canadianbookaddict's review against another edition
4.0
I do not often read historical fiction but I do love reading the genre. I am just picky when it comes to this genre.
Just from reading the descrition of this book it made me want to read it because it sounded so interesting and I am glad I read it because I just couldn't put it down.
It is very well written and sucked me into the story right away.
If you are into Historical fiction I highly recommend this book.
Just from reading the descrition of this book it made me want to read it because it sounded so interesting and I am glad I read it because I just couldn't put it down.
It is very well written and sucked me into the story right away.
If you are into Historical fiction I highly recommend this book.
moirwyn's review against another edition
4.0
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2015/09/24/review-and-giveaway-the-sisters-of-versailles-by-sally-christie/
The Sisters of Versailles by Sally Christie is a novel about five sisters, four of whom were mistresses to King Louis XV of France. When the Nelse sisters were young, their mother died. The eldest sister, Louise, took her mother’s position at court, where she meets Louis XV, just as he was beginning to tire of his Polish wife. As each of the other sisters comes of age, their paths converge at Versailles, where the king finds himself enamored with the family.
Characters
The Nelse sisters have vibrant and often clashing personalities. To be honest, I didn’t actually *like* any of them, and yet they felt like real people with both strengths and flaws who are driven by their surroundings into doing what they feel like they have to in order to (arguably) live a good life.
Louise, the eldest sister, is the first to charm Louise. She’s young, kind, and incredibly naive. The king’s advisers notice that he’s getting tired of his wife, and push Louise into a relationship with him because she’s low-key and easy to manipulate. She’s not a political threat, never asks anything for herself, and doesn’t make herself a nuisance. And yet, at the same time, she’s so clueless about how the world works that she sets herself up to get hurt repeatedly in the name of love.
Then there’s Pauline, who is kind of a bitch. Pauline wants power, and will stop at nothing to get there. After spending much of her life in a convent, she comes to Versailles with the sole intention of usurping Louise as the king’s mistress. On one hand, I admire her tenacity, but there’s absolutely nothing redeeming in her character.
Marie Anne is Pauline’s nemesis. She’s highly intelligent, and for much of the book, she was my favorite character. Marie Anne was married off early, and spent her early years of marriage in the country, learning how to grow spices and perusing her husband’s book collection. After her husband dies, Marie Anne goes off the deep end and pretty much turns into Pauline. And for her, it’s not even a life she really wanted, so much as the choice that seemed most appealing after losing everything she owned and having nowhere else to go. Her relationship with Louis was her way out, but at the same time, it meant stepping on her sisters to get there, which is seriously not cool.
Diane marches to the beat of her own drum. She’s a klutz and has a hard time writing. She spent years living in a convent, and then staying with elderly relatives, and pretty much has no social skills. Louis finds her awkwardness charming, but she’s not the type of person to make a move. She’s not cunning like Pauline or Marie Anne, and it’s more like she falls into the relationship with Louis than anything else. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Diane and her husband; the two of them are both completely awkward and weird in a way that makes them work well together. Despite the fact that she always seemed a bit off, Diane was clearly the most likable of all of the sisters.
And then there’s Hortense, who never did sleep with the king, despite Louis’ interest in her. Hortense always seemed to have a holier-than-thou attitude, and used her devotion as something to hold over her sisters. She was super annoying, although she was probably the smart one, as she managed to stay out of scandal’s way and seemed to have a happy family.
Structure
The Sisters of Versailles begins and ends with a senile Hortense reflecting on the past. The bulk of the story is a flashback where each sister has alternating point-of-view chapters. It reminded me a bit of the movie Ever After, and I’m not sure if Hortense’s framing from the future was necessary.
Within the flashback, each chapter is separated by correspondence between the sisters, and the letters tend to be filled with snark and to highlight the sisters’ relationship dynamics. The letters illustrate who is sucking up to whom, who is judging whom, who’s having an argument, and how all of that changes over time. As someone who comes from a big family that loves each other dearly but doesn’t always get along, the letters resonated with me and made the characters feel more real.
