Elegance

by Kathleen Tessaro

Louise Canova should be happy and in love. But her actor husband seems to be growing distant and she doesn't know why. Is it her fault? The uncertainty and insecurity she thought she'd left behind in adolescence now come back to haunt her. But when she discovers a faded volume titled Elegance in a secondhand bookshop, she believes she's found the answers. Written by the formidable French fashion expert Madame Dariaux, Elegance is an encyclopedia of style, that promises to transform plain women into creatures of grace and poise at all times. And from Accessories to Zippers, there's nothing Madame can't advise upon -- including inattentive husbands, false friends, and the absolute importance of good-quality seductive lingerie. Louise vows to follow Madame's advice, but the lessons she learns have a surprising effect and an outcome she never expected. Within its pages lie clues to her past. And as she begins to unravel them, she discovers that everything, even elegance, has its price. Starting with A and finishing with Z , Elegance is a unique alphabetical journey of timeless fashion, true friendship, and the rare, unexpected gift of love.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Fashion, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Womens Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Kathleen attended the University of Pittsburgh before entering the drama program of Carnegie Mellon University. In the middle of her sophomore year, she went to study in London for three months and stayed for the next twenty-three years. She began writing at the suggestion of a friend and was an early member of the Wimpole Street Writer’s Workshop. Her debut novel, Elegance, became a bestseller in hardback and paperback. All of Kathleen's novels (Elegance, Innocence, The Flirt, The Debutante, The Perfume Collector, and Rare Objects) have been translated into many languages and sold all over the world. She returned to Pittsburgh in 2009, where she now lives with her husband and son.

Reviews

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read about 10 years ago and really enjoyed. My copy was lost in a series of moves and the book was relegated into the recesses of my mind. I found a lovely used copy and did a reread. I found this older version of me didn't enjoy it as much as the younger version did. It was still a pleasant read but it didn't give me the same *feels* I got as a young twenty something. Perhaps with age, we discover a different set of priorities?

[Kwoomac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a confession to make. I have always wanted to be elegant, like Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly. I know you'll find this hard to believe because I shlep around in jeans, baggy tees, and Dansko clogs. Not really the look of someone aspiring to elegance. This book runs through 26 tips on acquiring an elegant look, none are new or surprising. I guess the bottom line for me is my need for comfort outweighs my secret desire.

The premise for the book is an interesting one. The author, Kathleen Tassaro, actually found a book in a second-hand store called Elegance: A Complete Guide for Every Woman Who wants to Be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions written by Genevieve Antoine Dariaux in 1964. Tassaro then, with permission from Dariaux, wrote a novel based on the self-help book.

In each chapter, she leads with a bit of advice from Dariaux, followed by a situation in the protagonist's life where she either heeds or disregards said advice. It's cute and clever.

I was very happy with the author's writing style. I had laugh-out-loud moments. While I'm too much of a snob to give "chick-lit" four stars, I am comfortable with 3.5 Plus, I love the cover.

[Robert Beveridge · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kathleen Tessaro, Elegance (Morrow, 2003)

There is a particular passage in the book-within-a-book Elegance that defines, in a far more eloquent way, something I've been trying to pinpoint about the major problem with the fashion industry, and a major problem with western culture in general.

“However, if women continue to seek comfort above all twenty-four hours a day, twelve months a year, they may eventually find that they have allowed themselves to become slaves to the crepe-rubber sole, nylon from head to toe, pre-digested meals, organized travel, functional uniformity, and general stultification. When comfort becomes an end in itself, it is the Public Enemy Number One of elegance.”

Exactly. I do not, however, chuck books out the window on philosophical differences alone, so after reading this, I just shook my head in incredulity and soldiered on until I hit the fifty-page rule.

For those of you who do not subscribe to the fifty-page rule, let me offer you an explanation of the mental process that goes along with it. You begin reading a book, and your initial reaction to it is anywhere from apathy to outright revulsion. Perhaps the book's pacing is ponderous, its dialogue is stock, you've read the plot a hundred times before. Perhaps it's supposed to be funny (“Hilarious!” according to Marilyn Keyes on the front cover) and the most you can manage is a wistful smile for the last chick-lit novel you read, which was so much funnier than this you can't find a mode of comparison. The you get to page fifty. You check the page count of the entire novel. Fifty pages often breaks down into an easy fraction (say, slightly less than one-sixth of the novel). Then you ask yourself quite seriously if you can put up with reading fifty more pages of this...five times over. If your answer is “no”, you move on to what are hopefully the better, more interesting books in your to-be-read stack, and out the window this particular headache goes, never to be thought of again. Unless, of course, you're reviewing it.

