Sacre Bleu

A Comedy d'Art

By: Christopher Moore

Narrated by: Euan Morton

Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

It is the color of the Virgin Mary's cloak, a dazzling pigment desired by artists, an exquisite hue infused with danger, adventure, and perhaps even the supernatural. It is... SacrÉ Bleu.

In July 1890, Vincent van Gogh went into a cornfield and shot himself. Or did he? Why would an artist at the height of his creative powers attempt to take his life... and then walk a mile to a doctor's house for help? Who was the crooked little "color man" Vincent had claimed was stalking him across France? And why had the painter recently become deathly afraid of a certain shade of blue?

These are just a few of the questions confronting Vincent's friends - baker-turned-painter Lucien Lessard and bon vivant Henri Toulouse-Lautrec - who vow to discover the truth of van Gogh's untimely death. Their quest will lead them on a surreal odyssey and brothel-crawl deep into the art world of late 19th century Paris.

Oh la la, quelle surprise, and zut alors! A delectable confection of intrigue, passion, and art history - with cancan girls, baguettes, and fine French cognac thrown in for good measure - Sacre Bleu is another masterpiece of wit and wonder from the one, the only, Christopher Moore.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2012 Christopher Moore (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

Such a weird story.

This story was incredibly tedious. I wish I hadn’t pitched it. The last few chapters were ok.

Creative, interesting and fun

This is a creative and fun story to listen to! something different and unexpected to round out your listening library. 

Love this book

You don't have to have an art background to enjoy this book. It is written with humor, mystery, history and art. If you do have an art background, there are so many things that you will "get." All the great Impressionists are mentioned and some take part in the story. You will be amazed at the "source" for ultramarine blue pigment. A very imaginative book. And, I really liked the reader. He was perfect for the time and place. I can't imagine it would be as much fun to read the book myself. Hearing it was a delight.

Art Major Deja Vue

If anyone's pursued a major in the art field, they will have stumbled across a lot of the classical painters, and the problems of their genre, depicted in this book, which is a delight to read about. I found this story less happy go lucky zany, and less repeatable then Moore's other works. I still loved it, and am very happy for the purchase.

The story is stronger then many of his Pine Cove novels, and more beguiling to me then Fluke. It is so very Christopher Moore, but it's a completely different side of Moore then A Dirty Job, or The Fool. More reflective, less winner-takes-all.

Not my cup of tea

The book was well written and the narration was incredible. If you liked "Fools" I think you'll love this book, but it was my least favorite Christopher Moore books. It's possible I'm not sophisticated enough for this book, but I didn't really enjoy it and almost didn't get to the end. It just wasn't as fun for me as many of his other books.

A delightful, farcical romp through art history!

Moore definitely has a way with words; he is hilarious, in a non-sidesplitting way. The premise is admittedly farcical, but the historical and art history details totally envelope you. You never really suspend reality; but the character details about all the artists and the artistic details about their paintings, sent me to Wikipedia to refresh my memory about the paintings and painters, and to see just who Lucien Lessard, the baker turned painter, was. Turns out, there was no painter of that name, but it was the name of some sort of Quebec Canadian government minister. But, farce aside, you really can get to know the painters, their haunts, influences, learn about paint composition, and appreciate the conditions under which they painted. And, somehow, this all turns out to be deliciously entertaining! It is the first Moore book I have read, in spite of the good reviews; mostly because I've been put off by the vampire themes of some of his other books. Now, I can't wait to read them all!

Hard to get into but persist and you'll love it!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It's a intriguing, creative, and eccentric look at real artists' lives in a fantastic world created by very creative and funny author.

What other book might you compare Sacre Bleu to and why?

No comparison.

Which scene was your favorite?

In the mine.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed out loud.

Any additional comments?

This is especially fun for anyone with a some knowledge of Impressionist & Post-Impressionist Artists and their work. You know exactly to which paintings are being referenced and described. A lack of this knowledge will not decrease your enjoyment of this book. It's just a bonus if you do.

Hilarious

Imaginative and intelligently funny as previously established in Christopher Moore’s novels. I would definitely recommend for people who are able to distinguish between satire and religion.

The best book by my favorite author

Hilarious, lovely and insightful story written by a modern genius and spoken to life and wit by the narrator.

Delightful in all respects!

What did you love best about Sacre Bleu?

Both Euan Morton's performance of the book and the sense of getting to know the personalities of many famous artists. I had to keep reminding myself that maybe Renoir wasn't really that into "fighting dog" paintings. I also really enjoyed the balance between reverence and irreverence for the artists and their work. And the baguette boy. I need to find out somehow if that is a real thing.

What other book might you compare Sacre Bleu to and why?

Others by Christopher Moore would be the closest in style. His use of language and ribald humor is definitely present here. I usually finish one of his books with a new favorite curse for daily use.

Which character – as performed by Euan Morton – was your favorite?

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec.