The school of mirrors A novel

Eva Stachniak, 1952-

Book - 2022

"A lush, engrossing tale of love, deception and scandal in the 18th century French court of King Louis XV. Against the tumult of 18th century France, King Louis XV has tired of courtly intrigues and becomes a connoisseur of innocence. On the grounds of the Palace of Versailles lies Deer Park, a hunting ground that also offers another pleasure: a mansion where his young mistresses are housed. But when these girls first arrive at Deer Park, it is under the guise of a different role. They are promised employment in the household of a count, and, eager to improve their stations, they leave their families to serve him. Veronique is one such girl. She is introduced to "the count," and young and naive as she is, she never doubts his... identity. And as he begins to bestow affection on her, she quickly becomes consumed with love for him. It is too late when she realizes who he really is, the stakes of their affair and what she will have to give up to survive. In vivid detail and with a breathless pace, Eva Stachniak captures the story of a fast-changing France, where the once beloved Louis XV is losing ground, his grandson the Dauphin Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are sickening the country with their opulence and the French Revolution is stirring. It is in this France that Veronique's young daughter, Marie-Louise, will grow up searching for answers about her birth. With stirring insight and dazzling intrigue, this novel questions the true meaning of legacy."--

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Subjects
Genres
Novels
Historical fiction
Published
New York : William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers [2022]
Language
English
Main Author
Eva Stachniak, 1952- (author)
Edition
First U.S. edition
Item Description
Includes reader's guide with discussion questions (pages 2-7 at end of work).
Physical Description
403, 7 pages ; 21 cm
ISBN
9780063119604
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Stachniak (The Chosen Maiden, 2017) casts empathetic light on a French mother and daughter whose lives are affected by royal privilege. By 1755, Louis XV, weary of court formalities and dramas, has become a "connoisseur of innocence," so his valet de chambre procures untouched teenage girls for his pleasures. Believing she'll be entering domestic service, pretty, lower-class Véronique Roux arrives near the Versailles palace at a house where she is instructed in the courtesan's arts. Her patron's identity is kept concealed, and Véronique loses access to their daughter, Marie-Louise, after her birth. Marie-Louise becomes a skilled midwife who often wonders about the parents she never knew. As revolutionary fervor builds, her secret royal heritage could become a liability, were it discovered. Stachniak combines a delicately embroidered historical world with enduring situations, like the exploitation of the less fortunate and parent-child relationships. Her multifaceted approach also showcases Queen Marie Leszczyńska's charity work and a fascinating cloth mannequin used to train midwives. The theme of illusion versus authenticity emerges in subtle ways. This accomplished novel should enthrall Francophiles and women's history enthusiasts.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Stachniak (The Winter Palace) offers an impressive if schematic story of Versailles and Paris in the years leading up to and following the French Revolution. In 1755, 13-year-old Véronique Roux is surrendered by her widowed mother to an aide of King Louis XVI, who transports her to Deer Park, where underage girls are groomed to sexually service the king. After Véronique gives birth to the king's daughter, Marie-Louise, the newborn is taken away and Véronique is married off to a wealthy merchant. As a girl, Marie-Louise is shuffled from household to household into the care of various guardians, first in Versailles and then in Paris, always wondering about her origins. She trains as a midwife, marries, watches the dissolution of the monarchy and, eventually, learns about her lineage. Stachniak has clearly done her research on life both in the royal court and on the streets of Paris, and though the fictional characters often seem too passive, the author smoothly integrates their stories with those of historical members of the royal family, as well as revolutionary George Danton. Overall, Stachniak successfully immerses readers in a tumultuous era of French history. Agent: Helen Heller, Helen Heller Agency. (Feb.)

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