To Capture What We Cannot Keep

by Beatrice Colin

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

Ever since reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah last year and re-reading it again this year, I’ve been fascinated by stories set in France. And of course, after seeing this beautiful cover on NetGalley and reading the description, I was sold.
Paris. The building of the Eiffel Tower. Scotland. True love.

Just based on those four things most would think that Beatrice Colin wrote this book JUST for me. Unfortunately, To Capture What We Cannot Keep fell flat, I’m honestly I’m surprised I finished the book.

The best character in the book was Paris. The City lept off the pages. Colin explains the construction of the Eiffel Tower throughout the novel. The engineering behind it—how even the slighest mistake would cause the gravest problem. The controversy—many Parisans thought the Tower would ruin Paris and were against its construction. Colin strengthened my desire to visit Paris. Paris is the reason I kept reading the book.

The actual characters populating To Capture What We Cannot Keep were the worst thing. The characters populated a City abuzz with the construction of the Eiffel Tower and its preparation for the World’s Fair. Instead, they moved through the story in a rote fashion following the familiar spoiled naive brat, sad widow and unrequited love tropes. The characters and their journeys through such a vibrant city were sorely disappointing and frankly, quite dull.

My excitement for To Capture What We Cannot Keep faded fast and while the City of Light does shine bright throughout this novel, the lifeless characters moving through a predictable plot drag the story and dull the lights of a vibrant Paris.