"Brilliantly imagined adventures through the catacombs and over the roofs of 1920s Paris "
September 2021 Debut of the Month
There are lots of orphans in children’s books, but few have as sad or dangerous a story to tell as Bastien Bonlivre. After his writer parents die tragically in a hotel fire, Bastien must live in the Orphanage for Gentils Garçons in Paris. Under the rule of the tyrannical Xavier Odieux, the orphanage is a miserable place, though Bastien’s secret night-time storytelling sessions always give the boys a boost. Life is particularly bad for Bastien thanks to Xavier’s apparent obsession with the notebook his parents left him; and could this somehow be linked to the strange disappearances of other successful authors? The adventure that develops is as exciting as those invented by Bastien’s parents’ favourite, Alexandre Dumas, culminating in a terrifying chase through the Paris catacombs. Set during the 1920s, scattered with French phrases and verbal flourishes, with its fast-paced plot and unforced emphasis on the power of stories to shape lives, this is a very bon livre indeed.
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Bastien tries to find out who is responsible for his parent’s death in this intriguing detective story written in Franglais. What lengths would you go to if you run out of your own story ideas?
This intriguing detective book tells the story of Bastien who lives in an orphanage in Paris. He is there because his parents, both writers, have died in a fire. Two days after he arrives, a kind man at the orphanage goes for a walk and never returns. The new person in charge is the cruel orphan-master, Xavier, who takes away all their possessions and privileges - many of which we take for granted, like clean clothes. Bastien manages to hide his parent’s notebook but more writers are vanishing and he suspects Xavier has something to do with it. Can Bastien work out what is happening before lots more authors disappear, or is he too late to stop it? My favourite character is Theo because he helped Bastien to have fun and could invent stuff!... Read Full Review
Murder, mystery and suspense. This book has it all and I loved reading this great book.
The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bon Livre is a brilliant book which starts in the capital of France. Bastien’s parents, who were eminent celebrities, tragically lost their lives in a horrific fire. They managed to interview everybody in the hotel expect for a suspicious man who left 2 hours before the great tragedy.
Now sent to a rundown orphanage and under the watchful, cruel eye of owner Monsieur Xavier who seems to have a suspicious dislike for Bastien, he must figure out if there is more to the fire than what he knows. Meanwhile whilst this is going on several writers disappear mysteriously and it is up to him and his friends Sami and Theo to save the fate of the city.... Read Full Review
An exciting adventure story set in Paris in the 1920s.
This book is set in Paris in the 1920s. Bastien Bonlivre is the son of two writers who are killed in a hotel fire. He is sent to an orphanage that's run by a really horrible man but he makes some good friends there. When his notebook - which is the only link he has remaining to his parents - is stolen, he and 2 friends run away to find it. Their pursuit takes them to some really cool places like the catacombs under Paris.
The plot was exciting without being too complicated. I have read a lot of books about orphans, but I liked it that this one was based around writers which gave it an interesting twist. And the villains were pleasingly devious!... Read Full Review
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