Review: The French Photographer

Title: The French Photographer

Author: Natasha Lester

Publisher: 26th March 2019 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 488 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: romance, historical fiction

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

Inspired by the incredible true story of Lee Miller, Vogue model turned one of the first female war photojournalists, the new novel by the bestselling author of The Paris Seamstress

Manhattan, Paris, 1942: When Jessica May's successful modelling career is abruptly cut short, she is assigned to the war in Europe as a photojournalist for Vogue. But when she arrives the army men make her life as difficult as possible. Three friendships change that: journalist Martha Gellhorn encourages Jess to bend the rules, paratrooper Dan Hallworth takes her to places to shoot pictures and write stories that matter, and a little girl, Victorine, who has grown up in a field hospital, shows her love. But success comes at a price.

France, 2005: Australian curator D'Arcy Hallworth arrives at a beautiful chateau to manage a famous collection of photographs. What begins as just another job becomes far more disquieting as D'Arcy uncovers the true identity of the mysterious photographer -- and realises that she is connected to D'Arcy's own mother, Victorine.

Crossing a war-torn Europe from Italy to France, The French Photographer is a story of courage, family and forgiveness, by the bestselling author of The Paris Seamstress and A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald.

My Thoughts

Natasha Lester books have all been five star reads for me. So it was with great anticipation that I took up her latest novel. Yet again Natasha has floored me with her storytelling, almost to the point of speechlessness. Where to start with a read that was so powerful, so raw and intense, taking the reader on a rollercoaster ride of emotion. This book consumed me and, closing the last page, left me almost bereft.

Just when you think she can’t get any better, Natasha produces another spellbinding tale, a true historical showpiece. Being such a fan of  dual timeline narratives, Natasha has excelled in this genre with this highly absorbing tale that follows a former model turned photojournalist Jessica May, in the midst of World War II in tandem with the modern day tale of art curator D’Arcy.

Romance is something Natasha writes well and here you will lose yourself in the passion, the heartache of lost or missed opportunities. Amazingly this applies to both storylines, which in itself, is a difficult undertaking. The story is filled with so many characters to love (and hate!), adore and cry for.  Jess’s feistiness is fabulous, her moments of saying what she thinks, priceless. And what about Dan - Dan’s the man! - he could indeed be one of my all time favourite fictional male leads.

Yet, this is also a tale about war and tragedy. You cannot help but be absorbed into the story and feel like one of the female war correspondents, who had to wage battle against not just the enemy, but the sexism that prevailed. I consider myself fairly well versed on WW2 details, but the research Natasha has presented here was new and astonishing. To feel like a witness to the hapless task for so many female correspondents, wanting to report on the details but being censored for every word and disallowed to portray the truth of what was occurring to the world at large.

‘The men died, not gloriously, not spectacularly and certainly not without anyone to mourn them, disappearing into the mud beneath their feet. Two lives had just ended, one of them was frozen in time inside her camera. She didn't know how she would bring herself to look at that negative, didn't know that she could ever allow herself to discover exactly what it meant to die. She was supposed to be glad; two fewer Germans was a good thing for her country. But how could anyone be glad of a boy dying alone, an unthought-of consequence in this grand mess called war?’

It is here that I must pay tribute to the many female correspondents and applaud not only their perseverance and efforts, but the real sacrifices they were prepared to endure for equality. The courage  and strength exhibited throughout this book is so powerful. The Author's Notes at the back of the book most noteworthy.

Finally, a focus on Natasha’s writing prowess. The links she makes between past and present tales - I mean how does she do it? I will not give anything away regarding the plot but truly, this is a masterpiece of writing. The balance Natasha strikes and links made between chapters and events is mind-blowing. And the ending ... with all the air sucked out of my lungs ... I could not breathe! It is that powerful. Bittersweet, heart wrenching and breathtaking - literally.

The French Photographer by Aussie author Natasha Lester is absolutely brilliant. It is a very special kind of book, that is to be devoured and then ruminated on. Natasha is a delightful author, so accessible on social media and so very humble. Thank you for your storytelling .... never doubt that you are an incredibly talented writer and congratulations on producing and sharing the amazing tale that is, The French Photographer

‘Every word I write is as difficult as tears wrung from stone.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher.