Review: The Enemies of Versailles

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If you know me in real life, you may have recently heard me raving about this historical fiction trilogy, of which the final installment was released just yesterday. The Enemies of Versailles continues the story of King Louis XV's reign through the lens of his last mistress. With this last look at the many women behind his throne, Sally Christie once again completely captivated me and had me dreaming of life at Versailles. If you're interested in starting from the beginning (I highly recommend it -- every detail is worth reading), you can find my review of the first here and the second here. 

This series is one of those that managed to transport me -- while reading, there was little to distract me from the delicious details, incredible scandal, and suspense of the court of King Louis XV. In this third installment, Christie examines the last period of Louis XV's reign from the perspective of his final mistress, a woman named Jeanne Bécu. Jeanne eventually becomes the Comtesse du Barry, but her origins are far from noble. Early on in life, Jeanne was recruited to be a prostitute for wealthy men. Jeanne's charm and flirtatious manner win her the attention of friends to the king, and eventually she finds herself with an apartment in Versailles and the object of the king's adoration. 

There was a pretty stark difference between the Comtesse du Barry and the woman that came before her, the intimidating and powerful Marquise de Pompadour. (For more details on her, read the second book.) Jeanne was far more frivolous in nature, and therefore not as interested in controlling the throne, but she did have a significant adversary in the king's eldest daughter. The novel switches back and forth between the perspective of the mistress and the daughter, and that is what made it so interesting. The stark contrast between the pious, spinster daughter and the bold, flirtatious mistress highlighted the dissonance of Versailles -- a court that tried desperately to uphold tradition but was known for its outrageous parties and rampant infidelity. I also loved that this novel gave the reader a different perspective on the reign of Marie Antoinette and the decline of the nobility due to the revolution. 

Christie manages to make this reading experience one that's both entirely educational -- the scope of her research is clear -- and marked by heart-pounding scenes of suspense and scandal. I adore this series and predict that any historical fiction lover would not be able to resist this story after reading the first few pages.

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5

Title: The Enemies of Versailles (The Mistresses of Versailles #3)

Author: Sally Christie

Publisher: Atria, 2017

Price: $16.00 (Paperback)

ISBN: 1501103024

Format: E-book

Source: Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Review: The Rivals of Versailles

{Goodreads}

Friends, I have a good one for you today. If you're a historical fiction fan, this series is for you. I really enjoy historical fiction in general, but I tend to stick to a few time periods (I mentioned that recently in my review of A Bridge Across the Ocean). The court at Versailles is so fascinating, and I love reading about the intrigue, deception, and social rules that dictate the every move courtiers. I read the first book in this series, The Sisters of Versailles, last year and loved the introduction to the court of Louis XV. 

In The Rivals of Versailles, we pick up right where the first book left off. Immediately after the death of his most recent mistress, we meet the next powerful woman to inhabit both the bed and heart of King Louis XV. Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson was once told by a psychic that she would be powerful beyond imagination and a mistress to a great king. She takes that to heart and with the help of Louis' advisors and confidantes, Jeanne manages to secure a place at court as the Marquise de Pompadour, the king's official mistress, and his most trusted advisor. Throughout the course of The Rivals of Versailles, we meet several more of Louis' (many, many) mistresses, and Jeanne's position is constantly threatened by both these new lovers and her enemies among Louis' advisors.

Much of what I wrote in my review of the first book remains true here: the history is so obviously well-researched, the story rich in detail, and the scandal so shocking that it's hard to look away. My one disclaimer would be that there is definitely some sexual content in these books, so some readers may find that uncomfortable. Even as a reader who doesn't normally indulge in romantic fiction, I find this series so irresistible. I love stories with strong women, but I especially love when those women played a part in real history. In this case, the author's note mentioned that Jeanne is considered to be one of the three most powerful women of the eighteenth century, and no reader can deny that her rise from a common girl to the virtual Queen of France is something to be admired. The third book in the series comes out this month so stay tuned for a review of that soon!

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5

Title: The Rivals of Versailles

Author: Sally Christie

Publisher: Atria, 2016

Price: $10 on Amazon 

ISBN: 1501102990

Format: Paperback

Source: Personal Library

Review: The Sisters of Versailles

{on Goodreads}

Before I begin to tell you how this book completely pulled me in and left me dreaming of life at Versailles, let's take a minute to appreciate that cover. A little mysterious, beautifully colorful, and perfect for displaying on your bookshelf. The Sisters of Versailles isn't just pretty on the outside though-- the story inside is captivating, enticing, and full of strong female characters. The Sisters of Versailles also just happens to be a true story: of the five Nesle girls-- sisters who grew up in the early 18th century. Four would become mistress to a king, causing scandalous shockwaves to rip the kingdom of France, the citizens of which believed their king to be a pious and faithful man. This historical fiction account puts the reader alongside the family as the Nesle sisters grow from innocent young girls to powerful figures behind the throne, and as King Louis XV's reign blossoms, we see the sisters' campaigns against the citizens, members of the court, and each other.

The book has a frame narrative from the perspective of Hortense, now an old woman, but once the most beautiful of the five sisters. The story that Hortense tells, of her four sisters and how they each became the mistress to the king of France, begins when the five girls were all young -- innocent of the ways of the court and eager to be included in its luxury. I liked that we got to glimpse each of the sisters before she discovered what the world was truly like, this made them relatable as they navigated their new positions at court and found influence in the king's bed. One by one, the sisters find their way to Versailles, and in each case, they catch they eye of King Louis XV, one of the most beloved kings of France. This is where the book had the potential to turn into a terrible romance, but Christie took the relationships between the sisters, and between each sister and King Louis XV, and shaped them in a way that made them more meaningful to the reader. 

Whether or not you like romance novels (I do not, by the way), you will fall for the romance in this book. As a reader, I found the triumphs and heartbreaks easy to connect with, and I came away with a unique sense of empathy for each of the sisters. The story comes to us through the perspective of each sister and through the sisters' correspondence, and Christie did an excellent job of giving each sister her own voice so that the authors of letters were immediately recognizable. The different relationships between the sisters -- from reverence to tension -- came to be an integral part of their motivations and actions at court, and I found those dynamics to be both interesting and not so different from sibling relationships in modern times. That the story is true only made it more compelling, and although I felt like there was a certain sense of finality at the end of this book (it could certainly stand alone), I am quite curious to find out what comes next in the trilogy. If you're a fan of Marie Antoinette, this period in historical fiction, or if you liked this book, I'd keep my eye out for this one when it hits bookstores tomorrow!

Bottom Line Rating: 5/5

Title: The Sisters of Versailles (Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy)

Author: Sally Christie

Publisher: Atria Books

Expected publication date: September 1, 2015

Pre-order on Amazon

Pre-order on Barnes and Noble

ISBN: 1501102966

Format: E-book

Source: Advanced Review Copy provided by Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with an advanced copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!