The Girl Who Reads on the Métro: A Novel - Hardcover

Féret-Fleury, Christine

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1250315425 ISBN 13: 9781250315427

Publisher: Flatiron Books, 2019

Synopsis

“With a cast of characters reminiscent of the French film Amélie, Féret-Fleury creates a world that is delightful and enchanting...Light and sweet as a bonbon, this little confection of a book is delicious.” ―Kirkus Reviews

For fans of Amélie and The Little Paris Bookshop, a modern fairytale about a French woman whose life is turned upside down when she meets a reclusive bookseller and his young daughter.

Juliette leads a perfectly ordinary life in Paris, working a slow office job, dating a string of not-quite-right men, and fighting off melancholy. The only bright spots in her day are her métro rides across the city and the stories she dreams up about the strangers reading books across from her: the old lady, the math student, the amateur ornithologist, the woman in love, the girl who always tears up at page 247.

One morning, avoiding the office for as long as she can, Juliette finds herself on a new block, in front of a rusty gate wedged open with a book. Unable to resist, Juliette walks through, into the bizarre and enchanting lives of Soliman and his young daughter, Zaide. Before she realizes entirely what is happening, Juliette agrees to become a passeur, Soliman’s name for the booksellers he hires to take stacks of used books out of his store and into the world, using their imagination and intuition to match books with readers. Suddenly, Juliette’s daydreaming becomes her reality, and when Soliman asks her to move in to their store to take care of Zaide while he goes away, she has to decide if she is ready to throw herself headfirst into this new life.

Big-hearted, funny, and gloriously zany, The Girl Who Reads on the Métro is a delayed coming-of-age story about a young woman who dares to change her life, and a celebration of the power of books to unite us all.

About this title

About the Author:

Christine Féret-Fleury is an author based in France. The Girl Who Reads on the Métro is her first book to be translated into English and is being published around the world.

Review:

“This quirky little novel is part fable, part romance, and wholly a love letter to books...It’s a fairy tale. But it’s charming to read, and its central theme―that books can change lives―is indisputable and satisfying.” ―Minneapolis Star Tribune

“With a cast of characters reminiscent of the French film Amélie, Féret-Fleury creates a world that is delightful and enchanting...Light and sweet as a bonbon, this little confection of a book is delicious.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Will speak to fans of Nina George and Kate Atkinson, and any reader who loves getting lost in a secondhand bookshop. The author’s love of the written word comes through on every page...This ode to finding the right book at the right time comes with its own suggested reading list for those hoping to widen their literary horizons.” ―Booklist (starred review)

“A life-affirming novel for our times about the transformative power of literature and the bonds people forge through their mutual love of books. It appeals both to the reader’s heart and soul." ―The Bookseller

"A delightful novel." ―Madame Figaro

"An enchanting story made of literary references that would convince anyone to become a reader, even the most reluctant ones." ―Avantages

About this edition

• Publisher: Flatiron Books
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1250315425
• ISBN 13: 9781250315427
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 192