Paris in Ruins --by M. K. Tod

  

Fiction / Historical (Prussia/Franco war 1870)

 

5 stars

 

Two families of privilege are followed through the Siege of Paris in 1870-71 and the subsequent sedition through the eyes of a daughter of each family, Camille and Mariele. The families are what probably would be considered upper middle class in today’s America.

 

Camille has always marched to her own drummer, and when she meets Andre and he offers her an opportunity to spy for France, she does so. She is first and foremost a woman of France and a woman of Paris. While the mistress of her father’s home, she also volunteers at the theater that Sarah Bernhardt, the great actress, has turned into a hospital, where she starts by reading to the wounded, and ends up being a nurse of great value.

 

Mariel is engaged to Camille’s brother Bertrand; a docile thing, she finds her own steel as the siege comes, and Paris is attacked. She works at the Church where another of Camille’s brothers, Victor, is a priest by helping take care of the children during the day. Later, she accompanies one of her brothers, a medical student to learn nursing and be there for him. She truly became a roaring mouse.

 

Because this is a story of war, there is violence, but none of it is gratuitous. There is some death, but such is war. If you read this, as I did, before turning your light off at night, I don’t believe it will give you nightmares. But will give you some beauty to ruminate on as you drift off to sleep. Yes, there is beauty in this book.

 

I do not normally read war stories, but I trusted this author, and am glad I did. I had forgotten this bit of history, if I ever knew it, and this story did an excellent job of (re)introducing me to a bit of European history I didn’t remember.

 

I highly recommend it. Well written, hard to put down, and a most satisfactory end.