Review by JodiBrozio -- VieVie La Fontaine
Posted: 11 Nov 2019, 20:10
[Following is a volunteer review of "VieVie La Fontaine" by Linda Heavner Gerald.]
2 out of 4 stars
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I rate VieVie La Fontaine by Linda Heavner Gerald 2 out of 4 stars. Punctuation and grammar was missed in the editing. History relayed in the book was interesting. I would have liked to learn more about what specifically the French Resistance did besides protest and hand out literature. The story stays focused and interesting, but I was able to predict much of what was going to happen in the book.
Attorney Hans Lichter and his wife Abigail have decided to pull their son, Mark, out of school and send him to live in Paris because Adolf Hitler is about to start World War II. Mark does not want to follow in his father’s footsteps because he would much rather become an artist. Mark does not fully understand why it is dangerous for Jewish people to live in Berlin, Germany but is excited to move to Paris, France. Mark is welcomed by a friend of his grandfather named General Louis La Fontaine and his wife, VieVie.
France is a new and wonderful place for Mark to pursue his painting. The culture is different from anything he had ever experienced in his life. Mark learns his mother and father have been killed in the gas chambers. General Louis La Fontaine is killed in the front line during the war. Mark and VieVie join the French Resistance Movement with the help and encouragement of General La Fontaine’s ex-mistress, Cecile.
My favorite part of the book is the description of the poor English used by one of the German soldiers that VieVie was dating. Chaplets, sluve, and how a heart can plop inside of a drawer baffle me. I think this book will appeal to people who enjoy fact-based historical fiction. The book has action, intrigue, and romance. It is also interesting to have a story told from a man’s point of view. I don’t know of many books that do that.
What I disliked the most was the lack of focus on the artwork produced by Mark and VieVie. This was a great opportunity to describe much of Paris. Perhaps there could have been paintings of what the soldiers looked like. Maybe there could be a focus on the desolation of citizens waiting in line for their rations. I want to know what a platane looks like. What are some of the sights and visions close to Mark’s heart in Paris? There is vague sexual content and minimal violence. The content is more appropriate for a mature audience.
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VieVie La Fontaine
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
I rate VieVie La Fontaine by Linda Heavner Gerald 2 out of 4 stars. Punctuation and grammar was missed in the editing. History relayed in the book was interesting. I would have liked to learn more about what specifically the French Resistance did besides protest and hand out literature. The story stays focused and interesting, but I was able to predict much of what was going to happen in the book.
Attorney Hans Lichter and his wife Abigail have decided to pull their son, Mark, out of school and send him to live in Paris because Adolf Hitler is about to start World War II. Mark does not want to follow in his father’s footsteps because he would much rather become an artist. Mark does not fully understand why it is dangerous for Jewish people to live in Berlin, Germany but is excited to move to Paris, France. Mark is welcomed by a friend of his grandfather named General Louis La Fontaine and his wife, VieVie.
France is a new and wonderful place for Mark to pursue his painting. The culture is different from anything he had ever experienced in his life. Mark learns his mother and father have been killed in the gas chambers. General Louis La Fontaine is killed in the front line during the war. Mark and VieVie join the French Resistance Movement with the help and encouragement of General La Fontaine’s ex-mistress, Cecile.
My favorite part of the book is the description of the poor English used by one of the German soldiers that VieVie was dating. Chaplets, sluve, and how a heart can plop inside of a drawer baffle me. I think this book will appeal to people who enjoy fact-based historical fiction. The book has action, intrigue, and romance. It is also interesting to have a story told from a man’s point of view. I don’t know of many books that do that.
What I disliked the most was the lack of focus on the artwork produced by Mark and VieVie. This was a great opportunity to describe much of Paris. Perhaps there could have been paintings of what the soldiers looked like. Maybe there could be a focus on the desolation of citizens waiting in line for their rations. I want to know what a platane looks like. What are some of the sights and visions close to Mark’s heart in Paris? There is vague sexual content and minimal violence. The content is more appropriate for a mature audience.
******
VieVie La Fontaine
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon