THE CONFECTIONER'S TALE

After my last read,I was searching for something completely different,a story which would transport me to a happy place,as well as one which would be an easy read.'The Confectioner's Tale' featured in the sunday edition of the local newspaper caught my eye and I found myself immediately drawn to this book.Who wouldnt be?!A plate of macaroons nestled cozily on a book,against the backdrop of the Eiffel tower and the profile of a beautiful lady with a pearl drop earring.Whats not to love?!

Dont I say very often that a book should find you ?And when that happens,when a book chooses its reader,a happy feeling pervades and you can escape to a place faraway and live a different life.I have been doing just that since the last week and my sojourn to Paris ended yesterday at midnight.

This story has a dual timeline.In 1900's France,Guillerme du Frere is working on the railways,when a chance encounter leads him to meet Jeanne Clermont,daughter of the owner of the famous Patisserie Clermont.The stark difference in social standing does not deter them and they fall headlong in love with each other.Guillerme gets a glimpse into a life he never knew existed as he begins work as an apprentice in the patisserie and also embarks on a forbidden love affair with Mademoiselle Clermont.

Almost eighty years later in 1980's England,Petra,an academic,is struggling to complete her thesis at university while simultaneously trying to defend her beloved late Grandfather's reputation from a biographer,keen to expose a scandal from his past.As Petra investigates further,she finds 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'.This leads her to unravel the story of the two star-crossed lovers and one irrevocable betrayal.

My Views:Let me begin by revealing my weakness for all things sweet.All that I could focus on at the beginning was the Parisien Patisserie and its wonderful delights,I lingered on the descriptions of the choux pastries,the chocolat chaud,the rust coloured caramel,the spun sugar,the macaroons,the profiteroles and it had me eagerly looking up what a croquembouche was.I was transported to a world of indulgence in Patisserie Clermont.

Although the poor boy-rich girl story has been done to death ,Gui and Jeanne as the young,uninhibited,reckless,star-crossed lovers did manage to tug at my heart.Also the period in which this story was set made it very believable.The story moves very fast and alternates between two different time lines which was not too hard to keep track of.I liked both the narratives and was equally interested in both -to know what really happened in the past and to see what Petra finds out in the present.We are given a glimpse of what Paris was like in those times and the class divide was aptly portrayed.

However I couldnt understand why Hall (the biographer who is keen to expose Petra's grandfathers scandal)suddenly loses his zeal and gives up on the chase.There were a lot of coincidences and chances but that too didnt take away the charm of the story.However the end was not as shocking as I had anticipated it to be.It seemed like after all the effort in the beginning ,the story would end with a bang.However the end was a tad disappointing.

Yet,it is a good debut,a fast-paced book with the old world charm of Paris,simple characters,simple story line and wonderful descriptions of french pastries.If all these things intrigue you,go right ahead and pick this one up.

I rate it a 3 and a half out of 5.