Spotlight on Blood of the Stone Prince by M.J. Neary

Publisher: Crossroad Press
Pub. Date: September 23rd, 2017
Pages: 325

Genre: Historical Fiction


From the alchemy labs of fifteenth-century France comes a tale of one beauty and three beasts on a macabre journey through the Parisian underworld. After sixteen years of priesthood, Monseigneur Desmoulins secretly wishes for excommunication. Fed up with sacristy intrigues and tedious inquisition proceedings, he keeps himself amused by dissecting rats, playing with explosives and stalking foreign women. Some of his dirty work he delegates to his nineteen-year-old protégé Daniel Dufort nicknamed Stone Prince, who plays the organ at the cathedral. The gaunt, copper-haired youth looks may look like an angel, but his music is believed to be demonic, pushing the faithful towards crime and suicide.

To keep themselves safe amidst urban violence, the master and his ward take fencing lessons from Lucius Castelmaure, an alcoholic officer facing a court martial. Their alliance is tested when a Wallachian traveler implores them to entertain his terminally-ill daughter Agniese, whose dying whim to is be buried inside the Montfaucon cellar alongside felons and traitors. The three men jump at the chance to indulge the eccentric virgin in the final months of her life.

Raised in the spirit of polyamory, Agniese has no qualms about taking all three men as lovers. In a city of where street festivals turn into massacres, it's only a matter of time before the romantic quadrangle tumbles into a pit of hellfire. Filled with witch-hanging, bone-cracking, gargoyle-hugging humor, Blood of the Stone Prince is a blasphemous thriller for the heretic in each one of us.

*Read M.J. Neary's imaginary interview with the main character from Blood of the Stone Prince, Daniel Dufort, on "History Imagined" HERE*

 

 

Buy the Book

 

Amazon

 

 

About the Author

 

 

An only child of classical musicians, M.J. Neary is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed expert on military and social disasters, from the Charge of the Light Brigade, to the Irish Famine, to the Easter Rising in Dublin, to the nuclear explosion in Chernobyl. Notable achievements include a series revolving around the Anglo-Irish conflict, including Never Be at Peace and Big Hero of a Small Country. She continues to explore the topic of ethnic tension in her autobiographical satire Saved by the Bang: a Nuclear Comedy. Her cyber mystery Trench Coat Pal, set in Westport, CT at the dawn of the internet era features a cast of delusional and forlorn New Englanders who become pawns in an impromptu revenge scheme devised by a self-proclaimed Robin Hood. A revised edition of Wynfield’s Kingdom, her debut Neo-Victorian thriller, was recently rereleased through Crossroad Press. Wynfield’s War is the sequel following the volatile protagonist to the Crimea. Sirens Over the Hudson, a social satire set in Tarrytown, NY during the Great Recession, is colored with the same dark misanthropic humor as the rest of her works. Her latest release Blood of the Stone Prince is a macabre tale of one beauty and three beasts set in the late 15th century France.

 

 



TLC Book Tours: Review of The Enemies of Versailles by Sally Christie + Giveaway!!

Publisher: Atria Books
Pub. Date: March 21st, 2017
Pages: 416

Genre: Historical Fiction
Book Series: The Mistresses of Versailles Book #3

Synopsis

In the final installment of Sally Christie’s “tantalizing” (New York Daily News) Mistresses of Versailles trilogy, Jeanne Becu, a woman of astounding beauty but humble birth, works her way from the grimy back streets of Paris to the palace of Versailles, where the aging King Louis XV has become a jaded and bitter old philanderer. Jeanne bursts into his life and, as the Comtesse du Barry, quickly becomes his official mistress.


“That beastly bourgeois Pompadour was one thing; a common prostitute is quite another kettle of fish.”


After decades of suffering the King’s endless stream of Royal Favorites, the princesses of the Court have reached a breaking point. Horrified that he would bring the lowborn Comtesse du Barry into the hallowed halls of Versailles, Louis XV’s daughters, led by the indomitable Madame Adelaide, vow eternal enmity and enlist the young dauphiness Marie Antoinette in their fight against the new mistress. But as tensions rise and the French Revolution draws closer, a prostitute in the palace soon becomes the least of the nobility’s concerns.


Told in Christie’s witty and engaging style, the final book in The Mistresses of Versailles trilogy will delight and entrance fans as it once again brings to life the sumptuous and cruel world of eighteenth century Versailles, and France as it approaches irrevocable change.

What Did I Think About the Story?

As the synopsis says, The Enemies of Versailles is the third book in Sally Christie's entertaining Mistresses of Versailles trilogy and, having read all three books, I find it a fitting ending to this exciting and dramatic series that highlights the luxuriant and ever shifting world of Louis XV's court. This particular novel, however, was probably my favorite as it branches outside of the glitz and glamour of the Court into the dangerous and bloody streets of a people no longer content to let their nobility live the high life while they starve.

The story goes back and forth between two perspectives - that of Louis XV's final mistress, the lowborn Jeanne Becu (who becomes the Comtesse du Barry), and one of his daughters, Madame Adelaide - and it would be nearly impossible to find two women so different. Jeanne is somewhat lazy, especially when she is young, and is quite content to use her charms and skills of seduction to create a comfortable life of luxury. With this being said, she is also kind and giving and loving towards those that are close to her. On the flipside is Adelaide - cold, rigid, strict Adelaide - who can barely stand anyone other than her father and, at times, her sisters and who put propriety above happiness or connections with other people. I will say that, while I didn't particularly like her, I did feel sorry for Adelaide as she obviously yearned for her father's attention and love and he seemed more content to give that affection to his mistresses and his court. It is due to this great gulf between the women that we, the reader, get such a well rounded look at the court and France during this time and I thought it was such a great idea to expand our view of the people and the times surrounding them.

