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A review by beautynherbooks
The Rivals of Versailles by Sally Christie
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!