April 03, 2016

The Rivals of Versailles - Sally Christie

Atria Books, April 5, 2016.

 

Four Stars


 

This novel is the follow-up to Christie’s The Sisters of Versailles, both part of a trilogy that chronicles the mistresses of King Louis XV of France. This second novel follows the life of Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, later the Marquise de Pompadour, who essentially ruled France, through the heart of the king, for almost twenty years.

 

After a fortune teller tells young Jeanne-Antoinette that she will become the lover of a king, she precociously insists on the nickname Reinette (French for “little queen”). It is 1745 and Marie-Anne, youngest of the Nesle sisters, has just died suddenly, leaving King Louis without an official mistress. The beautiful Reinette is poised to take her place, regardless of the fact that she is a member of the bourgeois middle class, and seemingly unfit to mix with royalty. Louis does indeed fall under her spell, elevating her to the Marquise de Pompadour to help her gain acceptance in the royal court.

 

Regardless of her new title and the affection of the king, many rivals continue to scheme against the Marquise, and they are especially offended by her bourgeois roots. She is young, idealistic and especially naïve, but she learns quickly, making herself indispensable to King Louis. Although her relationship with the king grows increasingly platonic over the years, their friendship is strong and the Marquise de Pompadour becomes the only one he truly respects and trusts.

 

The novel is divided into six sections, three of which are written from the perspective of the Marquise and include letters written from her friends and family, although not nearly as many as the correspondence that flew between the Nesle sisters in the first book. The other three sections are focused on three specific rivals of the Marquise – very young girls who briefly held the attention of King Louis. Interspersed in their sections are letters from the Marquise to her acquaintances, which serve to fill in the historical gaps that the young rivals may not have been aware of at the time. Although we know from historical records that King Louis XV had a preference for young girls, none of them managed to hold his attention for long. He always returned to the ministrations of the Marquise de Pompadour, who encouraged him to live a life of luxury, even as revolution loomed in the near future.

 

Christie once again brings to life the world of 18th century Versailles, with a realistic portrait of one of the most famous women in history. Filled with sexual escapades and political intrigue, the novel has a very modern tone – I feel like the Marquise de Pompadour would fit in well with today’s celebrity culture. As a trendsetter and social climber, the Marquise could have her own reality show – and yet, Christie’s portrayal is distinctly sympathetic. The Marquise herself wonders at the life she is living – “If they write a book of my life, long after I am dead, will it just be a litany of one rival after another, until I am finally defeated?” (p. 162) Yes, this novel chronicles her many rivals, but the Marquise de Pompadour triumphed above them all, living on in the heart of the king and in the minds of readers today. Looking forward to the third part of the trilogy, coming out next spring!

 

I received this novel from Simon & Schuster/Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.

No comments:

Post a Comment