Review Detail

A FRENCH GIRL IN NEW YORK by Anna Adams is a YA Romance à la Cinderella. Maude has been raised by the Rucherts in the French countryside. Her parents passed away when she was a baby and as such, she’s never felt like she belonged anywhere. To escape the Rucherts’ increasing demands, Maude hides away in the library teaching herself opera, until one day she’s accidentally discovered and whisked away to New York City under the mentorship of Terence Baldwin. There, Maude gets to explore who she could be as an artist, but it isn’t easy since she’s forced to work and write with the very rude popstar, Matt. However, if she hopes to stay in New York, she needs to figure out a way to make it work.

What is most successful about this novel is the story’s arc. Naturally, it is a tried-and-true plot that has been used time and time again, but the newer elements infused into it, such as the classical music, the world of record deals, and Nigerian culture make it fresh and interesting. I also really enjoy exploring the ecosystem that is created for these young musical stars, how they interact and know each other, what they do to get signed, or how they’re from rival labels but train and go to school together. I also tend to like the love triangle trope that Adams puts to use in this story.

More attention to dialogue and tone would’ve made the narrative truly shine. At times, the dialogue feels more suited for a middle-grade audience than a YA one. Maude comes across as a very young sixteen, which doesn’t make sense considering the level of maturity she’s had to take on from a young age. This is noticeable particularly in her conversations with Matt when the dialogue is more idealistic than realistic. What could have helped, especially since there are a lot of missing details, like why the Rucherts are so cruel to Maude, would have been leaning more into the fairytale of it all, adopting a comedic tone, or bolstering the prose with more description and nuance.

That said, I still had fun going on this journey with Maude and am excited the author has a second book A FRENCH STAR IN NEW YORK on the horizon. I read the sneak preview and am looking forward to more adventures from Maude, Matt, and the Baldwins. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light read and has an interest in music.