain voice to tell a story. Levon began in English to start the story…..Past the forests of midnight, so the old stories say, a boy lived alone where the dark magic held sway. He’d been vilified, exiled, spat on and stoned for he was a pauper, who just hadn’t known, that pauper can’t ask for the hand of a queen, that a pauper must live life unheard and unseen. So they’d driven him off from our glittering tide, to an anchorage deep in the radiant wild.
Come sail with me, come sail with me, out across the land locked sea.
Isabelle had heard this tale before it was one of Maia’s favourites, the story of the boy who fell in ove with the moon.
Paris in Starlight will appeal to fans of Robert’s previous novels like The Toymaker. And if you haven’t read any of his previous novels like me, I know you will enjoy Paris by Starlight.
Paris by Starlight by author Robert Dinsdale is the bestselling novel of The Toy Makers that was his first venture into magic. Paris by Starlight is a warm-hearted and beautiful a very well written adult fairytale full of fantasy and magic.
Paris by Starlight is a beautiful tale of love and acceptance set in a magical yet familiar Paris. It’s a beautiful glittery book, with a wonderful storyline that is just perfect to sit outside on a nicer summers day out in the garden .
Paris by Starlight would make a welcome gift. The beginning threw me straight into the book.
About the wonderful story.
Esme is forbidden to open her bedroom shutters, that her father built to block out the night. The stories Esme loves are the ones her father tells her each night aren’t they full to bursting with courageous girls doing forbidden things? With Esme ‘s father telling her once upon a time stories this reminded me of when I was a little girl and my late father told me once upon a time fairytale stories, until I fell off to sleep.
You can tell how talented this author is when he sets character Levon in an uncertain voice to tell a story. Levon began in English to start the story…..Past the forests of midnight, so the old stories say, a boy lived alone where the dark magic held sway. He’d been vilified, exiled, spat on and stoned for he was a pauper, who just hadn’t known, that pauper can’t ask for the hand of a queen, that a pauper must live life unheard and unseen. So they’d driven him off from our glittering tide, to an anchorage deep in the radiant wild.
Come sail with me, come sail with me, out across the land locked sea.
Isabelle had heard this tale before it was one of Maia’s favourites, the story of the boy who fell in ove with the moon.
Paris in Starlight will appeal to fans of Robert’s previous novels like The Toymaker. And if you haven’t read any of his previous novels like me, I know you will enjoy Paris by Starlight.
May 20, 2021
I love the magical realism, but the pacing was just too slloooooow for me.
February 28, 2021
A few members of our group have read and loved The Toymakers (also by Robert Dinsdale) so when we saw his latest release on offer we all decided to make it our next club read. The Book was split into four ‘books’ so we decided to read a book a week and discuss our thoughts as we went along.
From the first week we had a very mixed bag of thoughts. Some of us loved it and couldn’t wait to read on others were really struggling. We all agreed that the descriptions were beautiful and we loved the imagery that the author painted. Some of us felt that the story could of done with some sort of timeline so we knew roughly when everything was taking place. We all had thoughts about where the story was going but it was too early to say for definite how things would play out. We loved Levon’s grandmother and how wise she was but we were all a little unsure about Isabelle and Levon, separately and as a couple.
Week two brought more descriptions which again some of us loved, such as the underground cavern, whilst others were starting to tire of the constant imagery and phrases such as ‘By the stars’. We all loved the snippets of the nocturne at the start of each ‘book’ and the magical elements were beautiful. We were also starting to get more hints about the timeline which helped. The Night of the Seven Stars was my favourite part of the read that week, I thought the different culture was interesting and again the author had painted a vivid picture in my imagination.
For most of us week three was our favourite part of the book. There was action, drama, more to sink our teeth into. We still weren’t too sure about Levon and Isabelle. Whilst Isabelle had some lovely qualities she just seemed to be too much of a doormat. Levon was starting to annoy us a little, his constant dithering and inability to stand up for himself was getting tiring and we hoped he would change towards the end. Alexandre’s story was a little predictable, whilst it provided a different side of the argument some of us had guessed what would happen to him earlier on. Haek was probably the most interesting character and as predicted he was starting to cause a lot of trouble. We all felt this story was taking a refugee/moral route and was turning into a lesson about culture, we weren’t too sure how we felt about that. With so many themes already explored we didn’t know if this was going to be too much.
By the end of the book most of us were sitting at a 3 with a few at 2 and a couple more at 4. When asked to sum the book up in three words magical, descriptive, whimsical and flowery were thrown out there along with slow, underwhelming, predictable and frustrating. We all agreed that we loved the magical element running throughout we just could of done without the romance and made it more about the nocturne. The final part of the book played out how we predicted and whilst there was plenty of drama and action it felt almost anticlimactic. There were lots of different ideas running throughout; romance, refugee, two absent fathers, revenge, culture, rebellion, to name a few. Rather than focusing on one or two aspects the whole lot were thrown in which made it a slower and harder read.
From the first week we had a very mixed bag of thoughts. Some of us loved it and couldn’t wait to read on others were really struggling. We all agreed that the descriptions were beautiful and we loved the imagery that the author painted. Some of us felt that the story could of done with some sort of timeline so we knew roughly when everything was taking place. We all had thoughts about where the story was going but it was too early to say for definite how things would play out. We loved Levon’s grandmother and how wise she was but we were all a little unsure about Isabelle and Levon, separately and as a couple.
Week two brought more descriptions which again some of us loved, such as the underground cavern, whilst others were starting to tire of the constant imagery and phrases such as ‘By the stars’. We all loved the snippets of the nocturne at the start of each ‘book’ and the magical elements were beautiful. We were also starting to get more hints about the timeline which helped. The Night of the Seven Stars was my favourite part of the read that week, I thought the different culture was interesting and again the author had painted a vivid picture in my imagination.
For most of us week three was our favourite part of the book. There was action, drama, more to sink our teeth into. We still weren’t too sure about Levon and Isabelle. Whilst Isabelle had some lovely qualities she just seemed to be too much of a doormat. Levon was starting to annoy us a little, his constant dithering and inability to stand up for himself was getting tiring and we hoped he would change towards the end. Alexandre’s story was a little predictable, whilst it provided a different side of the argument some of us had guessed what would happen to him earlier on. Haek was probably the most interesting character and as predicted he was starting to cause a lot of trouble. We all felt this story was taking a refugee/moral route and was turning into a lesson about culture, we weren’t too sure how we felt about that. With so many themes already explored we didn’t know if this was going to be too much.
By the end of the book most of us were sitting at a 3 with a few at 2 and a couple more at 4. When asked to sum the book up in three words magical, descriptive, whimsical and flowery were thrown out there along with slow, underwhelming, predictable and frustrating. We all agreed that we loved the magical element running throughout we just could of done without the romance and made it more about the nocturne. The final part of the book played out how we predicted and whilst there was plenty of drama and action it felt almost anticlimactic. There were lots of different ideas running throughout; romance, refugee, two absent fathers, revenge, culture, rebellion, to name a few. Rather than focusing on one or two aspects the whole lot were thrown in which made it a slower and harder read.
December 3, 2020
"The world is full of impossible questions, Isabelle. You can't hope to get it right. You just have to get it least wrong."
