Christopher Moore’s Sacré Bleu is the perfect blend of history and fantasy wrapped up into one delightfully witty narrative. Ideal for college students who want to remain well-read and keep a leg up in art history class, Sacré Bleu delivers knowledge along with entertainment.

A New York Times bestseller, Sacré Bleu is a comedy d’art that incorporates elements of fantasy and bawdy humor into the stories of famous and eccentric French artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Moore crafts an engaging and entertaining tale of love and mystery that playfully touches on details of art history in France.

Taking place in19th-century Paris, France, Sacré Bleu is a delightful read for any person who loves French art, history, painting — or just a comedic story with loads of witty quips. The story follows Lucien Lessard, a baker and painter, and the painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec as they try to discover the answers to their questions surrounding Vincent van Gogh’s death.

The devious “color man” who sells his paint to famous artists is seemingly responsible for much of the pain and misery endured by the painters. Mixing his paint with magical properties, the color man uses the color blue to manipulate the way painters connect with reality. The ultramarine, “sacred blue,” never fades in color and is a much sought-after hue. This manipulation is a way for the color man to work his magic by causing the artists misfortune and then stealing their famous works of art. Working alongside a mythical muse, the color man creates the special blue paint while the muse uses her sensuality to influence what the artists paint.

Sacré Bleu brings distinguished painters to life and allows readers to feel like they are part of the Impressionist era. Moore studied records of the artists such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Édouard Manet before including them in in his historical fiction novel so that their character in the book would accurately match the personality and temperament of the individual. Toulouse-Lautrec, for example, is a salacious, short man that spends more time in the brothels than in his own home. He is enjoyable to read about but would not be enjoyable to take care of at three in the morning!

Toulouse-Lautrec works with Lessard by piecing together the mystery of van Gogh’s death along with why fellow artists are beginning to fall ill or act out of character. As they begin to suspect foul play from an unknown source, the main character, Lessard, ends up falling in love with the muse who is causing havoc in the art world during this time. Lessard seems to be the only man able to cure her of her devious ways, but not if the color man has anything to say about it.

Comedic with passages of history, Sacré Bleu takes readers on a wild journey full of paranormal mystery and unconventional love. It’s a story of fantasy, romance, adventure, art and comedy.

If college students are in search of a fun novel to read in between classes or in their spare time while lying outside on the court of North Carolina, Sacré Bleu is a perfect match.

This is one novel for your reading pleasure that you don’t have to feel guilty about pouring through until the wee hours of the morning. Sacré Bleu is a truly unique read that deserves a place on anyone’s shelf.