I could probably have put up with the revolting philosophy (after all, it can't really get much worse than “comfort is the enemy of elegance”; might as well bring footbinders back into style). I would have stomached the ponderous pace and worthless dialogue. I could have even justified the book's non-hilariousness (thank you, Marilyn Keyes) by assuming the blurb was wrong and it was meant to be a family drama rather than a piece of chick lit. But at the very end of that first fifty-page chunk, Tessaro puts her main characters into a situation that's so overdone I can't count the number of times I've seen it; I think it's cropped up in every romance/chick lit/family drama I've ever read with married protagonists. Not only is it not original, it's aggressively derivative. It hops up in your face and says “look at me! You've seen me a million times, and yet I am still supposed to entertain you!” So I did what, I should hope, any discerning reader would do; I shut the book and sent it on its way through the air to the back lawn. It will feed earthworms far better than it will feed your brain. (zero)

[Sharon Louise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Love the cover - didn't like the book. When I got to the alphabetised 'F' chapter which concerned the 'elegance of wearing fur', I chucked the book down and said an expression that also started with the letter 'F' :)

[Blondish And Bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cut above most Chick Lit, this book is funny and well written. Louise Canova discovers an old book called Elegance, written to advise women (and this is an actual book!). At the same time, she is feeling that she and her husband have drifted apart. Louise moves in with her friend Colin and his roommate Ria, and strives to become more “elegant”, with the advice from the book.

Will she get back together with her husband—or does she even want to? What about Oliver, the new guy at work who seems intrigued with her? Is she even ready to move on? And why is it so hard to walk the fine line between sexy and cheap—because Elegance sometimes seems too adult and boring!

As an American living in England, Louise is hysterically funny when attending a Weekend In The Country with her coworkers, or when describing her attempts at wearing the appropriate attire. She gradually comes to realize what she wants, what she needs, and what she is looking for—and makes us laugh the whole way!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Once upon a time, I would have really enjoyed Elegance and given it 4 stars, but I really struggle with adult female characters who self-sabotage, whine but don't take advice, and have no clue.

Tessaro's Louise is a 30-something female Woody Allen, whose bumbling persona grates on me to no end (an unpopular opinion, I am sure!). I like my unhinged female characters to have a bit more grit and spine.

However, I enjoyed Tessaro's writing, and from one Pittsburgh native to another, I extend some grace. Also, my days of bowing to French chic notions that do not align to my lifestyle are long gone.

[Kristin Dow · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book to read of Tessaro's and have been a big fan of hers ever since. This book strikes the perfect balance between an "easy read" and a story with substance. Remained involved in the story and was rooting for the heroine.

[Vicky Ziliaskopoulou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Καλούτσικο ήταν. Κατά το μεγαλύτερο μέρος του τουλάχιστον, γιατί προς το τέλος με κούρασε λίγο.

[Antof9 · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review from BookCrossing: Read it on the plane on the way to Seattle for a work trip. If it *is* chick lit, it's some of the cleanest I've ever read. . .

A moderately interesting book, we walk through a self-made makeover as the main character (I've forgotten her name and the book is at the hotel) goes through a transformation after finding an old copy of a book on elegance from the 40s (?). It's actually very interesting, describing buying classic pieces for your wardrobe, etc., and I learned a little bit too. Of course her relationship with her husband is a disaster. . .

I'll see if I should release it or give it to my sister. It would be fun to wild release a book this trip, and this looks like the only candidate. Of course, given the title, I should have released it at the Hotel Monaco in Seattle and not saved it for week 2 when I'm at the Sheraton in Tacoma.

I noticed that I flipped down a page I wanted to make sure I noted here -- it's a description of a secondhand bookstore:

True, they're not for the faint of heart. Wild and chatoic, capricious and frustrating, there are certain physical laws that govern secondhand bookstores and like gravity, they're pretty much nonnegotiable. Paperback editions of D.H. Lawrence must constitute no less than 55 percent of all stock in any shope. Natural law also dictates that the remaining 45 percent consist of at least two shelves worth of literary criticism on Paradise Lost and there should always be an entire room in the basement devoted to military history which, by sheer coincidence, will be haunted by a man in his seventies. . . . Modern booksellers can't really compete with these eccentric charms. They keep regular hours, have central heating, and are staffed by freshly scrubbed young people in black T-shirts. They're devoid both of basement rooms and fallen Greek heroes in smelly tweeds. You'll find no dogs or cats curled up next to ancient space heaters like familiars nor the intoxicating smell of mold and mildew that could emanate equally from the unevenly stacked volumes or from the owner himself.

[Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book would be just another Bridget Jones knock-off. And in many ways it was. (I swear some of the scenes were practically lifted from that book.) But at times there was surprising depth to Elegance. Let's start with the irritations. How many American-girls-living-in-London books are going to be published? They are always living in flats they can't possibly afford. They always have gay friends. They are always buying clothes they can't possibly afford. They always drink too much. They have cushy jobs that they never seem to spend much time at. How many times do I have to read about that lifestyle? My theory is that the young women who write these books are "live-in-London" wannabes. Second of all, I don't understand what role Louise's gay husband plays in this book. He really wasn't necessary. The stage could have been set for all her problems without him. Now for the positives: I really enjoyed the way the author tied in Louise's life with Madame Dariaux's book, with each chapter heading a letter of the alphabet. As she strives to follow the book's advice, she learns, little by little, that there are more important things in life than looks, clothes, even elegance. She has to learn this through trial and many, many errors--including some funny ones and some cliched ones that I've read many, many times before. The devotion of Louise's friends was very touching as they helped shake her out of her depression and supported her as she made changes in her life. Oh, one last complaint--why do these books always have to name-drop designers, famous people, and other fads? It just dates a book. But I suppose that not all authors are trying to write books that will be relevant 100 years from now.

[Carlene Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I’ve been a bookstore junkie most of my life, it’s not surprising I’d fall for this story about a young woman who transformed her life on the basis of a seemingly random bookstore find. Can a new theory of clothing really make a new person? Lots of fun! And fun, too, imagining the author writing both the novel and the “found” book extensively excerpted.

[Laurie (barksbooks) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read the abridged audio version of this book. This story is about a thirty-ish woman stuck in a dead end job who is married to a man who has no sex drive and is more interested in decorating their living room (and if you can't see the reason coming a mile away well then you simply haven't read enough Chick Lit books yet).

When she finds an ancient tome entitled Elegance in an old book store it gives her the incentive to dress better and is the beginning of some major changes in her current stale situation.

This book, I guess, was supposed to be a dark comedy but to me it was just plain sad. The heroine's life is rather pathetic and she's a real weepy doormat who is in a lousy situation because of her insecurities and poor choices. I felt sorry for her and cringed at some of the things she thinks, says and does but it was difficult to dredge up a whole lot of sympathy for her. But then again I'm not exactly Ms. Compassion . . .

Also, the narrator reads the book in a sort of depressed monotone which did not help out the material.

In the end, I just did not click with the main character, Louise, on any level. This is a woman who needs some professional help and not simply a hunky younger man to cure everything (cause I'm betting she screws it up sooner rather than later). This woman has a SERIOUS eating disorder that the author doesn't seem to think is a big deal. Bulemia is dangerous and goes far deeper than the simple act of eating and purging. Here it is the solution to eating lots of fattening stuff and staying slim. Or maybe I'm just too darn serious. Either way I didn't find this book a fun experience and won't be re-reading it.

[Bloodorange · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is part novel, part savoir-vivre manual, and to my mind, it's better than any of the popular Madame Chic books. This book held my attention. It won't explain table manners to you, but will help with wardrobe overhaul, dressing properly for the occasion, and - a crucial thing - developing a new mindset.

Edit: I've just realized it's based on a real book, A Guide to Elegance: For Every Woman Who Wants to Be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions. I've been looking for a woman's version of ABC of Men's Fashion for a while now, and I'm quite excited.

[Cecilia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked how Louise guided her life through a book, becoming elegant herself. still not the biggest fan of her character, but cute and fun to read.

[Bev · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up Elegance by Kathleen Tessaro from the library primarily to help me fulfill one of the Take a Chance 3 Challenge requirements. This is a book about Louise Canova--thirty-something, unhappy with her looks, her life and her marriage. She comes across a book called Elegance in a secondhand bookshop that she thinks will be the answer to her prayers. This slim volume was written by the French fashion expert Madame Dariaux in the 1960s and Louise starts taking the A-Z guide to heart--changing first her wardrobe and then her attitudes. The back of the book promises that "within its pages lie not only clues from her past, but also powerful lessons for the future. And as the old Louise gives way to the stunning new, she's about to find out that there's more to every life than what appears on the surface...and that everything, even elegance has a price."


