---
title: "Book Review: The Emperor of Paris by CS Richardson"
description: "A melancholic love story The Emperor of Paris by CS Richardson is a series of short, interconnected love stories set before and after World War I in Paris. The most prominent storyline is of Emile..."
url: https://somisguided.com/2013/04/13/book-review-the-emperor-of-paris-by-cs-richardson/
date: 2013-04-13
modified: 2018-07-20
author: "Monique"
categories: ["Book Reviews"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Book Review: The Emperor of Paris by CS Richardson

!(https://somisguided.com/wp-content/uploads/emperor-paris-collage.jpg)

*A melancholic love story*

(http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0385670907/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=0385670907&linkCode=as2&tag=somisguided-20) by CS Richardson is a series of short, interconnected love stories set before and after World War I in Paris. The most prominent storyline is of Emile Notre-Dame, thinnest baker in Paris and his wife Immacolata, who have a son Octavio. Both father and son cannot read but are amazing storytellers and Boulangerie Notre-Dame becomes rather infamous among its regular patrons who come for the buttery croissants and baguettes but also for the stories.

Quote: The bakery occupied the ground floor of a narrow flatiron building known throughout the neighbourhood as the cake-slice. As far back as anyone could remember the letters above its windows, in their carved wooden flourishes, had spelled out:

BOULA GERIE NOTRE-DAME

the N having long since vanished.

!(https://somisguided.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Emperor-Of-Paris.jpg)The story of the N’s disappearance is a regular request from the bakery’s patrons, the most fantastical version being about thieves who spread across France stealing Ns and the most favourite being that of Napolean stealing the N himself.

The love of books is another thread through the story. Despite not being able to read, Octavio is a regular buyer from a book stall near the Louvre. For both Octavio and the bookstall owner, books have a special meaning, and lead to friendships and relationships.

CS Richardson has crafted a very fine story indeed. His cast of characters each contribute to the overarching story while having their own backstories as well. Emile, Immacolata, and Octavio run the bakery as I mentioned. Then there’s the fashion designers Pascal Normand and his wife Celeste, who hide their daughter Isabeau from view because of a facial scar from an unfortunate childhood accident. And we have three generations of the Fournier family who own the bookstall. On top of that, there’s a blind watchmaker, a starving portrait artist and Madame Lafrouche whose husband Alphonse gifts Emile *The Arabian Nights* which becomes the first book in Octavio’s collection and eventually makes it into the hands of Isabeau.

I was first introduced to CS Richardson from my publishing ties. Richardson is an award-winning cover designer for Random House and his first novel (http://www.somisguided.com/weblog/comments/whats-on-page-123-the-end-of-the-alphabet-by-cs-richardson/) was my favourite book in 2008. (http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0385670907/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=0385670907&linkCode=as2&tag=somisguided-20) is a strong contender for 2013.