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madamelacy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
The story is set in 18th century France and covers the period prior to the revolution up to just after the revolution.
Véronique is plucked from her working class home and placed in the Deer Park school, where the girls are unknowingly trained to pleasure King Louis XV sexually. It makes for deeply disturbing reading. Véronique has a baby, Marie Louise. The rest of the book follows Marie Louise through foster placements and into adult life working as a midwife.
I have mixed feelings about this book because I found the first part interesting but disturbing. Marie Louise’s story dragged on a bit. The revolution was almost a bit peripheral at times. I feel like the book was well-researched but a bit too long-winded so I was a bit bored, especially in the middle of the book.
Véronique is plucked from her working class home and placed in the Deer Park school, where the girls are unknowingly trained to pleasure King Louis XV sexually. It makes for deeply disturbing reading. Véronique has a baby, Marie Louise. The rest of the book follows Marie Louise through foster placements and into adult life working as a midwife.
I have mixed feelings about this book because I found the first part interesting but disturbing. Marie Louise’s story dragged on a bit. The revolution was almost a bit peripheral at times. I feel like the book was well-researched but a bit too long-winded so I was a bit bored, especially in the middle of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Death, and Adult/minor relationship
prncss1204's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Trafficking
ruthlessreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I did not like this book & don't recommend it to anyone who has triggers around CSA & child abuse.
I think that this story could've been told without graphic descriptions of child sexual assault & rape. While these things were the reality of these characters, I feel that the on page assault of children accomplishes nothing from a narrative perspective. Almost nothing else about the book stood out to me other than this & any historical value or interest it would hold is eliminated through the graphic sexual violence. I did finish the book though because I wanted to find out what happened to one of the characters so I suppose the characters were written well enough to care about.
I think that this story could've been told without graphic descriptions of child sexual assault & rape. While these things were the reality of these characters, I feel that the on page assault of children accomplishes nothing from a narrative perspective. Almost nothing else about the book stood out to me other than this & any historical value or interest it would hold is eliminated through the graphic sexual violence. I did finish the book though because I wanted to find out what happened to one of the characters so I suppose the characters were written well enough to care about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Classism, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual violence
unphilosophize's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is the third new historical fiction I've read this year that is about revolution.
I was a bit confused at the beginning about what Louis was being talked about, so the terror didn't start as early in the story as I thought.
This was a really beautiful book. I really loved both of the characters that it followed. It was really cool to learn about the history of midwifery in France at this time, something that I wasn't expecting going into it.
I'll definitely be picking up this authors book about Catherine the Great.
Big thanks to Penguin Random House Canada for giving me early access to this book through my work #indigoemployee
I was a bit confused at the beginning about what Louis was being talked about, so the terror didn't start as early in the story as I thought.
This was a really beautiful book. I really loved both of the characters that it followed. It was really cool to learn about the history of midwifery in France at this time, something that I wasn't expecting going into it.
I'll definitely be picking up this authors book about Catherine the Great.
Big thanks to Penguin Random House Canada for giving me early access to this book through my work #indigoemployee
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
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