I had a love-hate relationship with this book. It has a stunning premise. I loved the idea of Louise reforming herself by using an out-of-date fashion manual as her guide. It starts out well, but just doesn't deliver. By the end of the book, the reader should be cheering for Louise as she finally transforms herself, not just in appearance but in her willingness to take a chance on a new relationship. I felt more like the Droopy character in cartoons--an Eeyore-like dog, who always looks depressed and waves a little flag that say "Rah" and says "Hurray" in the most down-trodden voice. No real enthusiasm.


There are several redeeming episodes in the book--Louise's visit to the country house home of her friend Flora and when she serves a Christmas meal to the homeless, for example, but over all her trials and tribulations as she makes her transformations just got on my nerves. A quick read, fortunately, that was not nearly as entertaining as anticipated. On the other hand, I tend to think a book must have been pretty decent if I am able to cull any good quotations from it. And I did. So...as I said, I'm left with a love-hate feeling at the end of the book. Two and a half stars--for the premise, for the beginning, for the few redeeming episodes and the quotes.

[Camille Maio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rarely do I dislike a book enough to chuck it before it is done, but this one may hold a record for how quickly I grew bored with it. I had such high hopes, as I thought the the author's "The Perfume Collector" was excellent. I cannot believe they were written by the same person. Sadly, I bought up nearly all of her titles, and if "Elegance" is giving to be any indicator, it was a waste of money.

[Alexandra Medley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly charming book! I loved this and the little inserts from the actual book are a delight to read. A light charming read, the found family is so sweet, the misadventures she goes through and the love she finds is adorable. I will eventually purchase a copy of my own.

[Mum · Rating 1 out of 5]

Because I always finish a book I begin reading, I managed to get through this one. It was a stinker, though!

[Suzy S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and delightful. A solid 3.5 stars. I’ve read ALL her books and they get better and better (The Perfume Collector is my favorite).

Read this first many years ago and like some other reviewers, liked it more when I was a little younger. Still well worth the read.

The tidbits from the original Elegance book neatly frame the story of a young woman coming into her own. Admittedly, reading it made me want to clean out my closet! Avoid reading this and Marie Kondo at the same time or you’ll find yourself with nothing to wear!

I actually enjoy the early stages of Louise’s transformation a little more than the final result. The end of the story is more standard (but still enjoyable!) chick lit fare.

Tessaro has a way with prose and this first book gives nice glimpses of what’s to come.

[Chana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louise is an American living in England, married to a British man. He spends his time working on their perfect house and she spends her time sleeping. She needs a life. She does like second hand bookstores and one day she finds a book called Elegance by Genevieve Antoine Dariaux. Having just been through a humiliating party in which she looked terrible, Louise pulls this book out and starts to read. Next thing you know she is throwing away ugly clothes and going to the gym. She dumps her therapist and then her husband. She moves in with friends and works to re-invent herself.
At the heading of each chapter is a paragraph or two quoted from the original "Elegance" book, the chapters consist Louise's thoughts and actions in following Madame Dariaux's advice. It is very funny! The chapters on food and dieting, and on visiting friends for the weekend in the English countryside were hilarious.
If you want to read something light, very funny and motivational (you might find yourself renewing your gym membership, going through your closet, shopping for new clothes and reevaluating your relationships) this book could be a good choice.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

“A good sport knows their place, accepts things at their face value, loses gracefully, keeps trying, doesn’t sulk or take their toys and run home.”

Being a good sport is super underrated. Something to work on.

Another passage I like:

“We stand at the edges of our experiences, smoking cigarettes and trying to convince each other that we’ve seen this, done that and it isn’t so hot anyway.”

Decided to use goodreads more like a diary. I’m too lazy to review anything, which makes me wanna write nothing, cause it’s all or nothing right? WRONG, Lucy. You can just write a little quote. Or a sentence that’s admiring rather than insightful. Weeee

[Dorina Danila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mi-a plăcut tructura cărții, ca un fel de enciclopedie a eleganței, cu 26 de capitole ordonate alfabetic după titlu (în limba engleză, începând cu accesorii și terminând cu zips (fermoare), o încheiere cum nu se putea mai potrivită. Pentru o carte de debut e OK. https://dorinadanila.com/2018/03/17/e...

