For Lovers of Paris

Paris: The Novel by Edward Rutherfurd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an excellent book, but at 832 pages don't expect to have much time for anything else but reading (at least not if you borrowed the book from a library as I did).

Right from the start I'm going to say that this is a book to buy so that you can read through at your leisure. I borrowed this on my kindle, so had 14 days to read. If I had more time I would have been on google checking out the accuracy of the history, and the places referenced, such as Champs Élysées.

If you have ever been to Paris, this book should be interesting as you discover the history of the different locations around the city. If you have not been to Paris (like me), and plan a trip soon (not like me), then this would still be a great book to read prior to your trip. The author did a great job combining history and fiction.

This truly is an epic novel following multiple families and generations. I found the chapters that dealt with building the Eiffel tower particularly interesting and will be checking the internet on the accuracy of these pieces. Historical novels always leave me wondering what bits are true and what bits are untrue.

Rutherfurd does jump around with his time frames and his characters so you have to pay attention to the story. I don't usually have trouble with this, but had a few times in this novel where I had to stop and get my bearings.

An excellent job blending story and history (this is redundant I now, but I thought it worth repeating)!



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