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The Last Will and Testament of Daphne Le Marche by Kate Forster
Blurb
Paris, 1956.
Eighteen year old Daphné may be from a tiny French village, but she knows she’s destined for more. Stepping off a bus into bustling Paris with a suitcase full of her home-made beauty products, she’s ready to do whatever it takes to claim her stake in the world.
London, 2016.
Scandalous love affairs and an iconic cosmetics brand have kept Daphné Le Marche in spotlight – but her darkest secrets have never come to light. Now, in her London penthouse, enveloped in her rich signature scent, the Grande Dame of glamour has died.
But not even those closest to her could have been prepared for what came next.
The Last Will and Testament of Daphné Le Marche is a sweeping story of heartbreak, scandal and the importance of keeping it in all the family…
Review
This is a family saga, told from many different points of view, each holding a part of the puzzle, adding to the overall picture. There are many of them but surprisingly it works and Ms Forster does a good job of making them all distinct.
All the way through the book I kept thinking of the myriad of ways families can screw you up - usually without even knowing it. Then when it comes to Robert, Daphne's son, and his insufferable boorish behaviour there is the question of nature or nurture. It seems like he had too much of one and not enough of the other.
When I reached the end, I felt empowered - not so much by the fact that as a woman the story made me feel I could achieve whatever I set my mind to, but by the idea that what is really important is love and family.
