By Boisserie, Guillaume & Maffre
Publisher: Cinebook
ISBN: 9781800441668
A story about a bank doesn’t sound like it’s going to grab your attention, but I learned long ago to sit up and take notice when Cinebook goes to all the trouble to translate a tale into English. Even so… a bank?
The story begins in London during 1815. Following the Revolution in France, aristocratic siblings Christian and Charlotte de Saint-Hubert have lost everything but each other. Christian now cleans up in Nathan Rothschild’s dovecote and Charlotte has fallen lower still, working for a high-class madam. Despite their unfortunate positions, they are both uniquely placed to observe a cunning ploy by Nathan Rothschild to perform the world’s first case of insider trading. The question is whether or not they can take advantage of their knowledge and lift themselves out of the rut they now find themselves in.
Rothschild’s plan is clever, utterly corrupt, quite unexpected, and all the more fascinating for being true. Far from being a dull exploration of finance and banking in general, you’re thrown into an outrageous white collar crime caper, the result of which will be the foundation of a banking dynasty.
No doubt there’s plenty of artistic licence in the telling, but there’s still enough truth to carry the shocking boldness of the event. When coupled with the de Saint-Hubert siblings desperation, the stakes are risen considerably, making for a gripping read.
For me, an incredibly satisfying tale that again surpasses expectations, and a great way to round out the year.
And if you liked that: Get hold of volume 2!
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