Book Review: “Dear Paris: The Paris Letters Collection”

Dear Paris: The Paris Letters Collection

Author/Illustrator: Janice MacLeod

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Publication Date: March 9, 2021

Genre: Travel; Epistolary; Creative Non-fiction

Pages: 304

My Thoughts

Janice MacLeod is “the artist behind Paris Letters, a painted letter series sent out via snail mail to those who crave getting fun snail mail about Paris.” This book is a collection of those letters!

There are more than one hundred handwritten letters in the book and each one is accompanied by a typed version of the letter, as well as a beautiful illustration by the author.

Most of the letters in the book have an informal and friendly tone as she describes her observations of Paris (and other places she has visited.) But some of the letters sound expository, like a helpful travel guide.

I think the epistolary format could still work without having each of the letters addressed to a specific person (in this case, the author’s friend, Ainé). At times, it felt like I was reading someone else’s misdirected mail.

Overall, the “Dear Paris” book by Janice MacLeod would appeal to lovers of art, travel, and Paris, of course!

About the Author

You can find Janice MacLeod on her website, Instagram, and Twitter.

To buy the book, visit her Etsy shop or Amazon (this is not an affiliate link).

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.