Work Like Any Other - Virginia Reeves

Scribner, March 1, 2016.

Three Stars

In rural Alabama in the 1920s, Roscoe and his wife and son are struggling to make ends meet on their family farm. Roscoe never wanted to be a farmer – he is an electrician, and he realizes the potential of harnessing the vast power of electricity. Meanwhile, his wife has inherited the farm, and he is forced to work the land, a task for which he has little capability.

After his failure to competently run the farm, Roscoe leaves day-to-day matters to his manager, and finds a bigger and better way to contribute. He finds a way to build power lines on the farm, siphoning energy from the state. Finally, things are going well for Roscoe, and he has gained some respect from his wife and his son. That is, until the police show up at his door, arresting him for the death of a young power company worker, who was electrocuted and killed on Roscoe’s power lines. Roscoe receives a twenty-year sentence, and his family abandons him, leaving him to serve his time alone.

All of the above plot points are described in the book’s synopsis, and there really isn’t a whole lot more to the story, so don’t expect any surprises in this novel. The plot seemed secondary in the author’s writing style, with the events of Roscoe’s life only serving as a framework for issues of redemption and familial love (or lack thereof). The novel is about relationships – husband and wife, parent and child, and even the uneasy camaraderie between the inmates at Roscoe’s prison. It is also about Roscoe’s loss of dignity and self-respect – and his need to accept the past in order to move forward.

The writing is sparse, marked by emotional detachment. Reeves is a strong, talented writer, a manipulator of beautiful language, yet I didn’t find that the actual story held my attention. The novel alternates between Roscoe’s first-person narration of life in prison and third-person flashbacks, describing how he ended up there. Regardless of his punishment, Roscoe still sees electricity as his personal religion, finding spiritual solace in its powerful potential.

Although he is repeatedly up for parole, Roscoe is never released because he cannot repent for his actions. The descriptions of scenes within the historical prison setting were interesting, and I was curious to learn more about the jobs the prisoners were given within their confinement. The novel generally questions the nature of punishment and of the penal system overall: Roscoe had no intention of killing, and it makes no sense to lock him up for his crime, yet that is how the system works.

Work Like Any Other is an introspective novel. It is filled with ideas, and the plot is almost incidental to the concepts Reeves is exploring. The story is a quiet one, spoken softly, and it is lovely to read – it was just a bit too slow for me.

I received this novel from Scribner and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Blue Hour - Douglas Kennedy

Atria Books, February 16, 2016.

Three Stars

Robin is a cautious, thoughtful accountant in her late thirties, living a quiet life. When she meets an older man – the wild, carefree artist Paul – all of her careful life plans fall apart. She falls in love, gets married, and learns to take risks – such as a spontaneous trip to Morocco for the summer, planned by her new husband. The trip seems incredibly romantic at first, but nothing Paul tells Robin is actually as it seems.

Paul and Robin both have complicated romantic histories. Robin was married once before, and the relationship failed for various reasons, but especially because of Robin’s desire for children. Paul, twenty years her senior, has his own mysterious past, including time spent in Morocco, studying art. Robin thinks she knows everything about her husband, who seems at first to be an open book, but when they arrive at the North African coast, their relationship changes.

At first, Robin is reluctant to abandon her structured lifestyle, but she quickly adapts to the freedoms of an exotic new locale. The details of the Moroccan setting are richly described, with the juxtaposition between medieval and modern worlds creating a lush sense of intrigue. The new couple relax into the idyllic setting, with plans to try for a child. However, although everything seems amicable and loving between the two, small red flags start to pop up. Robin continues to see the best in Paul until she receives irrefutable evidence of his betrayal – proof that he has had a vasectomy, in spite of their shared plans to have a baby.

After a vicious argument, Paul disappears, and Robin becomes the prime suspect. To clear her name, Robin takes matters into her own hands, embarking on a risky investigation into Paul’s current situation, as well as his shady past. The novel moves suddenly from an oddly sweet love story to a thrilling adventure across the landscape of Morocco – from the corruption of the city to the barren desert.

