The Secret Papers of Madame Olivetti

by Annie Vanderbilt

The coast of Southern France sparkles in this sexy, mature, and engaging debut novel.Lily has come to southern France in search of a new perspective, hoping that the sun?s soft rays and the fragrant sea breezes will provide a relaxing respite from the demands of her lively daughter and her family?s Idaho cattle ranch. Two years after her husband?s sudden death, in the house that?s been in his family for generations, she finally finds some stolen weeks to make sense of the past. To Madame Olivetti?her cranky old manual typewriter?Lily entrusts all her secrets, pounding out the story of the men she loved, the betrayals she endured, the losses she still regrets. And with the companionship of Yves, the seductive handyman who comes by to make repairs, Lily comes closer to understanding her exhilarating past?and to discovering she has a new story to tell?one about the delights of starting over.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit

306 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 25, 2008

About the author

Annie Vanderbilt is presently writing a second novel, spending time both in Florida and in Idaho, continuing her involvement with charitable projects for her family foundation, and taking up saltwater fly fishing to add a little catch and release to the creative ups and downs of a late-blooming writer.

Reviews

[Kimm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took The Secret Papers of Madame Olivetti with me as a vacation read. I was looking for a light read to help pass the time of a very long car ride. Wow, I really should have read the book description a little closer before choosing it as my companion for the journey! The brightly colored cover looked fun and whimsical…not so much the story. It was sad and a little depressing. Definitely, not a let’s party like it’s 1999, kinda book.

I felt for Lily, the centerpiece of the book. We see her life from the beginning all the way through middle age. Joy and grief. Reflection and despair. They all play a part in her life and shape her as she goes along. She makes some not so smart choices, enough to where you feel like hitting her upside the head; however, if you try not to judge her, you begin to understand what drives her decisions.

This book made me very sad and a little “book depressed.” Another time, another place and it may have been the perfect book for the occasion, but as I was in the midst of trying to have fun on my vacation…all it did was drag me down. Still, I hung in there to finish it and am glad that I did, because I always want to give the writer my all in appreciation for their hard work. It is certainly worth a go if you are interested, just be forewarned that there’s no frivolity in sight!

[Jennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another book I bought at the clearance table and B&N or Borders because it sounded like a fun, quick and light read. I was surprised in this book, it sounded like it would be more of a memoir book set in Italy but instead it was a creative blend of memoir and narrative, bridging the gap between the past and the future. Through Lily, we follow her drama filled life around the globe, through the different loves and losses, all while ending up in a full circle connection to the past and future. The description of the locations and buildings were sometimes descriptive and sometimes, I couldn’t quite get a picture in my head. I wish the Idaho ranch had been described in more emotional detail, as I felt the least connected to this location. I loved the Fern women’s obsessive cleaning when things are off balance in life. This attribute made the characters seem more human, more approachable by showing how they deal with those moments that we all feel, when all is not right within your heart and mind. In all, I liked this book. It was a great quick read, especially when you need something light but yet fun and sexy.

[Frances · Rating 2 out of 5]

As I read this book, I went in and out of liking it. I think a lot of that had to do that the author went in and out of the story so often. She did a great deal of her story telling through flashback and often one paragraph was in the present,then a flashback, then a flashback to a different period in the character's life. It was hard to follow because she didn't make it clear when she was making a change. I rather liked the story, but the book had a disordered feel to it. If I found another book by this author, I would probably give it a try because I felt she had potential. I think this was her first novel. I hope she tries again.

[Sara]

You CAN put this book down.

It's a slow read with a slow moving plot. Lily Crisp is writing something like a memoir in Southern France, and her writing in the book is moving a lot quicker than the rest of the novel, which is annoying me as a reader. I want to know what is going on in her life NOW, rather than what has already happened. Granted, as a reader one may need this information to understand Lily's character and decisions later on in the novel, but it's taking too long to get interesting.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I agree that the main character was not someone I could completely like, I enjoyed many aspects of the story. I loved the descriptions of the various places Lily lived and visited, and I enjoyed the back-story of her husband's relatives.

[Mandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got confused a little here and there in the beginning of this read. I don't know if it was just hard for me to start or what, but I thought the second half of the book was more together. Overall I enjoyed it, didn't get some aspects of it, but not a terrible read for me.

[Patti Kowalski · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3 and a half to four star book. Well worth the bargain price I paid. Nice weekend read.

