The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife weaves a mesmerizing tale of Paris above and below—where a woman’s quest for artistic freedom in 1664 intertwines with a doctor’s dangerous mission during the German occupation in the 1940s, revealing a story of courage and resistance that transcends time.
1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at the famed Gobelin Tapestry Works, who secretly dreams of escaping her circumstances and creating her own masterpiece. When her father is unjustly imprisoned, Alouette's efforts to save him lead to her own confinement in the notorious Salpêtrière asylum, where thousands of women are held captive and cruelly treated. But within its grim walls, she discovers a small group of brave allies, and the possibility of a life bigger than she ever imagined.
1939: Kristof Larson is a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency in Paris, whose neighbors on the Rue de Gobelins are a Jewish family who have fled Poland. When Nazi forces descend on the city, Kristof becomes their only hope for survival, even as his work as a doctor is jeopardized.
A spellbinding and transportive look at a side of Paris known to very few—the underground city that is a mirror reflection of the glories above—Paula McLain’s unforgettable new novel chronicles two parallel journeys of defiance and rescue that connect in ways both surprising and deeply moving.
About the Author
Paula McLain is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, including The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun, and Love and Ruin, as well as two collections of poetry and a memoir. Her work has been published in over thirty-five countries, and featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Town & Country, Real Simple, and elsewhere.
Praise For…
“[A] vivid, inspirational story of brave resilience.” —People
“Paula McLain returns to Paris, the setting of her most celebrated novel, to intertwine two eras of upheaval with masterful precision. Seductive, subversive, and impossible to put down, Skylark shines a light into the darkest corners of history, revealing the enduring strength of the human spirit.” —Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train
“Above all, Skylark is the gift of a brilliant storyteller. . . If she were not a superb novelist, McLain most surely would be a painter—what brilliant colors, images, and textures. Toward the end, I was holding my breath—the stunning ending will resonate long after the book is closed.” —Frances Mayes, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Under the Tuscan Sun
“An enthralling plunge into deep layers of Paris history, both beautifully written and breathtakingly suspenseful. I could not put it down.” —Helen Simonson, New York Times bestselling author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
“From its very first moment, Skylark held me so close it felt like we shared a heartbeat. Intimate and sweeping, this novel celebrates the rare kind of bravery that resounds for centuries through the streets of our beloved cities and in our bleakest times of war and fear. I'm convinced no one in the world can write like Paula McLain. Vital and prescient, she is absolutely one of the finest writers of our age.” —Amy Jo Burns, author of Mercury
“Readers will be enthralled by McLain’s vivid storytelling, engaged with her memorable cast of characters, and enraged at the cruelties humans have exacted on one another throughout history.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“McLain expertly juxtaposes the courageous actions of both Alouette and Kristof as they seek freedom for themselves and others and embrace the challenges and dangers of the subterranean maze. Fans of stirring historicals won’t want to miss this.” —Publishers Weekly
“A resounding elegy of love, courage, and defiance. Paula McLain melds two timelines and one city into the kind of story you think about long after you've finished reading. Mysterious and haunting and timeless. I loved it.” —Ariel Lawhon, New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River
“A magnificent book with prose that is lush, seductive, and velvet-rich. This big, bold, deep, satisfying literary adventure is a stunning tour-de-force.” —Adrienne Brodeur, bestselling author of Wild Game
“With fine-tuned historical detail, McLain’s latest is a compelling tale of human will, resilience, and connection.” —Booklist
“Paula McLain is a story alchemist. In Skylark, she saturates our imaginations with the colorful threads of two distinct timelines. Artfully crafted and poetically rendered, this is the kind of historical fiction I live for—stories where the past acts as a mirror for the modern milieu.” —Sarah McCoy, New York Times bestselling author of Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely?