It’s clear that Kennedy has spent time in Morocco, and has an affinity for its people and places. The country is not just incidental to the setting, but it becomes a part of the story, as Robin searches endlessly, following the twists and turns of Paul’s journey. The Moroccan people are fully realized as well, showcasing many different facets of society. The setting is vivid and filled with the passion of its long history, from Casablanca to the desert Bedouins.

Robin is a strong female character who never gives up – but her perseverance is almost too much. She doesn’t let go of finding Paul, despite the shocking things she learns about his past, and her seeming lack of self-respect started to lose my sympathy after a while. She is also involved in one particularly brutal act of sexual violence, which I didn’t think was necessary to further the story. In spite of all the thrilling twists, I never guessed what would happen next, making this a complex mystery. After one too many melodramatic incidents, I began to lose interest in Robin’s pursuit – but I still finished the novel, finding it exciting and enjoyable.

I received this novel from Atria Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Shylock is My Name - Howard Jacobson

Hogarth, February 9, 2016.

Three Stars

Jacobson’s novel is the second in the Hogarth Shakespeare series, following Jeanette Winterson’s 2015 release, The Gap of Time. In this novel, Jacobson gives us a retelling of Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice, in which he considers contemporary questions about Jewish identity, expressed through the infamous character of Shylock.

The original Merchant explored issues of family, anti-Semitism, and most importantly – revenge. In this retelling, Shylock is still insistent on getting his “pound of flesh,” but at the same time, he is contrasted with a present-day art dealer named Strulovich, who sees his daughter’s love for a “Nazi” footballer as a betrayal of the family’s faith. Strulovich’s outrage mirrors the original Shylock’s, who felt betrayed by his own daughter’s rejection of her Jewish upbringing. Jacobson himself is also Jewish, and he considers Merchant to be Shakespeare’s most troubling play, in regards to faith.

Jacobson is clearly talented and he certainly does justice to Shakespeare’s intentions – however, I couldn’t identify with the characters and had trouble becoming immersed in the novel. Much of the action takes place as a monologue – Strulovich’s reflection on Jewishness with the ghost of Shylock past. Jacobson does give Shylock more of a voice than he had in the original play, which allows him to further express his motivations, and thus he becomes a well-rounded character.

Shylock is My Name is much more faithful to the original characterization than Winterson’s Gap of Time, and I would have liked to see more of Shylock/Jacobson taking off down his own path, but I suppose that’s the purpose of the Strulovich character – to do and say what the original Shylock did not. I personally much preferred Winterson’s adaptation of Shakespeare, but it’s probably better to view the two novels in isolation, as it’s an unfair comparison. Yes they are part of a series, but they stand completely alone, with very different intentions by each author.

This is ultimately a novel of ideas, with little in the way of plot or action. It’s not a page-turner, but the reader is left with plenty to think about. I think it’s best to have a refresher of the original play before undertaking this novel, as it will add a lot to the experience. This wasn’t my favourite so far in the series, but I’m looking forward to the next one!

I received this novel from Hogarth and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Heart - Maylis de Kerangal

Farrar, Straus & Giroux, February 9, 2016.

Four Stars

This novel was longlisted for the 2016 Man Booker International Prize, under the title Mend the Living. It takes place in the twenty-four hours following a fatal car accident, from the moment three young men set out for an early morning surf session, to their car crash and the subsequent heart transplant that takes place in hospital.

The Heart opens on the three boys as they set out at dawn for the seaside. The descriptive writing is lovely and calm, but with an ominous shadow hanging over everything – we know in advance that tragedy will soon strike. On the drive home, the surfers’ vehicle drifts off the road into a tree, and one of the boys, Simon, is thrown from the van. He is declared brain dead shortly after. 

