Atria Books, September 1, 2015.
Four Stars
The Sisters of Versailles is the first book in a new trilogy based on the life of King Louis XV of France. The trilogy is called The Mistresses of Versailles, and this first novel focuses on the five Nesle sisters, four of whom became mistresses to the king. While I look forward to reading the next two books in the trilogy, this book is a standalone novel with no cliff hangers, and can be easily read on its own.
The story of four sisters who love one man is scandalous enough, but when that man is the king of France, bringing with him all the power and prestige of his role, their experiences become much more interesting. The fact that this novel is based on historical events – and quite thoroughly researched, too – makes this a great new read for those who are tired of reading about Anne Boleyn and Mary, Queen of Scots. While it will appeal to readers of Philippa Gregory and others like her, the Nesle sisters have never been fictionalized in English, so Christie brings something new to the world of historical fiction, and that’s pretty exciting.
The format of the novel is a series of letters that fly back and forth between the five sisters, as they each try to put forward their own motivations and desires in the court of King Louis XV and his palace of Versailles. Each sister has a distinct voice: Louise is innocent and sees the best in everyone; Pauline is ambitious and feels limited by the options available to women; Diane is flighty and uncertain, wanting to make everyone happy, but mostly herself; Marie-Anne is young and manipulative, using anyone she can to advance her own place at Versailles. The fifth sister, Hortense, is the only one that does not fall for the king’s charm, and thus we hear much less from her. Each sister is written as an individual, which makes the epistolary format successful in showing us who each of them really was, as well as the love-hate relationship between the girls.
The alternating perspectives kept the plot moving quickly, and the authentic and meticulously researched details of the French court really added interest and filled out the story. Life at Versailles is thoughtfully portrayed, sensational though it is. We truly get a sense of the pre-revolutionary invincibility of the court, in which they thought they could live in luxury forever, while the peasants starved. The portrayal of the king through the choices he did or did not make was well done – he was weak and easily manipulated by those around him, no doubt leading to the revolutionary sentiment that was growing at the time.
The power struggles within the court were intense, but the rivalry between the Nesle sisters was just as strong, although on a smaller stage. Beginning in the nursery, their roles in the family emerged, and it is each of these distinct personalities that draws the king to them at one point or another. When he loses interest in Louise’s virtue, he moves on to the more calculating Pauline and Marie-Anne, with Diane on the side just for the easygoing, sensual fun she provides. Like the many wives of Henry XIII, it is hard to believe this is based on a true story, but I guess that’s why it’s said that truth is often stranger than fiction. In this case, there was a great balance of historical fact and soap opera drama – a novel that’s fun to read, while still letting you feel like you’re learning something new!
I received this book for free from Atria Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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