To Capture What We Cannot Keep A Novel
To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin is a historical novel published by Flatiron Books on October 31, 2017. This reprint edition spans 304 pages and is written in English. The story is set against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower’s construction and explores the relationship between a young Scottish widow, Caitriona Wallace, and a French engineer, Émile Nouguier, as they navigate the complexities of love amidst societal constraints.
Readers will find a narrative that begins with a chance meeting in a hot air balloon in February 1887, symbolizing the potential for love despite their differing social standings. As Cait and Émile confront the realities of their lives—Cait’s financial struggles and Émile’s obligations to his family’s business—the novel delves into themes of class distinctions and the sacrifices that love demands. Beatrice Colin intricately weaves historical detail with imaginative storytelling, capturing a transformative era marked by both tradition and innovation.
Official synopsis Publisher
Set against the construction of the Eiffel Tower, this novel charts the relationship between a young Scottish widow and a French engineer who, despite constraints of class and wealth, fall in love.
In February 1887, Caitriona Wallace and Émile Nouguier meet in a hot air balloon, floating high above Paris, France–a moment of pure possibility. But back on firm ground, their vastly different social strata become clear. Cait is a widow who because of her precarious financial situation is forced to chaperone two wealthy Scottish charges. Émile is expected to take on the bourgeois stability of his family’s business and choose a suitable wife. As the Eiffel Tower rises, a marvel of steel and air and light, the subject of extreme controversy and a symbol of the future, Cait and Émile must decide what their love is worth.
Seamlessly weaving historical detail and vivid invention, Beatrice Colin evokes the revolutionary time in which Cait and Émile live–one of corsets and secret trysts, duels and Bohemian independence, strict tradition and Impressionist experimentation. To Capture What We Cannot Keep, stylish, provocative, and shimmering, raises probing questions about a woman’s place in that world, the overarching reach of class distinctions, and the sacrifices love requires of us all.
Author
Publisher
Topics
FAQ
What is “To Capture What We Cannot Keep A Novel” about?
Who is the author of “To Capture What We Cannot Keep A Novel”?
When was “To Capture What We Cannot Keep A Novel” published?
What is the ISBN for “To Capture What We Cannot Keep A Novel”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
