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Paris Syndrome Paperback – January 20, 2022

by Tahir Shah (Author)

74 ratings

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On the morning of her fifth birthday, Miki Suzuki's aged grandfather gives her an unusual gift - the fragment of a story.

The tale tells of a magical realm where all the women are beautiful, dressed in the finest gowns, and where the men have the looks of movie stars. This place, young Miki learns, is a city in far-off Europe - a city called Paris.

The story takes seed in Miki's mind and, over twenty years, she becomes obsessed with the French capital. Having studied its history, language, and traditions, she vows that one day she will venture there.

Winning a competition at work, Miki embarks on the journey of a lifetime to her dream destination. Feverishly excited and exhausted after a long flight, she hits the ground running in her desperation to see every last tourist sight in town.

But, as the others in the tour group look on in horror, the telltale signs of a rare condition begin to manifest themselves - a condition known as 'Paris Syndrome'.

Made crazed by a stream of unfavourable events, Miki goes on a riotous rampage, which ends in her mooning the salesclerk in a designer store - an assault that grips the French nation. So begins the treatment in the most bizarre of clinics - a refuge for fellow sufferers of Paris Syndrome. All this set against a backdrop of vigilante groups, trade wars, bounty hunters, and true love.

Hilarious and toe-curling, Miki Suzuki's psychological rollercoaster ride gets under the skin like nothing else, as the novel explores the real condition that afflicts dozens of Japanese tourists each year.

Tahir Shah's mastery as a storyteller, and his knowledge of both East and West, makes Paris Syndrome a novel touched with real magic - a story within a story that's worth its weight in gold.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Secretum Mundi
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 20, 2022
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 334 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1912383969
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1912383962
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.84 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #26,003 in Psychological Fiction (Books)
- #36,177 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)

Customer Reviews:
74 ratings

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Tahir Shah

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Tahir Shah was born in London, and raised primarily at the family’s home, Langton House, in the English countryside – where founder of the Boy Scouts, Lord Baden Powell, was also brought up.

Along with his twin and elder sisters, Tahir was continually coaxed to regard the world around him through Oriental eyes. This included being exposed from early childhood to Eastern stories, and to the back-to-front humour of the wise fool, Nasrudin.

Having studied at a leading public school, Bryanston, Tahir took a degree in International Relations, his particular interest being in African dictatorships of the mid-1980s. His research in this area led him to travel alone through a wide number of failing African states, including Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Zaire.

After university, Tahir embarked on a plethora of widespread travels through the Indian subcontinent, Latin America, and Africa, drawing them together in his first travelogue, BEYOND THE DEVIL'S TEETH. In the years that followed, he published more than a dozen works of travel. These quests – for lost cities, treasure, Indian magic, and for the secrets of the so-called Birdmen of Peru – led to what is surely one of the most extraordinary bodies of travel work ever published.

In the early 2000s, with two small children, Tahir moved his young family from an apartment in London’s East End to a supposedly haunted mansion in the middle of a Casablanca shantytown. The tale of the adventure was published in his bestselling book, THE CALIPH'S HOUSE.

In recent years, Tahir Shah has released a cornucopia of work, embracing travel, fiction, and literary criticism. He has also made documentaries for National Geographic TV and the History Channel, and published hundreds of articles in leading magazines, newspapers, and journals. His oeuvre is regarded as exceptionally original and, as an author, he is considered as a champion of the new face of publishing.

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74 global ratings

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Customers find the book refreshing and humorous, with one describing it as a brilliant farcical black comedy. Moreover, they appreciate its insight into modern life, with one review highlighting its exploration of cultural matrices. Additionally, the book receives positive feedback for its readability, story quality, and cast, with one review noting its wide cast of characters. The pacing is also well-received, with one customer praising the beautiful description of life in Japan.

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Humor Insight Readability Story quality Cast Pacing

8 customers mention "Humor"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book humorous, describing it as a refreshing story told with wit, and one customer notes its brilliant farcical black comedy style.