I think my favorite aspect of the story would have to be what came after Louis XV died (yes, the story continues after our main man is dead!). The story progresses through the French Revolution and the heartache and terror that the nobility and those closest to the throne experience during this time is palpable. While I can't say that I felt bad for the court when the members began losing their possessions and vast excesses I did ache for them as the horror compounded and the began losing their lives because of this world most of them were born into. There is a particular scene with the Comtesse du Barry when she is no longer able to use her charms or the vast amount of goods she had collected to buy her way to freedom that was actually hard to read as I hoped against hope that she would find a way to survive like she had time and time again. If you don't already know how her storyline ends this book is the perfect way to discover it!

Another aspect I very much enjoyed was getting to see Marie Antoinette from such a unique perspective. She came off as such a sad character to me as nothing she did made a difference in how people looked at her. The nobility seemed to think she was improper and too informal while the common people of France used her as a symbol of the excesses of the court regardless of what she actually did or didn't do. I kept hoping that she and Jeanne would band together as misfits of the court and get along, but even though they had more in common that I expected that wasn't meant to be. In the end, both were somewhat isolated and dragged along through a court machine that didn't quite want them until the bitter end that neither could escape.

The Enemies of Versailles is wondering historical fiction and has really whetted my appetite to learn more about French History. Stretching from the end of the mistress Pompadour's hold on the court through to the end of the French Revolution, these women do a remarkable job of placing the aging King at the back of the story and letting their own lives shine through. While I don't think it's necessary to read all three stories in order I do recommend it as it gives you a fully rounded glimpse into the end of an era of extravagance and into the modern age of government.
    

What Did I Think About the Cover?

I love this cover, as I've loved the covers of all books in this series! Seeing Jeanne front and center gave me a good starting point for the vision I ended up with in my head as her story developed and I always love seeing what an actual historical figure looked like. Plus, with all the gilding and beautiful colors the series looks so pretty on my shelves!


My Rating: 4.0/5.0

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing me with a free copy of The Enemies of Versailles in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are  my own. Continue below for  more information about the book, the tour, and how you can enter to win a copy of your own!

Praise for The Mistresses of Versailles Series

“Sally Christie’s The Sisters of Versailles is an intriguing romp through Louis XV’s France. Filled with lush backdrops, rich detail, and colorful characters, fans of historical fiction will enjoy this glimpse into the lost golden era of the French monarchy.” - Allison Pataki, author of THE ACCIDENTAL EMPRESS

“A stunning breadth of period detail, offered in a fresh, contemporary voice.” - Juliet Grey, author of the acclaimed Marie Antoinette trilogy

“Such an extraordinary tale makes for compelling reading and, as the lead book in a planned trilogy, will draw in readers who are interested in royal lives before the French Revolution…. Historical fiction fans, unfamiliar with the history of the Nesle sisters, will be intrigued.” - Library Journal

“Tantalizing descriptions and cliff-hangers will leave the reader rapidly turning the pages in anticipation… A wickedly delightful read.” - New York Daily News

Buy the Book

 

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Sally Christie is the author of The Sisters of Versailles and The Rivals of Versailles. She was born in England and grew up around the world, attending eight schools in three different languages. She spent most of her career working in international development and currently lives in Toronto.

 

Learn more about Sally on her website, and connect with her on Goodreads, Pinterest, and Facebook.

 

 

It's Giveaway Time!!!

 

 

Thanks to TLC Book Tours I have one copy of The Enemies of Versailles to give away (US/CAN only)! All you have to do is enter your name and email address on the giveaway form HERE. Please be sure to leave both your name and your email on the form so I can contact you if you are my winner (no email address, no entry!). For extra entries you can follow the blog in various ways (links are on the right hand sidebar) and leave the name/email you follow with on the form. That's it!

 

I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner on April 14th, 2017 and will announce the winner here as well as email the winner. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond to my email with their full mailing address. If I don't hear back I'll pick a new winner. If you have already won this giveaway on another site please let me know so I can pick a new winner and give someone else a chance to win a copy of this great book.

 

Good Luck!!

 

 

TLC Blog Tour Schedule

 

 

Monday, March 6th: Books Without Any Pictures
Tuesday, March 7th: Bewitched Bookworms
Wednesday, March 8th: Reading Reality
Friday, March 10th: Books à la Mode – Spotlight/Feature
Monday, March 13th: Historical-Fiction.com
Tuesday, March 14th: From the TBR Pile – Spotlight/Feature
Wednesday, March 15th: Let Them Read Books
Thursday, March 16th: Scandalous Women
Friday, March 17th: BookNAround
Monday, March 20th: Books ‘n Tea
Monday, March 20th: An Accidental Blog
Tuesday, March 21st: Read Love Blog – Spotlight/Feature
Wednesday, March 22nd: The Maiden’s Court
Thursday, March 23rd: Snowdrop Dreams of Books
Monday, March 27th: Must Read Faster
Tuesday, March 28th: Hoser’s Blook
Thursday, March 30th: Dreams, Etc.
Friday, March 31st: Book Reviews and More by Kathy – Spotlight/Feature
Monday, April 3rd: A Holland Reads – Spotlight/Feature
Wednesday, April 5th: Becky on Books
Friday, April 7th: A Literary Vacation



Review: Two Empresses by Brandy Purdy

Publisher: Kensington 
Pub. Date: January 31st, 2017
Pages: 384

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis

1779, France. On the island paradise of Martinique, two beautiful, well-bred cousins have reached marriageable age. Sixteen-year-old Rose must sail to France to marry Alexander, the dashing Vicomte de Beauharnais. Golden-haired Aimee will finish her education at a French convent in hopes of making a worthy match.

Once in Paris, Rose’s illusions are shattered by her new husband, who casts her off when his mistress bears him a son. Yet revolution is tearing through the land, changing fortunes—and fates—in an instant, leaving Rose free to reinvent herself. Soon she is pursued by a young general, Napoleon Bonaparte, who prefers to call her by another name: Josephine.

