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msanden3's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
missywinesalot's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
hoserlauren's review against another edition
4.0
This book picks up right after the first in the series, though can be read as a standalone, and is told from the perspective of a few of Louis XV's mistresses. After the Nesle's sisters are no longer part of court, Louis' next mistress is Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson. Jeanne is naive and not popular at all because she's middle-class; the court looks down on her and suspects she won't last long. But Jeanne has staying power and survives for much longer than anyone expects. Other women come in and out of the picture. Some faster than others. Louis XV seems to have an insatiable appetite for sex and the court has to stoop to finding prostitutes.
Since Jeanne is a long-term mistress of Louis XV, we learn much about her perspective. What she has to do to appease the king, what she tries to do to make friends, and how the court entertained themselves back in the 1700s. The characters are shallow, which I'm sure is true to the time. And yet I'm amazed by how these shallow, naive women seem to so easily dally in the world of royalty and, for the most part, survive. It's a game of chess and all about playing the right move at the right time. This is where the intrigue is in the novel; how these women survive and thrive in this environment.
The book reads a bit like a soap opera at times, though less cheesy, and would make for a great summer read.
I can't wait for the next one!
Since Jeanne is a long-term mistress of Louis XV, we learn much about her perspective. What she has to do to appease the king, what she tries to do to make friends, and how the court entertained themselves back in the 1700s. The characters are shallow, which I'm sure is true to the time. And yet I'm amazed by how these shallow, naive women seem to so easily dally in the world of royalty and, for the most part, survive. It's a game of chess and all about playing the right move at the right time. This is where the intrigue is in the novel; how these women survive and thrive in this environment.
The book reads a bit like a soap opera at times, though less cheesy, and would make for a great summer read.
I can't wait for the next one!
bostonduchess's review
4.0
This sequel to Christie's debut, The Sisters of Versailles, was just as well-researched and immersive as her first. This book follows Madame de Pompadour and her rise to being Louis's mistress, probably his most famous. Christie paints a beautiful and sad world for Pompadour, which made her situation feel all the more real. It's still wild to me that women "trained" to be, and hoped to become the king's mistress, and that it was an actual position within the court. Christie's portrayal of this world is exceedingly well done, and certainly rivals that of her first novel, which was to me, exceptional.
canadianbookaddict's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second book in the Mistresses of Versailles trilogy and it picks up right after the first book in the series.
I have read the first book and enjoyed it and I did enjoy this book just as much as the first one.
It is very well written and at times it felt like it is written like a soap opera. It isn't as cheesy though .
I am now patiently waiting for book 3 to come out and I know I will read it as soon as I get it because so far I have just loved the books.
I give this 5 out of 5 stars.
I have read the first book and enjoyed it and I did enjoy this book just as much as the first one.
It is very well written and at times it felt like it is written like a soap opera. It isn't as cheesy though .
I am now patiently waiting for book 3 to come out and I know I will read it as soon as I get it because so far I have just loved the books.
I give this 5 out of 5 stars.
ailurophile_bibliophile89's review
3.0
3 Stars
Certainly better than the first book, [b:The Sisters of Versailles|33362126|The Sisters of Versailles (The Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy, #1)|Sally Christie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1481606206l/33362126._SY75_.jpg|44804743], which was entertaining, yes, but also to be completely frank, somewhat annoying.
Sally Christie does better in this sequel, showing a side of Madame de Pompadour and Marie Louise O'Murphy that I hadn't thought to think of before. And I was not aware of a liaison with Marie-Anne de Mailly de Coislin, niece and namesake of the Duchesse de Châteauroux, mentioned in the prequel.
While I have not had much experience in reading about Madame de Pompadour - although I have done extensive reading online about her in passing - in historical fiction, most portrayals of her show an innocence and lack of emotional depth. Here, while starting off as a naive courtier with an almost unhealthy desire to be loved by everyone, I feel like she grows with her power, and isn't just a "friend" or "habit" of Louis', despite many at Court stating otherwise. She learns quickly and I imagine many of the rumors attached to her name by contemporaries were untrue.
