Perestroika In Paris

Jane Smiley

48 pages 1-hour read

Jane Smiley

Perestroika In Paris

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2020

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

A chestnut racehorse who unexpectedly leaves her stall one evening when the door is left unlatched. Having known nothing but the racing life in Maisons-Laffitte, she explores the city out of pure curiosity. She wanders through the streets at night, stopping to graze in parks and observing the human world. Her gentle disposition allows her to form connections with street-smart animals and kind individuals she encounters along the way.

Key Relationships

Friend of Frida

Friend of Raoul

Friend of Etienne

Friend of Kurt

Trained by Delphine

Friend of Nancy

A street-smart German Shepherd who survives on her own after her human companion passes away. She observes the human world closely and figures out how to conduct transactions, bringing paper money to local shopkeepers in exchange for groceries. Initially suspicious of the world and highly protective of her independence, she acts as a cautious guide to her naive equine friend.

Key Relationships

Protector and Friend of Perestroika

Former Pet of Jacques

Companion of Raoul

Protector of Etienne

Secret Protector of Madame

Customer of Jerome

An intellectual, elderly raven who claims a nest above a statue of Benjamin Franklin. He considers himself above the mundane concerns of other animals and speaks formally, preferring to analyze human behavior from a safe distance. Despite his occasionally aloof attitude, he freely offers his guidance to animals unfamiliar with city life.

Key Relationships

Guide and Friend of Perestroika

Companion of Frida

Acquaintance of Sid

Observer of Etienne

Observer of Madame

A ninety-six-year-old woman who lives in a large, quiet Parisian manor. Having lost both her sight and hearing to old age, she relies entirely on her great-grandson to manage their daily routines and assist her with errands. She spends her quiet hours knitting an afghan blanket and reflecting on her past, privately harboring anxiety about what will happen to her young relative.

Key Relationships

Great-Grandmother of Etienne

Secretly Protected by Frida

Secretly Observed by Kurt

Customer of Jerome

Madame's eight-year-old great-grandson who lives a remarkably isolated life in her large manor. Rather than attending a traditional school, he spends his time reading in the family library and managing the household chores. His isolation makes him eager for companionship, leading him to offer food and a safe resting place to the unusual animals roaming outside his home.

Key Relationships

Great-Grandson and Caregiver of Madame

Friend and Caretaker of Perestroika

Friend of Frida

Acquaintance of Kurt

Acquaintance of Raoul

Customer of Jerome

Supporting Characters

A rat who makes his home inside the expansive walls of a grand Parisian residence. Unlike his conservative father, he dreams of venturing outside their established courtyards to discover the larger world and eventually find a mate. The arrival of unusual visitors in the house provides him with an unexpected opportunity to act on his adventurous impulses.

Key Relationships

Son of Conrad

Friend of Perestroika

Acquaintance of Etienne

A cautious rat who lives alongside his son in the walls of an old manor. He firmly believes in the safety of established routines and relies on the physical protection of the walls. He regularly lectures his son against the dangers of exploring the human-dominated spaces outside their known territory.

Key Relationships

Father of Kurt

A male duck who lives in an enclosed pond near the Eiffel Tower. He reacts territorially when strange animals approach his home, initially panicking at the sight of a horse and a dog. He eventually learns to tolerate his new neighbors.

Key Relationships

Husband of Nancy

Acquaintance of Raoul

A female duck residing at the Eiffel Tower pond alongside her mate. She frequently voices her opinions about her living situation, preferring the stability of Paris over her mate's desire to travel. She strikes up casual conversations with the animals who visit their enclosure.

Key Relationships

Wife of Sid

Acquaintance of Perestroika

A pragmatic Parisian grocer who runs a vegetable stall. He calmly accepts paper currency from a stray dog, concluding that she must be shopping on behalf of a homebound human. He treats his unusual customer with quiet respect and fulfills her shopping requests.

Key Relationships

Grocer to Frida

A bakery worker who manages the early morning shifts in Paris. When a horse pokes its head into her shop, she responds with kindness by offering it high-quality oats. She quietly believes the animal might be a spiritual visitation rather than an ordinary creature.

Key Relationships

Secret Feeder of Perestroika

Friend of Pierre

A city gardener responsible for maintaining the green spaces around the Eiffel Tower. He notices an unusual animal staying in the pond enclosure but chooses not to report the situation to the authorities, appreciating the peaceful atmosphere the creature brings.

Key Relationships

Secret Observer of Perestroika

Friend of Anais

A man who lived without a permanent home on the streets of Paris. Although he is no longer living, his past companionship deeply shaped the survival instincts of the loyal dog who continues to mourn his absence.

Key Relationships

Former Owner of Frida

A professional racehorse trainer who works at the Maisons-Laffitte stables. She dedicates herself to managing the strict diet and training regimen of the horses under her care and assumes the missing horse must be close by.

Key Relationships

Trainer of Perestroika