There are wish fulfillment fantasies, and then there’s The Paris Novel ... The narrative is sweet, but reminded me less of Ladurée’s towers of pastel macarons than of New York’s old Krispy Kreme locations, where a cutout window let customers watch the doughnuts be fried and dunked ... Still, Reichl has retained an enthusiastic and undeniable knack for describing food and its attendant thrills. Implausible twists and turns go down easier because Reichl keeps the wine — and mouthwatering prose — flowing.
Though she lacks the instincts of a fiction writer, Reichl fills her second novel with the high-flying writing about food, wine, places, and clothes that have made her nonfiction work a well-deserved success ... Unfortunately, a few too many ingredients have been added ... A somewhat ridiculous novel, nicely marbled with fine food and travel writing.