Additionally, I have only read maybe one or two novels mentioning Louise O'Murphy and even then it's barely in passing, so this was a pleasant surprise to see her side of the story; although from what I understand she was more intelligent than Christie shows.
It was also interesting to learn more of the mistresses Louis XV had, such as Marie-Anne de Mailly de Coislin, portrayed as a complete opposite of her aunt - an inaccuracy the author admitted - who apparently was just as fleeting as Louise de Murphy.
It's a known fact that the rumors and gossip that courtiers at Versailles exchanged should be taken with a grain of salt, as most were vying for power, wealth, and/or position. I admire Christie's attempt at showing the pettiness and vanity of that side of the otherwise beautiful Court of Versailles.
I look forward to reading more about Madame du Barry in the last novel, who I admit I've only seen from Marie Antoinette's POV.
3 Stars
Certainly better than the first book, [b:The Sisters of Versailles|33362126|The Sisters of Versailles (The Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy, #1)|Sally Christie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1481606206l/33362126._SY75_.jpg|44804743], which was entertaining, yes, but also to be completely frank, somewhat annoying.
Sally Christie does better in this sequel, showing a side of Madame de Pompadour and Marie Louise O'Murphy that I hadn't thought to think of before. And I was not aware of a liaison with Marie-Anne de Mailly de Coislin, niece and namesake of the Duchesse de Châteauroux, mentioned in the prequel.
While I have not had much experience in reading about Madame de Pompadour - although I have done extensive reading online about her in passing - in historical fiction, most portrayals of her show an innocence and lack of emotional depth. Here, while starting off as a naive courtier with an almost unhealthy desire to be loved by everyone, I feel like she grows with her power, and isn't just a "friend" or "habit" of Louis', despite many at Court stating otherwise. She learns quickly and I imagine many of the rumors attached to her name by contemporaries were untrue.
Additionally, I have only read maybe one or two novels mentioning Louise O'Murphy and even then it's barely in passing, so this was a pleasant surprise to see her side of the story; although from what I understand she was more intelligent than Christie shows.
It was also interesting to learn more of the mistresses Louis XV had, such as Marie-Anne de Mailly de Coislin, portrayed as a complete opposite of her aunt - an inaccuracy the author admitted - who apparently was just as fleeting as Louise de Murphy.
It's a known fact that the rumors and gossip that courtiers at Versailles exchanged should be taken with a grain of salt, as most were vying for power, wealth, and/or position. I admire Christie's attempt at showing the pettiness and vanity of that side of the otherwise beautiful Court of Versailles.
I look forward to reading more about Madame du Barry in the last novel, who I admit I've only seen from Marie Antoinette's POV.
3 Stars
moirwyn's review against another edition
4.0
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2016/04/12/the-rivals-of-versailles-by-sally-christie/
It’s 1745, right after the events of The Sisters of Versailles, and Louis XV is in need of a new mistress. Jeanette Poisson, much later known as Madame Pompadour, is a young girl, and a gypsy fortune-teller promises that she will one day be lover to a king. Although her mother tries to prepare her for that moment, Jeanette is bourgeoisie, and so she feels out of place as she is introduced to the intrigue of Versailles.
Jeanette is resilient and adapts quickly to the court’s intricacies. Because she isn’t born to the nobility, she quickly makes enemies as her influence rises. As she struggles to maintain her place in Louis’ life, she begins to vanquish her rivals, becoming one of the most powerful women of her time. As her health fails, Jeanette seamlessly transitions from the king’s paramour to a more platonic friendship, but must still work to keep her place at Louis’ side from being usurped by younger and prettier faces.