[Roxana Cora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nimic deosebit

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun romance about an American living in London struggling to figure out how to be happy with a book about elegance as her guide

[Pola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected, such a fun read.

[Jami M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really like this book but I don’t know if it is good. It’s a book that speaks to me but it isn’t interesting, I think, for most readers. I love Kathleen Tessaro and this book is proof that I just connect with her writing and thinking. Im glad I reread it, I think it is even more meaningful to me now than ever.

[Dana Burda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romanul " Eleganța" al scriitoarei Kathleen Tessaro a apărut la editura Nemira în colecția Damen Tango în anul 2016. Traducerea a fost făcută de Andreea Florescu după romanul apărut în 2003. Este cel de al doilea roman al acestei autoare pe care îl citesc în decurs de un an. Primul a fost " Colecționara de parfumuri" pe care l-am considerat o lectură deosebită, plină de sensibilitate și o bună cunoaștere a eternului feminin. Acest de al doilea roman este la fel de bun și demonstrează aceeași profundă cunoaștere a sufletului feminin. Eroina principală este Louise Canova, americancă de origine, născută în orașul industrial Pittsburg după cum îi place să sublinieze adesea pentru a justifica de ce multe din snobismele londoneze îi sunt necunoscute. A venit în Anglia dornică să devină actriță dar sfârșește prin a fi doar vânzătoare de bilete la un teatru. Își dorește ca orice tânără o mare iubire dar se căsătorește cu actualul ei soț,actor de teatru de mare succes, doar pentru că amândoi erau într-un moment dificil iar parteneriatul lor era avantajos pentru amândoi. Nu erau indrăgostiți unul de altul dar își armonizaseră modul de viață și Louise lăsa să treacă timpul pe lângă ea fără să se agațe de ceva ci doar dormind, citind și privindu-și soțul cum face mereu ordine în casa lor. Dar într-o seară ceva se rupe din poleiala aparentei armonii a vieții lor. Merg la o expoziție de fotografii a unor modele celebre din ultimul secol la invitația soacrei sale, eleganta și snoaba Mona. Louise cu înfățișearea ei neîngrijită și delăsătoare trece printr-o scenă penibilă. Apoi descoperă într-un anticariat o mică și foarte veche carte scrisă de Genevieve Antoine Dariaux initulată " Eleganța". Cu fiecare pagină a acestei cărți Louise învață nu numai ABC-urile eleganței adevărate ci și cine este ea, ce așteaptă de la viață și mai ales ce nu trebuie să mai accepte. Se împacă cu trecutul, cu ea însăi și descoperă că poate avea curajul de a accepta că iubirea există chiar dacă nu arată așa cum se aștepta. Am citit romanul doar în două zile, cucerită de povestea în sine dar și de stilul în care este scrisă. Și am scos o mulțime de citate care pot fi adevărate pastile de înțelepciune în momente nu tocmai plăcute prin care trece orice om. Iată câteva deosbit de convingătoare.
" Sunt anumite lucruri pe care le faci , dacă nu din dragoste, cel puțin din dorința de a avea o viață tihnită." p.10
" Dintre toate plăcerile din lume, să citești dimineața în pat, cu o cană aburindă și proaspătă de ceai trebuie să fie cea mai neprețuită." p.45
" Veritabil înseamnă ceea ce rămâne după ce trece moda." p.202
Sunt doar câteva din multele gânduri care o frământă pe Louise în timp ce se transformă din rățușca cea urâtă care se complăcea să fie, într-o femeie elegantă și capabilă de dragoste.

[Esther · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would, especially given some of the poor reviews I'd read here when I was only a few chapters in. In fact, when I picked it up again, I expected to do so only so I could confirm my intention to abandon it, but then I found myself enjoying it and reading the whole thing.

It is NOT a rom-com. There's romance, but it's not funny. And while I expected it to be a superficial cliché tale of how an outward makeover gave a woman inner confidence, it was in many places deeper, more raw than that; it was more a story of her inevitable meltdown and rebuilding, her learning hard truths about life and herself, her standing up for herself sometimes and collapsing in a heap at other times. I liked that, it felt real, because we aren't just vulnerable once or brave once or foolish once, and we do often take two steps forward and one step back, expanding and shrinking and expanding again. (Imo.)

Louise seems self-centred at times, but there's a good dose of self-loathing in there too, and overall it seemed like it was about her learning and maturing, not just becoming a hot bad-ass woman.