Presumed dead after her ship is attacked by pirates, Aimee survives and is taken to the Sultan of Turkey’s harem. Among hundreds at his beck and call, Aimee’s loveliness and intelligence make her a favorite not only of the Sultan, but of his gentle, reserved nephew. Like Josephine, the newly crowned Empress of France, Aimee will ascend to a position of unimagined power. But for both cousins, passion and ambition carry their own burden.

From the war-torn streets of Paris to the bejeweled golden bars of a Turkish palace, Brandy Purdy weaves some of history’s most compelling figures into a vivid, captivating account of two remarkable women and their extraordinary destinies.

What Did I Think About the Story?

If you enjoy historical fiction, or just history in general, as much as I do, then you most likely have at least heard of Napoleon Bonaparte's first wife, Josephine. However if, again like me, you haven't delved much into her early life you might not know the unique background she comes from or the quite interesting tale of what possibly became of her cousin, Aimee. Brandy Purdy's newest novel, Two Empresses, seeks to let both of these young women tell their own stories as the fate laid out for them by a voodoo priestess as children unfolds for the reader to witness. 

The story begins with both Rose (who will later be known as Josephine) and Aimee (who will later be known as Nakshidil) going to meet with a voodoo priestess on their island home of Martinique as young girls. From there the story actually splits into two stories - that of Rose and that of Aimee - and the two girls never cross paths again and only rarely even seem to think about each other. This threw me somewhat as I assumed this was a story about the two cousins while it ended up being more of two separate stories connected loosely by similar themes, but I did enjoy trying to decipher what those similarities were and where the two women's lives took very different paths.

I have to admit that I wasn't a big fan of Rose/Josephine. While her portion of Two Empresses gives the reader a very interesting viewpoint from which to view the turbulence and bloodshed of the French Revolution, she herself came across as quite selfish and vacillating. I found myself getting somewhat bored with her attention to fashion and bawdy behavior and wished for more depth from her character. 

On the other hand, Aimee/Nakshidil was a very sympathetic character and I very much enjoyed watching her strong will to survive in a world so vastly different from the one she was born into and into which she made such a mark on the development of the customs. When the story concluded I was disappointed to not see an author's note explaining what portions of Aimee's story were factual and which were fiction (I read an advanced readers copy so this might be included in the final printing), however, upon further research, I discovered that many believe, as Rose and her family do in Two Empresses, that Aimee actually drowned at sea and that much of what is discussed in this story, namely her being kidnapped by pirates, being sold into the harem of Abdul Hamid, and being the adopted mother of the future Sultan Mahmud II, is widely believed to be legend. While I don't have a problem at all with historical fiction being written around a legend I do prefer an author's note to explain fact from fiction and found it somewhat odd for this very fictionalized story of Aimee to be combined with what I believe is a much more fact based story about Rose/Josephine. 

Where I think Ms. Purdy really shines is in her ability to bring a setting to life. The shifting settings in which these two women live - from the island paradise of  Martinique to dank and putrid prison cells and pirate ships to lavish and colorful ballrooms and harems - is vividly presented and described in such intricate detail that nothing is missed, not even the smallest trinket on a table. I love being fully immersed in the worlds of the characters I read and it is impossible to not fully see, smell, hear, and taste the worlds of these women.

Two Empresses is a unique dual story of two cousins who go on to live extraordinary lives. While they will both end up in two very different worlds, they nonetheless share so much in common: they are both made to change their very names and become wholly new people to survive; they both find - and lose - love in unexpected places; and they both love their children fiercely and do whatever they can to try and make the best life possible for those children. While I found some aspects of the story a little odd, overall I very much enjoyed learning more about these two women and seeing the extreme highs and lows they both had to endure. This novel is not the first of Brandy Purdy's I've read and will definitely not be the last either!

        

What Did I Think About the Cover?

I think it fits the story very well, although the clothes seem somewhat costume-y. I do like that the designer included quite a bit of detail from the story into the design, such as the hair color of each woman, the overall style of the clothes they each would have worn, etc. Overall a very nice cover.

My Rating: 3.5/5.0

I received a free copy of Two Empresses from author Brandy Purdy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Brandy! All opinions are my own. Click on Brandy's name above to be directed to her website to learn more about her and her books. You can also find more information about Two Empresses, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, on Goodreads HERE.

Release Day Review: To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin

Publisher: Flatiron Books
Pub. Date: November 29th, 2016
Pages: 304


Genre: Historical Fiction/ French History / Historical Romance

Synopsis

Set against the construction of the Eiffel Tower, this novel charts the relationship between a young Scottish widow and a French engineer who, despite constraints of class and wealth, fall in love.


In February 1887, Caitriona Wallace and Émile Nouguier meet in a hot air balloon, floating high above Paris, France--a moment of pure possibility. But back on firm ground, their vastly different social strata become clear. Cait is a widow who because of her precarious financial situation is forced to chaperone two wealthy Scottish charges. Émile is expected to take on the bourgeois stability of his family's business and choose a suitable wife. As the Eiffel Tower rises, a marvel of steel and air and light, the subject of extreme controversy and a symbol of the future, Cait and Émile must decide what their love is worth.

Seamlessly weaving historical detail and vivid invention, Beatrice Colin evokes the revolutionary time in which Cait and Émile live--one of corsets and secret trysts, duels and Bohemian independence, strict tradition and Impressionist experimentation. To Capture What We Cannot Keep, stylish, provocative, and shimmering, raises probing questions about a woman's place in that world, the overarching reach of class distinctions, and the sacrifices love requires of us all.

What Did I Think About the Story?

