The master of the monumental epic reimagines Paris. From its founding in antiquity to the 20th century, this novel traces the development of Paris through the fates of four families - vividly, in intricate detail, and rich in historically significant episodes. The suppression of the Paris Commune plays a role, as does the construction of the Eiffel Tower. The reader gains insights into the Napoleonic era as well as the time of the German occupation in 1940. Edward Rutherfurd tells the story of six families whose destinies intertwine with the grand history of Paris over centuries. There are the noble Le Cygnes, whose monarchist worldview is shaken during the French Revolution and who support the Résistance in the 20th century. Then there are the brothers Thomas and Luc Gascon, who call the backstreets of Montmartre home.