The House I Loved Audiobook

" The setting of this novel is superb. It is Paris during the renovation of 1853-1870 when a major portion of the medieval city was destroyed by the order of Napoleon III to make way for new and modern boulevards, buildings, water and sewer...and much more. I was not familiar with this Parisian event and spent several hours researching it. In my mind, this is always a good outcome for a novel...driving the reader to develop some interest piqued by the work of fiction. The story line itself, a refusal by a property owner to give up possession of her property to the state, promises much tension and confrontation. But Tatiana de Rosnay falls short of my expectation. The first third of the book slogs along as Madame Rose writes a letter to her dead husband about the imminent destruction of his family home. Her ultimate goal of the letter is to tell Armand the dark secret she harbors, having confessed it to no one. It is the writing of the letter that fails to convince the reader of the intensity and passion Madame Rose must feel. Alexandrine, the florist, and Gilbert, the rag-picker, are incomplete major players who might have rescued the flagging exposition, but did not. Perhaps I expected too much of de Rosnay after Sarah's Key which riveted me from the beginning until the end. "

" Started listening to this book.......at the end of the 2nd CD I was thinking......now what did the narrator say? What is this book about? I used to feel I had to finish every book I started but after 5 decades of reading, I have left that obsession behind! Life is too short to waste it! "

" Not as good as Sarah's Key. "

" Interesting topic for a novel -- the destruction of the medieval neighbourhoods by Haussman to make way for the new wide boulevards and "modernizing" of Paris in the 1860s, with the resulting impact on people's lives in the process. However, this book was too thin on characters, plot and development to work very well for me -- it would have made a stronger short story or novella. Wee little chapters and lots of white space (empty pages) made it a page flipper as I kept hoping it would eventually grip me. Apparently good research on the era, so the book worked historically, but not as entertainment. Lite. "

" Didn't love it as much as Sarah's Key. Lady does not want to leave her home when it is being demolished in France. She writes letters to her dead husband as memoir. Well written just not memorable. "

" To be honest, this story is a bit depressing. But, listening to it was great because of the accents! It is also full of Paris history that I had no idea happened! Nathalie I think you left this out when we walked all those years ago and you were telling me things about France! :) Leaders of nations can really get out of control! "

" Not as good as her other two books, Sarah's Key (the best) and A Secret Kept. "

" Not as good as her other books but a decent read. "

" Definitely not as well-written as Sarah's Key...interesting, but just didn't compare "

" Mooi en meeslepend geschreven. "

" Still not as good as Sarah's Key....started slow, but got better as I kept reading. "

" no comparison to Sarah's Key. "

" This author wrings your heart. A sad tale set in Paris under Napoleon. The characters and the setting come alive. "

" I would give this a 3.5 rating if possible. Beautifully written historical fiction. "

" Horrid book. Started out well, but went downhill. The author must have had to turn this one out quickly! Do not waste your time on it. My sister read it too and feels the exact same way that I do. "

" Not the greatest book ever written, but the historical context of the creation of Paris as we know it now was captivating and made this book worth reading. "

" I am disappointed in this author, after Sarah's Key was so good this book was a poor follow up... "

" Listened to this on audio book. I really enjoyed the storyline. "

" After devouring and enjoying Sarah's Key, I was expecting to do the same with this book. But I found it hard to get into and very slow. I liked the historical details, the look at everyday life at that time in Paris, but I really didn't enjoy the book. "

" it was Ok. I was interested in the historical side of it, of hearing about old Paris etc, but everything else was so-so. I did not like the character, she left me cold. I also found it drawn out, I really just wanted the book to end. I had such high hopes for it! "

" De verwachtingen waren hoog na "Haar naam is Sarah", maar het lijkt dat de schrijfster ze niet heeft kunnen waarmaken. "

" Very interesting story but sad. "