Although Simon is technically dead, his heart continues to beat. His time in the hospital is told from the perspective of everyone involved, including the doctors, nurses, and especially Simon’s parents – it is an exploration of intense grief, as they are forced to make the logical decision to donate their son’s organs. It is written in an innovative style in which Simon’s heart is really the main character of the novel, as it is taken from his body and given to a woman who is close to death. The heart gives life to someone who would not have survived without Simon’s death.

De Kerangal’s language is like floating through a dream, but it is so real at the same time – in each passage, all of the senses are engaged. The story moves at a slow pace, allowing the reader to savour every moment, even the ones that are hard to digest. There are also some great philosophy-of-science moments, such as the doctor’s discussion of our change of thinking about death:

“The moment of death is no longer to be considered as the moment the heart stops, but as the moment when cerebral function ceases. In other words: I no longer think, therefore I no longer am.” (Loc. 341)

It is a meditation on life, death, and what really makes us who we are. When Simon’s brain activity ends, does his life end too? Or does the heart carry on? The Heart is a compelling read, although it contains many tangents that are perhaps unnecessary. I think that if some of the superfluous sections were removed, it would make a great (long) short story, or novella. Regardless, it is a very interesting read, with many ideas that we all need to be considering as medical science advances at a shocking pace.

I received this novel from Farrar, Straus & Giroux and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'll See You In Paris - Michelle Gable

St. Martin’s Press, February 9, 2016.

Two Stars

After she loses her fiancé in the Vietnam War, Laurel Haley moves to England, taking a job as companion to an eccentric older woman with a fascinating past. On a short trip to Paris, she meets an intriguing man and begins to believe in love again – but the relationship does not last, and its tragic ending is shrouded in mystery. In the present day, Laurel’s daughter Annie is also engaged to a soldier, who is soon to depart for the Middle East. Before her wedding, Annie wishes to learn more about her absent father, and the personal history that her mother has always kept hidden.

We are told that Annie is a young English Literature student, yet she can’t seem to form a coherent sentence. Her immaturity is frustrating, and she acts like she’s the heroine of a historical romance novel – she thinks it is completely romantic that her fiancé is going off to war, and doesn’t consider the realities or risks of her situation at all. The novel overall is very patriotic, with an excess of references to 9/11 in only the first few pages. It seems like the author is trying very hard to draw parallels between Vietnam and Iraq – there are many, but here it feels forced. Annie seems to be impressed by tragic circumstances, but doesn’t have a deeper sense of emotional responses.

Luckily, Annie’s English Lit degree leads her to pick up an old book from her mother’s library – it is about a woman known as the Duchess of Marlborough, and Annie begins to think that this woman may be a link to her mother’s past. When Laurel proposes a trip to the United Kingdom to settle an inheritance there, Annie decides to tag along and investigate. Both Annie’s motivations and her language are very simplistic, making me feel like this is perhaps meant for younger readers, although nothing in the synopsis implies that it is a young adult novel. I also felt like the scenes set in the past were anachronistic, with slangy language inappropriate for the historical setting.

Annie uses the book she has found as a jumping off point for her “research,” in which she just hangs around the local pub and asks strangers what they remember about the Duchess. She meets a man named Angus who has a possible link to her mother, Laurel – although she is unable to make the obvious connection between the two. Instead of just talking to her mom about her past, Annie lurks around and causes trouble in a Nancy Drew sort of way. I did get drawn into the historical sections, written as a dialogue between the Duchess and her interviewer, especially as she discussed her acquaintanceship with contemporary literary figures – but Annie’s sections quickly became tedious.

The interview format grew old as well, and I found myself wishing for more real narrative action. The banter between characters was longwinded instead of being witty, and even the infamously odd Duchess became monotonous as she told her story. As a romance novel, this is a light and simple read – it just wasn’t what I was expecting. Also, be warned that only a very small part of the book is set in Paris. Overall, I found the novel very predictable, and the ending abrupt. It is a quick, easy read, so if that’s what you’re looking for, you may enjoy this one.

