Rue De Paradis by Jeena Murphy

France, 1933. Yvette flees their tiny village and arrives in Paris with her younger sister Janie, while trying to save her from the man who is the local predator of young girls. The only person they know in the City of Lights is their cousin Daniel, who works at the prestigious Blum Foundry. So they seek his help.

Yvette lands on her feet when she finds work as an artist’s model, and she also discovers a love of sculpting. She is also drawn to Steffan, the foundry’s owner’s estranged son, who is also finding his way in the city. His mother was a gentile, his father is Jewish, and he is discovering more about his Jewish heritage. He joins his friend Daniel’s chapter of the communist party to combat the activities of the Croix de Feu, a fascist group causing trouble in the city.  Anti-Jewish sentiment is sweeping through the city, bringing violence and danger, with Yvette and Steffan soon in the midst of it all.

Rue De Paradis is a captivating debut that brings inter-war France to life, with vividly imagined central characters. I was also fascinated by Demétre Chiparus and the bronze and ivory sculptures he created in the 1920s and 1930s, which feature so beautifully in this historical novel. I can’t wait to read the next instalment in this series.

Reviewer: Karen McMillan

Semiramis Press