This has an interesting cast of characters that carry the story along a nice pace and create depth to the story. Great plot and I found myself filling an afternoon reading this in one sitting as I found it so enjoyable. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest , unbiased review. 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Full disclosure: I love Stef Penney’s novels. She is not afraid to tackle big themes: artic exploration (‘Under a Polar Star’), the exploitation of murder and the search for a Native American culture in remote Canada ('The Tenderness of Wolves') …and now in something completely different the Siege of Paris in 1871 and its impact on the people and beasts within the confines of the city.

Like Donna Tartt’s once-a-decade output, each of Stef Penney’s novels is a rare treat and each tackles a completely different world. Here, I learnt much about the Siege of Paris and its aftermath, even more brutal, because it comprised French-on-French violence. We see the desperate failure of the ill-fated Paris Commune, a radical socialist government that actually gave women a voice (to a certain extent), in contrast to the French Revolution.

In case all this sounds rather heavy, the story is a ripping yarn of a city at war. A host of characters is brought to life and their stories interwoven: former asylum inmate Anne, tentatively making her way out in the world; Ellis, the army surgeon coming to terms with his sexuality, and drawn into the war despite himself; Victor, the assistant veterinarian at the Paris menagerie; and Lawrence, the photographer, another who has come to Paris to escape his background; as well as the believable minor characters, especially those who (wo)man the barricades. And then there are the beasts, all beautifully realised, so that we feel the power of the big cats pulsating off the page.

I highly recommend this novel. It’s historical fiction at its best.

I had many moments when I thought I'm gonna cry because this book had so many sad details and a lot of bitter endings. I really enjoyed the historical event and at some point I liked only that as all of the characters didn't stayed with me as much as I wanted it.
The only characters I actually cared about and I was slightly invested in was Ellie and Lawrence love story. I liked the LGBT+ involvement and how accurate their story was to that time. But other than them I couldn't care less about the rest.
I didn't liked neither the fact that Victor went from one of the good guys to the bad guys for a whimp. And neither Anne's character didn't help me feel bad for Victor even if what he did was wrong. I don't know but I really couldn't vibe with her and I really liked Victor and I feel he suffered for the author to make a point which she wasn't obligated to do. The book had enough of points established and for once it wasn't necessary all that drama involving one of the most basic characters that I've seen in all my life.
But I was 100% invested in the plot and the drama and the war and historical elements involved. I found out so many new things I didn't knew before and I loved how vividly the descriptions were and how awful and sad that time was.
I didn't cried after all but I feel like my soul was dragged out by this book. I don't recommend it for people who are weak of heart as there are many scenes that will make you cry a river. So much death and despair and loneliness and I was 100% there for the animals.
I like how the title is the beast of Paris put it's not entirely about the animals and more about the beast on two legs that devastated a whole country.
I liked the ending a lot.

Despite the historical information, I couldn't connect with this story at all. As soon as I was getting to know a little about one or two characters, it switched to someone else and none of them really came to life for me.

I am not familiar with this period of history so I enjoyed learning about it. It was well-researched and well-written, with interesting, gripping characters.

I don't think I have read any books set during this era, or if I have, then they were few and far betweena nd I really enjoyed it. Well written with an interesting and gripping storyline and well developed characters

This book covers a mysterious period of history, so rarely discussed in other books. As such I found it incredibly informative , on a period I knew little about I appreciated the viewpoint of the zoo, as this added an extra dimension to the book, and was impressed with how much research the author must have completed.

The novel starts calmly and sedately but the reader soon becomes aware that this is a world of many different cages. Both women, and the animals, have their freedom, bodies, lives and movement carefully controlled. And then as the novel progresses, the civil war pushes the whole of Paris into a cage made of Prussian bars. The characters are all trapped within a siege, and struggling to survive.

There is a lot of content in this book, and it covers topics such as war, sexuality, homophobia, racism, xenophobia, trauma, insanity, abuse, starvation, love and civil unrest. That's quite a lot to pack in, and I felt that if it was longer I would have been able to absorb myself in the content more. As it is I did feel rushed through some of the narrative.

However, I've never read anything like this before and it would definitely be a good conversation starter for a book group.

The Beasts of Paris is an epic tale set in the early 1870s during the siege of Paris and the Paris Commune. Stef Penney draws together a varied cast of characters and tracks their lives and loves through these turbulent and violent times. The novel is well written, well plotted and engrossing, The only downside for me was that I would have liked more of a focus on Anne, a beautifully drawn character, whose progress through the novel was my favourite element of the story. An enjoyable read.

The Beasts of Paris is a historical fiction story covering an era of European history barely seen in the genre, and I was really curious to read that story.

