A review by bostonduchess
The Rivals of Versailles by Sally Christie

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.