The Paris Daughter Summary, Characters and Themes
The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel is a poignant tale set against the backdrop of World War II, bringing together the lives of two women, Elise LeClair and Juliette Foulon, as they navigate the harsh realities of Nazi-occupied Paris.
The novel explores themes of friendship, motherhood, and the deep scars left by loss and trauma. Through the struggles and resilience of its characters, The Paris Daughter paints a vivid picture of the human spirit’s capacity to endure and find hope even in the darkest of times.
Summary
The story begins in the fall of 1939, on the very day Germany’s invasion of Poland marks the start of World War II. Elise LeClair, an artist living in Paris, experiences a sudden pain while sketching in a park.
Her distress catches the attention of Juliette Foulon, another pregnant woman, who helps Elise back to her home for medical care.
This marks the beginning of a deep friendship between the two women, who share similar backgrounds—both are American-born and married to Frenchmen.
Juliette and her husband, Paul, run an English-language bookstore called La Librairie des Rêves, while Elise and her husband, Olivier, are artists—Elise works with wood, and Olivier is a prominent painter.
As the war escalates, Elise often visits Juliette’s bookstore, where she meets Ruth Levy, a Jewish widow who fled Germany with her children, George and Suzanne. Shortly after, Juliette gives birth to a daughter, Lucie, while Elise has a daughter named Mathilde.
Though Olivier had hoped for a son, he grows to adore Mathilde, though his increasing involvement in Communist activities worries Elise.
The two girls, Lucie and Mathilde, develop a sister-like bond as they grow up amidst the chaos of the Nazi occupation.
With the Nazi occupation of Paris, Olivier becomes active in the French Resistance. Elise, left alone with Mathilde, takes comfort in a mural she painted in her studio, which depicts a night-time forest scene.
When Ruth is forced to flee due to escalating persecution, she sends her children into hiding. Meanwhile, Olivier is captured and killed by the Nazis, leaving Elise devastated.
To protect Mathilde, Elise sends her to stay with Juliette’s family while she goes into hiding in a small village, Aurignon, where she assists in smuggling Jewish children to safety. Juliette, increasingly attached to Mathilde, subtly encourages the child to forget her mother.
Tragedy strikes when Allied bombers target a factory near Juliette’s bookstore, destroying the shop and killing Juliette’s entire family except for Mathilde. Severely injured, Juliette mistakenly believes that the surviving girl is her own daughter, Lucie.
After the war, Juliette moves to New York with “Lucie,” convincing the girl to forget her past and assume her daughter’s identity. Elise returns to Paris only to find her daughter presumed dead and her life shattered.
Years pass, and Juliette, now remarried, replicates her Parisian bookstore in New York, living in denial of the past. When Ruth Levy discovers this bookstore by chance, she convinces a reluctant Juliette to contact Elise.
Upon receiving Juliette’s letter, Elise travels to New York, where she uncovers the truth about her stolen artwork and eventually finds “Lucie,” who has grown into a talented artist. Recognizing the Parisian scenes in the young woman’s paintings, Elise realizes that “Lucie” is actually Mathilde.
A sudden plane crash triggers Mathilde’s memory of her true identity, leading to a final, emotional reunion between mother and daughter. As Juliette succumbs to her injuries from the crash, she finds peace, leaving behind the ghosts of her past.
Characters
Elise LeClair
Elise LeClair is the protagonist of the novel, a gifted artist who specializes in sculpting wood. Her character is defined by her resilience, creativity, and deep maternal love.
From the beginning, Elise’s life is marked by the turmoil of war and personal loss. Her marriage to Olivier, a passionate and politically involved painter, brings both joy and fear into her life.
Though initially disappointed by the birth of a daughter instead of a son, Olivier soon grows to love Mathilde. Elise’s bond with her daughter becomes the core of her existence.
Elise’s strength is evident as she navigates the dangers of Nazi-occupied Paris, especially after Olivier’s involvement with the French Resistance leads to his death. Her decision to leave Mathilde with Juliette for safety shows her selflessness, but it also sets the stage for the novel’s central tragedy.
Elise’s journey is one of survival and enduring love. After the bombing that supposedly kills Mathilde, she is devastated but continues to live, helping others in need, such as the Levy children.
Her grief is palpable, but she channels it into her art, which is both a refuge and a way to keep Mathilde’s memory alive. The revelation that Mathilde might be alive years later propels Elise to New York, where she confronts the harsh reality of Juliette’s betrayal.
Despite her pain, Elise remains compassionate, ultimately forgiving Juliette and reuniting with her daughter. This demonstrates her capacity for love and forgiveness.
Juliette Foulon
Juliette Foulon is a complex character whose actions are driven by grief, guilt, and a desperate need to recreate her lost world. As the owner of La Librairie des Rêves, she is at the center of the community in Paris and becomes a close friend to Elise.