The Eiffel Tower is such an iconic symbol of architectural and artistic innovation. I've long been fascinated by it and visiting - and climbing! - it are high up on my bucket list. The gorgeous cover showcasing this remarkable feat of engineering drew me right in and had me requesting a copy of To Capture What We Cannot Keep for review even before reading the synopsis. Even with it's heavy emphasis on the romance between these characters, which isn't typically a big draw for me, I was really looking forward to seeing how the author tackled the ever-changing world of Paris during this time and how the characters and the building of the Eiffel Tower would fit into that world. While I do think the author did a remarkable job of bringing this world to life, I had a few issues with the story that kept this from being a runaway hit for me.

Let's start with the positive. I'm still in a little bit of awe over how vividly Beatrice Colin brought Paris and the building of the tower to life. She shows it all, from the glamour and beauty of the rich and artistic all the way down to the poor, disabled, and desperate. We see the gritty streets and building sites and the opulent artist's salons, and this goes a long way to explaining the pretty hard drawn lines between the various social classes of the characters. The descriptions of the actual building of the tower were my favorite of the whole book and the reader gets to experience it all down to the tiniest girder bar through to the opening. There's a scene towards the end of the story when Cait is climbing the tower in search of Emile when she is overcome with a terrible panic attack due to the height and I will admit to becoming a little uncomfortable myself when reading it...all while I'm safely sitting on my couch! This is just one example of the expressive writing style the author displayed throughout the whole story.

I also very much enjoyed learning more about Gustave Eiffel himself as well as his involvement in the French attempt to build the Panama Canal and the ensuing scandal and bankruptcy. Eiffel is portrayed for much of the story as this whirlwind of a man, one that's kind yet highly ambitious and hardworking, and I'm now determined to read more about him after getting this small taste. This need for more information brought about by an author's presentation is always the sign for me of great writing.

What I did not enjoy as much was the character development of all other characters. I wanted to like these characters, especially Cait and Emile, but I just found something lacking in nearly all of them. The constant back and forth between Cait and Emile became quite irritating, and I couldn't help but continuously wonder why, if they actually loved each other as they internally claimed (because I don't believe they ever outwardly stated it and, if they did, I missed it), they didn't do whatever it took to be together even if that meant going against what was expected of them. It was probably the most non-romantic romance I've encountered. The other characters weren't much better and I especially disliked Cait's two Scottish charges as they were incredibly selfish and vapid. The only other character I liked (other than Eiffel) was Gabrielle, the drug-addicted artist's wife who's Emile's mistress at the beginning of the novel, and I enjoyed her mainly for her ability to ruffle up the other characters and bring some actual spice to the story.   

It's been a while since I've read a story that had me so divided on the likes and dislikes within it. I absolutely adored the descriptions of Paris and the building of the tower and would have happily spent the entire book reading more about that. However, the characters left so much to be desired that I just couldn't love the story overall. There is just so little romance going on within that I think those that enjoy those sorts of story will likely be disappointed. However, if you can look past that aspect and just enjoy the dynamic and multilayered world the author places these characters in, there is still much that can be enjoyed here.

What Did I Think About the Cover?

It's GORGEOUS!! As I said above the cover is actually what drew me to pick this book up in the first place. I love the idea of reading a novel about the building of the Eiffel Tower and the coloring, with the snow-dappled filminess and golden framing, is classically beautiful. Wonderful job done by whoever picked this cover!


My Rating: 3.0/5.0

I received a copy of To Capture What We Cannot Keep from Netgalley and Flatiron Books. All opinions are my own. You can find more information, including other reviews and where to purchase a copy, on Goodreads.

I read To Capture What We Cannot Keep as a buddy read with some blogger friends and will link to their reviews below as they become available. Be sure to check them out!


Layered Pages 

The Maiden's Court



TLC Book Tours: Review of The Rivals of Versailles by Sally Christie

Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: April 5th, 2016
Pages: 448

Series: The Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy

Synopsis

And you thought sisters were a thing to fear! In this compelling follow-up to Sally Christie’s clever and absorbing debut, we meet none other than the Marquise de Pompadour, one of the greatest beauties of her generation and the first bourgeois mistress ever to grace the hallowed halls of Versailles.

The year is 1745 and Louis XV’s bed is once again empty. Enter Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, a beautiful girl from the middle classes. As a child, a fortune teller had mapped out Jeanne’s destiny: she would become the lover of a king and the most powerful woman in the land. Eventually connections, luck, and a little scheming pave her way to Versailles and into the King’s arms.

All too soon, conniving politicians and hopeful beauties seek to replace the bourgeois interloper with a more suitable mistress. As Jeanne, now the Marquise de Pompadour, takes on her many rivals—including a lustful lady-in-waiting; a precocious fourteen-year-old prostitute, and even a cousin of the notorious Nesle sisters—she helps the king give himself over to a life of luxury and depravity. Around them, war rages, discontent grows, and France inches ever closer to the Revolution.

Enigmatic beauty, social climber, actress, trendsetter, patron of the arts, spendthrift, whoremonger, friend, lover, foe: history books may say many things about the famous Marquise de Pompadour. Alongside Catherine the Great of Russia and Maria Theresa of Austria, she is considered one of the three most powerful women of the 18th century, and one of the most influential royal mistresses of all time.

In The Rivals of Versailles, Christie gets to the heart of Pompadour’s legendary relationship with Louis XV, France’s most “well-beloved” king. Pompadour was not only his mistress, but his confidante and influential political adviser for close to twenty years. Full of historical insight, decadence, wit and scandal, The Rivals of Versailles is about one woman’s trials and triumphs, her love for a kind, and her role in shaping a nation.

Told in Christie’s witty and modern style, this second book in the Mistresses of Versailles trilogy will delight and entrance fans as it once again brings to life the world of eighteenth century Versailles in all its pride, pestilence and glory.

What Did I Think About the Story?

Since reading and thoroughly enjoying The Sisters of Versailles (you can read my review HERE), I've been looking forward to the next installment in the trilogy. After seeing the roller coaster ride o' love the Nesle sisters went through at court, what new excitements and scandals could this newest novel, with a bourgeois mistress no less, bring to the table? A lot is the simple answer!

