Like all his books, Rutherfurd's historical research is thorough and exemplary and he manages to convey the spirit of the nation in his story and goes a long way to explaining some of the subtle complexities of French politics and culture, and in particular the socialist revolutionary spirit. But if the term 'formula' suggests some short cuts on the part of the writer, nothing could be further from the truth. He has developed an excellent formula for his books, based either on cities or in some cases countries, weaving personal stories to show how historical events impact on real lives. His output is consistently strong and Paris is no exception. Rutherfurd is a remarkable writer in many ways. Their lives cross paths through the years in often unexpected ways and while Paris is an historical fiction novel, this is as much an epic story of families as it is about the history. We encounter the noble de Cygnes, the bourgeois Blanchards, the lower class Gascons and the revolutionary Le Sourds. Taking four families, from different social positions, Edward Rutherfurd weaves these family histories into the history of Paris and France. As enchanting and complex as the city he describes. Rutherfurd's exemplary historical research supports a wonderfully woven saga of four families from different social positions through the ages that captures the spirit of the nation.

Summary: Spanning the years from 1261 to 1968 but focussing on the period from 1875 to 1940.

Paris novel rutherfurd