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1956, 2016: A young girl heads to Paris and years later, the secrets of that time comes to light
The Last Will And Testament Of Daphné Le Marche
What you need to know before your trail
Paris, 1956. Eighteen year old Daphné may be from a tiny French village, but she knows she’s destined for more. Stepping off a bus into bustling Paris with a suitcase full of her home-made beauty products, she’s ready to do whatever it takes to claim her stake in the world.
London, 2016. Scandalous love affairs and an iconic cosmetics brand have kept Daphné Le Marche in spotlight – but her darkest secrets have never come to light. Now, in her London penthouse, enveloped in her rich signature scent, the Grande Dame of glamour has died.
But not even those closest to her could have been prepared for what came next.
Locations
ResetTravel Guide
London
Thes tory opens in London with Daphne living in some sumptious apartment and wondering if Mark Twain was right when he said that you should go to heaven for the climate and hell for the conpany. Still witty and quirky after all these years. Even on her deathbed she is working…on a book of perfumes
France
Rural life in Calvaic was hard but a move to Paris even harder. Daphne and her mum make handmade soaps for the passing tourists. Once in Paris, she doesn’t just want to survive, she wants to thrive and despite seeing how shabbyParis is on first sight, she is determined to make something of this. Staying with people who have fled the war in Poland, they know about hardship and Daphne can learn a thing or two from them.
AT first she tries to find work in Montparnasse where the arty cafes are on in the area of St German where the jazz musicians busk on the streets. This early walk gives her the passion and the strength to make PAris her home and her destiny
“Everyone went on about Spring in Paris but autumn was sublime with the leaves changing and people looking so chic in their coats and boats”
Throughout her stay there she remembers the words of her mother who was obsessed with orange and the ‘dernieres lueurs’ or the last, fading light’
Sainte-Chapelle
In a city famous for its beauty and its fashion world, the Paris that Daphne helped created then also comes to life. How fitting that she should be laid out in state in the grand Sainte-Chapelle in the centre of Paris.
Booktrailer Review
Clare @thebooktrailer
This was a fun read! I thought it was going to be really sad with the title, but whilst it was in many ways, it was a really interesting read about a will and the problems that causes. It’s not just the will and the financial aspects that are the problem though as there are secrets which come spilling out after the great Daphne has died.
I think what I liked about this novel is that it was set in the Paris world of perfume and make up and although I’m not a girly girl as such this was really interesting. It made me think of Estee Lauder and others who we take for granted now but whose stories many of us don’t even know. The setting is done well as it the time period – mentions of Boy George and Margaret Thatcher set the era and the feelings of the time in stone.
I particularly loved Henri as he had dreams of opening up his own library in Paris one day. He only needed books and a good woman he said. I like a man who thinks like that.
The mystery of the will and the secrets within it kept the novel moving along with just the right amount of intrigue and red herrings. A perfect read for the beach as you can relax with this one and travel back to the glory days when, if you were a young girl, Paris was a pomade of fragrances and hope.
Booktrail Boarding Pass Information: The Last Will And Testament Of Daphné Le Marche
Author/ Guide: by Kate Forster Destination: Paris, London Departure Time: 1956, 2016
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