The Red Notebook

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The Red Notebook has little of the hardship and tragedy of Dora Bruder, it reads more like a book that could be made into an entertaining romantic comedy, it has all the ingredients, the streets and bookshops of Paris, an artists' workshop, handbags and their intriguing taboo contents, a jealous girlfriend and a lippy adolescent daughter. Watch this space I say! I've received this novel via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publishers, Gallic Books, for the opportunity to read and review this charming novel. From characters perspective, Laure seems to have fears and uncertainties. She controls them by writing and through it analyzing herself. If in the beginning we are presented mostly with lists, in the end she writes continuously and becomes certain of her actions. Laurent becomes invested in identifying the owner of the bag and with great care, as though not to violate the intimacy of the woman’s life, he handles and analyzes even the smallest details. Being dedicated to his bookshop, he learns that the bag owner has an interest in his favorite author as well. Even though she is not physically there, he brings her close to him with every journal line he reads.

Amongst other things, Laurent finds a red Moleskin notebook, filled with the innermost thoughts and jottings of the handbag's owner. Not meant for stranger's eyes. And we all have a red notebook somewhere, don't we.

Therapy

It would be streets away by now, snatched, flying on the man's arm as he ran; he would open it and inside he would find her keys, her identity card, her memories. Her entire life...Her hands could not seem to stop shaking from fear, helplessness and anger." Amongst the belongings in the bag, Laurent finds a book penned by a reclusive legendary author, an author who hadn’t done any signings or interviews for years, personally signed to the owner of the bag. He now at least knows her first name. There are lovely details: literary references – that I must confess I didn’t know well enough to know how significant they were; Laure had an interesting occupation; and she had a lovely cat who had a small but significant part to play. Can you experience nostalgia for something that hasn't happened? We talk of 'regrets' about the course of our lives. When we are almost certain we have taken the wrong decision; but one can also be enveloped in a sweet and mysterious euphoria, a sort of nostalgia for what might have been."

The Modiano cameo intrigued me, particularly as he'd just won The 2014 Nobel Prize for Literature, was that the reason to mention him, I wondered? And then I read Helen's Mad About The Books review of Dora Bruder and found an even better reason for the reference to this esteemed author. For smaller students, an exercise book would be better suited. Lined with graph paper for maths or lines for literature, an exercise book is great for home learning and homework practise as well as being a staple in every school classroom. In equal parts an offbeat romance, detective story and a clarion call for metropolitans to look after their neighbours. . . . Reading The Red Notebookis a little like finding a gem among the bric-a-brac in a local brocante’ The TelegraphI liked the people. The two leads were nicely balanced, and they were well supported by a jealous girlfriend, an opinionated teenage daughter, a helpful colleague …. It’s a very well balanced cast. It set the author off on an obsessive quest to find out everything he could about Dora Bruder and why during the most dangerous period of the German occupation of Paris, she had run away from those protecting her. But that's another story and book, so see Helen's review below for more on that extraordinary tale. Never run out of paper again with our practical refill pads , available in a range of stylish designs from leading brands. Or blow your peers away with our chic range of fashion notebooks, in stylish designs to ramp up your stationery game. For the added personalised touch, our personalised notebooks are great for students & office goers alike! Hours later he is still reading the red notebook that he found in the handbag. Guiltily he finds himself unable to stop, unable to put it down and stop reading. There is a great passage here,