Overall Thoughts
I’ve read a lot of fiction about European monarchs and their various love interests, but the story of the Nelse sisters was completely new to me, and it was fascinating to take a glimpse into their world. At its heart, The Sisters of Versailles isn’t just the story of the king and his mistresses, but rather is the story of a family that lets itself be torn apart by conflicting personal interests and greed, before finally realizing the power of sororal love.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2015/09/24/review-and-giveaway-the-sisters-of-versailles-by-sally-christie/
The Sisters of Versailles by Sally Christie is a novel about five sisters, four of whom were mistresses to King Louis XV of France. When the Nelse sisters were young, their mother died. The eldest sister, Louise, took her mother’s position at court, where she meets Louis XV, just as he was beginning to tire of his Polish wife. As each of the other sisters comes of age, their paths converge at Versailles, where the king finds himself enamored with the family.
Characters
The Nelse sisters have vibrant and often clashing personalities. To be honest, I didn’t actually *like* any of them, and yet they felt like real people with both strengths and flaws who are driven by their surroundings into doing what they feel like they have to in order to (arguably) live a good life.
Louise, the eldest sister, is the first to charm Louise. She’s young, kind, and incredibly naive. The king’s advisers notice that he’s getting tired of his wife, and push Louise into a relationship with him because she’s low-key and easy to manipulate. She’s not a political threat, never asks anything for herself, and doesn’t make herself a nuisance. And yet, at the same time, she’s so clueless about how the world works that she sets herself up to get hurt repeatedly in the name of love.
Then there’s Pauline, who is kind of a bitch. Pauline wants power, and will stop at nothing to get there. After spending much of her life in a convent, she comes to Versailles with the sole intention of usurping Louise as the king’s mistress. On one hand, I admire her tenacity, but there’s absolutely nothing redeeming in her character.
Marie Anne is Pauline’s nemesis. She’s highly intelligent, and for much of the book, she was my favorite character. Marie Anne was married off early, and spent her early years of marriage in the country, learning how to grow spices and perusing her husband’s book collection. After her husband dies, Marie Anne goes off the deep end and pretty much turns into Pauline. And for her, it’s not even a life she really wanted, so much as the choice that seemed most appealing after losing everything she owned and having nowhere else to go. Her relationship with Louis was her way out, but at the same time, it meant stepping on her sisters to get there, which is seriously not cool.
Diane marches to the beat of her own drum. She’s a klutz and has a hard time writing. She spent years living in a convent, and then staying with elderly relatives, and pretty much has no social skills. Louis finds her awkwardness charming, but she’s not the type of person to make a move. She’s not cunning like Pauline or Marie Anne, and it’s more like she falls into the relationship with Louis than anything else. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Diane and her husband; the two of them are both completely awkward and weird in a way that makes them work well together. Despite the fact that she always seemed a bit off, Diane was clearly the most likable of all of the sisters.
And then there’s Hortense, who never did sleep with the king, despite Louis’ interest in her. Hortense always seemed to have a holier-than-thou attitude, and used her devotion as something to hold over her sisters. She was super annoying, although she was probably the smart one, as she managed to stay out of scandal’s way and seemed to have a happy family.
Structure
The Sisters of Versailles begins and ends with a senile Hortense reflecting on the past. The bulk of the story is a flashback where each sister has alternating point-of-view chapters. It reminded me a bit of the movie Ever After, and I’m not sure if Hortense’s framing from the future was necessary.
Within the flashback, each chapter is separated by correspondence between the sisters, and the letters tend to be filled with snark and to highlight the sisters’ relationship dynamics. The letters illustrate who is sucking up to whom, who is judging whom, who’s having an argument, and how all of that changes over time. As someone who comes from a big family that loves each other dearly but doesn’t always get along, the letters resonated with me and made the characters feel more real.
Overall Thoughts
I’ve read a lot of fiction about European monarchs and their various love interests, but the story of the Nelse sisters was completely new to me, and it was fascinating to take a glimpse into their world. At its heart, The Sisters of Versailles isn’t just the story of the king and his mistresses, but rather is the story of a family that lets itself be torn apart by conflicting personal interests and greed, before finally realizing the power of sororal love.
darklylit's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
logannium's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
amyma's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting book set at Versailles in the 18th century during the rule of King Louis XV. I was excited to read this book because I was just at Versailles a couple of months ago. I actually wish I had the read the book before going because it would have given me quite a different perspective of what happened at that magnificent castle. Although, reading it after being there helped to understand some of the places mentioned, so I suppose I would like to visit again to have both viewpoints!