"...The heroine of Tahir Shah's brilliant farcical black comedy is a timid soul from Japan named Miki...." Read more

"This is a wonderful and refreshing story told with humor and insight...." Read more

"...Simultaneously an adventure tale, a love story and a wickedly funny satire, it skewers everything from rapacious news media, to greedy mega-..." Read more

"A sweet well written story with some unexpected twists as well as some hidden lessons about human nature. A delight to read!" Read more

7 customers mention "Insight"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful, with one review highlighting its exploration of cultural matrices.

"...Very insightful, this book explores the fault lines in how our society communicates and responds to what it does not understand...." Read more

"This is a wonderful and refreshing story told with humor and insight...." Read more

"...story with some unexpected twists as well as some hidden lessons about human nature. A delight to read!" Read more

"Tahir Shah’s Paris Syndrome, astonishing for it breadth and insight into modern life, is a book that you will be unable to put down...." Read more

6 customers mention "Readability"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a wonderful and fun read, with one customer describing it as a sweet well-written story.

"This is a wonderful and refreshing story told with humor and insight...." Read more

"...This book really drew me in and managed to bring tears to my eyes at the end. Bravo and thank you, Tahir Shah!" Read more

"A sweet well written story with some unexpected twists as well as some hidden lessons about human nature. A delight to read!" Read more

"...I suspect that you’ll see things in a different light after this compelling read." Read more

5 customers mention "Story quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, with one describing it as a Cinderella-type saga and another noting it's a richly rewarding read.

"...It was hard to put this book down. Tahir Shah is a gifted storyteller." Read more

"...Simultaneously an adventure tale, a love story and a wickedly funny satire, it skewers everything from rapacious news media, to greedy mega-..." Read more

"A modern, cinderella-type saga and really, really exciting...." Read more

"A Sweet Story!..." Read more

3 customers mention "Cast"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the cast of characters in the book, with one review highlighting the wide range of characters and another noting the sparkling supporting cast.

"...She is one of Shah's more memorable fictional characters; rivalling the bizarre real life people who inhabit his earlier travel books...." Read more

"...of Tahir Shah's writing -- uses humor and high spirits and a wide cast of characters to tackle a deeply troubling subject: the lasting and sometimes..." Read more

"...This is no-way altered my enjoyment, but enhanced the character, misfortunes and mental instability of Miki our heroine...." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with individual reviews highlighting its lucid style, vivid descriptions of life in Japan, and crisp images.

"...The quirkiness and beauty of life in Japan are wonderfully described so that you begin to have some insight into the phenomenon of Japanese tour..." Read more

"...Miki who has dreamed all her life of visiting Paris, is as charming as they come...." Read more

"...Becomes the flashpoint for international chaos and mayhem. Crisp images. Brisk and lucid style. Enjoy. Enjoy. Enjoy." Read more

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Bill Frazier
The Only Cure For Paris Syndrome Is To Read the Book
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2015
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THE ONLY CURE FOR PARIS SYNDROME IS TO READ THE BOOK

The heroine of Tahir Shah's brilliant farcical black comedy is a timid soul from Japan named Miki. She is one of Shah's more memorable fictional characters; rivalling the bizarre real life people who inhabit his earlier travel books.

The conflict or mismatch in the case of Paris Syndrome is not between East and West as in many of Tahir Shah's books, but is instead a culture clash between Japan and France.

Miki as a child hears tales of an exotic city of romance and intrigue from her grandfather, and decides it is her destiny to go to Paris. She works tirelessly for a sleazy perfume company, and when she wins their sales contest, she is rewarded by being sent to the city of her dreams.

This leads to excitement, confusion, disappointment and finally a break with reality where Miki goes berserk in Louis Vuttain; mooning the sales clerk, ending up in a mental hospital where she is diagnosed as suffering from Paris Syndrome.

