The Girl at the Lion d'Or | Sebastian Faulks | Beautifully written and thought provoking.

The Girl at the Lion d'Or | Sebastian Faulks | The second in a trilogy

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The Girl at the Li...

	The Girl at the Lion d'Or Sebastian Faulks Vintage, 1999 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 20 reviews view larger image
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"Beautifully written and--extraordinarily moving."--The Sunday Times (London)

From the author of the international bestseller Birdsong, comes a haunting historical novel of passion, loss, and courage set in France between the two world wars. This Vintage Original edition marks its first appearance in the United States.

On a rainy night in the 1930s, Anne Louvet appears at the run-down Hotel du Lion d'Or in the village of Janvilliers. She is seeking a job and a new life, one far removed from the awful injustices of her past. As Anne embarks on a torrential love affair with a married veteran of the Great War, The Girl at the Lion d'Or fashions an unbreakable spell of narrative and atmosphere that evokes French masters from Flaubert to Renoir.

"This moving and profound novel is perfectly constructed, and admirable in its configurations of place and period."--The Times (London)

"I would urge those who appreciated--The French Lieutenant's Woman to try this one--. They may well think it superior."--Sunday Telegraph (London)

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Beautifully written and thought provoking.

This story opens with a prologue about three newspaper stories. Two of the stories deal with the demise of two political figures. The third story, very brief, almost lost on the page, deals with an unknown female intruder in the grounds of the prime minister's residence. The newspaper makes the French of the day believe the girl is unimportant, but if Faulks' readers are alert, they will see him peel back the layers to show us how important her insignificance is to France. We are introduced to Anne Louvet, a twenty-something girl with a secrect. She has answered an ad to be a waitress at the Hotel du Lion d'or, and when she meets the various characters of the novel, we are equisitely and subtlely introduced to the themes that caused the fall of France. Each character represents something that is amiss in pre-World War II France. In Anne, we come to know the beauty and vulnerability of France; In Hartmann, her married lover, Jewish and wealthy, we see the noblese who makes excuses for deflowering her. In the beginning, he convinces himself that he provides for her because he feels sorry for her, but that is the only way he, as a member of the gentry, can justify to himself that his actions are of a higher calling rather than that of a typical, wayward husband. But Hartmann is not alone. Each of the members of the upper classes, in this novel, are ruthless, wolves-in-sheep's clothing, who can manipulate the weak and convince themselves that they were the victim. At work here, also, is the precursor to the Jewish Final Solution in France. Pay close attention to the characters who interact with Hartmann. The other characters of this novel represent various classes and ways of looking at the world. See if you can identify their role in the shaping of France prior to World War II. Read this novel for it's beautiful, lyrical style, but don't cheat yourself by thinking that is all it is. Faulks is a master of the written word who understands the class system in Europe; it is a subtle yet powerful character in and of itself.

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The second in a trilogy

While this book is not as good as Faulks Birdsong or Charlotte Grey. It does round out the trilogy nicely and provide insight to how Birdsong and Charlotte Grey are connected.

a calm, quiet read

This was the third Faulks book for me to read. It beautifully describes rural France. It is slow moving yet interesting since I know what is to later become of Hartman from reading Charlotte Grey. The theme is much like Madame Bovary and Anna Karennina in which a trusting girl is led astray by a bored man's fancy. This seems to be a common European theme. I had so much empathy for Anne, which proves that Faulks is great with characterization. -very psychological yet not too deep

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"I've kept too many secrets in my life."

From her arrival at her new job at the Hotel du Lion d'Or young and beautiful Anne remains reclusive and mysterious to those around her. When questioned about her past or her family she provides vague answers and possesses a gift of changing the subject. According to hints scattered throughout the narrative it is apparent that Anne has a secret to hide. While waitressing Anne becomes acquainted with a small group of local men, including Charles Hartmann who is stuck in an emotionally devoid marriage and plagued by his past of fighting during the Great War. As their friendship deepens and blossoms into a love affair Anne feels that her own past has to be revealed and dealt with before their relationship can continue.

THE GIRL AT THE LION D'OR is another example of Sebastian Faulks's principle setting of France greatly disturbed by the affects of war. As the result of being set during the 1930's this novel includes the political backdrop of the threat of another German invasion on the heels of the staggering human loss of the Great War the reader receives a clear vision of just how vulnerable France was during this era and the affects on its inhabitants.

Unfortunately I found the love affair between Anne and Charles to be rather mundane and uninspiring; the only incentive that kept me reading was to find out what was Anne's mystery. To be completely honest, without this ploy I would have abandoned reading far before the ending as there just wasn't much to keep me interested. I generally felt let down.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

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