PARIS The Novel

Rutherfurd's newest saga entwines seven centuries of families and a multitude of events that helped to shape the magnificent city of Paris. The noble de Cynge clan sustains a multigenerational blood feud against the Le Sourds, the bourgeois Blanchards founded and continue to run a high-fashion retail dynasty, and the laboring Gascons include a riveter who toiled for Eiffel. Narrator Jean Gilpin's mostly straightforward reading gives consistency to the somewhat ragged narrative, which jumps back and forth through time and families so much that the listener may wonder if the audio player is skipping. Most notable are Gilpin's subtle portrayal of the distinctive designer Coco Chanel and her graceful characterizations of the Jacobs, a Jewish family that specializes in private art collections. Gilpin's steady interpretation makes PARIS a worthwhile listen. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2013]