Politicians, psychologists, journalists, businessmen seize the situation and Miki for their own ends. Everyone sees in her a villian or a hero; an opportunity to advance their fortunes and careers.

Very insightful, this book explores the fault lines in how our society communicates and responds to what it does not understand. Paris Syndrome has a sparkling supporting cast too. Starting with the psychologist Dr Mesmer (great name) and each of the "one flew over the cuckoo nest" type patients he tries to help.

But Miki is the real star here. She is someone who will stay with you long after you finish Paris Syndrome. She is that wonderful mix of crazy, innocent, flawed and forever hopeful that we call human.

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Helen
This is a wonderful and refreshing story told with humor and insight
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2014
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This is a wonderful and refreshing story told with humor and insight. Paris Syndrome is an absorbing illustration of how assumptions can become all consuming until they are viewed in the right perspective. The quirkiness and beauty of life in Japan are wonderfully described so that you begin to have some insight into the phenomenon of Japanese tour groups around the world. Miki is the unlikely heroine who survives the trials of working in the salaryman's world, an unexpected breakdown and every traveler's nightmare of being robbed and left destitute in a foreign country. It was hard to put this book down. Tahir Shah is a gifted storyteller.

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Dan Sperling
A wonderful read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2015
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I absolutely loved PARIS SYNDROME, which is one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in a long time. Simultaneously an adventure tale, a love story and a wickedly funny satire, it skewers everything from rapacious news media, to greedy mega-corporations, to national pride – in the process showing that the way in which we see the world is often nothing more than a projection of our own hopes, fears and fantasies. The exciting plot is sure to keep you turning the pages, and the story’s heroine, a young Japanese woman named Miki who has dreamed all her life of visiting Paris, is as charming as they come. This book really drew me in and managed to bring tears to my eyes at the end. Bravo and thank you, Tahir Shah!

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3 people found this helpful

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sethr
A Sweet Story!
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2014
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A sweet well written story with some unexpected twists as well as some hidden lessons about human nature. A delight to read!

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Janet Gamache
Does this condition lead to madness or does it provide the impetus to change one’s life for the better? Either way
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2014
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Tahir Shah’s Paris Syndrome, astonishing for it breadth and insight into modern life, is a book that you will be unable to put down. Its subject is obsession, a state of mind occurring when a thought/person/place seems to take over one’s being. Does this condition lead to madness or does it provide the impetus to change one’s life for the better? Either way, I suspect that you’ll see things in a different light after this compelling read.

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Lois M
Deceptively simple and richly rewarding!
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2014
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A high-intensity roller-coaster ride of a book which -- as is typical of Tahir Shah's writing -- uses humor and high spirits and a wide cast of characters to tackle a deeply troubling subject: the lasting and sometimes bizarre scars that can be left when there's a jarring disjunction between expectation and reality. Highly recommended!

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BookReporter
I dunno.....
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2014
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I bought this on the strength of how much I've enjoyed three other books by Tahir Shah. This one just didn't measure up for me. I get the central themes of obsession and illusion versus reality but the plot developments are so facile and the secondary characters are so cardboard that it reminded me of The Celestine Prophecy, which I thought was a flimsy effort. Paris Syndrome is certainly better written than Celestine, but not nearly as engaging for me as Shah's stories in Morocco or Timbuctoo.

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2 people found this helpful

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Adela Fanin
Funny, entertaining and imaginative
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2014
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Funny, entertaining and imaginative, this story recalls a folk tale taking place in modern Paris and Tokyo, and with a Cinderella motif--in the style of parody. The relentlessly adventurous rhythm, the derailed mind of the young Japanese protagonist, the farcical treatment of modern society -whether Oriental or Western- make this hilarious narrative difficult to put down.