A few other things I liked: While Louise accepts the advice of the Elegance author unquestioningly at the start, she and other characters also critique it at other times, so it's not seen as a bible, more as a catalyst. And, I was stunned to realise 3/4 through the book that the author had never given the husband a name! I was so immersed, I hadn't noticed, but I think that's rather a feat, actually, and it felt right for this story. Also, it was nice to read a book with a female lead who doesn't want to have kids and doesn't spend time questioning that decision, because I feel like all life choices and experiences deserve to be portrayed in good fiction.

Things I didn't like: A completely inappropriate therapist. As a counsellor-in-training, seeing that depiction made me cringe. And I wasn't too sure about the portrayal of bulimia, or that the problematic eating seemed to resolve with one good talking-to from a friend.

I planned to take this book back to the op shop when I was done with it, but I might just hang on to it, as I think I might read it again one day.

UPDATE 2024: I did indeed read this book again one day. I remember why I liked it and why I thought it was problematic. No edits to my original review or rating.

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should start off by saying that this isn't the type of book that I would normally pick up, and perhaps that makes this rating a little unfair. I'm not one for fluffy romance novels but I craved a light read, and I'm rather fascinated by the concept of beauty and elegance.

There were a few things that just never sat well with me in terms of this novel. I liked the concept of it, but I felt that at times the author's attempts to bend the narrative to the alphabetical structure of Madame Dariaux's book hindered the flow and at times felt rather forced and jarring. However, for me the true problem lay in the fact that I did not like the protagonist. I found her petulant, whiny and selfish and I quickly grew bored of her and her theatrics. She threw an awful lot of tantrums over nothing and no one seemed very keen to put her in her place. I therefore failed to become invested in her romantic attachments and found it difficult to comprehend the fact that she was pursued romantically with such vigour when there was very little to recommend her personality. I really struggled to reach the end of this book because I felt no connection with Louise.

I also felt that a lot of doors were opened in order to create a connection with Madame Dariaux's book, but those concepts were never completed. They served their purpose and were quickly discarded. The issue of Louise's husband was left brutally unfinished, and the story behind her mother's suicide attempt never appeared. Lady Castle appeared as if from nowhere, magnificent and knowledgeable, and then faded into nothing and was never encountered again.

However, I firmly believe that Kathleen Tessaro is an extremely accomplished author and the one thing that made it possible to reach the end of the novel was her seemingly effortless stream of words. I really enjoyed her prose, her word choices, her imagery. Her later novel 'The Perfume Collector,' sits firmly among my favourites; I believe that as she grew into her writing she really married together her ability to create seamless, digestible prose with characters who are interesting and alluring. In my opinion, 'Elegance,' is not her best work, but her writing suggests a real talent for the craft.

[Erin (Historical Fiction Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unhappy with herself, Louise Canova is inspired to reinvent her life under the careful tutelage of Madame Dariaux’s forty year old guide to quality and taste. Convinced she will emerge the very image of Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, Louise throws herself wholeheartedly into the endeavor, hanging on every word of the slim grey tome.

Initially, I was worried this was yet another attempt at recreating Bridget Jones and was ultimately surprised to find that this was not the case. Tessaro’s story is very original, taking inspiration from an actual self-help book of the same name. With Dariaux’s permission, Tessaro utilizes the A-to-Z instruction to introduce each chapter of Louise’s journey. The result is a charmingly collaboration of two very unique voices. It works and works well.

Tessaro’s Elegance starts out strong. I quite literally found myself laughing out loud and between you and me that is saying something. I’ve only recently begun to read chick lit as a diversion to the real life drama that seems to be converging on my life and for the most part I’ve found little to be impressed by. Elegance seemed like a breath of fresh air.

Thing is, half way through, Louise starts to lose her way and in truth, so does the story. I don’t get where Tessaro was going. She builds this great theme and then throws it right out the window. Louise leaves her husband, clears out her closet, gets a new job and then reverts to her former desperate, tactless, tacky self. What was the point? I don’t get it.

Do I agree with the philosophy of Elegance? Not really. Do I believe that the right clothes and make-up can alter your quality of life? Certainly not. Do I like the idea of taking control and looking for something you feel is missing in your world? Yes, yes I do. I like to believe it is as possible in the real world as it is in print.

A fluffy, feel-good book, prefect for light entertainment. Not sure there is a lot of reread value here but it was fun while it lasted.