4.5 stars
I was genuinely not expecting to enjoy this SO MUCH. I'd been surprised with this book in the mail, Dinsdale was a new-to-me author, and magical realism is a pretty new genre for me so I didn't know what to anticipate!
Gorgeously written with vivid prose, this book does a great job balancing theme, character and plot. The central themes and motifs really make the book feel very coherent and cohesive - always a good sign in a standalone! The themes are both grand yet small, relatable on even an individual level. Family, courage, second chances (and what we do with them), the tension when cultures are pressed together, and the power of imagination, both wondrous (like the magic of starlight reborn) and terrible (such as xenophobic stereotypes and fake news).
Dinsdale's luxurious prose brilliantly paints the scenery, whatever the environment, both blossoming and bleak.
I'm just going to use 'Your Name' anime gifs for this review because they fit SO WELL
It was a lot less character-driven than I'd expected (not a bad thing!) as books with this sort of writing style make me anticipate lots of internal monologuing, and the characters all still elicited very strong emotion from me. I'm talking tears. Rage. Terror. There was also a touching interracial love story between a young French woman, Isabelle, and Levon, one of the People who became refugees after their country was invaded . The development of the romance is closely tied to the fate of Paris By Starlight. Aka my favourite type of romance - one that works with the plot rather than battling with it for dominance!
If you've read this book, you'll understand the significance of the time of day shown in this gif!
The plot had great pacing, twists and exposition, assisted by the cutaways to several different POVs. The POV cutaways were particularly effective in the last few chapters, flitting between characters as it ratchets up to an explosive peak. There was an AMAZING callback at the end to one of the in-universe legends too! My emotions mirrored the plot, glowing with hope, trembling with trepidation and falling into chaos, just like the city of Paris-by-Starlight. I also thought the intermittent POVs from Esmé (who appears first in the Prologue) and her father were a very clever way to illustrate how those who aren't major players are affected by the events transpiring in Paris-by-Starlight. The interludes at critical points during the story were also very well done, slowly introducing what will become a pivotal character in the latter parts of the book.
This book, while fictional and full of starry magic, is also a stark depiction of the refugee crises, fake news and hate crimes happening right now that are all too real, and those caught between extremes. It was frightening yet familiar to see how fear and misunderstanding snowball so easily, the rise of nationalist terrorists and a dictator's militia in response, as well as the radicalisation of vulnerable children. Not exactly light reading, but such issues cannot be ignored.
One sentence that spoke volumes: a Frenchman commenting on one of the People's broken French and claiming that if he was in someone else's country, he'd try harder to learn their language. This reminded me of my first trip to Japan - and my surprise that there was a lot less English than I'd expected (e.g. on signs, spoken by locals etc.). And yet...why should I have been surprised? I grew up in a former British colony where English is one of the official languages, attended an international school and my first language is English. I had unwittingly subscribed to the colonialist idea that somehow expected English to be everywhere, for things to be easy. Obviously, expressive gesticulating and language apps helped me out (my family even had a rule that we'd only eat at places with solely Japanese menus, to avoid tourist traps) and both my trips to Japan were among the most wonderful experiences of my life... ANYWAY, I digress!
Something I particularly appreciated was the nuance in this book, how villains existed on both sides of the cultural divide. Both are detestable, deluded in their 'heroism' and misogynistic to boot. I would argue that the racist nationalist receives less sympathy/humanisation, though honestly I thought that was fitting.
All in all, one of the best surprises of 2020 and I'm definitely going to check out more of Dinsdale's work!
Thank you to Del Rey for a gifted copy for an honest review.
November 5, 2020
4.5 rounded up to 5
Thanks to NetGalley and Del Ray Publishing for this ARC.
I won't lie, I've been sitting on this review for a while. It took me half of the month to read because it felt like a book that needed to take it's time. And the review isn't any different. I still don't really know how to put my thoughts down for this book but I'll give it a go.
We follow a few characters intimately but I would say that Isabelle is our MC. She is a 23yo musician who has grown up in the rural south of France and moves back to Paris to try and find her absent father.
On her journey through the music venues of Paris, she finds a starving girl who can't speak french, gets her a meal and walks with her until they manage to track down her family.
Upon finding them, it's apparent that they are refugees from a country known only as 'The Old Country' - which was quickly and seemingly quietly taken over by the Russians. We know that it's on the 'landlocked sea' and a lot of the language / clothing & culture has similar aspects to other countries surrounding the Caspian Sea.
However, it also has a magical history and tales of plants and creatures that glow in the dark with phosphorescence as well.
At the apartment, Isabelle finds many children, a woman with a baby, an elderly woman and a young man (Levon) all living in a small space, after having travelled 3000 miles together. Levon is the only one who speaks French and wants to thank her for saving his sister, he ends up taking her to all the under the radar music venues and helping her on her journey to find her father. They inevitably grow close in the process.
The book is, arguably, told in two main parts. We see stories from the past, stories from The Nocturne (book of fairy tales from the 'Old Country'), stories from people all over Paris, stories of Refugees making their way to safety and more.
The first half mainly features Isabelle and Levon, with their families and other refugees coming together and stoking the magic of the Old World to take over Paris at night time (Paris by Starlight) and make a wonderful and safe place for refugees and others.
Whereas, the second half is much much darker. I won't say too much but it deals a lot with prejudice against Refugees, nationalism, xenophobia, violence, terrorism etc.
This was a 5* for me until the second half, and that's not to say that there was anything about the second half that knocked it down - it's more that it just upset me so much, gave me anxiety and made me so mad with human nature that I started not enjoying the book. But that is probably more to do with me being exposed to something ugly and real and, as I'm an idealist, not enjoying being exposed to the reality of the situation,. rather than anything lacking with the book.
There is a lot of ambiguity to this book; from some descriptions I gathered that it's potentially meant to be set sometime in the 80's but it's never specified. I only came to that conclusion from the random mentions of landline telephones, synthesizers and a few other little things dotted around. But I could be completely wrong!
This book is a journey and I feel like it's going to be really popular. However I would say that the cover doesn't do it justice, it makes it seem like a basic romance story and it's so so much more.
The writing style reminded me a lot of Laini Taylor and Erin Morgenstern, there were so so many intricate layers and everything threaded together so well. It's magical realism at its finest.
CW: Prejudice against refugees, nationalism, racism, xenophobia, Animal torture, murder, mutilation, Terrorism, detention camps, violence, blindness, death, absent father,
Thanks to NetGalley and Del Ray Publishing for this ARC.
I won't lie, I've been sitting on this review for a while. It took me half of the month to read because it felt like a book that needed to take it's time. And the review isn't any different. I still don't really know how to put my thoughts down for this book but I'll give it a go.
We follow a few characters intimately but I would say that Isabelle is our MC. She is a 23yo musician who has grown up in the rural south of France and moves back to Paris to try and find her absent father.
On her journey through the music venues of Paris, she finds a starving girl who can't speak french, gets her a meal and walks with her until they manage to track down her family.
Upon finding them, it's apparent that they are refugees from a country known only as 'The Old Country' - which was quickly and seemingly quietly taken over by the Russians. We know that it's on the 'landlocked sea' and a lot of the language / clothing & culture has similar aspects to other countries surrounding the Caspian Sea.