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Janet Gamache
Does this condition lead to madness or does it provide the impetus to change one’s life for the better? Either way
Reviewed in Canada on August 2, 2014
Verified Purchase

Tahir Shah’s Paris Syndrome, astonishing for it breadth and insight into modern life, is a book that you will be unable to put down. Its subject is obsession, a state of mind occurring when a thought/person/place seems to take over one’s being. Does this condition lead to madness or does it provide the impetus to change one’s life for the better? Either way, I suspect that you’ll see things in a different light after this compelling read.

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Mark Hill
Great story, great book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 10, 2014
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As you'll probably know, 'Paris Syndrome' affects visitors to Paris (often the Japanese) who've set their hearts on visiting the perfect city, with a perfect hospitable easy going population, perfect hotels, restaurants and cuisine. Cameras fully charged, they're expecting the time of their lives.

When assumptions fail to match expectations some visitors implode; step over the edge of an emotional cliff. They behave manically, hallucinate, let it all hang out; their former selves desert them.

Miki Suzuki, the central character of the book, becomes an archetypical victim of the syndrome and in the process provokes an international incident.

Two of the proudest cultures in the world, the French and Japanese, are in the spotlight. There are some great character studies and the attention to the finest detail that readers have come to expect from Tahir Shah.

He does a good job at describing the effects of Paris Syndrome in the confines of a psychiatric clinic and keeps the pace up throughout the book. He's great at shifting the focus from personal scale to the national scale and back again. It's just great writing and I love it.

The book gets better and better as the story progresses and it has a great, really positive end.

Like Eye Spy and Casablanca Blues, this book would make a great movie.

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Richard
An 'ugly' work
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2014
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I can't really say I enjoyed this book at all. It's all written in a quick but detail heavy way that I associate with Marquez and other 'magical realism' type authors, but instead of magic, all we get is unrelenting misery. I'm not at all sure how other readers found this book inspiring or beautiful because all I saw was a cast of unpleasant characters (even Miki - while essentially blameless - has no real positive features), almost all of whom seem far worse than people you're likely to encounter in real life.

Despite the tone of the storytelling - which is all very jaunty and upbeat - this book is mostly a tale of unrelenting misery. I can barely think of a positive moment or a single act of honest / chivalrous behaviour. Very rarely does anything good happen. Even Miki's trip to Paris comes about by selling cosmetics she knows to be hazardous.

As for the plot, it reminded me of the way children write their first stories. First this happened, then this, then this and it's all very exciting, but there's no real structure or discernible theme.

The author also seems to think that randomness = creativity. His "mad" characters are all mad in very random ways, and Miki's babblings too are all very random. Well, so what? Once again, any child can produce random strings of words. A good author would surely try to link those babblings to the larger situation or attempt to use them to provide some meaning to an otherwise meaningless story.

Although it's short I found myself forcing my way through it after about the 40% mark.

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Emmas
A donner!
Reviewed in France on August 17, 2015
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J'ai détesté, j'ai dû me forcer à le terminer car j'espérais toujours trouver du plaisir à la lecture ne serait-ce que sur la fin...
Mais non rien...
Je n'ai pas réussi à rire et à me délecter des aventures improbables de l'héroïne.
Dommage...
Trop décalé pour moi. Pourtant le sujet est très intéressant.

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LS
Another hit.
Reviewed in Canada on January 19, 2015
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Another fantastic story by Shah. I purchased for my boyfriend, but am currently reading it as well. As per usual, it's a page turner. I haven't read anything by Shah that hasn't been. Highly recommend.

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Paris Syndrome Paperback – January 20, 2022

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Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Does this condition lead to madness or does it provide the impetus to change one’s life for the better? Either way

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, great book

2.0 out of 5 stars An 'ugly' work

1.0 out of 5 stars A donner!

5.0 out of 5 stars Another hit.

Does this condition lead to madness or does it provide the impetus to change one’s life for the better? Either way

Great story, great book

An 'ugly' work

A donner!

Another hit.