Skylark

By: Paula McLain

Narrators: Paula McLain, Alexa Davalos, Michiel Huisman

Simon & Schuster Audio

ISBN: 9781668028155

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: 01/06/2026

Format: Other

My Rating: 4.5 Stars (ARC)

JAN 2026 MUST-READ BOOKS

The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife weaves a mesmerizing tale of Paris above and below—where a woman’s quest for artistic freedom in 1664 intertwines with a doctor’s dangerous mission during the German occupation in the 1940s, revealing a story of courage and resistance that transcends time.

1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at the famed Gobelin Tapestry Works, who secretly dreams of escaping her circumstances and creating her own masterpiece. When her father is unjustly imprisoned, Alouette's efforts to save him lead to her own confinement in the notorious Salpêtrière asylum, where thousands of women are held captive and cruelly treated. But within its grim walls, she discovers a small group of brave allies, and the possibility of a life bigger than she ever imagined.

1939: Kristof Larson is a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency in Paris, whose neighbors on the Rue de Gobelins are a Jewish family who have fled Poland. When Nazi forces descend on the city, Kristof becomes their only hope for survival, even as his work as a doctor is jeopardized.

A spellbinding and transportive look at a side of Paris known to very few—the underground city that is a mirror reflection of the glories above—Paula McLain’s unforgettable new novel chronicles two parallel journeys of defiance and rescue that connect in ways both surprising and deeply moving.

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Praise

“Paula McLain returns to Paris, the setting of her most celebrated novel, to intertwine two eras of upheaval with masterful precision. Seductive, subversive, and impossible to put down, Skylark shines a light into the darkest corners of history, revealing the enduring strength of the human spirit.”

—Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train

“Above all, Skylark is the gift of a brilliant storyteller. . . If she were not a superb novelist, McLain most surely would be a painter—what brilliant colors, images, and textures. Toward the end, I was holding my breath—the stunning ending will resonate long after the book is closed.”

—Frances Mayes, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Under the Tuscan Sun

“An enthralling plunge into deep layers of Paris history, both beautifully written and breathtakingly suspenseful. I could not put it down.”

—Helen Simonson, New York Times bestselling author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

“From its very first moment, Skylark held me so close it felt like we shared a heartbeat. Intimate and sweeping, this novel celebrates the rare kind of bravery that resounds for centuries through the streets of our beloved cities and in our bleakest times of war and fear. I'm convinced no one in the world can write like Paula McLain. Vital and prescient, she is absolutely one of the finest writers of our age.”

—Amy Jo Burns, author of Mercury

“Readers will be enthralled by McLain’s vivid storytelling, engaged with her memorable cast of characters, and enraged at the cruelties humans have exacted on one another throughout history.”

—Library Journal (starred review)

“McLain expertly juxtaposes the courageous actions of both Alouette and Kristof as they seek freedom for themselves and others and embrace the challenges and dangers of the subterranean maze. Fans of stirring historicals won’t want to miss this.”

—Publishers Weekly

“A resounding elegy of love, courage, and defiance. Paula McLain melds two timelines and one city into the kind of story you think about long after you've finished reading. Mysterious and haunting and timeless. I loved it.”

—Ariel Lawhon, New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River

“A magnificent book with prose that is lush, seductive, and velvet-rich. This big, bold, deep, satisfying literary adventure is a stunning tour-de-force.”

—Adrienne Brodeur, bestselling author of Wild Game

“With fine-tuned historical detail, McLain’s latest is a compelling tale of human will, resilience, and connection.”

—Booklist

“Paula McLain is a story alchemist. In Skylark, she saturates our imaginations with the colorful threads of two distinct timelines. Artfully crafted and poetically rendered, this is the kind of historical fiction I live for—stories where the past acts as a mirror for the modern milieu.”

—Sarah McCoy, New York Times bestselling author of Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely?

About the Author

Paula McLain is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels, The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun, and Love and Ruin. Her latest instant bestseller is, When the Stars Go Dark.

Paula McLain was born in Fresno, California in 1965. After being abandoned by both parents, she and her two sisters became wards of the California Court System, moving in and out of various foster homes for the next fourteen years. When she aged out of the system, she supported herself by working as a nurses aid in a convalescent hospital, a pizza delivery girl, an auto-plant worker, a cocktail waitress–before discovering she could (and very much wanted to) write. She received her MFA in poetry from the University of Michigan in 1996.