However, it also has a magical history and tales of plants and creatures that glow in the dark with phosphorescence as well.
At the apartment, Isabelle finds many children, a woman with a baby, an elderly woman and a young man (Levon) all living in a small space, after having travelled 3000 miles together. Levon is the only one who speaks French and wants to thank her for saving his sister, he ends up taking her to all the under the radar music venues and helping her on her journey to find her father. They inevitably grow close in the process.
The book is, arguably, told in two main parts. We see stories from the past, stories from The Nocturne (book of fairy tales from the 'Old Country'), stories from people all over Paris, stories of Refugees making their way to safety and more.
The first half mainly features Isabelle and Levon, with their families and other refugees coming together and stoking the magic of the Old World to take over Paris at night time (Paris by Starlight) and make a wonderful and safe place for refugees and others.
Whereas, the second half is much much darker. I won't say too much but it deals a lot with prejudice against Refugees, nationalism, xenophobia, violence, terrorism etc.
This was a 5* for me until the second half, and that's not to say that there was anything about the second half that knocked it down - it's more that it just upset me so much, gave me anxiety and made me so mad with human nature that I started not enjoying the book. But that is probably more to do with me being exposed to something ugly and real and, as I'm an idealist, not enjoying being exposed to the reality of the situation,. rather than anything lacking with the book.
There is a lot of ambiguity to this book; from some descriptions I gathered that it's potentially meant to be set sometime in the 80's but it's never specified. I only came to that conclusion from the random mentions of landline telephones, synthesizers and a few other little things dotted around. But I could be completely wrong!
This book is a journey and I feel like it's going to be really popular. However I would say that the cover doesn't do it justice, it makes it seem like a basic romance story and it's so so much more.
The writing style reminded me a lot of Laini Taylor and Erin Morgenstern, there were so so many intricate layers and everything threaded together so well. It's magical realism at its finest.
CW: Prejudice against refugees, nationalism, racism, xenophobia, Animal torture, murder, mutilation, Terrorism, detention camps, violence, blindness, death, absent father,
January 30, 2024
Stunning
November 9, 2021
This book was rather emotionally charged and brought home a lot of subjects and challenges faced in the world. Beautiful book, I read it straight after The Toymakers because id enjoyed that so much. I had high hopes for this and it did not disappoint but only smashed and excelled.
The whole book being such a simile on modern day refuge challenges across the world. It brought a way of telling this age old issue in such a vivid, colourful and absorbing way.
The magic for me representing light culminating through darkness to create hope where none or little existed. Through the tribulations the people suffered and even through that having trust enough to share and revile in the magic they created.
Refuges have such positivity and courage which I think people who never have to go through don't seem to appreciate and understand. This book for me made me feel closer and to understand in a way that the real happenings and news fail to capture. For that I was grateful to bring me to light but also sad.
Taking the seriousness out now however, this was a great fiction. Very imaginative, but then again so was The Toymakers. Really caried me away and felt like I have been there in Paris all week, by the stars I wish I had been ✨❤️
There is not a single character I didn't like in the story for I mean they all had a place
Recurring themes of the previous work but feel it just fits in well with the genre. It was long, I recon a few bits could of been condensed, however I read it and got lost on the pages. Felt I was there a few times. Really wonderful piece of work. Isabelle was sassy and independent, go Isabelle 🖤
The whole book being such a simile on modern day refuge challenges across the world. It brought a way of telling this age old issue in such a vivid, colourful and absorbing way.
The magic for me representing light culminating through darkness to create hope where none or little existed. Through the tribulations the people suffered and even through that having trust enough to share and revile in the magic they created.
Refuges have such positivity and courage which I think people who never have to go through don't seem to appreciate and understand. This book for me made me feel closer and to understand in a way that the real happenings and news fail to capture. For that I was grateful to bring me to light but also sad.
Taking the seriousness out now however, this was a great fiction. Very imaginative, but then again so was The Toymakers. Really caried me away and felt like I have been there in Paris all week, by the stars I wish I had been ✨❤️
There is not a single character I didn't like in the story for I mean they all had a place
Recurring themes of the previous work but feel it just fits in well with the genre. It was long, I recon a few bits could of been condensed, however I read it and got lost on the pages. Felt I was there a few times. Really wonderful piece of work. Isabelle was sassy and independent, go Isabelle 🖤
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2021
To be honest I found Paris By Starlight a struggle. I am not really sure what the story was trying to be, I understand it was trying to tackle some big issues while being a fantasy but I am not sure for me it managed to do either.
The book is really slow to start and it almost put me into a reading slump becasue I was thinking of other things to do rather than pick it up. I wasn't all that engaged with the characters either to be honest and didn't have much of an interest in the central relationship between Isabelle and Levon. I just didn't quite understand what the story was trying to acheive it just wasn't for me.
The book is really slow to start and it almost put me into a reading slump becasue I was thinking of other things to do rather than pick it up. I wasn't all that engaged with the characters either to be honest and didn't have much of an interest in the central relationship between Isabelle and Levon. I just didn't quite understand what the story was trying to acheive it just wasn't for me.
December 24, 2020
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DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley, and Random House UK, Cornerstone, and Del Ray Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Paris By Starlight is a fantasy/magical realism book by Robert Dinsdale. This is my first experience with this author, and I can confidently say it won’t be my last book from him either. I didn’t know what I will be getting out of this book and going in blind really helped me enjoy it. The story is so descriptive and full of imagery that will enchant you, make you fall in love with the world Robert has crafted for us. It’s slow-pacing, and multiple POVs help us understand the characters in a way character-driven stories usually do. The story has a fine-balance of character & plot-driven moments and makes the smooth transition between the two without being too disruptive. The folklores/fairytales told in the book was filled with little nuggets of wisdom. The story may appear on the outside at first glance, a fantasy/magical realism story, but at the core of it is a human story. One that will make us think and reflect on later.
Overall, I will say this is a story that every reader needs to read and understand. It gives us food for thought and makes us reflect and contemplate on the state of the world at present as well. I loved this book and I am giving it 5 stars. If you love reading, beautifully written slow-paced, thought-provoking stories with fairytales woven into the storyline, then you need to pick this book up. It is a gorgeous read and one that needs to be savored slowly. If you love magical realism in stories I highly recommend checking this book out.
SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL : YOUTUBE
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley, and Random House UK, Cornerstone, and Del Ray Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Paris By Starlight is a fantasy/magical realism book by Robert Dinsdale. This is my first experience with this author, and I can confidently say it won’t be my last book from him either. I didn’t know what I will be getting out of this book and going in blind really helped me enjoy it. The story is so descriptive and full of imagery that will enchant you, make you fall in love with the world Robert has crafted for us. It’s slow-pacing, and multiple POVs help us understand the characters in a way character-driven stories usually do. The story has a fine-balance of character & plot-driven moments and makes the smooth transition between the two without being too disruptive. The folklores/fairytales told in the book was filled with little nuggets of wisdom. The story may appear on the outside at first glance, a fantasy/magical realism story, but at the core of it is a human story. One that will make us think and reflect on later.
