The book is a series of vignettes describing the plight of Jewish people that were hiding. Author Charles Balfoure has set his novel The Paris Architect during the Occupation of France in World War II. Do you think history could repeat itself in today’s world.

Tone: Suspenseful. Summary: A Parisian architect is paid handsomely to devise secret hiding spaces for Jews in his Nazi-occupied country but struggles with risking his life for a cause he is ambivalent towards, until a personal failure brings home their suffering. It was dangerous to hide Jewish people.

All rights reserved. Lucien Bernard is, by his own admission, as selfish as every other Parisian. Let’s talk about some of the German characters, did any stand out? 12.

Most WW2 fiction, including this book, seems to portray most Germans in a less than pleasant light. "The Paris Architect" centers on an ambitious French architect named Lucien, living in German-occupied Paris during the height of the Nazi regime.

Posted April 23, 2019 by Donna, Readers' Advisor, Title: The Paris Architect During World War II Lucien Bernard, an architect living in Paris, France, is offered a large fee to design hiding places for Jews being hunted by the Nazis. Let’s talk about Father Jacques, the priest that took in Pierre. Did any of the stories particularly strike you? What did you think about Celeste and Lucien’s relationship? Screenwriter. People would screw over each other for a lump of butter”. 10. Collaboration was a very sensitive topic for the French.

“When all this Madness if over, I hope we meet again,” said Lucien to Herzog. 4. 9. 7.

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The story begins with Lucien Bernard rounding a corner at the Rue La Boetie and a man almost collides with him. Lucien’s attitude about helping Jewish people has an abrupt change, let’s talk about this. Lucien Bernard is a conflicted man. How did your opinion of him change?

Pierre realizes that there is something “off” about Alain and follows him.
4,583 reviews. Want help with your book discussion group? The Paris Architect . 3. 8. Charles Belfoure’s Official Website So when a wealthy industrialist offers him a large sum of money to devise secret hiding places for Jews, Lucien struggles with the choice of risking his life for a cause he doesn’t really believe in. 1. Why did the majority of people in France refuse to help the Jews during World War II? What did you think of Lucien’s reaction to this and did it set a tone for his character? What would you have done if Captain Bruckner lined up the people in your neighborhood or you were forced to hide under a set of stairs? 14. Page Count: 388 pages Discuss how his character evolved throughout the novel. Reading Group Guides Guide to The Paris Architect SPOILER WARNING: These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points if you have not read the book. He meets with Auguste Manet who asks him to build a hiding space for a Jewish man being hunted by the Gestapo. Summary: A Parisian architect is paid handsomely to devise secret hiding spaces for Jews in his Nazi-occupied country but struggles with risking his life for a cause he is ambivalent towards, until a personal failure brings home their suffering. If so why? 5. 20. The Library is happy to share these original questions for your use.

New York Journal of Books The Paris Architect: A Novel


The man is almost immediately shot down by the German soldiers. In 1942, in Occupied France, the order of the day is survival. Let’s talk about this interaction. Synopsis. But we must fight back. “The Occupation hadn’t just bred hatred of Jews; it had brought out the very worst in human beings, neighbor against neighbor and even friend against friend. Chris Salmanpour. 2. Let’s talk about her.

17. If so, what do you think would happen if they did meet after the war? What do you think of this? We meet Adele’s right-hand “man”, Bette Tullard. In the beginning of the novel, Lucien didn’t care about what happened to the Jews. The Library is happy to share these original questions for your use. All he has to do is design a secret hiding place for a Jewish man, a space so invisible that even the most determined German officer won't find it while World War II rages on.

Let’s talk about this. Do you agree, or do you think it is better to choose your battles? 15. Let’s talk about this chapter. Why do you think it was so important to Schlegel to find any hidden Jews? James Bond Bosses Demand $600M Deal to Bring 'No Time to Die' to Streaming Site, Michael B. Jordan Could Make Directorial Debut With 'Creed 3', Andrew Scott Sends 'Keep the Faith' Message to Theater Industry After 2020 Olivier Awards Win, Tom Holland 'Breaks' His 'Spider-Man 3' Script iPad, 'Borat' Sequel Dodges Lawsuit Filed by Holocaust Survivor's Family, Hugh Grant's Idea for 'Notting Hill' Sequel Will Ruin the Happy Ending, Adam Sandler Looks Back at Trouble Working With His Children in 'Hubie Halloween'. Why do you think Lucien took Pierre in? 19. 18. What did you think of Lucien helping the Resistance to sacrifice his factory? Genre: Historical Fiction. Genre: Historical Fiction Check out tips, advice, and all the ways the Library can help support your group! Lucien is approached by the Resistance. “The Resistance does its best under extremely difficult conditions. Which side do you believe you would end up in, Resistance or Collaborator? He desperately needs the money to make a living, although he knows that if caught, he will most likely be killed.

Tone: Suspenseful. 16. If reproducing, please credit with the following statement: tips, advice, and all the ways the Library can help support your group. 23. Do you think they will? 6. Would you?

To live defeated is to die every day”. 25. Like most gentiles in Nazi-occupied Paris, architect Lucien Bernard has little empathy for the Jews. Author: Charles Belfoure Lucien Bernard is an architect, solicited for a testy job—finding some way to build a hiding place for Jews. Lit Lovers Guide to The Paris Architect, Categories: Book Discussion Questions Books Fiction Historical Fiction, 1711 W. Algonquin Rd, Mount Prospect, IL 60056. Lucien is an out of work architect, desperate for work. Discussion Questions: 1. What is/was your opinion of France’s Resistance? Let’s discuss. Let’s talk about Adele, Lucien’s mistress. Lucien ended up loving Pierre like a son. 13. Did you imagine yourself in any of the situations the Jewish people found themselves in? 21. What did you think of anyone hiding a Jewish person? In 1942 Paris, architect Lucien Bernard accepts a commission that will bring him a great deal of money—and maybe get him killed. Plot Summary. by Charles Belfoure . The story centers on an architect in Paris who undertakes the dangerous work of designing invisible hiding places, makes new friends, challenges his perceptions, and discovers both family and a sense of self-respect. Ultimately he can’t resist the challenge and begins … If reproducing, please credit with the following statement: 2019 Mount Prospect Public Library. What did you think about Celeste’s reaction when Lucien admitted that he had saved two Jewish people? 2. 11.