Unfortunately I couldn't really connect with the characters. Ellis and Lawrence were the ones I was the most interested in but even they were not really intriguing for me. The historical background was the better part of the story and it was very well researched.

Thank you NetGalley and Pegasus Books for the ARC.

When the country is at war, what happens to those who are left behind and forgotten?
This is a story of struggle and survival, of people leaning on each other when they are all that is left. The Beasts of Paris was a very deep and thought provoking novel, and since I finished reading it nothing else has been on my mind.

The book follows a variety of characters in the duration of their time in Paris in the duration of the Franco Prussian war. We mainly follow Anne - a woman trying to forget her past while simultaneously adjust to the anxieties of a new one, Lawrence - a man trying to come to terms with his sexuality in an unforgiving era and Ellis - previously a surgeon in the army, his life is once more thrown into turmoil with the war and he struggles to cope with his PTSD. There are many other characters that are important throughout the book, but these are the ones whose stories struck me so intensely. Their stories intertwine in regular, subtle ways that are so lovely to experience and their stories also all intertwine with those of the animals residing in the menagerie of Paris.

I'm not usually one for reading books predominantly about war and I was worried that once the fighting was underway I would lose interest. I discovered the opposite however - this is a book about people and their struggles, the way that people band together when they need help, and also when they need change. I was fascinated the whole time, fearing for the fate of the characters but also that of the beasts of Paris.

The novel starts out with a sense of calm as we get to know the people of Paris and their ways, lulling you into a false sense of security before the war begins and everything spirals into insanity. It was heart wrenching to explore the desperate measures that we have to take when other options are no longer available. With both people and the animals of the zoo starving and cut off from the rest of the world, what else is there to do? With the fates of everyone hanging in the balance, this story keeps you on the edge of your seat and nervous what the next chapter will bring.

I would definitely recommend exploring this novel, and experiencing the highs and lows for yourself - what a treat!

A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

In Paris 1870, three wandering souls find themselves in a city set to descend into war.

Anne is a former patient from a women's asylum trying to carve out a new life for herself in a world that doesn't understand her. Newcomer Lawrence is desperate to develop his talent as a photographer and escape the restrictions of his puritanical upbringing. Ellis, an army surgeon, has lived through the trauma of one civil war and will do anything to avoid another bloodbath.

Each keeps company with the restless beasts of Paris' Menagerie, where they meet, fight their demons, lose their hearts, and rebel in a city under siege.

A brilliant retelling of the Seige of Paris during the Franco Prussian War and the aftermath. Making the menagerie at the heart of the story gave a different flavour to the story of the four or five people at the heart of this story. Anne and Lawrence are perhaps the main characters but Ellis, Fanny, Victor, Louise and Serge are important too. All the characters are fleshed out so well that we become utterly invested in their stories ( Fanny! Take better care) and genuinely want to know what happens to them in the midst of the chaos and atrocities of war/rebellion. And exactly who are the beasts? Surely not Marguerite, the stately and wonderful tiger at the centre of Anne's story? Victoria who comes off as a big disappointment to me ( how could you do that?).

Penney weaves fiction around facts very skilfully ( this reminded me of Mantel's 'a place of greater safety') and at no point did I feel it was research heavy. I had forgotten about the hot air balloons being used ( O level history ) and had to look at a map a few times to remember where places mentioned were , this for me is a sign of a good historical novel, where I feel compelled to read more about the history behind the fiction.

I would recommend this novel unequivocally. It's a great read and very compelling as all Penney's novels are. This for me demonstrates her increasing stature as a novelist.

The story is set in late 19th century Paris where tensions are high just before the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war. We meet Anne, a meek young woman who lives and works in an asylum who has had a terrible start in life Ellis, an American war surgeon who is battling daily with the effects of PTSD and Lawrence, a photographer's assistant who is trying to come to terms with his sexuality.

We also meet Victor who is the assistant veterinarian working in Paris's menagerie, where the proverbial beasts of Paris reside but the question is, who really are the beasts of Paris?

I found this to be a very enjoyable piece of historical fiction. It becomes a small bit heavy on the military history towards the last third but this is not a criticism as its incredibly well researched, vital to the story and also, accessible. I found it not only an enjoyable book but also very informative as it was a part of history that I've not read a lot about and Penney as a writer really draws you in to the story.

The standout though are the characters, so brilliantly written and multi dimensional. I disliked Victor from the outset and loved Lawrence, so wonderfully and empathetically written. I was thoroughly invested in their stories. Even the side characters, Louise, Serge, Fanny were all well rounded. You felt totally drawn in to their world. Penney provided great social commentary on how it was to live as a young person in the middle of war and also deloves into the hot topics of the time. It was a lot to pack in a book which isn't even 400 pages but it worked.