Overall, I will say this is a story that every reader needs to read and understand. It gives us food for thought and makes us reflect and contemplate on the state of the world at present as well. I loved this book and I am giving it 5 stars. If you love reading, beautifully written slow-paced, thought-provoking stories with fairytales woven into the storyline, then you need to pick this book up. It is a gorgeous read and one that needs to be savored slowly. If you love magical realism in stories I highly recommend checking this book out.
November 18, 2020
We were blessed to recieve this book both as ARC on here as well as in hardback thanks to Penguin Random House.
It is a stunning book and a wonderful magical story.
I had seen a lot of people saying that Dinsdale's writing reminded them of the Night Circus or Laini Taylor's writingstyle.
And where I still haven't read the Night Circus, I am a big fan of Laini Taylor's work and now... I am of Robert Dinsdale too.
The writing is almost poetic it is so beautiful. The magical setting felt warm and cozy.
Eventhought the story is quite dark.
I loved all the characters and all I can say this is well worth the read so please do check it out!
It is a stunning book and a wonderful magical story.
I had seen a lot of people saying that Dinsdale's writing reminded them of the Night Circus or Laini Taylor's writingstyle.
And where I still haven't read the Night Circus, I am a big fan of Laini Taylor's work and now... I am of Robert Dinsdale too.
The writing is almost poetic it is so beautiful. The magical setting felt warm and cozy.
Eventhought the story is quite dark.
I loved all the characters and all I can say this is well worth the read so please do check it out!
October 2, 2022
I found this book took too long to get started. There were some interesting hints as to where the story would go, but there was so many pages building the back story that I almost gave up on it. Yes the world it beautifully described, magical even, but with 200 pages it felt sluggish, it was all too slow moving.
Once it did get started the second half was a much faster book. It lost that sense of magic though and focused more on differences between people and hatred this generated, and a couple from both sides mixed up in it. Although the story has an element of fantasy it seems very relevant, especially when you look at how countries and their citizens treat refugees. I think this is a book designed to educate and make you think, not a bad thing at all but I was just hoping for something more cheery.
Once it did get started the second half was a much faster book. It lost that sense of magic though and focused more on differences between people and hatred this generated, and a couple from both sides mixed up in it. Although the story has an element of fantasy it seems very relevant, especially when you look at how countries and their citizens treat refugees. I think this is a book designed to educate and make you think, not a bad thing at all but I was just hoping for something more cheery.
February 28, 2021
A gorgeous, enchanting, and yet emotionally intimate read that left me thinking about the sense of belonging & appreciating beauty in everyday life. When I first came across the premise of Paris By Starlight, I was immediately intrigued as it mentions that this book is for fans of Neil Gaiman and Erin Morgenstern (two authors that I highly enjoy)! I can see why Robert Dinsdale's sophmore effort is described this way and long story short - I loved reading this before bedtimes <3
"Let me speak of the star that once shone in the sky, of the kingdoms of moonlight, the flowers-by-night. Let us travel together, through time's lonely mist, to that long ago age where enchantment exists."
Paris by Starlight charms straight from the beginning and its enchantment lasts long after I put down my hardcover. I'll discuss various aspects of the book which I think were executed well.
Writing style: Ahh the writing style & storytelling is bautiful! It's full of dreamy and aesthetically pleasing imageries e.g. the flowers, stars, lights, and sea. I love it when I could visualise the dreamscape painted by a sublime magic realism writing - and Paris by Starlight accomplished this feat!
Characterisation: I found the characters pretty complex and likeable (special shoutout to Isabelle and Levon for their incredible character arc throughout)! With Isabelle, I really enjoyed how she navigated through the world underneath & developed her sense of belonging and what it meant to be at home. With Levon, I found his internal struggle in the conflicting belief systems between his family and his heart quite fascinating. And yet I think their relationship worked pretty well and illustrated the struggles caused by cultural differences. I also quite like diverse backgrounds of the characters!
Central Themes: I really liked how the central themes are developed through the novel and that's one of the main things why the book sticks with me a lot.
- The notion of belief systems and discovering one's personal values.
- Sense of belonging and the meaning of home
- Determinism vs self-will
- The importance of cherising the little moments in everyday life
- Finding hope and having resilience through hardships
These themes are universal and deeply resonating given the uncertainty I've been facing due to the pandemic.
Quotes I love: These quotes showcased what I really admire about the writing style and the central themes in the book.
"Yet the lives of cities change, just like lives of people. No man or woman who has ever fallen in love would dare to suggest that the world remains the same, not even from morning to the fall of that same night."
"A new star hung in the sky above Paris tonight. Brighter, more vivid than all the rest, its lights shone out in seven striking spires."
"Every night gave birth to some new wonder in the city above. Was it really so incredible to think that the old country was manifesting here, too, in the stones beneath Paris? Memories knew no borders. This magic, whatever it was, just wanted to exist. It just wanted to find a new home. And, in that, it was not so different from him."
"We're writing a new story now, and it has but one line. We are the People, and the People look after each other."
"Each family is a world of their own. Eacg household. A garden fence becomes a border between countries. The markings on every road, a new frontier. You don't need mountains and rivers to put up borders, not in this Modern World."
What to be aware of: While these aren't an issue & didn't compromise my reading experience, I think there are a few things to take into consideration if you have specific reading preferences.
Content warnings: While this is a pretty pleasant read and is likely to be suitable for under 18's there are a few potential triggers (which are mentioned sporadically) to be aware of. These are: loss of loved ones, childbirth, accidents, weapons, hospital visits, and violence.
Pacing: This is a pretty slow-paced book, consisting of long chapters and relatively dense writing with lush magic realism. So this is much more introspective than adrenaline-inducing. Which is why I took my time reading the book to let things sink in and have time to reflect upon what I've read.
Multiple POV's: There's a number of additional POV's and inserted subplots in Paris by Starlight. So the progression of the novel isn't entirely linear and does took me some time to wrap my head around. I do think these narratives converged and made much more sense in the latter half.
Paris by Starlight is a magical and atmospheric magic realism read. A perfect bedtime novel which whizzed me to the enchanting Parisian landscape and digs way into the psychological intrigue beyond the surface. It's definitely one of those books which I'll probably come back to in the future!
Bonus: My unofficial playlist for Paris by Starlight!
P.S. I'm currently hovering between 4.5 and a 5 star rating at the time of writing. My final rating will be settled once I give myself more time to let things sink in!
(4.5 stars out of 5)
"Let me speak of the star that once shone in the sky, of the kingdoms of moonlight, the flowers-by-night. Let us travel together, through time's lonely mist, to that long ago age where enchantment exists."
Paris by Starlight charms straight from the beginning and its enchantment lasts long after I put down my hardcover. I'll discuss various aspects of the book which I think were executed well.
Writing style: Ahh the writing style & storytelling is bautiful! It's full of dreamy and aesthetically pleasing imageries e.g. the flowers, stars, lights, and sea. I love it when I could visualise the dreamscape painted by a sublime magic realism writing - and Paris by Starlight accomplished this feat!
Characterisation: I found the characters pretty complex and likeable (special shoutout to Isabelle and Levon for their incredible character arc throughout)! With Isabelle, I really enjoyed how she navigated through the world underneath & developed her sense of belonging and what it meant to be at home. With Levon, I found his internal struggle in the conflicting belief systems between his family and his heart quite fascinating. And yet I think their relationship worked pretty well and illustrated the struggles caused by cultural differences. I also quite like diverse backgrounds of the characters!
