Christopher Moore takes his trademark comedy down a notch in this exploration of Impressionist artists and the muses that inspire them. Set in Paris between 1860 and 1893, the book centers on Lucien Lessard, a baker and aspiring painter who lives among the great artists of Montmartre. Renoir gave him art lessons, Pissaro was an avuncular figure in his childhood, and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec is his closest friend. Then there's Juliette, the love of Lucien's life, a model with whom he's obsessed, and the inspiration for his best paintings. Everything would be wonderful but for the lapses in time when Lucien is with Juliette. He travels to the past, and to London, without any time passing. He creates paintings without any memory of them. Turns out many of Lucien's artist friends have similar experiences with their muses. Perhaps the creepy little Colorman has something to do with it...
I'm a longtime fan of Moore's work, and I've read just about everything he's written (the exception: his graphic novel collaboration, which is on my to-read list). Moore's known for bawdy, raunchy, laugh-out-loud comedy, and while there are certainly moments of that in Sacre Bleu (particularly in scenes with Toulouse-Lautrec), the comedy here is much subtler; there are moments where Moore's writing is downright touching. I'd say this is one of Moore's best, just behind Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (which will always be one of my favorite books). Well done, Mr. Moore.
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