McLain’s essays have appeared in Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Real Simple, O the Oprah Magazine, Huffington Post, The Guardian, the New York Times and elsewhere. She is also the author of the memoir, Like Family: Growing up in Other People’s Houses, two collections of poetry, and the debut novel, A Ticket to Ride. She lives with her family in Cleveland. WEBSITE

#Skylark

My Review

SKYLARK by Paula McLain is a captivatingly crafted dual-timeline historical novel that weaves an evocative tapestry of life in Paris.

The story unfolds through two parallel journeys of courage, defiance, and the unyielding human spirit. At the heart of the narrative are the hauntingly beautiful underground tunnels of Paris, which serve as a crucial lifeline for those seeking rescue and solace amid the chaos of oppressive regimes.

With richly drawn characters and a powerful theme of resilience, McLain immerses readers in the vibrant yet perilous world of the city, revealing how hope can flourish even in the darkest of times.

About...

1664 Timeline: Alouette Voland

~Artistic Ambition: Alouette is the daughter of a master dyer at the Gobelin Tapestry Works who dreams of becoming a recognized artist and creating her own masterpiece.

~Imprisonment: After her father is unjustly jailed, Alouette’s attempt to save him leads to her own confinement in the Salpêtrière asylum, where women are held and mistreated.

~Underground Escape: Within the asylum, she forms a group of allies and utilizes the city's subterranean maze to seek freedom and discover a life beyond her former limitations.

1939–1942 Timeline: Kristof Larson

~Medical Duty: Kristof is a Dutch medical student beginning a psychiatric residency in Paris as World War II begins.

~Protecting Neighbors: He befriends a Jewish family from Poland living on the Rue de Gobelins. When the Nazis occupy the city, he becomes their primary hope for survival.

~Resistance Actions: Kristof joins the Resistance, risking his career and life to help Jewish teenagers escape through the Paris tunnels to avoid the Aktion T4 euthanasia program and deportation.

Connecting Elements

~The Tunnels: The underground world of Paris serves as a physical and symbolic mirror to the city above, providing a path for both characters to escape systemic cruelty.

~The Skylark Symbol: The book opens in 2019 with a conservator finding a fragment of stained glass etched with a skylark at Notre Dame. In the 1664 timeline, Alouette’s lover, Étienne, carves a stone skylark for her.

~Themes of Justice: Both stories address the treatment of those deemed "unfit" by society—whether the "bad" women of the 17th-century asylum or the disabled and Jewish populations targeted by the Nazis

My thoughts...

The central takeaway of SKYLARK is that individual acts of courage and the refusal to let others define one's worth are essential for preserving humanity in the face of systemic oppression.

Both compelling parallel journeys explore defiance, courage, and the fight for freedom against oppressive systems. The narratives connect through the hidden subterranean aspects of Patrk, mirroring the above-ground struggles.

The novel beautifully highlights the human spirit's refusal to lose itself in destructive circumstances, focusing on love, loss, and compassion. It explores deep philosophical and moral messages centered on human dignity, resistance, and the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of systemic oppression.

Key Moral Messages

~The Radical Act of Preserving Humanity

~Courage in Everyday Actions

~The Fight for Autonomy and Freedom

Key Philosophical Themes

~Social Injustice and Systemic Oppression

~Resilience and the Human Spirit

~Hidden Histories and the Mirror of the Past

~Art and Beauty as Resistance

Art and creativity represent a higher form of freedom that transcends physical imprisonment. The skylark motif serves as a physical link between the timelines and a symbolic representation of "transcendent hope" and the human spirit's refusal to be caged.

The title carries profound significance as a symbol of the indomitable human spirit and a literal bridge between two disparate centuries. Several key symbols and motifs reinforce the themes of resilience, the preservation of humanity, and the hidden layers of history.

In summary, SYLARK is enigmatic and captivating. This enchanting exploration delves into a lesser-known facet of Paris, revealing its shadows and secrets—weaving together two parallel narratives of bold defiance and poignant rescue, intertwining in ways that are both unexpected and profoundly touching. With each turn of the page, the haunting atmosphere of the city unfolds, inviting readers to experience the deep emotional currents that bind these stories together.

Recs..

Books similar to Paula McLain's Skylark are often dual-timeline historical fiction novels that feature strong female characters in wartime, often centered in France during World War II, and involve themes of survival and resistance. These titles, like Skylark, focus on the bravery and sacrifices of ordinary people, particularly women, who became involved in clandestine wartime activities.

~The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

~The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

~Mistress of the Ritz by Melanie Benjamin

~The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff

Other recommended books by Paula:

~The Paris Wife

~Circling the Sun

~Love and Ruin

Special thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts

@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Pub Date: Jan 6, 2026

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