Characters
Isabel Walker, once a student at the University of Southern California, is a self-proclaimed product of a contented upbringing and stands at the heart of our tale. Arriving in France, she's already been categorized by her loved ones as "the pretty one," a whimsical youngest daughter unsure of her future aspirations. Yet, she is also recognized for her practicality and sharp analytical mind, a stark contrast to her sister's dreamlike artistry.
While Isabel acknowledges these labels as largely accurate, she knows they're not the full picture. Isabel is sharp-witted, a trait overshadowed by her sister Roxy who first claimed the intellectual spotlight. Adapting with ease and possessing an insatiable curiosity, Isabel's mind is always at work.
In the vibrant streets of Paris, however, these qualities seem to falter. Her French vocabulary barely stretches beyond "Bonjour," and she views her new environment with a scrutinizing gaze. She admires the city's beauty and delights in its cuisine, but questions the persistent summer rain and chaotic traffic. As a quintessential Californian, the lifestyle clash is stark. Despite initial apprehensions, Isabel resolves to embrace French life, determined to inject some excitement into her stay. After all, who knows what unexpected rewards await?
The Sisterly Bond
Roxeanne, Isabel's elder by five years, shares a fond relationship with her ever since they first met at their parents' wedding. While close-knit step-sibling relationships might be uncommon in reality, they are even rarer in fiction, making Isabel and Roxy's bond a refreshing portrayal. Their relationship is a dance of mutual support, analysis, and occasional resentment, bringing authenticity to their portrayal. Their contrasting views and familial ties make their connection the most pivotal in the narrative.
Roxy, with her sensitive, intellectual nature, often experiences life in intense highs and lows. Isabel finds it challenging to discern whether Roxy's marital woes are genuine or merely melodramatic echoes of past schoolgirl dilemmas. Ironically, Roxy applies herself diligently to endeavors she truly values. Fluent in French and adept at crafting delectable French meals, she surprises many, including her husband who insists she needn't bother.
The Poet's Pursuit
Understanding Roxy's behavior requires a glimpse into her vocation as a poet. Enjoying reasonable success with a published volume through Illinois Wesleyan University Press and various magazine features, poetry is hardly a lucrative profession. Fortuitously, her marriage to a man from a prosperous French family affords her the luxury of a studio and the ability to send her daughter Gennie to nursery daily, unburdened by the need for an income.
Edgar Cosset: A Complex Character
Edgar Cosset emerges as another captivating character, given considerable attention by Isabel, our narrator. Brother to Madame Persand and uncle to Charles-Henri, Edgar's illustrious career spans the French military and politics. Now in his seventies, he remains a formidable presence, frequently appearing on television panels discussing global affairs. A true connoisseur of fine dining and beautiful women, Edgar also indulges in collecting faience and antiques.
Edgar's interest in attractive young women extends beyond mere appreciation—he effortlessly charms Isabel. Unlike the clichéd elderly seducer, Edgar brings new allure to Isabel with his distinguished public profile, spirited demeanor, sharp wit, lavish gifts, and mastery in both the arts and romance. For Isabel, who isn't unversed in matters of the heart, the affair is a conscious choice, even if it defies the "sex between equals" ideal of contemporary America.
While Edgar's persona is extensively explored, it remains elusive. Not quite a stereotype, he never fully reveals his inner self. Men in the public eye often conceal their true natures, leaving one to ponder whether this surface portrayal is a result of Edgar's own...
(This entire section contains 957 words.)
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guardedness or the author's intent.
Supporting Cast
The other characters predominantly serve as social archetypes, defined by their roles and attitudes. Suzanne Persand embodies the elegance of a sophisticated, family-oriented French matron. With a few more insights, the author could potentially flesh out these characters further, particularly Chester and Margeeve, Isabel and Roxy's parents, whose minimal development is due to their physical and narrative remoteness from Paris.
Many secondary characters are expatriate Americans, like Olivia Pace, a renowned writer laden with stories of famous acquaintances and endless opinions, Ames Everett, a witty young gay man thriving as a literary translator, and Cleve Randolph, a former CIA operative still entrenched in espionage, who audaciously asks Isabel to spy during her work on Mrs. Pace's papers—a proposal she firmly declines. These characters, while not deeply developed, serve their purpose within the plot and Isabel's journey.
Among the story's least fleshed-out figures lies the enigmatic Charles Henri Persand, Roxeanne's elusive husband. More specter than stereotype, his character remains shrouded in mystery. The scant details reveal him as a painter, who first crossed paths with Roxy during a hiking adventure. Now, he finds himself captivated by Magda, a sociologist from the Czech Republic. Charles-Henri's presence is so fleeting that even Magda's spouse, Doug, makes more appearances. It's a puzzling scarcity. Perhaps it's an intentional artistic choice; the narrative unfolds seamlessly without him. Or maybe it's a reflection of Johnson's reluctance to delve into the lives of men.
Furthermore, the portrayal of secondary characters, particularly the Americans, serves a dual purpose. They are vessels of both enlightenment and bias. Take Mrs. Pace, for instance; she proposes a captivating theory regarding the Right's use of "draft dodger" as a derogatory term for the current President. Yet, paradoxically, she clings to the belief that women lack moral responsibility—a view that seems outlandish for a worldly, liberal woman of her era, akin to Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda. It is as if Olivia Pace is ensnared in a bygone age. Similarly, Chester and Margeeve's consternation over their daughter's choice to marry a lapsed Catholic feels like a vestige from another time.