Central Themes: I really liked how the central themes are developed through the novel and that's one of the main things why the book sticks with me a lot.
- The notion of belief systems and discovering one's personal values.
- Sense of belonging and the meaning of home
- Determinism vs self-will
- The importance of cherising the little moments in everyday life
- Finding hope and having resilience through hardships
These themes are universal and deeply resonating given the uncertainty I've been facing due to the pandemic.
Quotes I love: These quotes showcased what I really admire about the writing style and the central themes in the book.
"Yet the lives of cities change, just like lives of people. No man or woman who has ever fallen in love would dare to suggest that the world remains the same, not even from morning to the fall of that same night."
"A new star hung in the sky above Paris tonight. Brighter, more vivid than all the rest, its lights shone out in seven striking spires."
"Every night gave birth to some new wonder in the city above. Was it really so incredible to think that the old country was manifesting here, too, in the stones beneath Paris? Memories knew no borders. This magic, whatever it was, just wanted to exist. It just wanted to find a new home. And, in that, it was not so different from him."
"We're writing a new story now, and it has but one line. We are the People, and the People look after each other."
"Each family is a world of their own. Eacg household. A garden fence becomes a border between countries. The markings on every road, a new frontier. You don't need mountains and rivers to put up borders, not in this Modern World."
What to be aware of: While these aren't an issue & didn't compromise my reading experience, I think there are a few things to take into consideration if you have specific reading preferences.
Content warnings: While this is a pretty pleasant read and is likely to be suitable for under 18's there are a few potential triggers (which are mentioned sporadically) to be aware of. These are: loss of loved ones, childbirth, accidents, weapons, hospital visits, and violence.
Pacing: This is a pretty slow-paced book, consisting of long chapters and relatively dense writing with lush magic realism. So this is much more introspective than adrenaline-inducing. Which is why I took my time reading the book to let things sink in and have time to reflect upon what I've read.
Multiple POV's: There's a number of additional POV's and inserted subplots in Paris by Starlight. So the progression of the novel isn't entirely linear and does took me some time to wrap my head around. I do think these narratives converged and made much more sense in the latter half.
Paris by Starlight is a magical and atmospheric magic realism read. A perfect bedtime novel which whizzed me to the enchanting Parisian landscape and digs way into the psychological intrigue beyond the surface. It's definitely one of those books which I'll probably come back to in the future!
Bonus: My unofficial playlist for Paris by Starlight!
P.S. I'm currently hovering between 4.5 and a 5 star rating at the time of writing. My final rating will be settled once I give myself more time to let things sink in!
(4.5 stars out of 5)
February 3, 2021
Paris by Starlight Review **Spoilers**
So, I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. I’ve never read anything by this author before but the premise looked good. The first half of the book felt very much like a romance novel - it was light and magical. The childlike wonder of the characters as the magic of the People entered Paris translated very well and I could almost feel it off the page.
About halfway through, the book took a turn and become a power struggle between the original residents and the People seeking asylum. It felt far too relatable to situations in real life (minus the magic) and did take some of my enjoyment out of the read. When details of the rebellion were referred to, such as slaughtering the waterdogs, I did find this a tad distressing. Sure, kill some people in your novel, but when it’s animals I’m not a fan.
At the end, the book came back around to a positive note and there was a version of the ‘happily ever after’, what with damaged family relationships being repaired and a short description of what the future held for the main characters.
Given I wasn’t sure what to expect, on the whole I really enjoyed the storyline, characters and world created by Robert Dinsdale, bar a couple of scenes.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (if there has been more of the fluff, I would have probably rated it 4 stars, but others will probably love that it wasn’t all feel good fuzzies!)
So, I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. I’ve never read anything by this author before but the premise looked good. The first half of the book felt very much like a romance novel - it was light and magical. The childlike wonder of the characters as the magic of the People entered Paris translated very well and I could almost feel it off the page.
About halfway through, the book took a turn and become a power struggle between the original residents and the People seeking asylum. It felt far too relatable to situations in real life (minus the magic) and did take some of my enjoyment out of the read. When details of the rebellion were referred to, such as slaughtering the waterdogs, I did find this a tad distressing. Sure, kill some people in your novel, but when it’s animals I’m not a fan.
At the end, the book came back around to a positive note and there was a version of the ‘happily ever after’, what with damaged family relationships being repaired and a short description of what the future held for the main characters.
Given I wasn’t sure what to expect, on the whole I really enjoyed the storyline, characters and world created by Robert Dinsdale, bar a couple of scenes.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (if there has been more of the fluff, I would have probably rated it 4 stars, but others will probably love that it wasn’t all feel good fuzzies!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 29, 2022dnf @ p70
• i really just could not get into this, not my cup of tea at all
• i enjoyed the first couple of chapters, but eventually just started zoning out and not paying any attention to what was happening
• sad because i loved the toy makers but you can't love them all!
• i really just could not get into this, not my cup of tea at all
• i enjoyed the first couple of chapters, but eventually just started zoning out and not paying any attention to what was happening
• sad because i loved the toy makers but you can't love them all!
July 18, 2022
DNF - life is too short for slow, boring books.
November 26, 2020
Paris By Starlight is the perfect magical read for this time of year. Levon and his family have travelled thousands of miles from their homeland which has been destroyed to the beautiful city of Paris in search of a new life. Levon’s grandmother brings with her her book The Nocturn, which contains all the stories of the old country, where their ancestors lived by night, and magic ruled. As she reads these stories the magic returns, slowly spreading over the city capturing the hearts of many of the Paisians. But not everyone is as enamoured by the new residents and their magic, fear in what they don’t understand starts a division and war between the Paris of the day and Paris of the night, can the two sides co-exist or will the magic disappear forever.
Paris By Starlight has been perfectly described as a fairytale for adults, and where better to set a magical tale than the beautiful Paris, a city with it’own magic. All fairytales have a girl and boy who fall in love but have to over come obstacles thrown in their way, there is aways a an element of evil against the good but hopefully it all has the happily ever after. In Paris By Starlight the star crossed lovers are Isabelle and Levon, who have to overcome their different lives; Isabelle is from the Paris from the day and Levon from the night. Whilst they feel no prejudice in their relationship others feel that Isabelle should not be with Levon, a refugee and someone who is part of the night. There relationship is further put in jeopardy by the faction of Parisions who march and protest about the refugees, and their magical night world ,a protest that results in an unforgivable act of violence. Most fairytales also have a moral, and Robert Dinsdale has the thread of how lack of understanding of different cultures can lead to fear and ultimately to confrontation. Acceptance, humility and education is what is needed.
At the centre of the story is the relationship between Isabelle and Levon. Isabelle has come to Paris in search of her father who left when she was six. All she has is the harp he left her and the hope of finding him playing in one of the clubs in Paris. Her journey brings her much more than she bargained for after her chance meeting with Levon and his extended family who welcolme her into their hearts. Levon’s father also left when he was young, and as the family fled their homeland Levon chose to leave with his family rather than fight with his father. Both Levon and Isabelle have to cope with the fact that their fathers went on to have other children after abandoning them, and that reconnecting with them isn’t the fairytale they expected. Their relationship shows the best of both their worlds, acceptance, love, compromise and being able to live together in peace and harmony no matter what others may feel.
