THE VELVET HOURS by Alyson Richman is simply Wow! It is
the
story of Madame De Florian and her granddaughter
Solange's
conversations remembering the Madame's life story. Madame
and Solange meet for the first time just a year before the
2nd world war starts and she is closer to being 70 years
old
and Solange is on the cusp of womanhood. Madame is a fine
example of a woman who was born and grew up in France's
Belle Epoque era aka Beautiful Age -- 1871 to 1914. She is
born into poverty and gloom but as she leaves her teenage
years behind and steps into young adulthood she reinvents
herself first via theater and then being a kept woman. She
chooses to be a kept woman to a young rich man who showers
her with love and luxury, but there too she strives for
more
by learning all she can about art, culture and the essence
of luxury and sensuality. She falls in love with the world
of
luxury and riches and the man who brings all of that into
her life.
Madame revels in the life of being a kept woman, with no
real friends except her maid and the art dealer via whom
she
not only learns but also buys a lot of art -- paintings,
porcelain, antique and such. Through her life Madame
introduces the reader to a life of luxury, art and
pleasure.
I was taken back to an era where Paris shone through its
various artists, theater and the likes. The beauty and art
of that time is well portrayed in the story and reminds
you
of a heady mix of sensuality and decadence. Being a kept
woman, Madame doesn't stand as an example of immoral or
wrong, her being a kept woman by Charles comes across more
as a love story, which it actually is.
Solange comes in
Madame's life much later and it is to her that the past
full
of love, beauty and luxury is revealed. Solange, who is an
aspiring author, revels in the stories recounted by her
grandmother who has lived a rich life and has many a
secrets
to share. She comes into her own while learning about her
family, she shares a strong bond with her dead mother, her
aloof father and glamorous, beautiful grandmother. As war
breaks, Solange's life is just beginning with her beau in
the midst of war and her grandmother's life comes a full
circle and she leaves Solange with a rich legacy both
financially and emotionally.
This story is a beautiful interpretation by the author of
the infamous Paris apartment which was opened after 70
years
and believed to have belonged to Madame De Florian; it was
opened in recent years by the current heirs, upon the
death
of their mother, Madame's granddaughter. The beginnings
of
this wonderful story will make you curious to know
everything about the mysterious Paris apartment; it will
intrigue you and inspire you to explore a world full of
soft, rich velvety pleasures for your own self.
As Paris teeters on the edge of the German occupation, a
young French woman closes the door to her late grandmother’s
treasure-filled apartment, unsure if she’ll ever return.
An elusive courtesan, Marthe de Florian cultivated a life of
art and beauty, casting out all recollections of her
impoverished childhood in the dark alleys of Montmartre.
With Europe on the brink of war, she shares her story with
her granddaughter Solange Beaugiron, using her prized
possessions to reveal her innermost secrets. Most striking
of all are a beautiful string of pearls and a magnificent
portrait of Marthe painted by the Italian artist Giovanni
Boldini. As Marthe’s tale unfolds, like velvet itself,
stitched with its own shadow and light, it helps to guide
Solange on her own path.
Inspired by the true account of an abandoned Parisian
apartment, Alyson Richman brings to life Solange, the young
woman forced to leave her fabled grandmother’s legacy behind
to save all that she loved.
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