I’m glad that the Sally Christie decided to write about Louis XV’s lovers in the form of a trilogy. It’s the kind of thing I’ve seen done with the lovers of Henry VIII a la Phillipa Gregory, but not with other European monarchs, and being able to see the changes over time in the monarch, his mistresses, and in France itself was very interesting. That said, you don’t have to read The Sisters of Versailles before reading The Rivals of Versailles. While there are references to Louis’ former lovers, you don’t need to know much about them to understand his relationship with Madame Pompadour.
The Rivals of Versailles portrays Madame Pompadour as a multi-faceted character–a lover of the arts, the companion of the king, and adept at politics. While I found her character fascinating, I wasn’t as big a fan of the other women who were given point-of-view places in the novel. I found Marie-Anne de Mailley, for instance, to be unbelievably flighty and insipid. I don’t believe for a moment that she was truly that stupid. And while possibly historically accurate, many of the characters in the novel were so scheming and conniving that they almost seemed a caricature of themselves. I wish I could have seen a bit more depth in characters other than Jeanette and Louis, and I would also have to see more of an exploration of the cordial relationship that developed between Jeanette and the Queen.
Overall, I enjoyed The Rivals of Versailles, despite my issue with the secondary point-of-view characters. Madame Pompadour was a fascinating woman, and it was so nice to learn more about her life and to explore her motivations.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2016/04/12/the-rivals-of-versailles-by-sally-christie/
It’s 1745, right after the events of The Sisters of Versailles, and Louis XV is in need of a new mistress. Jeanette Poisson, much later known as Madame Pompadour, is a young girl, and a gypsy fortune-teller promises that she will one day be lover to a king. Although her mother tries to prepare her for that moment, Jeanette is bourgeoisie, and so she feels out of place as she is introduced to the intrigue of Versailles.
Jeanette is resilient and adapts quickly to the court’s intricacies. Because she isn’t born to the nobility, she quickly makes enemies as her influence rises. As she struggles to maintain her place in Louis’ life, she begins to vanquish her rivals, becoming one of the most powerful women of her time. As her health fails, Jeanette seamlessly transitions from the king’s paramour to a more platonic friendship, but must still work to keep her place at Louis’ side from being usurped by younger and prettier faces.
I’m glad that the Sally Christie decided to write about Louis XV’s lovers in the form of a trilogy. It’s the kind of thing I’ve seen done with the lovers of Henry VIII a la Phillipa Gregory, but not with other European monarchs, and being able to see the changes over time in the monarch, his mistresses, and in France itself was very interesting. That said, you don’t have to read The Sisters of Versailles before reading The Rivals of Versailles. While there are references to Louis’ former lovers, you don’t need to know much about them to understand his relationship with Madame Pompadour.
The Rivals of Versailles portrays Madame Pompadour as a multi-faceted character–a lover of the arts, the companion of the king, and adept at politics. While I found her character fascinating, I wasn’t as big a fan of the other women who were given point-of-view places in the novel. I found Marie-Anne de Mailley, for instance, to be unbelievably flighty and insipid. I don’t believe for a moment that she was truly that stupid. And while possibly historically accurate, many of the characters in the novel were so scheming and conniving that they almost seemed a caricature of themselves. I wish I could have seen a bit more depth in characters other than Jeanette and Louis, and I would also have to see more of an exploration of the cordial relationship that developed between Jeanette and the Queen.
Overall, I enjoyed The Rivals of Versailles, despite my issue with the secondary point-of-view characters. Madame Pompadour was a fascinating woman, and it was so nice to learn more about her life and to explore her motivations.
minanonim's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
beautynherbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Review:
Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Publishing for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
*Disclaimer* I have not read the first book in this series, but I believe that it could be read as a stand alone novel.
Here’s something that I realized as I was reading The Rivals of Versailles: everything I know about Reinette Poisson, I learned from Doctor Who. I know its strange since I practically live off my history lessons and I have taken history every year of high school, and plan to take it into university.
Told in separate perspectives, this book spans decades (1730-1764) and introduces readers to the various mistresses of King Louis XV. While The Sisters of Versailles focused quite a lot on the relations between the sisters de Mailly-Nesle, The Rivals of Versailles revolves first around King Louis XV, though all roads lead back to Madame de Pompadour. It’s not without reason that most know the name of Madame/Marquise de Pompadour (if not her birth name, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson).