Right off the bat I was drawn into Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson's story, especially given the fact that a brief encounter as a child with a psychic who said she would become the powerful mistress of the king completely changes the path her life will take and the future, with its many ups and downs, she will end up with. I found it a little odd at first that her mother was so willing to groom her young daughter to become this perfect mistress, but once I put my modern opinions aside and just let the story unfold as it would, I was along for the ride that would become the Marquise de Pompadour's life. As with the Nesle sisters in The Sisters of Versailles, there was quite a bit of sadness, longing and backstabbing sprinkled in with the riches and influence of Jeanne-Antoinette's time at Versailles, and I couldn't help but really empathize with her journey.

One of my favorite aspects of the novel was seeing many of the same people who populated The Sisters of Versailles floating through the Rivals. There was much of the same over-the-top grandness, cunning and backhanded complimenting and brown-nosing as before, but this time these same players are a little bit older, a little bit bolder and a lot more desensitized to the depravity and viciousness they lived within.  The one different factor - the fact that Jeanne-Antoinette is from the bourgeois class and not the elite - as well as the fact that, no matter how they try to lower her in the eyes of the king she cannot be transplanted, seems to enrage the people of Versailles and it was quite shocking at times to see how the various factions worked to hurt her. To be honest, this very fact made me like the Marquise de Pompadour even more and her added strength, wittiness, and her unflinching determination brought me the rest of the way to rooting for her each and every time they tried to bring her down.

The other aspect that I really liked about The Rivals of Versailles is that we begin to see how the frivolous spending and pig-headed ruling of the country begins to wear on its people and turn them against their king. I got little chills as I anticipated the continued vitriol, knowing how it would eventually lead to the downfall of this monarchy. The Marquise does do her part in spending exorbitant amounts of money on clothing, houses, furnishings, etc. and does have her toes in the running of France, however it is the lusting, hedonistic Louis XV and his mismanagement that starts the ball rolling to destruction.

My only real complaint is the fact that, somewhere in the middle of the story, the point of view switches over to three of Louis' other mistress during the time the Marquise de Pompadour was still influential at court. While I enjoyed learning about these three women - none of who could hold a candle to her in my opinion - I found the shift in view pulled me away from her story somewhat and I found myself just wanting to get back to it.

The Rivals of Versailles is a wonderful follow up to The Sisters of Versailles and sets the stage for the final installment that I am beyond excited to read.  Sally Christie has a way of bringing this lush, exhilarating and vicious world completely to life and I so enjoy my time spent at Versailles with these fascinating characters. Anyone wanting to learn more about the women in Louis XV's life or just really enjoys historical fiction will find much to love in this series.

What Did I Think About the Cover?

I think it's gorgeous! Like The Sisters of Versailles and the upcoming The Enemies of Versailles,  this cover has rich, beautiful colors and a style that makes me think "Versailles". My favorite aspect, however, has to be the picture of  Jeanne-Antoinette peeking from the background. We are just given a glimpse of the fascinating women we learn of within the pages. So far the two books in the series I've read look so lovely on my bookshelves! I'm very excited to add the third book to my collection!


My Rating: 4.0/5.0

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing me with a free copy of The Rivals of Versailles in exchange for an honest review! Continue below for more information about the book, the author, and the book tour.



Praise for The Sisters of Versailles

“Sally Christie’s The Sisters of Versailles is an intriguing romp through Louis XV’s France. Filled with lush backdrops, rich detail, and colorful characters, fans of historical fiction will enjoy this glimpse into the lost golden era of the French monarchy.” Allison Pataki, author of THE ACCIDENTAL EMPRESS

“A stunning breadth of period detail, offered in a fresh, contemporary voice.” Juliet Grey, author of the acclaimed Marie Antoinette trilogy

“Such an extraordinary tale makes for compelling reading and, as the lead book in a planned trilogy, will draw in readers who are interested in royal lives before the French Revolution…. Historical fiction fans, unfamiliar with the history of the Nesle sisters, will be intrigued.” Library Journal

“Tantalizing descriptions and cliff-hangers will leave the reader rapidly turning the pages in anticipation… A wickedly delightful read.” New York Daily News

Buy the Book

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

About the Author



Sally Christie was born in England of British parents but grew up mostly in Canada. As a child she moved around with her family and then continued her wandering as she pursued a career in
international development; she’s lived in 14 different countries and worked in many more. She’s now settled in Toronto and loving it.

Sally lives and breathes history; ever since she read Antonia Fraser’s masterful Mary, Queen of Scots when she was 10, she’s been an avid history junkie. She wishes more attention and technical innovation was devoted to time travel, because there is nothing she would rather do than travel back in time! Writing historical fiction is a poor substitute, but it’s the best one we have at the moment.
When not reading and writing history, she’s a tennis and Scrabble fanatic.

You can learn more about Sally on her website and Goodreads.

The Rivals of Versailles TLC Book Tour Stops

Monday, April 4th: Peeking Between the Pages
Tuesday, April 5th: Let Them Read Books
Wednesday, April 6th: A Chick Who Reads
Friday, April 8th: Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews
Monday, April 11th: Broken Teepee
Tuesday, April 12th: Books Without Any Pictures
Wednesday, April 13th: Scandalous Women
Thursday, April 14th: From the TBR Pile
Thursday, April 14th: BookNAround
Thursday, April 14th: Worth Getting In Bed For
Friday, April 15th: Bewitched Bookworms
Monday, April 18th: A Literary Vacation
Monday, April 18th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Tuesday, April 19th: Historical-Fiction.com
Wednesday, April 20th: Raven Haired Girl
Thursday, April 21st: The Maiden’s Court
Friday, April 22nd: A Bookish Affair
Monday, April 25th: Reading Reality
Tuesday, April 26th: Ace and Hoser Blog
Wednesday, April 27th: Dreams, Etc.
Wednesday, April 27th: Luxury Reading
Thursday, April 28th: Mom in Love with Fiction
Friday, April 29th: Books & Tea
Monday, May 2nd: Time 2 Read



Review: Medicis Daughter by Sophie Perinot

Publication Date: December 1, 2015
Thomas Dunne Books
Hardcover & eBook; 384 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis

Winter, 1564. Beautiful young Princess Margot is summoned to the court of France, where nothing is what it seems and a wrong word can lead to ruin. Known across Europe as Madame la Serpente, Margot’s intimidating mother, Queen Catherine de Médicis, is a powerful force in a country devastated by religious war. Among the crafty nobility of the royal court, Margot learns the intriguing and unspoken rules she must live by to please her poisonous family.