I received this novel from St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest

Arcadia - Iain Pears

Knopf Canada, February 9, 2016.

Five Stars

Arcadia is essentially a story of time travel, but really it is so much more. The characters move between three incredibly detailed and beautifully rendered worlds – an ancient idyll, a dystopian future, and the intellectual realm of Oxford in the 1960s. These worlds are distinct, yet simultaneous: there is in fact no past and no future. Time travel themes can be complicated, but Pears leads the reader through these time lines with care and ease.

In 1960s Oxford, Henry Lytten is a part of the intelligentsia that includes C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. He is working on his own epic literary masterpiece, entitled “Anterworld.” Inspired by Elizabethan poet Sir Philip Sidney, who wrote the utopian work “Arcadia,” Lytten’s story also describes an ancient world in which his characters live in a land of pastoral peace. Although his fiction mirrors Sidney’s, Lytten’s critique of the poet could also apply to what Pears himself is attempting to do – the levels of authorship create several layers of metafictional interest.

In the future, Angela Meerson is a scientist working to rationalize time travel – she wants to explain it based on principles of physics, using a model of alternative universes to show how people could travel through time without affecting the future or damaging the existing timeline. However, through her research, Angela begins to think that the effects of such travel is more random, and perhaps even whimsical. She believes that we can travel within one universe that contains every possibility, and that even if small things might be altered, the bigger picture remains the same. The technicalities are complicated, but in Pears’ capable hands, the logic is fascinating and easy to follow.

To explain her theory, Angela uses the example of the writer Balzac. By creating a character in one of his novels, he is also creating for that character a complete backstory, or universe. Similarly, Lytten is creating a universe in “Anterworld,” although he is not expecting it to become reality. When his young neighbour, Rosie, stumbles across a portal to Anterworld in Lytten’s basement, she cannot resist entering – and by doing so, she allows the potential of Anterworld to evolve.

There is so much depth to Arcadia, that a summary such as this one cannot do it justice. It is a lengthy novel, but completely worthwhile. While each of the three worlds contain social commentary, Angela’s future society is eerily possible – she lives in a technocratic world in which all of her thoughts and experiments are controlled, until she manages to pass her knowledge on to the “renegades,” the conscientious objectors to the complete rationalization of thoughts and actions. The scientific aspects of the novel are complex, yet readable, and they are combined with many literary references, especially in regards to early utopian works.

Not only is Arcadia’s subject matter a mix of ancient and contemporary, but so is the novel’s format – in addition to the usual ebook and paper formats, the book can also be read in app form. The sections can be read in any order, or from one of ten characters’ points of view. The style is innovative, and not at all gimmicky – it gives readers more options, and more authority over the text. If this is the future of reading, I think it stands a great chance of getting more people involved with reading, in a new, interactive way.

Another important aspect of this novel is the seamless way that it manages to encompass so many genres. It relies heavily on the history of science fiction and fantasy, and of course dystopian fiction, but it also has characteristics of the traditional spy novel, as well as a combination of historical and speculative fiction, all bound together with Pears’ literary style. I feel we are reaching a tipping point in fiction as genres begin to collapse, and we don’t need these false divisions any longer to understand the context of a story. Pears actually discusses this concept at length in a really interesting interview about Arcadia. It is a combination of so many intriguing ideas, mixed together to make something truly new and exciting.

Overall, this novel is really impressive both structurally and in the minutiae of character and world-building, but it is never overwhelming – it’s not only easy to follow along, but also fun. Pears’ ideas are so refreshing and new, making the extensive length of the novel seem almost too short. I have read some of Pears’ earlier work, and his historical novels are wonderful too, but this is something so different and exciting, that I have to strongly recommend it.

I received this novel from Knopf Canada and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lilac Girls - Martha Hall Kelly

Ballantine Books, April 5, 2016.

