Published in the late 19th century, Léonce de Larmandie's Excelsior: Roman parisien is a novel that feels both of its time and strangely current. It's a portrait of an era defined by rapid change and big dreams.

The Story

The plot weaves together the lives of several Parisians during the heady days of the Third Republic. We meet struggling artists in Montmartre garrets, ambitious politicians navigating new social orders, and wealthy industrialists building empires. Their stories intersect in salons, on bustling new boulevards, and in the shadows of construction sites. The central thread isn't one person's journey, but the collective pulse of a city and its people, all reaching for something they call 'Excelsior'—a higher, better, more successful state of being.

Why You Should Read It

What grabbed me was how familiar these characters felt. Their anxieties about money, status, and artistic recognition are timeless. Larmandie has a sharp eye for social detail. He shows you the glitter of a society ball and the grime of a printer's shop with equal clarity. You're not just reading history; you're walking through it. The book's energy comes from watching these very different lives collide and seeing how the idea of 'progress' changes them, for better or worse.

Final Verdict

This is a perfect pick for anyone who loves immersive historical fiction that focuses on society over swordfights. If you enjoy authors like Émile Zola for their social scope, but want something a bit less grim, Larmandie offers a fascinating middle ground. It's also a great find for Francophiles who want to go beyond the usual classics and explore a Paris that was actively inventing its modern myth. A truly absorbing read for a quiet afternoon.