Robert Dinsdale creates such a beautiful and captivating world in Paris By Starlight, the colourful flowers that flourish at night and grow over buildings like Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower, as well as between cracks in the pavements. One of my favourtie places in the book was the catacombs under Paris that turn into the old world with a lake filled with shimmering fish, plants and flowers irredescent with light and nightjars flitting around. Along with the magic and romance there are many more serious issues delt with; the treatment of refugees, segregation between races, the hardship of getting to a new country and of course the fear of what we don’t understand. What really shone through this book for was the message of that wherever you are in the world you carry your heritage, values and history inside you, and you can create your own piece of magic in your new home.
I adored reading Paris By Starlight and being swept away on a magical and captivating journey. This book literally has light and dark, the day and the night, love and fear,and the conflict in-between. The stunning nighttime world and the stories from The Nocturn were vividly brought to life in full technicolour. Add in the romance between Isabelle and Levon and you have all the ingredients for an enchanting, engaing and enthralling read; simply sublime.
Paris By Starlight has been perfectly described as a fairytale for adults, and where better to set a magical tale than the beautiful Paris, a city with it’own magic. All fairytales have a girl and boy who fall in love but have to over come obstacles thrown in their way, there is aways a an element of evil against the good but hopefully it all has the happily ever after. In Paris By Starlight the star crossed lovers are Isabelle and Levon, who have to overcome their different lives; Isabelle is from the Paris from the day and Levon from the night. Whilst they feel no prejudice in their relationship others feel that Isabelle should not be with Levon, a refugee and someone who is part of the night. There relationship is further put in jeopardy by the faction of Parisions who march and protest about the refugees, and their magical night world ,a protest that results in an unforgivable act of violence. Most fairytales also have a moral, and Robert Dinsdale has the thread of how lack of understanding of different cultures can lead to fear and ultimately to confrontation. Acceptance, humility and education is what is needed.
At the centre of the story is the relationship between Isabelle and Levon. Isabelle has come to Paris in search of her father who left when she was six. All she has is the harp he left her and the hope of finding him playing in one of the clubs in Paris. Her journey brings her much more than she bargained for after her chance meeting with Levon and his extended family who welcolme her into their hearts. Levon’s father also left when he was young, and as the family fled their homeland Levon chose to leave with his family rather than fight with his father. Both Levon and Isabelle have to cope with the fact that their fathers went on to have other children after abandoning them, and that reconnecting with them isn’t the fairytale they expected. Their relationship shows the best of both their worlds, acceptance, love, compromise and being able to live together in peace and harmony no matter what others may feel.
Robert Dinsdale creates such a beautiful and captivating world in Paris By Starlight, the colourful flowers that flourish at night and grow over buildings like Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower, as well as between cracks in the pavements. One of my favourtie places in the book was the catacombs under Paris that turn into the old world with a lake filled with shimmering fish, plants and flowers irredescent with light and nightjars flitting around. Along with the magic and romance there are many more serious issues delt with; the treatment of refugees, segregation between races, the hardship of getting to a new country and of course the fear of what we don’t understand. What really shone through this book for was the message of that wherever you are in the world you carry your heritage, values and history inside you, and you can create your own piece of magic in your new home.
I adored reading Paris By Starlight and being swept away on a magical and captivating journey. This book literally has light and dark, the day and the night, love and fear,and the conflict in-between. The stunning nighttime world and the stories from The Nocturn were vividly brought to life in full technicolour. Add in the romance between Isabelle and Levon and you have all the ingredients for an enchanting, engaing and enthralling read; simply sublime.
November 24, 2020
3.5 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Beautifully written tale of home
The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale is an absolutely gorgeous book full of magic, toys and beauty, I loved it and so you may imagine that my expectations were astronomical when it came to Paris by Starlight and whilst I might not have loved this book as much as The Toymakers it certainly demonstrates the writing chops of this particular author.
The story is essentially a tale of home, and the fact that home can be found anywhere that family resides, intertwined with a love story of two characters searching for something more.
Isabelle is a young musician. She trawls the streets of Paris, playing her lute at bars. Essentially she’s looking for the father who left home when she was only a child. Isabelle’s father was also a musician and Isabelle hopes that she might draw his attention by playing the precious lute that he gave her. One evening Isabelle finds herself responsible for the care of a young lost girl and this is when she meets Levon and his family, refugees living a hidden life in Paris.
The People, as they are known, were cast out of their own country where they lived and worked on the landlocked sea. They’ve travelled thousands of miles carrying their few belongings and clinging to thoughts of safety and new beginnings. Eventually, their traditions, cultures and stories create a magic of their own, the rooftops are full of night blooming flowers and beautiful birds, water dogs begin to appear and underground caverns lit by phosphorous plants appear. More People flock to the City, keen to find a home amongst their own and the magic spreads further. Unfortunately, not everyone welcomes these changes and soon enough the People find themselves in a war between those who live by day and those who live by night.
What I really loved about Paris by Starlight is the writing. Dinsdale writes with a beauty and style that is really captivating and brings scenes to life with vibrant detail. The magic here is captivating and well wrought and without doubt this envisaging of Paris is something truly wonderful to read about. I can see where the comparisons to Gaiman come from with the place being split between two worlds, in a similar way that Neverwhere existed beneath the streets of London.
The setting and magic are amazing. Paris is an enchanting place to begin with and really lends itself to the magic created here. The Eiffel Tower alive with tendrils and flowers, hotels with underground tunnels and caverns and the many dark clubs where haunting music plays into the night.
We predominantly follow Isabelle and to be honest that’s something of a relief as she is a good character filled with hope and love. Some of the other characters are less easy to like, they have their own agendas, or are filled with anger and resentment.
In terms of criticisms. I felt that this could perhaps have been cut a little, only because it felt a little repetitive in some parts and there was a slowing of pace about half way through where I began to wonder if anything more would actually happen. Obviously, I got past this point and the tension and action were ramped up but for a moment I started to feel like everything was dragging out a little more than I liked and it definitely held things up for me.
I enjoyed Paris by Starlight but I didn’t fall completely in love with it as much as I’d hoped or expected and I think that this lies mainly at my own door, probably because elements of this felt more real than I expected and at the moment I’m all about the escapism. Without doubt, this is a tale with a message. It’s about finding home and overcoming adversity in a way that really drives home what is truly important. There’s a message about acceptance and learning to live amicably with others in spite of differences.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the author, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3.5 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Beautifully written tale of home
The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale is an absolutely gorgeous book full of magic, toys and beauty, I loved it and so you may imagine that my expectations were astronomical when it came to Paris by Starlight and whilst I might not have loved this book as much as The Toymakers it certainly demonstrates the writing chops of this particular author.
The story is essentially a tale of home, and the fact that home can be found anywhere that family resides, intertwined with a love story of two characters searching for something more.
Isabelle is a young musician. She trawls the streets of Paris, playing her lute at bars. Essentially she’s looking for the father who left home when she was only a child. Isabelle’s father was also a musician and Isabelle hopes that she might draw his attention by playing the precious lute that he gave her. One evening Isabelle finds herself responsible for the care of a young lost girl and this is when she meets Levon and his family, refugees living a hidden life in Paris.