I've always heard reality is stranger than fiction and this book is one that proves that theory. Who would think that four of five sisters would all have affairs with one King, very different sisters I might add. Before reading the author notes and seeing it was well researched, I thought it was quite a bit of bawdiness the author was attributing to the King. But, as it turns out, life at Versailles and with kings was quite racy.
While I did enjoy the book, I also found it to be a bit wordy and slow at times. Even with that said, I would recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction, but in this case, more of the fluffy, scandalous kind. What I did like a lot was that the story was told by the point of view of each sister. I feel that makes the book more intimate, really makes the reader feel "in the moment" with each character.
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **
I've always heard reality is stranger than fiction and this book is one that proves that theory. Who would think that four of five sisters would all have affairs with one King, very different sisters I might add. Before reading the author notes and seeing it was well researched, I thought it was quite a bit of bawdiness the author was attributing to the King. But, as it turns out, life at Versailles and with kings was quite racy.
While I did enjoy the book, I also found it to be a bit wordy and slow at times. Even with that said, I would recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction, but in this case, more of the fluffy, scandalous kind. What I did like a lot was that the story was told by the point of view of each sister. I feel that makes the book more intimate, really makes the reader feel "in the moment" with each character.
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **
fictionfan's review against another edition
5.0
Beware the Sisterhood...
When poor Louis XV of France began to tire of his ageing wife (she was nearly 30), he turned to one of the ladies of the court for comfort, Louise de Mailly-Nesle. Then to her sister, Pauline. Then to another of her sisters. Then another. This is a fictionalised account of the true story of the five Mailly-Nesle sisters, of whom four became the King's mistress, and not always at different times...
First off, I have to say this isn't at all my usual kind of reading. But I was offered a copy by the author just after I had reviewed a 'proper' history book about Marguerite de Valois, which had sparked my interest in the French court. Louis XV and the sisters are from a later period in history, the last gasp, as it turned out, of the “ancien régime”, while the road to revolution was being built. To my surprise, Sally Christie doesn't seem to be an historian, though she describes herself as a life-long history buff. The surprise comes because this book is clearly as thoroughly researched as most histories I have read, and she shows a complete mastery of all aspects of the period, not just the manners of the aristocracy at the heart of the book, but making subtle reference as to what is happening outside the gilded cage of Versailles.
But first and foremost, this is a comedy of manners, showing the jostling for power and position at the centre of Louis' court, and the licentiousness and profligacy for which it was notorious. Christie shows us that for women in particular marriage and sex were their only route to security and social advancement, and marriage was often only a flimsy cover, a token nod to morality, in a court where adultery was the norm. Unlike the many queens of Henry VIII, the Mailly-Nesle sisters were not from a powerful family and so were not aiming at the throne itself. They had no male relatives looking out for them, their drunken father having drifted out of their lives many years earlier and anyway being too lowly to exert any influence. Their mother had been notorious in her time for her many affairs, and following her death the sisters had been split up and housed separately, two with an aunt, two in a convent, and the eldest already married off to an older man she didn't really know, much less love. Their lives were drab and their dowries so small they were unlikely to achieve great marriages, so all ambition was centred on achieving a coveted place at Versailles. The first to get there was Louise, the eldest...
My interest in people sleeping around is minimal at best, so I was delighted that although the story stays focused throughout on the sisters’ affairs with Louis, Christie uses this to give a much wider picture of the personalities and life of the court. (And happily, despite the book being largely about sex, for the most part the reader is left firmly outside the bedroom door.) Christie doesn’t make any attempt to create a kind of faux ‘Ho, there! Fie upon you!’ language – her characters all speak with neutrally modern voices, and their emotions are quite recognisable too. But their manners and behaviour are set firmly within their own time. There are undoubtedly many anachronisms in the figures of speech, but after a bit I realised this works very well. Because, amongst all the acute observations of society and the sneaky bits of history, this is basically a tragi-comedy about five rival sisters, with all the family tensions and backbiting that go on in any fundamentally dysfunctional family.