Eager to be an obedient daughter, Margot accepts her role as a marriage pawn, even as she is charmed by the powerful, charismatic Duc de Guise. Though Margot’s heart belongs to Guise, her hand will be offered to Henri of Navarre, a Huguenot leader and a notorious heretic looking to seal a tenuous truce. But the promised peace is a mirage: her mother’s schemes are endless, and her brothers plot vengeance in the streets of Paris. When Margot’s wedding devolves into the bloodshed of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, she will be forced to choose between her family and her soul.

Médicis Daughter is historical fiction at its finest, weaving a unique coming-of-age story and a forbidden love with one of the most dramatic and violent events in French history.

 

What Did I Think About the Story?

As much as I love history and historical fiction, my knowledge of French history is just dreadful. It's not that I don't enjoy it, I actually find it quite fascinating, I just haven't read very much about it. Because of this I know only the very basics about the most infamous figures, including Catherine de Medicis, and so was eager to see what delicious new information I would learn within the pages of Medicis Daughter. I am so happy to report that Medicis Daughter not only ignited my fascination of the complex and manipulative Medicis but completely immersed me in a time and place I won't soon forget.

Medicis Daughter begins with our young heroine, Margot, coming to the court of her brother, Charles IX, and continues until shortly after the vicious massacre of many of the Huguenots who had come to Paris to celebrate Margot's wedding to her cousin, Henri of Navarre, in what is now known as the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. While this time period only covers about eight years those years are chock full of manipulation, political intrigue and a rollercoaster of appeasement and fighting between the Catholics and Huguenots of France. Laced between these is the luxury of the court, its bed-hopping courtiers and the heady games of power and influence. With all this going on (and there is a lot of action and intrigue to delight in, perfectly presented by the author) the real heart of the story, to me, is much smaller: that of a beautiful, intelligent girl long held prisoner to her family's demands, threats and machinations finally learning how to break free, at least in part, from their control to become the woman of honor she longs to be.

I think one of my favorite thing about Margot (and really all of these characters) is that she isn't perfect, not even close. Sophie Perinot did an astounding job of making each character so well rounded and complex that they felt wholly real to me, not just glitzed up or vilified representations of what someone might want them to be. Not one character is completely good or bad, thought some fall pretty far towards the dastardly end of the spectrum. In Margot's case, when we first meet her she's quite naïve and pretty full of herself. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor, disheveled and ill mannered Duc of Navarre as she was just so mean to him when they were young and, truth be told, never seemed to care for him much throughout the story, even when she (seemingly begrudgingly at times) came to his defense and saved him from an almost certain death. Even the passionate romance between Margot and the Duc de Guise wasn't over romanticized, but was real and raw and painful at times like real love can be. And, best of all, we get to witness not only Margot's voice but her very character shift and grow as she learns that even those she thought she could trust could let her down and she needed to look within her own heart and mind to determine what actions she would take and what sort of person she wanted to be.  This very human element within these larger elements of historical fact is what really grabbed me and kept me glued to the pages.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention my two favorite characters within the novel, Margot's two best friends, Henriette, Duchesse de Nevers and Charlotte, Baronne de Sauve. They both added a wonderful note of levity throughout the story and were always ready with a sardonic comment or observation to entertain Margot as well as the reader. Both were quite adept at seduction and taught Margot how to maneuver her way through the lascivious yet religious court and ultimately get what she wanted even within the barriers set up by her family. They also gave her two people to turn to and lean on when she had no one else she could safely turn to. I would love to see one of them, especially Henriette, get her own story as I think both have a slew of potential as main characters.

Medicis Daughter is a delightful yet heartbreaking story of what one must do and sacrifice in order to survive a court like that of Charles IX, especially with the vice-like influence of a conniving woman like Catharine de Medicis. I feel a need to read  more about this court, the Medicis and Margot herself as I'm not quite ready to let them go just yet.  Thank you to Sophie Perinot for introducing me to a whole new section of historical fiction to now become obsessed with (move over Tudors)!

  

What Did I Think About the Cover?

I...Love...It!! If you haven't noticed from the blog's color scheme, I love pink so covers with soft pinks, golds, etc. always draw me in. This combined with the splash of red in the dress makes for one eye-catching cover! The fact that it also has the gorgeous French chateau and greenery makes it perfectly capture the setting of the story. I can't really think of anything I would like better for this cover.


My Rating: 4.5/5.0

Thank you to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for providing me with a free copy of Medicis Daughter in exchange for an honest review. Be sure to continue below for more information about the author, the book and the rest of the blog tour.

