Paris in Around the Year in 52 Books

Jan 23, 2014 E.S. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

So much history. HOW CAN SOMEONE CREATE SOMETHING AS MAGNIFICENT AS THIS?

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Apr 30, 2017 Nathalie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: crème-de-la-crème, 2017-read

This is a very remarkable novel. It must have been quite a project for Rutherford to come forth with a story of such magnitude and still remain pure and beautiful at its core.

I chose this novel in the local library because of its simple title and premise. The Epic novel of the city of Lights. Other works like London and New York were standing beside this one, but who doesn't love Paris? It might have lost a little of its romance in this day and age, but it still breaths history in a unique, roma This is a very remarkable novel. It must have been quite a project for Rutherford to come forth with a story of such magnitude and still remain pure and beautiful at its core.

I chose this novel in the local library because of its simple title and premise. The Epic novel of the city of Lights. Other works like London and New York were standing beside this one, but who doesn't love Paris? It might have lost a little of its romance in this day and age, but it still breaths history in a unique, romantic, revolutionary and secular way.

Rutherford has chosen to portray half a dozen families against the violent history of this metropolis, which gives a unique blend of fiction and non-fiction. I've always been intrigued by recent history, once even contemplating a future as history teacher, that I can't decide which I liked most. There's so much that I came to learn from Paris' turbulent past, woven into the life of fictitious characters that were so life-like that they were sure to bleed the same as me or you.

He takes us on a eventful trip going all the way back to the middle ages, up until the late sixties. The gentle threads that connect each of the families in this novel, creates an intricate lifeline throughout the most cataclysmic historic events. From the building of the Eifel tower, which I'm seeing with a different kind of respect, back to the court at Versailles, all the way to the resistance during the second world war, Rutherfurd never loses the connection between these families.

The only critique I can give is that this sculpting of history around the imagined story was in some parts of the novel a little too palpable. In 80% of the novel, you're not feeling the author's way of manipulating his creation, but the moments where it was noticed, it distracted from the novel. But in a novel of 800 pages it was definitely a fact completely forgiven.

Since I'm not going to give a rundown of events, because you'll have to read it to capture its magnificence, I conclude my two cents by saying that apart from the history and creation of a world inside a Paris already gone but never forgotten, realize this is also a very romantic story. History only gives the proper background for a story that's so perfect in portraying why Paris will forever be the City of Love. And sometimes even the City of Heartache. ...more

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Mar 18, 2021 Marie (UK) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021-reading-challenge

I was enthralled by another of this author's books - London. This one is very different and yet very similar. The timeline is less linear moving backwards and forwards and it's history does not go back anywhere near as far, but in the same way as in "London" Rutherfurd bases his history on the people of just a few families and through his portrayal allows the reader to really understand their views, their political and social lives, their loves and losses. It also progresses further into modern ...more

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Sep 23, 2016 Brandy rated it it was amazing

This was a fantastic book! I loved all the details that went into explaining how the Eiffel tower was built! I also liked getting to move along through the story with different generations. I did not like the time jumping. It was hard to follow all the characters, let alone try to figure out what time period I was reading in. I was also disappointed that there was so little about the French revolution in the book. I had been looking forward to more about that and it never happened. Even with thi ...more

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Apr 08, 2019 Debbie rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, via-audio, 2019

3+ stars. I thought Mr. Rutherfurd did a better job with New York. This one feels like some of the characters were contrived to make the (hi)story work. It's very long, with lots of back and forth, not just among characters, but in centuries.... and then we slam it shut with an epilogue.

If you know very little about French history and what to get the full gist and don't mind a long read... this will work! ...more

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