General:

 

• The Brightest Star in Paris is set in 1878, seven years after the events of the Siege of Paris and the Paris Commune. Both events are discussed, and there is a flashback scene set during the Siege. Every French character in the book experienced these events. 

 

Experienced by main characters:

 

• Amelie’s mother was a famous Parisian mistress who died of syphilis. While she dies before the beginning of the story, there is a flash-back scene midway through the book depicting her suffering from the symptoms of late-stage syphilis, including rashes and dementia. Amelie and her mother were very close, and her grief and anger about her mother’s death are a major part of the book. 

• War (as mentioned above; additionally Benedict served as a Union doctor during the American Civil War)

• Lifechanging injury 

• Some gore

• PTSD

• Prior deaths of loved ones

• Benedict is a doctor, and assists with a carriage accident and later amputation surgery. 

• Illness (Benedict almost died of malaria during the American Civil War)

• Sexual pressure/blackmail by villain