 

 

 

Advance Praise

 

“This is Renaissance France meets Game of Thrones: dark, sumptuous historical fiction that coils religious strife, court intrigue, passionate love, family hatred, and betrayed innocence like a nest of poisonous snakes. Beautiful Princess Margot acts as our guide to the heart of her violent family, as she blossoms from naive court pawn to woman of conscience and renown. A highly recommended coming-of-age tale where the princess learns to slay her own dragons!” –Kate Quinn, Bestselling author of LADY OF THE ETERNAL CITY

“The riveting story of a 16th century French princess caught in the throes of royal intrigue and religious war. From the arms of the charismatic Duke of Guise to the blood-soaked streets of Paris, Princess Marguerite runs a dangerous gauntlet, taking the reader with her. An absolutely gripping read!” –Michelle Moran, bestselling author of THE REBEL QUEEN

“Rising above the chorus of historical drama is Perinot’s epic tale of the fascinating, lascivious, ruthless House of Valois, as told through the eyes of the complicated and intelligent Princess Marguerite. Burdened by her unscrupulous family and desperate for meaningful relationships, Margot is forced to navigate her own path in sixteenth century France. Amid wars of nation and heart, Médicis Daughter brilliantly demonstrates how one unique woman beats staggering odds to find the strength and power that is her birthright.” –Erika Robuck, bestselling author of HEMINGWAY’S GIRL

Buy the Book

 

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | INDIEBOUND

 



About the Author

 

 

SOPHIE PERINOT is the author of The Sister Queens and one of six contributing authors of A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii. A former attorney, Perinot is now a full-time writer. She lives in Great
Falls, Virginia with her three children, three cats, one dog and one husband.


An active member of the Historical Novel Society, Sophie has attended all of the group’s North American Conferences and served as a panelist multiple times. Find her among the literary twitterati as @Lit_gal or on Facebook.

 

 

Medicis Daughter Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 16
Review at The Mad Reviewer
Review at Peeking Between the Pages

Tuesday, November 17
Review at Just One More Chapter

Wednesday, November 18
Review at The Maiden’s Court

Thursday, November 19
Review at The Eclectic Reader

Friday, November 20
Review at The True Book Addict

Monday, November 23
Review at Broken Teepee
Guest Post at A Literary Vacation

Tuesday, November 24
Review at Book Lovers Paradise

Wednesday, November 25
Review at A Literary Vacation

Friday, November 27
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

Monday, November 30
Review at leeanna.me

Tuesday, December 1
Review at To Read, Or Not to Read

Wednesday, December 2
Review at Bibliophilia, Please

Thursday, December 3
Review at The Book Binder’s Daughter

Friday, December 4
Guest Post at Bibliophilia, Please

Monday, December 7
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, December 8
Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, December 9
Review at Curling Up By the Fire

Thursday, December 10
Review at The Readers Hollow

Friday, December 11
Review at Reading Lark

Monday, December 14
Review at A Book Geek

Tuesday, December 15
Review at The Lit Bitch

Wednesday, December 16
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, December 18
Review & Interview at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, December 21
Review at Bookish

Tuesday, December 22
Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, December 23
Review & Guest Post at Historical Fiction Obsession

Monday, December 28
Review at Unshelfish

Tuesday, December 29
Interview at Unshelfish

Thursday, December 31
Review at The Reading Queen

 

 



Guest Post by Sophie Perinot, Author of Medicis Daughter

I am beyond thrilled to have Sophie Perinot, author of Medicis Daughter, on A Literary Vacation today! She has shared a delightful post about the splendid (and long!) royal progress of Charles IX. I'll be sharing my review of Medicis Daughter on Wednesday (hint: it's awesome!) but in the  meantime I hope you enjoy her post as much as I did and be sure to continue for  more information about Medicis Daughter and the rest of the blog tour!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

Around the Kingdom in 829 Days:  Charles IX’s Royal Progress

 

 

 

Given the name of this blog—A Literary Vacation—I couldn’t resist talking about one monster of a trip.  In the spring of 1564, the Valois Court began travel through France that would last more than two years.

 

A brainchild of Catherine de Médicis, this grand Royal Progress was intended to build unity between Charles IX and his scattered nobles.  The sight of the young king riding through the countryside or entering a far-flung city in great splendor was also meant to revive his subjects’ loyalty—a loyalty damaged by a religious civil war.  The King and his mother hoped that the fighting which had concluded the previous year would be last of its kind.  They could not know as they set out on their journey that eventually the war ended by the Edict of Amboise would be merely the first of eight French Wars of Religion.

 

 

In addition her domestic agenda, Catherine de Médicis intended to use the Royal Progress for a bit of important foreign diplomacy—a rendezvous with her son-in-law Philip II of Spain.  Relations between Spain (where Catherine’s eldest daughter, Elisabeth was queen) and France were strained because the Spanish King felt the French had been too soft on Protestant rebels, and too lenient in their peace terms.  Catherine believed such hard-feelings would be more easily smoothed over face-to-face.  She was greatly disappointed and angered when Philip declined to come to the eventual meeting at Bayonne.

 

 

With all these lofty goals in mind, the Valois entourage departed from the Château of Fontainebleau approximately fifteen-thousand strong.  The royal train was so large that sometimes the first riders reached a new destination before the rear members of the party had departed from the previous one.  It included horses and beasts of burden, a veritable army and, of course, household furnishings.  Needless to say, this Royal Progress did not progress rapidly!  By modern standards it crawled.  The average distance between stops was a mere twelve miles, and the maximum was thirty-six miles.  Imagine traveling over 2,700 miles at such a pace!  The speed of travel was affected by weather.  But also by the King’s health (Charles was ill twice during the journey), outbreaks of plague along the planned route, road conditions, and even Catholic feast days.

 

 

The traveling party was as fluid as it was large.  Individuals took short cuts and freely came and went from the train as it moved through the kingdom.  Perfect attendance awards, were they to be give, would have been few.  For example, while the royals made the entire journey, only two foreign dignitaries (the Papal Nuncio and the Spanish Ambassador) managed the whole trip.  Many of the chief nobles of the Court, including for example the Prince de Condé, were absent for chunks of the journey.

