Paris, He Said
Christine Sneed

Magnifique – Christine Sneed’s great subject is the human heart in conflict with itself – the ways in which women and men balance the risks and rewards of intimacy, welcome and shun the thrill and guilt of seduction, and value and diminish trust, loyalty and love. In this fascinating novel, she tells the story of two lovers – Jayne Marks, an aspiring artist from New York, and Laurent Moller, an older gallery owner who supports Jayne’s new life in Paris. Sneed is a cunning writer who exquisitely depicts moments of grace, awkwardness, and scorn. We come to know Jayne and Laurent and their personal journey together as well as their individual journeys apart. I found the writing to be truly enchanting. In fact, I felt I was reading a French novel translated into English – complete with a quite unexpected transcendent conclusion.