[Angie Fehl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needing a break from the demands of family and her cattle ranch business, Idaho widow Lily Crisp decides to take a vacation in the South of France. While settling in at La Pierre Rouge, the home she inherited after her husband's passing, Lily journals her French-inspired / influenced thoughts and experiences using an old typewriter she's dubbed "Madame Olivetti". It's through the "Madame Olivetti papers" that the reader also learns the story of not only Lily's relationship with her late husband (how they met, how their romance developed, struggles in later years, etc) but also her more recent bedroom escapades with a certain French hottie handyman by the name of Yves Lebrun. Yves arrives one day to start work on repairing the roof of La Pierre Rouge, but over time his down-to-earth perspective on things (once Lily deciphers it through his limited English) helps our girl unravel twisted up mysteries within her heart and mind... by way of her lower regions ;-)

While much of this novel comes off very fluffy and surface level, there is something to be said for the topics it quietly addresses: the struggles of rebuilding a life after a spouse of decades passes away, the tricky navigation of dating after the age of 40, the side eye a woman might get for being so bold as to date an obviously younger man (Lily writes of her annoyance at the looks she gets for being in the Over 50 crowd but still happily living as a woman a good 20 years younger). There's something here that could easily appeal to those who've had late in life romances themselves. Though I'm years away from those years myself, I still found a portion of Lily's story relatable when she speaks of younger years, having had her heart shattered over a failed romance but how that pain eventually led her to discovering how to open her heart again, which in turn led her to meeting her then-future husband, Paul. My romance with my own husband unfolded in a similar way, in that respect. I even found myself nodding in understanding to Lily writing of her first time sleeping with Paul: "a sexual exorcism of one ex-wife and an ex-lover." That sense of joy and even relief, when you get that inkling in your mind that maybe, just maybe, you got things right this time!

The slow build of Lily and Paul's relationship made for sweet reading. Author Annie Vanderbilt also writes in a layer of realism to Lily and Paul's later years that I could appreciate. Vanderbilt illustrates that sure, over years of being together, doldrums can set in, things can get predictable, which can sometimes lead people to make poor choices in their fervent attempts to shake things up in their lives. Even the most outwardly perfect couplings take dedicated work behind the scenes to hold that foundation together.

All in all, some nice observances about long term (I'm talking decades here) relationships. The writing has a nice, easy flow and the contents within these "secret papers" will likely resonate, even if just a small bit, with a good many female readers... at least those past their freshman college years!

[Cshifflett · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was very hard to keep track of time in this book. Author jumped from one time period to another without any clear distinction.
It was not a "Pleasant" story to read, but one that probably matches many lives. I was hoping for something lighter. Some chapters I would, "OK, I think I will like this book now." Then I get to the next chapter and would be confused by the time frame and would not like what was going on and thought about giving up on it.

[Donata Thomas]

I love this naughty story, I need to read it again. I call it my favorite book. But I don't remember why. Perhaps it's the description of the azure waters, the middle age woman's discovery of self, the pursuit of pleasure...hmmm

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect beach read

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book

[mailynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was plenty of drama, but not the amount of romance I was looking for. The names tend to get a little confusing, but this book is short and an easy read

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of it was fun to read but it just really dragged on and on by the end. Just so much lamenting over normal life crap it wasn't very interesting at all.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

After her husband Paul dies very unexpectedly, Lily Crisp feels she needs a brief respite from everyday responsibilities to ponder the future, but mostly to savor the past. Her destination is France, to the house called La Pierre Rouge, an inheritance from her mother-in-law. When Lily hires Yves, local handyman, to fix the tiles on the roof, he listens to her past in musings spoken only in English. As Yves only speaks French, it makes it easier for her to unburden herself completely. As she explains in the beginning, she has been living in her memories and needs to talk. When she is alone she is also reliving the past on paper as she pours out her loves and losses to Madame Olivetti, the old fashioned manual typewriter. Madame Olivetti is almost a character in the book as Vanderbilt manages quite nicely to breathe life into the old machine.

The story just flows off the page as Lily remembers her past life filled to the brim with love, some transitory, some long lived. She also has many memories of family relationships over the years as she always had an interest in family histories. When her catharsis is done, Lily feels she can now move forward to the next stage in her life.


Vanderbilt has done a wonderful job of writing this charming and captivating story. With beautiful, lyrical descriptions of locales, nature’s elements like wind and sea are given animation.Her main characters are fleshed out well enough and the peripheral characters only add to the charm. I really liked the book and rated it 4****.

Note: the end of the book contains a conversation with Annie Vanderbilt and a guide with discussion questions that would be most helpful for book clubs.

[Kathy (Bermudaonion) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lily Crisp has always held her emotions inside, so when her husband dies, she doesn’t really know how to grieve. She decides to head to their home in France and takes her old Olivetti typewriter with her to write her life’s story. (She calls the typewriter Madame Olivetti.) Lily’s life has taken many twists and turns. As a young woman, she leaves her boyfriend for a little while to study in Italy. When she gets there, she discovers she’s pregnant. Before she can tell her boyfriend, she finds out that he’s married her sister because she’s pregnant by him. Her baby is stillborn. After she returns to the States, Lily meets and marries Paul Crisp, even though she doesn’t love him. He’s a kind man, though, and she grows to love him, and they have two children. Paul doesn’t have an adventurous spirit and Lily does, so she often finds herself traveling alone. You learn a lot about Lily through her travels.

Interspersed with her writings of the past, is Lily’s present in France. By being in her husband’s old family home, she discovers a truth that will finally set her free.