Her life is shattered by the war, especially after the Allied bombing that kills her husband and children, leaving her with only Mathilde, whom she believes to be her own daughter, Lucie.
Juliette’s decision to adopt Mathilde as Lucie is both an act of self-preservation and a tragic mistake. She becomes increasingly obsessed with maintaining the illusion that Mathilde is Lucie, which warps her relationship with the girl and deepens her psychological wounds.
Juliette’s inability to move on from the past is evident in her creation of a replica of her Parisian bookshop in New York, a symbol of her refusal to let go of her former life. Her conversations with her deceased family members show her deep-seated trauma and denial.
Juliette’s resentment toward Elise for “abandoning” Mathilde is another manifestation of her guilt and grief, which ultimately isolates her. Her character arc is tragic, as she never truly overcomes her loss until the end, when she receives Elise’s forgiveness and finally lets go of her delusions, joining her family in death.
Olivier LeClair
Olivier LeClair is a passionate and politically engaged artist whose involvement with the French Resistance plays a crucial role in the narrative. While not as prominently featured as Elise or Juliette, Olivier’s presence looms large over the story.
His commitment to resisting the Nazi occupation reflects his deep sense of justice, but it also brings danger to his family. His initial disappointment over not having a son is a minor flaw that is quickly overshadowed by his love for Mathilde, whom he cherishes deeply.
Olivier’s disappearance and subsequent death are a turning point in the novel, leaving Elise to fend for herself and their daughter in a perilous environment. Despite his absence, Olivier’s influence persists through the false papers he prepared for Elise, enabling her to survive the war, and through the legacy of his art, which becomes a symbol of resistance and remembrance.
Ruth Levy
Ruth Levy is a Jewish widow and a minor yet significant character in the story. As a German immigrant who fled to Paris with her two children, George and Suzanne, Ruth represents the plight of Jewish families during the Holocaust.
Her friendship with Juliette and Elise adds a layer of depth to the narrative, illustrating the bonds formed in times of crisis. Ruth’s decision to send her children into hiding and flee Paris is an act of desperation, driven by the increasing persecution of Jews.
Her survival and eventual reunion with her children in America highlight the themes of loss, survival, and the enduring impact of war on individuals and families. Ruth’s character is marked by resilience, and her return to America with her children signifies a new beginning, although the scars of the past remain.
Mathilde LeClair / “Lucie Foulon”
Mathilde LeClair, known as “Lucie Foulon” for much of her life, is the daughter of Elise and Olivier. Her character is central to the novel’s exploration of identity, memory, and the lasting effects of trauma.
As a child, Mathilde is close to her mother and forms a strong bond with Lucie Foulon. This makes her eventual adoption by Juliette both poignant and tragic.
Growing up as “Lucie,” Mathilde is unaware of her true identity, yet her artistic talents and memories of Paris hint at her origins. Her relationship with Juliette is strained by the latter’s attempts to suppress her true identity and mold her into the image of the deceased Lucie.
Mathilde’s eventual realization of her true self is a key moment in the novel, leading to her emotional reunion with Elise. Mathilde’s character represents the resilience of the human spirit and the power of memory.
Despite Juliette’s efforts to erase her past, Mathilde’s subconscious retains fragments of her early life, which resurface through her art. Her ability to reconnect with her true identity and reunite with her mother underscores the novel’s themes of love, loss, and the indomitable nature of familial bonds.
Paul Foulon
Paul Foulon, Juliette’s husband, is a secondary character who plays a supportive role in the early part of the novel. As the co-owner of La Librairie des Rêves, he is dedicated to his family and the community they serve.
Paul’s character embodies the quiet strength and stability that contrasts with the chaos of war. His death in the Allied bombing is a pivotal moment that propels Juliette into her downward spiral, as she loses not only her husband but also most of her children.
Paul’s death is symbolic of the broader losses experienced by families during the war, and his absence leaves a void that Juliette struggles to fill.
Constance Bouet
Constance Bouet is a gallery owner who initially supports Olivier’s work but later reveals his opportunistic and unethical nature. Bouet’s character serves as an antagonist in the latter part of the novel, as it is revealed that he stole and profited from Elise’s sculptures during the war.
His actions represent the exploitation and moral compromises that some individuals made during the war for personal gain. Bouet’s eventual flight from New York after being confronted by Elise shows his cowardice and lack of integrity. His character contrasts sharply with the more honorable characters like Elise and Ruth, who endure hardship with dignity and compassion.
Jack Fitzgerald
Jack Fitzgerald is a gallery owner in New York who becomes involved with Mathilde (“Lucie”) and plays a crucial role in the final revelation of her true identity. Unlike Bouet, Fitzgerald is depicted as honorable and well-meaning, unaware of the deception that has occurred.
His character serves as a bridge between the past and the present, helping to uncover the truth and facilitate the reunion between Elise and Mathilde. Fitzgerald’s involvement in the art world also ties into the novel’s broader themes of art, memory, and identity, as he helps Mathilde explore her past through her artistic expression.
