The Confectioner’s Tale by Laura Madeleine
Publisher: Black Swan (23rd Apr 2015)
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Depository || Goodreads
Blurb:
At the
famous Patisserie Clermont in Paris, 1909, a chance encounter with the owner’s
daughter has given one young man a glimpse into a life he never knew existed:
of sweet cream and melted chocolate, golden caramel and powdered sugar, of
pastry light as air.
But it
is not just the art of confectionery that holds him captive, and soon a
forbidden love affair begins.
Almost
eighty years later, an academic discovers a hidden photograph of her
grandfather as a young man with two people she has never seen before. Scrawled
on the back of the picture are the words ‘Forgive me’. Unable to resist the
mystery behind it, she begins to unravel the story of two star-crossed lovers
and one irrevocable betrayal.
Here’s a little confession I have to make:
I don’t usually read historical novels but when I received a proof copy of The Confectioner’s Tale from Transworld,
I had second thoughts. I really loved the sound of the blurb as it really drew
me in so I decided to give Laura Madeleine’s debut novel a go.
The Confectioner’s Tale is a story set in two parts, alternating between Paris
in 1910, where a passionate love affair between a lowly railway worker and a
beautiful young woman, daughter of the well-known Patisserie Clermont, and
Cambridge in 1988, where a young historian stumbles upon a little piece of her
grandfather’s past which slowly unravels as she discovers pieces of her
grandfather’s past which has always remained a mystery to her, as she digs
deeper into the mystery of the photograph with two words written on the back: Forgive me.
Right from the opening chapter, I knew The Confectioner’s Tale was a treat. Laura Madeleine’s
writing which is so poetic and lyrical, you just had to delve into the book and
read on, discovering little morsels of goodness in the plot. I enjoyed how easy
she made the words flow together, how enriching it is to read about such a
beautiful thing that is love. As the chapters of the book flit from 1910 and
1988, readers are able to catch little glimpse of what’s happening in these
different eras and gradually, fragments and pieces of the plot begin to piece
together, weaving the past and the present in its path.
The characters are very well-written, as
there’s a definite contrast between the eras, where it is really scandalous for
a young man of no means to woo someone with such high social standing and all
sorts of restrictions they had to overcome. I really admire the heroine of the
book, Petra Stevenson who is quite a determined woman as she goes against all
odds and a very unpleasant biographer who plans to sell her grandfather’s past
for fame and profit.
The book discusses several themes, such as
social stigma, the position of women throughout history and undeniably, love. The Confectioner’s Tale is a delicious treat for you if
you’re a fan of Jojo Moyes as it really draws you in, captivates you and
delivers a winning ending that will imprint a smile on your face after flipping
the last page. A true delight from start to finish.
 |
| Anne Hathaway as Petra for me. LOVE her. |
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