The People, as they are known, were cast out of their own country where they lived and worked on the landlocked sea. They’ve travelled thousands of miles carrying their few belongings and clinging to thoughts of safety and new beginnings. Eventually, their traditions, cultures and stories create a magic of their own, the rooftops are full of night blooming flowers and beautiful birds, water dogs begin to appear and underground caverns lit by phosphorous plants appear. More People flock to the City, keen to find a home amongst their own and the magic spreads further. Unfortunately, not everyone welcomes these changes and soon enough the People find themselves in a war between those who live by day and those who live by night.
What I really loved about Paris by Starlight is the writing. Dinsdale writes with a beauty and style that is really captivating and brings scenes to life with vibrant detail. The magic here is captivating and well wrought and without doubt this envisaging of Paris is something truly wonderful to read about. I can see where the comparisons to Gaiman come from with the place being split between two worlds, in a similar way that Neverwhere existed beneath the streets of London.
The setting and magic are amazing. Paris is an enchanting place to begin with and really lends itself to the magic created here. The Eiffel Tower alive with tendrils and flowers, hotels with underground tunnels and caverns and the many dark clubs where haunting music plays into the night.
We predominantly follow Isabelle and to be honest that’s something of a relief as she is a good character filled with hope and love. Some of the other characters are less easy to like, they have their own agendas, or are filled with anger and resentment.
In terms of criticisms. I felt that this could perhaps have been cut a little, only because it felt a little repetitive in some parts and there was a slowing of pace about half way through where I began to wonder if anything more would actually happen. Obviously, I got past this point and the tension and action were ramped up but for a moment I started to feel like everything was dragging out a little more than I liked and it definitely held things up for me.
I enjoyed Paris by Starlight but I didn’t fall completely in love with it as much as I’d hoped or expected and I think that this lies mainly at my own door, probably because elements of this felt more real than I expected and at the moment I’m all about the escapism. Without doubt, this is a tale with a message. It’s about finding home and overcoming adversity in a way that really drives home what is truly important. There’s a message about acceptance and learning to live amicably with others in spite of differences.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the author, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3.5 of 5 stars
November 10, 2020
Actual rating 3.5*
‘Paris by Starlight’ is both a gorgeous piece of fabulism and a harrowing tale of human nature. It’s a story you have to be in a good mood to read – otherwise the dark undertones can drag you down into a pit of despair. With everything happening in the world at the moment, it took me some time to read this book – but it’s beautifully written and its observations on human nature are spot on.
This is, at its heart, a story about finding home. Isabelle’s father left when she was six years old, and now – as an adult – she’s come to Paris to find him. But finding her father is harder than she thought, and memories and dreams never quite match up with the real thing. Levon’s home was ripped apart by war when he was a child, and he’s spent years trekking across borders and through refugee camps to find somewhere his family can call home. Against all the odds, he’s made it to Paris – but the life of a refugee is precarious, and places that seem welcoming can switch to hostile in a second.
Isabelle is a delightful character. Her love of music shines through every page and illuminates her life, and her adventurous spirit is a joy to read about. However, her life is fraught with difficulty, and it tugs on the heartstrings how trying to do the right thing to often ends in despair. Robert Dinsdale really makes you care about his characters, and it makes the hardships he puts them through truly difficult to read about.
Levon is a man torn between two worlds – the world of his People, whose home has been destroyed, and the world of Paris he’s ended up in. His loyalty to his family and his People is lovely to read about, but it regularly puts him into conflict. Like Isabelle, Levon has a big heart and always tries to do the right thing – but it’s never clear what the right thing is, and when push comes to shove Isabelle is the stronger. That being said, Levon’s relationship with his sister Arina is a light, especially in the second half of the book.
Fabulism is a very hit or miss genre for me – too often it tips over too far into the fantastical and throws me out of the story. ‘Paris by Starlight’ achieves the rare feat of getting the balance between the real and the fantasy just right. The magic elements illuminate the story but don’t overcrowd it, sitting beautifully alongside the smaller tales of ordinary people just getting by. I adored the imagery and the whimsical, impossible nature of everything happening – which made it all the more harrowing when the dream started to shift into a nightmare.
The tonal shift in this book is gradual. It starts of beautiful, dreamlike, evoking vibes of books like ‘The Night Circus’ – but things start to shift, and a dark cloud descends over the magic. I found this shift difficult to cope with. This is marketed for fans of Erin Morgenstern and Neil Gaiman, but I’ve never found either authors work to feel quite so insidious or harrowing. It’s exceptionally cleverly done, and I respect the author’s decision to inject some realism – the world, after all, is rarely kind – but I wasn’t expecting it, and at a time of high stress I simply needed a lighter read. I don’t want to criticise the author for what is entirely a personal preference at this moment in time, but I want to be honest about what readers should expect. This is not always a happy book, and the sheer depth of emotion – a sign of how good the writing is – can make the reading experience a rocky road.
Overall, this is an exceptionally written piece of fabulism with gorgeous, evocative imagery – but one that has a darker side that won’t be for everyone. In times as stressful as those we’re currently in, this may well be a marmite read.
‘Paris by Starlight’ is both a gorgeous piece of fabulism and a harrowing tale of human nature. It’s a story you have to be in a good mood to read – otherwise the dark undertones can drag you down into a pit of despair. With everything happening in the world at the moment, it took me some time to read this book – but it’s beautifully written and its observations on human nature are spot on.
This is, at its heart, a story about finding home. Isabelle’s father left when she was six years old, and now – as an adult – she’s come to Paris to find him. But finding her father is harder than she thought, and memories and dreams never quite match up with the real thing. Levon’s home was ripped apart by war when he was a child, and he’s spent years trekking across borders and through refugee camps to find somewhere his family can call home. Against all the odds, he’s made it to Paris – but the life of a refugee is precarious, and places that seem welcoming can switch to hostile in a second.
Isabelle is a delightful character. Her love of music shines through every page and illuminates her life, and her adventurous spirit is a joy to read about. However, her life is fraught with difficulty, and it tugs on the heartstrings how trying to do the right thing to often ends in despair. Robert Dinsdale really makes you care about his characters, and it makes the hardships he puts them through truly difficult to read about.
Levon is a man torn between two worlds – the world of his People, whose home has been destroyed, and the world of Paris he’s ended up in. His loyalty to his family and his People is lovely to read about, but it regularly puts him into conflict. Like Isabelle, Levon has a big heart and always tries to do the right thing – but it’s never clear what the right thing is, and when push comes to shove Isabelle is the stronger. That being said, Levon’s relationship with his sister Arina is a light, especially in the second half of the book.
Fabulism is a very hit or miss genre for me – too often it tips over too far into the fantastical and throws me out of the story. ‘Paris by Starlight’ achieves the rare feat of getting the balance between the real and the fantasy just right. The magic elements illuminate the story but don’t overcrowd it, sitting beautifully alongside the smaller tales of ordinary people just getting by. I adored the imagery and the whimsical, impossible nature of everything happening – which made it all the more harrowing when the dream started to shift into a nightmare.
