A rich and sweeping novel of courage, duty, sacrifice, and love set during the French Revolution from New York Times bestselling author Allison Pataki and her brother Owen Pataki Three years after the storming of the Bastille, the streets of Paris are roiling with revolution. The citizens of France are enlivened by the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. The monarchy of Louis XVI and … monarchy of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette has been dismantled—with the help of the guillotine—and a new nation is rising in its place. Jean-Luc, an idealistic young lawyer, moves his wife and their infant son from a comfortable life in Marseille to Paris, in the hopes of joining the cause. André, the son of a denounced nobleman, has evaded execution by joining the new French army. Sophie, a young aristocratic widow, embarks on her own fight for independence against her powerful, vindictive uncle.
As chaos threatens to undo the progress of the Revolution and the demand for justice breeds instability and paranoia, the lives of these compatriots become inextricably linked. Jean-Luc, André, and Sophie find themselves in a world where survival seems increasingly less likely—for themselves and, indeed, for the nation.
Featuring cameos from legendary figures such as Robespierre, Louis XVI, and Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, Where the Light Falls is an epic and engrossing novel, moving from the streets and courtrooms of Paris to Napoleon’s epic march across the burning sands of Egypt. With vivid detail and imagery, the Patakis capture the hearts and minds of the citizens of France fighting for truth above all, and for their belief in a cause greater than themselves.
Praise for Where the Light Falls
“Compulsively readable . . . a compelling tale of love, betrayal, sacrifice, and bravery . . . a sweeping romantic novel that takes readers to the heart of Paris and to the center of all the action of the French Revolution.”—Bustle
“Succeeds in forcefully illustrating the lessons of the French Revolution for today’s democratic movements.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Devotees of Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo will devour this tale of heroism, treachery, and adventure.”—Library Journal
“This is a story of the French Revolution that begins with your head in the slot watching how fast the blade of the guillotine is heading for your neck—and that’s nothing compared to the pace and the drama of what follows.”—Tom Wolfe
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This was a really good French Revolution tale. It was romantic, but not overly sappy. It still had a lot of the political turmoil revolving around Andre Valiere. The authors really brought these historical characters to life, as well a Revolutionary France. It took me a while to get through it only because this was my 3rd French Revolution historical fiction in a row so I was kind of over it, but taking that out of the equation, it was a really good read.
Realistic portrayal of life during the Frenc Revolution.
Dive into the dramatic and bloody middle of the French Revolution in this suspenseful novel by the brother-sister writing team of Allison and Owen Pataki. Using rich historical research, this pair has created a handful of representative and memorable main characters and a well-written story that is emotional, thoughtful, and hard to put down.
The book begins in the winter of 1792 and ends with the crowning of Napoleon in 1804. The story revolves around six complex, and multi-dimensional main characters, all drawn to the drama unfolding in Paris:
1. Jean-Luc St. Clair is an idealistic young lawyer from the south of France, eager to make a name for himself through work in support of the revolution.
2. Marie St. Clair is his young wife, anxious to find her own way to contribute to the fight for liberty and justice.
3. Andre Valiere, the son of a nobleman who was executed during the Reign of Terror, has given up his titles and joined the military where he fights alongside revolutionaries.
4. Nicolai Murat is a famous general, influential with those who lead the revolution and secretly hiding a longstanding grudge.
5. Sophie Vincennes is Murat’s widowed niece, living under the protection of her uncle.
6. And Guillaume Lazare, a prominent attorney who embodies the darkest human qualities of evil, jealousy, and vindictiveness.
It’s all here. The grand idealism behind the French Revolution, the blood-thirstiness of the angry crowds, and the well-intentioned but often subverted efforts to build a more just society. There’s a bit of romance. And the vivid terror of the innocent who can be arrested, tried, and executed on a political whim or through the action of someone misusing power for personal reasons. Throughout the novel, again and again we witness the human frailties that too often sabotage our loftiest human goals.
In the afterword, the authors write “In our story, we hope to convey both extremes, the better angels of human nature and the horrifying excesses of violence and extremism.” In my opinion, they have succeeded masterfully!
Very informative view of the decade of the French Revolution. Loved it.
Similar to Tale of Two Cities
One of the top 3 that I’ve read in the last 6 months
Good book. Gives a first hand account of what life in Paris during the revolution may have been like.
Great book that tells about the French Revolution.
In spite of the fact that I do not normally read French Revolution type fiction, I did enjoy the story and really got invested in the characters and their well being. It was a bit of a slow read for me being off my normal genre however it did not leave me disappointed.