Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932: A Richly Imagined Novel of Love, Ambition, and Betrayal in 1920s Paris (P.S. (Paperback))

I found this piece of fine literature to be an absolute page turner. At the same time that I am focusing on writing my own memoir, I found myself opening this book every free second, and in the middle of the night (for hours); not only interrupting my sleep pattern but taking time away from my own writing. There is nothing in this review that doesn't contain spoilers already present in the editorial reviews of the book. It is the story, from the raging 20's to the end of WWII, of primarily a cross-dressing lesbian who went from being a professional athlete, to a race car driver, to a spy that told the Germans how to bypass the entire French line of defense in the WWII invasion of France, to a torturer for the Gestapo. Her ending is disclosed to the reader early on, and the bulk of the book enticingly shows you how she arrived at that end. At the same time, it is the story of a fascinating chorus of characters: a Henry Miller type author, a successful photographer and the two women who loved him (a teacher and a Baroness with oodles of cash). The readers goes with the characters throughout Paris, from mingling with homeless under a bridge, to a glittering society dinner for 40 in the 20's, to sitting beside Hitler at a full state banquent before the Berlin Olympics, to the torture chambers in the basement of Gestapo headquarters in France, and moreover roams all over France. This, and a completely different tale, "A Soldier In The Great War", rank among the two best books I…

This is a very compelling read. It starts off a little confusingly due to so many narrators. However it quickly picks up and is beautifully written. I was transported to occupied Paris. I feel that the characters were well developed. I was very engaged with the characters and felt like I got a good taste of what life in occupied France, particularly Paris was like. The end was a little disconnected when one of the main characters disavowed her relationship with another main character. Not sure why that was added or maybe it was a remnant of another mini plot that was edited out. It didn't really affect the read I just didn't understand it's purpose in the story . I would highly recommend this book.

I don't usually rate but this book is worth calling attention to. It is written with interesting voices and a complex interplay between the various "components". It covers a still fresh and continually interesting time in France - Paris leading up to and including the beginning of WW II. IT is done is a way sure to keep your attention. While the end is a bit wobbly the rest is far from it