From the title and the cover, I expected The Secret Papers of Madame Olivetti by Annie Vanderbilt to be a light, chick lit type of read, but it’s not. It’s about love and forgiveness and acceptance. I really enjoyed this book, even though the prose was a little too flowery for me at times.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I starting reading this book yesterday (Saturday) and finished it today (Sunday). It was very laborious. I had to pick it up and put it down all day long. This was a bargain book I found while wandering the aisles in one of the major bookstores. The cover seemed interesting. And being from a generation who used typewriters, I was somewhat intrigued that this old-fashioned device had a role in the book. However, I'm not sure what I was truly expecting with this book - but I definitely was not expecting what I got. A book that was based around Lily's sex life from her youth to her middle ages. That being said, what I did enjoy about the book was her travels and also the evolving story of her relationship with Paul, her husband. Equally as interesting was the complicated dynamics of her family, and his, and her discovery of the secrets long-since buried in her husband's family's past. The book also includes an interview with the author which I enjoyed reading. She has lead what seems to be a life of travel which is clearly reflected in her character Lily.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although it was clever to try and create a character out of an old typewriter, it didn't feel right to me as the reader. To me, this book is simply about a search for love and freedom in life, over the course of the narrator's whole life. It seems like wherever she goes, whether it's the welcoming family in Italy that shelter her or the peaceful lake in Idaho or the romantic shores of Mexico, the protagonist never stops looking for that certain "je ne sais quoi" that she seeks. She's really not very good at just being zen and alone, even with "Madame Olivetti" her typewriter. Overall, something was lacking for me in this character and her unending appetite for high drama when it comes to that mystery of the universe that misses most...

[Carla · Rating 1 out of 5]

Two descriptions of this book: Chick Lit. Beach read.
This is the story of a fifty two year old woman who goes to her coastal home in France to recuperate from her husband's sudden death and to write her memoirs as a means of coming to terms with incidents and errors she has made in her life. The book started out with promise, but became more and more unrealistic with predictable situations. A love affair with the handyman, of all people, paired with Lily's romantic escapades during her life (and marriage) made me think of her not as a strong willed woman yearning to understand her life, but rather as a slut. Don't waste your time unless you're on a beach with nothing else to read.

[Cathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a really great concept, and an excellent story. The author gives a brutally honest account of the raw pain a human being can experience and inflict. The main criticisms of the book seem to be that she has a lot of sex. But readers should keep in mine that the book represented her entire lifetime. My only criticism is the drawn out metaphors and the flashy descriptive prose. It just seemed unnecessary and somewhat painful to me; in places I actually had a hard time following the descriptions. Other than that, it was pretty good.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea for this book was good but the writing weighed it down. I had to check to see if the author was foreign and if English was her second language because some of the phrases just didn't sound like an American wrote them. There were too many flashbacks and characters who added nothing to the story. I didn't really care about any of the characters which lead to skimming the last 30 pages or so. I just wanted to be finished with Lilly and her drama. I will not remember anything about this book in 6 months.

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usually coming of age books refer to those entering adulthood, this one is about a woman entering a much later stage of life. The title may throw you off. Madame Olivetti is the name of the women's typewriter and has little to do with the story. Lily Crisp is reflection back on her life after the death of her husband. It's a beautifully written and enjoyable story despite dragging a bit towards the end. It makes you want to take off for the doth of France to do your own reflecting

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful and sometimes terrifying reexamination of one woman's life after her sudden widowhood - her loves and losses and confusions and the secret fear she carries for so many years. The reader sees her with more compassion than she usually sees herself. A bit reminiscent of "Pippa Lee" but with sensory and sensual beauty surrounding and sometimes, like a tropical blossom, overpowering the bare facts of her story.

[Jennilynn Bushby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. like a few other readers, I was expecting something a bit lighter and more frivolous. it checks all the boxes for books I love: foreign lands, French, travel, and love. the book weaves through time and tells exotic tales of Lily Crisp's life. I felt for her so much, and by the end, I knew and cared for her more than most other book characters I've encountered. not a lighthearted read, but one I'd recommend nonetheless.

[MB (What she read) · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little too much indiscriminate sex and an excess of sensibility for me. I must not be the target audience.

(I haven't read it, so can't say for sure but I think people who liked "Eat, Pray, Love" might enjoy this.)

[Sarah K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where are the woman's kids and how could she leave them for almost a whole summer after the loss of a husband to start a love affair??? Maybe if the kids were older, but a nine year old girl needs her mom at a time like this. If you can look beyond that and love the seaside or France you may enjoy this book more than me.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started reading it I was a bit confused..I went back and re-read the beginning and really enjoyed it. Another book about self-discovery, but more it is about coming to terms with the past and mistakes people make.It is well written and it made me want to visit the Cote d' Azur!

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

About 1/3 of the way into this book, I thought maybe it was going to get interesting. I was wrong. I really just couldn't bring myself to care about this woman's sex life, and the whole idea of the typewriter as a character never took off or made any sense. Blech.

[Biddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was quite worn out by all the sex! I got the feeling that the story was written to include places well known by the author. She did a good job of creating apt ambiance to each place. I didn't find the characters really believable.

[Bernye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the author's ability to let Lily tell her story so that she could heal and forgive herself enabling her to move on with her life and family. Enjoyed spending vacations and travels through Lily's eyes. Nice ending