Three Stars

Lilac Girls follows three women as they experience very different circumstances during World War II. Based on a real woman with the same name, Caroline Ferriday is an American socialite who works at the French consulate, when Hitler invades Poland in 1939. Meanwhile, Kasia is a Polish teenager who risks her life working as a courier for the underground resistance movement in her home country. Finally, Herta is an ambitious young German doctor who is willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead in the male-dominated Nazi regime. When Kasia is sent to the Ravensbruck concentration camp for women, she crosses paths with both Herta and Caroline in unforgettable ways.

While Caroline was a real woman, Kasia is based on the many young women in Ravensbruck who smuggled information to the outside world, leading to the conviction of their captors for crimes against humanity. The women were known as “rabbits”, because they were the subject of horrific medical experiments. Herta is also a compilation of Nazi historical record, illustrating the shocking acts the Nazis were willing to commit in the name of science.

It can be emotionally exhausting to read another story of the Holocaust – there are so many tragic tales, and yet each is unique and necessary to hear. Much of this novel is painful to read, and yet we need to keep talking about it in order to prevent repetition of these atrocious crimes. While I sometimes felt that the writing was lacking something – some spark to hold my attention – I still feel like this is an important book to read. Most interesting was the focus on the aftermath of the war, and the power of resilience and survival.

Caroline’s character at first seems flighty and insubstantial, as she was busy planning fundraiser balls while Kasia was held captive, starved and tortured. However, Caroline used her social status to raise large amounts of money to help the Ravensbruck “rabbits” and to bring French orphans to America during the war. Jumping from Caroline to Kasia to Herta was often disconcerting because their motivations were so different – the alternating narratives were difficult to sink into, but each character was unique.

Martha Hall Kelly undertook extensive historical research for this novel, as evidenced by the text and also by the author’s note at the end of the book. Her notes are comprehensive, with much more information available on her website. It is clear that Kelly is passionate about her subject, and it shows throughout Lilac Girls.

I received this novel from Ballantine Books in exchange for an honest review.

The Railwayman's Wife - Ashley Hay

Atria Books, April 5, 2016.

Five Stars

The Railwayman’s Wife is a quiet, thoughtful novel set in the aftermath of World War II. In the small coastal town of Thirroul, in New South Wales, Australia, Anikka Lachlan lives with her husband Mac and ten-year-old daughter Isabel. It is 1948, and their lives are filled with the comfort and joy they find with each other. When Mac is killed suddenly in a railway accident, Ani and Isabel are devastated, uncertain how to carry on without him.

While the novel focuses on Anikka, there are also many well-developed supporting characters. Roy McKinnon is a poet who has returned to Thirroul after his time in the war, unsure whether he will be able to write poetry again in peacetime. He moves in with his sister Iris, who is struggling in her own way – during the war, she had a job and independence, which has now been taken away from her. Roy’s best friend, Frank Draper, has also returned from overseas. As a doctor, he stayed behind in Europe after the end of the war, witnessing the atrocities of the concentration camps and doing what he could to help – consumed with guilt that whatever he did, it was never enough.

All of these characters are struggling in the strange new world that has come after the war, trying to find a way to create a new story for themselves. Anikka, although distraught when receiving news of the war, was for the most part untouched by tragedy until her husband’s death. The novel questions our fatality – Mac chose not to fight in the war, yet he was killed at home shortly after. Roy and Frank are emotionally damaged by their experiences, but alive. The author reflects on the senselessness of death, regardless of war or peace.

Mac’s death brings Ani the opportunity to work at the Railway Institute’s library, giving her a sense of purpose and independence. She is uncertain of whether she can be capable outside of the home, but feels at peace in her sanctuary of books. Her job gives her the chance to interact with the people of her community in ways that don’t only revolve around her grief and loss. However, in her conversations with the townspeople, she learns information about her husband that she was not aware of – nothing too shocking, but enough to make her wonder whether she truly knew the man she married, or whether her knowledge of her husband was a trick of memory.

