The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure Book Review

Title: The Paris Architect
Author: Charles Belfoure
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Historical Fiction
Year of Publication: 2013
Date of Publication: October 8, 2013
Pages: 384
ISBN-10: 1402284314
ISBN-13: 978-1402284311

Summary of The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure

The Paris Architect is a novel set during Nazi-occupied Paris in World War II. The story follows Lucien Bernard who is an architect. Although Lucien is very talented, he is very self-serving and only cares about things that benefit him.

At the start of the book, Lucien is only motivated by greed. Infact he is not a very likeable person. His personal life reflects this as he has a mistress and is willing to do anything for a commission.

Lucien is offered a lucrative deal by a wealthy industrialist to design hiding spaces for Jewish people.

His perspective shifts as he witnesses the horrors of war and the bravery of those risking their lives to protect others. At some point Lucien takes in a 12 year old Jewish boy named Pierre after his family is taken away.

Main Themes

The novel is about morality, courage, and the cost of survival under oppressive regimes. It really focuses on the mental and ethical struggles of individuals forced to make life-or-death decisions. Belfoure also examines the transformative power of empathy and the ways art and design can be used for both destruction and salvation.

Writing Style

Charles Belfoure’s writing clearly shows that he heas an understanding of the world of architecture. I learned that he is an architect in real life and it made a lot of sense given the amount of detail that went into this book. His descriptions of Lucien’s designs and their ingenious integration into the Parisian landscape felt authentic.

Belfoure writes in a way that as a reader you are invested in the characters safety. You easily find yourself invested in the safety of the people using the spaces that Lucien built.

Impact of The Paris Architect

The Paris Architect provides a very interesting, somewhat unique perspective on World War II as it highlights the unsung contributions of ordinary individuals who acted with extraordinary bravery.

The book was longlisted for the 2015 International Dublin Literary Award, one of the world’s most prestigious literary honors. It also achieved commercial success, appearing on The New York Times bestseller list in July 2015

What are your thoughts on this book? Have you had a chance to read it? Let us know in the comments!