Themes
War and Its Impact on Families
The Paris Daughter vividly explores the devastating effects of war on families. The novel shows how the external chaos of WWII fractures the lives of its characters.
The novel portrays the psychological and emotional toll of war, emphasizing the destruction of familial bonds and the reshaping of identities in the aftermath. Elise and Juliette’s friendship is born out of the necessity to protect their children during the Nazi occupation of Paris.
The war forces them into impossible situations, leading to the tragic loss of their loved ones and the shattering of their previous lives. The destruction of La Librairie des Rêves by Allied bombs symbolizes the indiscriminate nature of war, where even acts intended to liberate can result in irreparable personal loss.
The novel does not shy away from depicting the long-term effects of trauma, as seen in Juliette’s inability to let go of the past and her insistence on recreating the life she once had in Paris, despite the impossibility of truly recapturing it.
Identity and Memory
The theme of identity is central to the novel, particularly through the character of Mathilde, who grows up believing she is Juliette’s daughter, Lucie. The war disrupts and reshapes identities, as evidenced by Mathilde’s loss of memory and subsequent adoption of a new identity.
Her journey of self-discovery is marked by her artistic attempts to reclaim forgotten memories of Paris, which gradually reveal the truth of her origins. This theme is also reflected in the experiences of other characters, such as Ruth Levy, who must rebuild her life and identity after surviving the horrors of the concentration camps.
The novel suggests that memory, while fragile, is a powerful force in reclaiming one’s true self. However, the process of remembering can be both painful and liberating, as it forces characters to confront their past traumas while also offering a path to healing and reconciliation.
Guilt, Blame, and Forgiveness
Guilt and blame are pervasive themes in The Paris Daughter, driving the complex relationships between the characters. Juliette’s overwhelming guilt for the loss of her family manifests in her resentment towards Elise, whom she blames for the tragedy.
Her guilt is compounded by her deep-seated belief that she failed to protect her loved ones, leading her to cling desperately to “Lucie” as a way of making amends. Elise, on the other hand, grapples with her own guilt for leaving Mathilde behind, a decision made under duress that haunts her throughout the novel.
The theme of forgiveness becomes crucial as the story progresses, particularly in the climactic moments of reconciliation between Elise and Juliette. Juliette’s ultimate forgiveness, and her acceptance of her own faults, allows her to find peace before her death.
Elise’s forgiveness of Juliette and herself facilitates the reunion with her daughter. The novel illustrates how guilt can poison relationships and how forgiveness, though difficult, is necessary for healing.
The Power of Art
Art plays a significant role in The Paris Daughter, serving as a means of expression, memory, and connection. Both Elise and her daughter are artists, and their creations are deeply intertwined with their identities.
Elise’s sculptures, often inspired by Mathilde, become a way for her to process her grief and keep the memory of her daughter alive. Similarly, “Lucie’s” paintings reflect her subconscious memories of Paris and her true identity as Mathilde.
Art in the novel is not just a form of personal expression but also a tool for uncovering and reclaiming lost identities. It represents a form of resilience, a way for characters to assert their individuality and humanity in the face of war’s dehumanizing effects.
Moreover, art acts as a bridge between the past and the present, allowing characters to reconnect with lost loved ones and forgotten memories. The recurring motif of the mural, depicting the woods at night, underscores the idea that art can guide one through darkness and towards truth and healing.
Resilience and Survival
The novel also delves into the theme of resilience, particularly in the face of unimaginable loss and adversity. Elise’s journey, from the devastation of losing her husband and daughter to her eventual reconciliation with Mathilde, exemplifies the strength required to survive and rebuild after the trauma of war.
Similarly, Ruth Levy’s survival through the horrors of the Holocaust and her ability to start anew in America highlights the resilience of the human spirit. Even Juliette, despite her flaws and inability to move on from the past, shows a form of resilience in her determination to recreate her life in New York.
The novel suggests that survival is not just about physical endurance but also about the emotional and psychological strength to confront and overcome past traumas. This resilience is often fueled by love, whether it be the love of a mother for her child or the enduring bonds of friendship, which provide the characters with the motivation to keep going despite their losses.
The Legacy of Trauma
Finally, The Paris Daughter examines the enduring legacy of trauma, particularly how it shapes the lives of those who survive. The characters are all marked by the war, and the trauma they experience continues to influence their actions and decisions long after the conflict has ended.
Juliette’s inability to move beyond her grief and guilt demonstrates how trauma can trap individuals in the past, preventing them from fully engaging with the present. In contrast, Elise’s ability to confront and process her trauma, albeit painfully, allows her to eventually find a path to healing and reconciliation.
The novel also touches on the intergenerational effects of trauma, as seen in Mathilde’s journey to reclaim her identity and the way her lost memories influence her art. Ultimately, the novel suggests that while trauma can be deeply scarring, confronting and understanding it is crucial for healing and moving forward.