The Little Paris Bookshop

Jean Perdu runs a book shop located a barge moored on the Seine in Paris. When a broken heart shakes Perdu from his moorings, he embarks on a journey down France’s storied waterways accompanied by Max Jordan, his neighbor and a young author whose early success has paralyzed his creativity. Voice actor West beautifully demonstrates Perdu’s evolution over the course of the novel, from an aloof loner to a reluctant father figure, while also providing the voice of Max, his pitch rising at the end of nearly every sentence like it’s a question, then growing in confidence, and a little bit of mischief, as Max rediscovers his muse. The other two performances are less successful, not because actresses Bering and Campbell aren’t excellent (Bering in particular has a perfect French accent), but because the novel itself gives them so little time compared to Perdu. A Crown hardcover. (June)