Good Reads / Community Library Notes
The Balcony
Jane Delury
Review by Priscilla Comen
The Balcony
Jane Delury
Review by Priscilla Comen
The Balcony, by Jane Delury, is the story of a manor estate outside of Paris and the interesting people who live or visit there. It begins with Brigette who is hired as a nanny for Edolie whose parents prepare to move to Boston. Hugo, the father, flirts with Brigette, and Olga, the mother, gives permission for them to have an affair. Brigette declines.
In 1890, Madame Leger, who owned the estate, had jumped from the balcony, floating in her white nightgown to her death. Her lover, the gardener, saw it from up in an oak tree but didn’t know it was Madame Leger. The balcony plays an important role in this wonderful tale of love and surprise.
In 1980, Jacque and Helene visit Jacque's father in his cottage on the grounds of the same manor. Jacque’s twin brother, Guy, is mentally challenged, and in a mental hospital. Jacque blames their father. Author Delury describes Paris in detail as background to the human frailties we hear in the dialogue. In 1999, Charlotte dreams she is back at the manor. As a little girl of five, she had taken piano lessons from an old widow at the manor. Author Delury deftly moves her characters from one era to another. Charlotte, the five year old, becomes the wife of Herman who is dying. She has renovated the manor house after the Germans and Americans had partly destroyed it in World War II. The balcony and gardens remain as always.
Bernadette is Charlotte’s older sister, and is attracted to Rado, the poet, whom Hugo was studying. Hugo was writing Rado’s biography in the beginning. Rado and Bernadette fall in love. Gossip flies. Bernadette is dismissed as teacher and they break up. Later Rado’s first book of poetry is published and wins awards. She sees an announcement of his presentation at a bookstore, Shakespeare and Co., in Paris when she is an aged grandmother.
Then we meet Kate, whose boyfriend is Alexis, Jacque’s son. When Alexis and Kate go to visit Alexi’s parents in the cottage, Adele, their brother’s daughter, meets and plays with a little girl from the manor. Her name is Elodie. We meet Jacque and Helene later when they are older. How have they changed? Has the manor house been fixed? Does the next generation come along?
Find this fascinating story on the new fiction shelf of your Mendocino Community Library.
In 1890, Madame Leger, who owned the estate, had jumped from the balcony, floating in her white nightgown to her death. Her lover, the gardener, saw it from up in an oak tree but didn’t know it was Madame Leger. The balcony plays an important role in this wonderful tale of love and surprise.
In 1980, Jacque and Helene visit Jacque's father in his cottage on the grounds of the same manor. Jacque’s twin brother, Guy, is mentally challenged, and in a mental hospital. Jacque blames their father. Author Delury describes Paris in detail as background to the human frailties we hear in the dialogue. In 1999, Charlotte dreams she is back at the manor. As a little girl of five, she had taken piano lessons from an old widow at the manor. Author Delury deftly moves her characters from one era to another. Charlotte, the five year old, becomes the wife of Herman who is dying. She has renovated the manor house after the Germans and Americans had partly destroyed it in World War II. The balcony and gardens remain as always.
Bernadette is Charlotte’s older sister, and is attracted to Rado, the poet, whom Hugo was studying. Hugo was writing Rado’s biography in the beginning. Rado and Bernadette fall in love. Gossip flies. Bernadette is dismissed as teacher and they break up. Later Rado’s first book of poetry is published and wins awards. She sees an announcement of his presentation at a bookstore, Shakespeare and Co., in Paris when she is an aged grandmother.
Then we meet Kate, whose boyfriend is Alexis, Jacque’s son. When Alexis and Kate go to visit Alexi’s parents in the cottage, Adele, their brother’s daughter, meets and plays with a little girl from the manor. Her name is Elodie. We meet Jacque and Helene later when they are older. How have they changed? Has the manor house been fixed? Does the next generation come along?
Find this fascinating story on the new fiction shelf of your Mendocino Community Library.