Like its predecessor, The Rivals of Versailles is filled with letters (generally to the Marquise when it is her point of view, and from the Marquise when it is not). They act as a little flavor and backstory, and give glimpses of the Marquise during long stretches of her life being told by other women – or girls, more likely.
Finally, at the end of the book, the last few chapters change back to The Marquise perspective and are easily the best: now, older, wiser and experienced, she is able to stop idealizing the King and is able to view his (many, many) faults. This full circle character development was easily the best part of the book.
The author has clearly done her research and even just a quick google search shows just how historically accurate it all is. The dialogue is very natural and I loved how the author was able to build such a sense of time/place: every detail shared reminded the reader that this takes place in the 1700s.
Overall, I did like this book, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical and romance fiction.
Also be sure to check out my Q&A with the author herself, it will be posted along with this review!
-Read on Darlings!
Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Publishing for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
*Disclaimer* I have not read the first book in this series, but I believe that it could be read as a stand alone novel.
Here’s something that I realized as I was reading The Rivals of Versailles: everything I know about Reinette Poisson, I learned from Doctor Who. I know its strange since I practically live off my history lessons and I have taken history every year of high school, and plan to take it into university.
Told in separate perspectives, this book spans decades (1730-1764) and introduces readers to the various mistresses of King Louis XV. While The Sisters of Versailles focused quite a lot on the relations between the sisters de Mailly-Nesle, The Rivals of Versailles revolves first around King Louis XV, though all roads lead back to Madame de Pompadour. It’s not without reason that most know the name of Madame/Marquise de Pompadour (if not her birth name, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson).
Like its predecessor, The Rivals of Versailles is filled with letters (generally to the Marquise when it is her point of view, and from the Marquise when it is not). They act as a little flavor and backstory, and give glimpses of the Marquise during long stretches of her life being told by other women – or girls, more likely.
Finally, at the end of the book, the last few chapters change back to The Marquise perspective and are easily the best: now, older, wiser and experienced, she is able to stop idealizing the King and is able to view his (many, many) faults. This full circle character development was easily the best part of the book.
The author has clearly done her research and even just a quick google search shows just how historically accurate it all is. The dialogue is very natural and I loved how the author was able to build such a sense of time/place: every detail shared reminded the reader that this takes place in the 1700s.
Overall, I did like this book, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical and romance fiction.
Also be sure to check out my Q&A with the author herself, it will be posted along with this review!
-Read on Darlings!
karabk's review against another edition
3.0
When I received this in a GR giveaway, I decided to read The Sisters of Versailles first. I'm glad I did, because #1 does give you important insight into Louis XV's mistresses. I really enjoyed Sisters because it was told from all the sister's very unique point of view. They were all interesting characters. Rivals is also told from several different mistresses view points, but I don't know if I've had enough of the King's past time of going through women. I know I was tired of hearing of how every mistress fawned over him and thought he was the be all and end all.
It was when the 14 year old mistress was introduced that I knew I hated this guy. Certainly when the Marquise detailed how a young child was being groomed to be a future play thing for him I felt disturbed and revolted. This type of historical novel really gives you an important look at how women were treated in the past, and how children didn't have any rights and are not treated as they are in the 21st century.
If you couldn't get enough of Sisters, read Rivals.
Since I read part one and two, I'm invested now, so I will likely read Enemies.
It was when the 14 year old mistress was introduced that I knew I hated this guy. Certainly when the Marquise detailed how a young child was being groomed to be a future play thing for him I felt disturbed and revolted. This type of historical novel really gives you an important look at how women were treated in the past, and how children didn't have any rights and are not treated as they are in the 21st century.
If you couldn't get enough of Sisters, read Rivals.
Since I read part one and two, I'm invested now, so I will likely read Enemies.