Notre-Dame:
The Soul of France
By Agnes Poirier
Oneworld Publications, 2020

Do you remember where you were when the news about the dreadful fire at Notre-Dame de Paris broke? I do. I watched the television coverage in tears, following the breaking news on the ground via Twitter, contacting family and friends on social media to alert them, those of us who have visited this glorious cathedral in tears, consoling each other in whatever way possible.

This wonderful, wonderful book gives us so much: it tells the on-the-ground story of that fateful day and its aftermath, how it affected the residents of Paris, the residents of France and people from all around the world. How firefighters and many other people showed enormous yet quiet bravery, putting themselves at risk to ensure the safety of the surrounding areas, attempting to prevent the total destruction of this magnificent and utterly iconic cathedral renowned across the world, and to save as much of the precious contents as possible - the Blessed Sacrament was saved from the Tabernacle as the fire took hold and the great relics such as the Crown of Thorns taken to places of safety.

The aftermath and aftershock was immense; the scale and cost of restoration was deemed enormous but necessary and work began as soon as it was possible and safe to do so. But why has Notre-Dame de Paris had such a huge hold on the imaginations and hearts of so many people across the world, Catholics and non-Catholics alike? It features in art, history, architecture and so much popular culture, from books and movies to documentaries and even cartoons which use the Cathedral as a backdrop. Despite its relatively recent history of revolution and secularism, France has a long and venerable history as the Eldest Daughter of the Catholic Church, and many people were moved to tears and prayer as they gathered in horror to witness the fire.

Agnes Poirier gives us as close to a moment-by-moment account as possible, to bring us right into the middle of the intensity and sorrow of those closest to the life and work of the Cathedral and those who see and love the building every day as they go about their lives and work. She also gives us a wonderful account of the history and personalities connected to the Cathedral as she explores the historic and enduring importance of Notre-Dame to the people of Paris, France and the civilised world.

Essential reading for anyone who loves this remarkable Cathedral!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me a digital copy of the book to read in return for my honest review.

In the opening chapter of Poirier’s book, we are drawn into that fateful day where Notre Dame Cathedral burned while the entire world seemed to watch breathless and in utter shock. She describes the feeling of the French, of the Parisians who gazed upon the grand dame daily who now stood by and watched her burn. Poirier stirred emotions and prepared me to be overwhelmed by what she had in store for us in the following chapters...

.....which turned into a history lesson. I love history, and read it for fun, but for some reason, French history has never been one of those areas that have held my interest. While the history of the church in France was interesting enough, the reader must also get through Napoleon and the Revolution, because no story of France could be told without them. Finally, we are brought to the present and future, to the mass amounts of donations that have been made to repair Norte Dame. To the design competition for the spire, and how the cathedral, like the French people, cannot be kept down.

Overall it was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend this for anyone visiting the cathedral once it’s open again.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair review.

An excellent, thoughtful treatment by the author on the subject of the eponymous national icon. The book starts with a rending account of the 2019 fire that the world followed with such horror. The author then moves to talk about the history that made Notre-Dame such an important icon in French identity. It's full of interesting asides, while still keeping the thread of historical narrative intact. It's length makes it a great primer on not just the building, but the nation.

Poirier begins her book with a moving account of the devastating fire that broke out in Notre Dame in 2019. The reader is drawn in to witness the disbelief and shock as curators and experts rush to save priceless relics and the firefighters put their lives in danger to secure the towers.

We then visit the building at pivotal moments through history, as it has been shaped and scarred by turbulent political events.

I enjoyed this very much. It was a good refresher on French history seen through the prism of a specific venue.

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley

Early in her book about Notre-Dame de Paris, Poirer writes, “We need certainties: they are the framework of our existence, the signposts without which we can’t navigate life, let alone endure its many tests and trials; for 850 years Notre-Dame was one such “ (location 36).
Poirer is right. Many people over the world were affected by the fire that ravaged Notre-Dame. I was surprised by how much a sense of loss I felt when I saw the news. Poirier’s book is a history of the cathedral, a general one but an engrossing and extremely readable one. Her love for the book is on every single page.
Poirer starts with an account of the fire, bringing into the light, some details that might not be known to the causal reader of the event. Her details of not only the rescue of the Cathedral itself but also of the art works. She then moves into a history of the Cathedral showing that the fire was not the only near destruction that the building faced.
While the book is general, something that is easily discerned from its length, there are interesting tidbits and facts – like the first royal buried there, what happened to the lead coffins, how the art survived the revolution and so on.
In many ways, it is like reading the monolog of an excellent tour guide.