A very vivid and atmospheric read which is a highly commendable skill in a writer, I never had trouble picturing the area at the time despite not ever being in Paris. The writing was lush and descriptive. I enjoy a densely written book with a lot of descriptive detail but doesn't feel heavy and this was it.

I would have liked to hear more about the asylum and I feel like Anne's story could have been fleshed out a bit more. There asylum conducted horrendous experiments on the women who resided there and I would have liked to have seen some retribution. Maybe there will be a sequel? I would hope so as I feel like there is more to be told from many of the characters.

If you enjoy historical fiction, military history or LGBTQI+ rep, this book combines all three very eloquently.

This is a terrific read. As the characters were introduced the direction of the story was a little tentative at first but I was drawn in slowly but surely.It was so interesting though, the setting, the history and as the characters developed and grew I began to really care what happened to them. I loved the way that their lives began to connect despite the diversity of background and the circumstances that had brought them to Paris. The developing love between Ellis and Lawrence was very moving as was the fate of the zoo animals becoming so relevant in the human strife. The rise in tension made it difficult to put the book down and I grew anxious for the fate of the characters, all of whom played their part in the ensuing fight and the way the author moved location to tell their differing stories shows what a great storyteller she is.
The pictures of Paris were very sobering as the events were described and the newspaper reports illustrated harsh reality with a bald simplicity.
A wonderful story that was both engrossing and a joy to read. I was sorry to finish .

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

A very ambitious novel that worked in some ways but not in others. I think it was a little over ambitious to be honest as it was slow to get started and then BAM the world was fullty formed and raging. I did enjoy the book though but I have had to take a break after this before reading something else as it was so complex and layered by the end. The timing of the novel and the wars. violence and a new city emerging from the ashes were great themes I enjoyed exploring.

This is an interesting subject - the siege of Paris in the 1870s and the communards who attempted a revolt against the government. Centred around the zoo and the people who visit and work there, there are three main characters who all have their own struggles with life and love and destiny. While the beasts in the zoo are starving and the Parisians are rioting, Stef Penney describes the descent of normal life into madness with uncanny accuracy. However…… the story wanders between the characters who never really come to life and I found it hard to keep track of what was happening. It was an effort to finish the book and the ending felt rushed. I learned a lot about the siege but was never really fully engaged with the characters. A shame because I really enjoyed both of her previous novels.

Excellent Parisian historical fiction full of intrigue and strong characters.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I liked this book, but I didn't love it, sad to say. I wanted to, and I kept on reading until the end, but I had to make the push to finish it. It felt too long and at times nothing was happening other than soul searching and chest thumping. The underlying subject of the loss of the Paris menagerie during the 1871 Commune as suggested by the title is incredibly interesting in itself, but it was lost to the confusion of the sexual discoveries of the main characters. Perhaps I was hoping for more than could be expected? I don't know, but the end left me feeling rather listless and wanting something more.

This book was quite unexpected pick for me, but I have to say I feel something warm inside that I had indeed read it. It was a wild ride of love, danger, power and want: and lets just say the beasts in Paris are not the animals.

It was based around one of the many riots and revolutions in Paris in the 1800's. There are many characters the story revolves around, and while I formed some misconceptions at the start, I am glad that the story took us in a much different direction.

It is beautifully written, focussing on people's desires, no matter which way they are driven. I loved this book, and I think it is one that will stay with me for a long time.

3.5 stars

Whilst I enjoyed this, I did feel it took me a while to get straight who was who, and how, or even if their stories connected.
Some interesting characters, my particular favourite was Anne.
It covers a lot of threads, giving a glimpse into the many lives contained in this book.

Stef Penney is a fantastic writer. She has a way of weaving fictional storytelling within historical context. Although this novel moves away from the colder climates of her previous books, this nonetheless is an elegant and magical novel that weaves multiple characters’ lives against a backdrop of real events.

What stands out the most for me is the atmosphere Penney manages to create. The exotic and mysterious period of French history that differs from other writers’ interests - like Kate Mosse’s languedoc novels for example. I found myself intrigued and hooked throughout.

Naturally there are moments of differing pace within the book which works well between the story telling parts and the sections which focus more on character development. I was particularly interested in the themes of gender and sexuality as it made it feel quite modern and current but set in a time quite different from our own - the late 1870’s.

And Penney handles mood exceptionally well. The lighter parts feel needed when things get particularly dark and engulfing.

I was lucky enough to read a pre-release copy of the Beasts of Paris.