Review: To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin

Title: To Capture What We Cannot Keep
Author: Beatrice Colin
Pages: 304
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Free ARC from Flatiron Books

Rating: A+

Note: As stated under the Source (above), I received this book for free from Flatiron Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review (and trust me, honest is always what you’ll get).

Summary: Set in the late 1800’s Paris, stories of unlikely love play out with the construction of the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop.

Review: Lovely! Truly, such a treat to read. Character-driven and heartfelt without being overly dramatic. The writing was flawless, and the story-telling felt reminiscent of the old classics. It was more sentimental and thoughtful than heartbreaking. And, as is usually the case with historical fiction, I loved the setting and all the tidbits about Paris during that time, contrasting high society with the underbelly, and in particular about the building of the great Eiffel Tower (which I have yet to see personally), and the beginnings of the Panama Canal, both of which I knew nothing about previously. Now I want to know everything about both! And I’ve read so much historical fiction centered around both world wars that it was rather refreshing to read something from a different time, with a different focus.

Towards the end I kept wondering how things would end for Cait. Based on societal dictates, it seemed clear how it would likely end, but I kept hoping there was a way out or around. Never did I expect the ending as it turned out, but it truly couldn’t be more perfect or appropriate. This is one of those books that ended just when it should, just as it should, leaving me a bit melancholy that it was all over, but perfectly satisfied. If I had read a physical copy, I would have hugged it a little at the finish. And now that I have read it, I’ll be buying a copy for my bookshelves. That is the best kind of recommendation you could get come from me. 😉

Leave a Reply