In the opening scene of the novel, Mac and Ani are searching through a junk shop for the perfect gift for Isabel’s birthday, when they come across a kaleidoscope. The optical instrument changes the way we see the world, and it acts as a metaphor throughout the novel. Memories, too, are always changing, depending on perspective, and Anikka must learn to appreciate the new facets of Mac’s personality that she is discovering, instead of allowing them to tarnish her own memories. She also begins to open up her view of the world to include new friends and unexpected feelings.

Roy is the poet in this novel, but whole sections of the book read like poetry – the language is lush and lyrical, almost painterly in its descriptions of the coastal landscape. Though there are several major incidents in the story arc, much of the drama is internalized by the characters, and the novel unfolds at a slow, measured pace. The ending is melancholy, and not as hopeful as I had expected, but tragedy is true to life. It is an exploration of love and loss, filled with vague, complicated feelings, as life often is. A beautiful book that I highly recommend be read slowly and savoured.

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

Glory Over Everything - Kathleen Grissom

Simon & Schuster, April 5, 2016.

 

Four Stars

 

Glory Over Everything follows the journey of Jamie Pyke, a character from Grissom’s 2010 novel, The Kitchen House. Through flashbacks, we learn how Jamie left the ill-fated Tall Oakes plantation on which he was raised, and how he came to Philadelphia, where he is now living as a wealthy white aristocrat named James Burton. Jamie grew up believing that the white woman who raised him was his mother – after her death, he learns that she was actually his grandmother, and his real mother was in fact one of her black slaves. With all the prejudice learned from his grandmother, one of Jamie’s most difficult tasks is being able to accept himself.

 

Jamie was only a child when he arrived in Philadelphia, and he faced many challenges to survive in the city. He was fortunate to have two men take an interest in him as father-figures – one, a black man who sheltered him in the forest and encouraged him to pass as white; and the second, a white silversmith who took a chance on Jamie as his apprentice and eventual adopted son. Now, in 1830, James Burton has taken over the silversmith business and he is living a life of wealth and privilege. One day, Henry, the escaped slave who helped him to survive as a child, arrives at his doorstep in a panic – Henry’s son, Pan, has been abducted by slave traders, and he needs James’ help. However, if James goes after Pan, he will be risking everything, and his secret identity will likely be exposed.

 

There is a level of symmetry between the stories of young Jamie and Pan, as they struggle to survive as children in a dangerous world. When James learns that Pan is missing, he begins to remember his own journey away from the plantation and towards a new life. If he makes the choice to save Pan, he must make that trip in reverse – and he could lose everything, including his own freedom. James is a strong character, but he is also human, and wishes for self-preservation. It is only when his true background is exposed in other ways that he decides to risk it all for a child in whom he sees much of himself.

 

I didn’t always find James to be a likeable character, but again, that is what makes him realistic and human. In contrast, Pan’s precocious nature, Henry’s loyalty and Sukey’s strength all drew me into the novel. Although there are many plot twists, I felt like the story as a whole could have been stronger – it was perhaps missing some depth, or level of complexity, and everything was solved too neatly in the end. However, more importantly, this is the story of slavery and survival, and with that in mind, I think the novel is a success. Although sometimes painful to read, Glory Over Everything is a necessary story, and the novel is enhanced by its larger historical context.

 

At times, I also wished the novel was darker and grittier, but that is also my own preference in storytelling. In fact, I think Grissom does a fantastic job of taking a very dark period in American history, and finding the light, or the good in people. The title of the novel comes from a Harriet Tubman quote, and it embraces a sense of light cast over the darkness of slavery: “I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person now I was free. There was such a glory over everything. The sun came up like gold through the trees, and I felt like I was in heaven.”

 

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

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 18^th 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.