The tonal shift in this book is gradual. It starts of beautiful, dreamlike, evoking vibes of books like ‘The Night Circus’ – but things start to shift, and a dark cloud descends over the magic. I found this shift difficult to cope with. This is marketed for fans of Erin Morgenstern and Neil Gaiman, but I’ve never found either authors work to feel quite so insidious or harrowing. It’s exceptionally cleverly done, and I respect the author’s decision to inject some realism – the world, after all, is rarely kind – but I wasn’t expecting it, and at a time of high stress I simply needed a lighter read. I don’t want to criticise the author for what is entirely a personal preference at this moment in time, but I want to be honest about what readers should expect. This is not always a happy book, and the sheer depth of emotion – a sign of how good the writing is – can make the reading experience a rocky road.
Overall, this is an exceptionally written piece of fabulism with gorgeous, evocative imagery – but one that has a darker side that won’t be for everyone. In times as stressful as those we’re currently in, this may well be a marmite read.
November 7, 2020
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-copy. What drew me first to Robert Dinsdale’s ‘Paris by Starlight’ was the cover and the title. I’ve been in Paris twice, and I still have so much to discover, and the plans to visit this magical city again this year has sadly been cancelled due to the pandemic. So reading Paris by Starlight was the next best things. Books are a great escape, a way to travel to different worlds even when you can travel physically. They are even more important this year with everything that’s happening.
‘Paris by Starlight’ is a story of many people, their lives entangled and affected by the old world reappearing again in Paris. But it follows predominantly Isabelle, a young woman on a quest to find her father, and Levon, a refugee from the old world, a magical place that ceased to exist, doing everything in his power to keep his family safe. But they find more they have expected.
‘Paris by Starlight’ has been enchanting, magical read, and what I enjoyed the most about the book, was the atmosphere of it. It drew into the story, into the place, and allowed you to get lost in this magical world, a world not without its problems and struggles, but enchanting, nevertheless. The middle section of the book somehow slows down, and it feels like the action doesn’t move forward. Isabelle has already found her father, and Levon’s family is safe for the moment, but inevitably all that follows, all that happens after this moment of peace, is even more heartbreaking as a result. The magic of the People isn’t enough to keep them safe and to even keep them together. I think that the reason while the latter part of the book was so moving and so hearbreaking is not only because the readers have already grown attached to the characters, but rather because despite the magical setting, ‘Paris by Starlight’ deals with inevitably relevant and hard situations. Underneath the magic, there is a story of a refugee family and a girl from a broken family. And it’s not a magical danger they encounter, but rather people fearing the outsiders, people threatened by new settlers and new ideas coming to their country.
‘Paris by Starlight’ is a story of many people, their lives entangled and affected by the old world reappearing again in Paris. But it follows predominantly Isabelle, a young woman on a quest to find her father, and Levon, a refugee from the old world, a magical place that ceased to exist, doing everything in his power to keep his family safe. But they find more they have expected.
‘Paris by Starlight’ has been enchanting, magical read, and what I enjoyed the most about the book, was the atmosphere of it. It drew into the story, into the place, and allowed you to get lost in this magical world, a world not without its problems and struggles, but enchanting, nevertheless. The middle section of the book somehow slows down, and it feels like the action doesn’t move forward. Isabelle has already found her father, and Levon’s family is safe for the moment, but inevitably all that follows, all that happens after this moment of peace, is even more heartbreaking as a result. The magic of the People isn’t enough to keep them safe and to even keep them together. I think that the reason while the latter part of the book was so moving and so hearbreaking is not only because the readers have already grown attached to the characters, but rather because despite the magical setting, ‘Paris by Starlight’ deals with inevitably relevant and hard situations. Underneath the magic, there is a story of a refugee family and a girl from a broken family. And it’s not a magical danger they encounter, but rather people fearing the outsiders, people threatened by new settlers and new ideas coming to their country.
January 17, 2021
I am in two minds about this book. The story is unique. Reality blended with magic. It is atmospheric and made yearn to visit Paris again. The language is lyrical and there were many lines which I would have highlighted had I read it on kindle rather than in physical format. The bit that I am unsure of is the dark undercurrent that ran through the latter half of the story and that at times it seemed to take a long time for the plot to go anywhere. This is certainly a slow moving story. What I enjoyed about the book can be found in another goodread readers’ review which I will link here.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It was worth reading but I swayed between 3.5-4 stars at various points.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It was worth reading but I swayed between 3.5-4 stars at various points.
January 28, 2025
A lovely story about the meaning of home and family, and about maintaining hope and love during the darker times of life. The magical Parisian setting worked well to turn this story of immigrants meeting resistance into one of wholesome communities coming together, but the message was not at all subtle and it was very easy to see where the author got his inspiration from in the real world.
The pacing seemed a little all over the place, plot points come up really quickly even though it’s quite a long book, and then things really slowed down in some places and it felt like I was following a lot of side plots
The pacing seemed a little all over the place, plot points come up really quickly even though it’s quite a long book, and then things really slowed down in some places and it felt like I was following a lot of side plots
December 6, 2020
Those of you who have been following me for a while will I know I absolutely loved the Toy Makers and have made so many people buy that this was one of my most anticipated reads.
The writing is beautiful, the world Dinsdale creates is absolutely magical and I cannot fault that.
Unfortunately that was pretty much all I loved in this one, I didn’t feel the characters romance was believable and the pace was just too slow for me, whether this was because I hyped it up to much or I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind to read it, I don’t know but I would encourage others to read it and see for them selves as I have friends who have loved it!
The writing is beautiful, the world Dinsdale creates is absolutely magical and I cannot fault that.
Unfortunately that was pretty much all I loved in this one, I didn’t feel the characters romance was believable and the pace was just too slow for me, whether this was because I hyped it up to much or I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind to read it, I don’t know but I would encourage others to read it and see for them selves as I have friends who have loved it!
May 26, 2024
4.5
Read this when: You need something light, magical, & uplifting.
In a nutshell: A country (like Armenia, but unnamed) is invaded and its people dispersed. Refugee boy meets Parisian girl, and the old country magic returns and covers Paris in beautiful nighttime flora & fauna. Nationalist Parisians don’t like it, battle-scarred refugees go into survival mode, & and tensions escalate.
How I felt: Loved the beautiful imagery and music the prose evoked. ❤️❤️
Before & after reading, ask yourself this question: What is the refugee experience?
Read this when: You need something light, magical, & uplifting.
In a nutshell: A country (like Armenia, but unnamed) is invaded and its people dispersed. Refugee boy meets Parisian girl, and the old country magic returns and covers Paris in beautiful nighttime flora & fauna. Nationalist Parisians don’t like it, battle-scarred refugees go into survival mode, & and tensions escalate.
How I felt: Loved the beautiful imagery and music the prose evoked. ❤️❤️
Before & after reading, ask yourself this question: What is the refugee experience?
February 17, 2021
4.5 stars - took me a little while to get into this properly but read the second half in one sitting. I loved how this story combined a magical story with real life concerns like being a refugee and xenophobia. Beautiful writing too
May 30, 2025
Der Autor hat sich sehr bemüht und es geht um wichtige, aktuelle Themen. Insgesamt war die Geschichte allerdings leider wenig überzeugend.
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