Written in the high-spirited and humorous vein that characterises this unique novelist, his writings transport us and divert our attention from the very first lines. The characters come from various parts of the world, each drawn to Paris for different and often quite intriguing reasons. This commendable attempt seeks to capture an aspect of Paris that no longer exists and of which surprisingly little has been documented. It revolves around the love between a state executioner (a composer on his days off) and a midwife, who is expected to marry an embalmer of corpses. This is the second book in what can be viewed as a mini-series, comprising two period tragi-comedies, with the first part, The Seal Castle, set in Budapest. NB. Neither this book nor The Seal Castle bears any resemblance to László's subsequent works. Read the book. VIDEO