 

 

Social status dictated mode of travel.  The royal family went by litter, coach or horseback.  Most of the nobles of the Court went on horseback as well.  A large mass of “lesser” travelers walked.  Where navigable rivers were available, boats were employed and who got a seat on which boat (or any boat at all) was based on royal favor and who out-ranked whom.  The task of maintaining discipline over the whole of this city-on-the-move, and making sure everything was in order to receive the King at various destinations fell to Anne de Montmorency, Constable of France.  This was an honor but also a herculean task, and Montmorency was not a young man—in fact he was seventy-one as the Royal Progress began.  Definitely NOT a pleasure trip for the Constable.

 

 

All in all the Royal Progress lasted 829 days, 201 of which were spent traveling.  That was a long time to be away from the center of Valois power, and Catherine, ever worried about keeping control of matters in Paris, was in close contact with those left behind.  Of the more than four-hundred letters she sent during the trip, one-hundred-and-ten went to Parisians, including the Governor of the city, the Prévot des Marchands and the Parlement of the city.

 

 

If you are interested in exhaustive details of the French Royal Progress, a cook who traveled with the Valois chronicled the trip.  Check out The Royal Tour of France by Charles IX and Catherine de’ Medici.  Festivals and Entries, 1564-6 (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1979).

 

 

If you are interested in getting a flavor for the trip without committing to 829 days, I promise you glimpses in Médicis Daughter including: the exotic gift the city fathers of Troyes gave their king (which, incidentally did not impress Princess Marguerite); a boat trip with His Majesty down the Saone from Chalon-sur-Saône to Lyon; and theatricals performed on the Isle of Aiguemeau to entertain and impress the Spanish.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

Publication Date: December 1, 2015
Thomas Dunne Books
Hardcover & eBook; 384 Pages

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

Winter, 1564. Beautiful young Princess Margot is summoned to the court of France, where nothing is what it seems and a wrong word can lead to ruin. Known across Europe as Madame la Serpente, Margot’s intimidating mother, Queen Catherine de Médicis, is a powerful force in a country devastated by religious war. Among the crafty nobility of the royal court, Margot learns the intriguing and unspoken rules she must live by to please her poisonous family.

Eager to be an obedient daughter, Margot accepts her role as a marriage pawn, even as she is charmed by the powerful, charismatic Duc de Guise. Though Margot’s heart belongs to Guise, her hand will be offered to Henri of Navarre, a Huguenot leader and a notorious heretic looking to seal a tenuous truce. But the promised peace is a mirage: her mother’s schemes are endless, and her brothers plot vengeance in the streets of Paris. When Margot’s wedding devolves into the bloodshed of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, she will be forced to choose between her family and her soul.

Médicis Daughter is historical fiction at its finest, weaving a unique coming-of-age story and a forbidden love with one of the most dramatic and violent events in French history.



 

Advance Praise

 

“This is Renaissance France meets Game of Thrones: dark, sumptuous historical fiction that coils religious strife, court intrigue, passionate love, family hatred, and betrayed innocence like a nest of poisonous snakes. Beautiful Princess Margot acts as our guide to the heart of her violent family, as she blossoms from naive court pawn to woman of conscience and renown. A highly recommended coming-of-age tale where the princess learns to slay her own dragons!” –Kate Quinn, Bestselling author of LADY OF THE ETERNAL CITY

“The riveting story of a 16th century French princess caught in the throes of royal intrigue and religious war. From the arms of the charismatic Duke of Guise to the blood-soaked streets of Paris, Princess Marguerite runs a dangerous gauntlet, taking the reader with her. An absolutely gripping read!” –Michelle Moran, bestselling author of THE REBEL QUEEN

“Rising above the chorus of historical drama is Perinot’s epic tale of the fascinating, lascivious, ruthless House of Valois, as told through the eyes of the complicated and intelligent Princess Marguerite. Burdened by her unscrupulous family and desperate for meaningful relationships, Margot is forced to navigate her own path in sixteenth century France. Amid wars of nation and heart, Médicis Daughter brilliantly demonstrates how one unique woman beats staggering odds to find the strength and power that is her birthright.” –Erika Robuck, bestselling author of HEMINGWAY’S GIRL

 

Buy the Book

 

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | INDIEBOUND

 

 

About the Author

 

SOPHIE PERINOT is the author of The Sister Queens and one of six contributing authors of A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii. A former attorney, Perinot is now a full-time writer. She lives in Great
Falls, Virginia with her three children, three cats, one dog and one husband.


An active member of the Historical Novel Society, Sophie has attended all of the group’s North American Conferences and served as a panelist multiple times. Find her among the literary twitterati as @Lit_gal or on Facebook.

Medicis Daughter Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 16

Review at The Mad Reviewer
Review at Peeking Between the Pages

Tuesday, November 17

Review at Just One More Chapter

Wednesday, November 18

Review at The Maiden’s Court

Thursday, November 19

Review at The Eclectic Reader

Friday, November 20

Review at The True Book Addict

Monday, November 23

Review at Broken Teepee
Guest Post at A Literary Vacation

Tuesday, November 24

Review at Book Lovers Paradise

Wednesday, November 25

Review at A Literary Vacation

Friday, November 27

Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

Monday, November 30

Review at leeanna.me

Tuesday, December 1

Review at To Read, Or Not to Read

Wednesday, December 2

Review at Bibliophilia, Please

Thursday, December 3

Review at The Book Binder’s Daughter

Friday, December 4

Guest Post at Bibliophilia, Please

Monday, December 7

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, December 8

Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, December 9

Review at Curling Up By the Fire

Thursday, December 10

Review at The Readers Hollow

Friday, December 11

Review at Reading Lark

Monday, December 14

Review at A Book Geek

Tuesday, December 15

Review at The Lit Bitch

Wednesday, December 16

Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, December 18

Review & Interview at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, December 21

Review at Bookish

Tuesday, December 22

Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, December 23

Review & Guest Post at Historical Fiction Obsession

Monday, December 28

Review at Unshelfish

Tuesday, December 29

Interview at Unshelfish

Thursday, December 31

Review at The Reading Queen