And it is very funny indeed at points. The story is told all in first person narratives from the five sisters, so we get to know their personalities both from their own account and through the views of their siblings. The narrative is also intersected with letters between them all, which are some of the funniest bits of the book. Pauline, for example, stuck in a convent, desperately wants Louise to invite her to Versailles and tries every way she can think of to persuade her. Diane is frankly more interested in food than men, so in her sections and letters we get a very humorously written insight into the various dishes of the time and how they were prepared. Hortense likes to present a façade of piety (though one suspects she's open to sin as much as the next sister, should the opportunity arise). And Louise likes to pretend that she and Louis are 'just good friends', even although the whole country knows what's going on.
While all this humour makes it a hugely enjoyable read, Christie doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of life in this time. Death in childbirth is commonplace, and mistresses are expendable – their aim must be to consolidate their financial position before they are discarded when their looks begin to fade. The gossip-mongering and nastiness of the Court comes through strongly, as does the aristocratic disregard for the desperate poverty growing outside the walls. Christie uses her light touch to show how hated the mistresses are by the general populace, many of whom see the ongoing famines as God's judgement on the King's immorality – but the King, of course, cannot be criticised, unlike the women. There are parts that are dark indeed, making the book feel balanced and with plenty of depth underneath the gauzy surface.
I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed this walk outside my comfort zone – a tribute to the quality of Christie's writing. It's billed as the first of a trilogy on Versailles mistresses – I will most certainly be in the queue for the next one.
NB This book was provided for review by the author.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
When poor Louis XV of France began to tire of his ageing wife (she was nearly 30), he turned to one of the ladies of the court for comfort, Louise de Mailly-Nesle. Then to her sister, Pauline. Then to another of her sisters. Then another. This is a fictionalised account of the true story of the five Mailly-Nesle sisters, of whom four became the King's mistress, and not always at different times...
First off, I have to say this isn't at all my usual kind of reading. But I was offered a copy by the author just after I had reviewed a 'proper' history book about Marguerite de Valois, which had sparked my interest in the French court. Louis XV and the sisters are from a later period in history, the last gasp, as it turned out, of the “ancien régime”, while the road to revolution was being built. To my surprise, Sally Christie doesn't seem to be an historian, though she describes herself as a life-long history buff. The surprise comes because this book is clearly as thoroughly researched as most histories I have read, and she shows a complete mastery of all aspects of the period, not just the manners of the aristocracy at the heart of the book, but making subtle reference as to what is happening outside the gilded cage of Versailles.
But first and foremost, this is a comedy of manners, showing the jostling for power and position at the centre of Louis' court, and the licentiousness and profligacy for which it was notorious. Christie shows us that for women in particular marriage and sex were their only route to security and social advancement, and marriage was often only a flimsy cover, a token nod to morality, in a court where adultery was the norm. Unlike the many queens of Henry VIII, the Mailly-Nesle sisters were not from a powerful family and so were not aiming at the throne itself. They had no male relatives looking out for them, their drunken father having drifted out of their lives many years earlier and anyway being too lowly to exert any influence. Their mother had been notorious in her time for her many affairs, and following her death the sisters had been split up and housed separately, two with an aunt, two in a convent, and the eldest already married off to an older man she didn't really know, much less love. Their lives were drab and their dowries so small they were unlikely to achieve great marriages, so all ambition was centred on achieving a coveted place at Versailles. The first to get there was Louise, the eldest...
My interest in people sleeping around is minimal at best, so I was delighted that although the story stays focused throughout on the sisters’ affairs with Louis, Christie uses this to give a much wider picture of the personalities and life of the court. (And happily, despite the book being largely about sex, for the most part the reader is left firmly outside the bedroom door.) Christie doesn’t make any attempt to create a kind of faux ‘Ho, there! Fie upon you!’ language – her characters all speak with neutrally modern voices, and their emotions are quite recognisable too. But their manners and behaviour are set firmly within their own time. There are undoubtedly many anachronisms in the figures of speech, but after a bit I realised this works very well. Because, amongst all the acute observations of society and the sneaky bits of history, this is basically a tragi-comedy about five rival sisters, with all the family tensions and backbiting that go on in any fundamentally dysfunctional family.
And it is very funny indeed at points. The story is told all in first person narratives from the five sisters, so we get to know their personalities both from their own account and through the views of their siblings. The narrative is also intersected with letters between them all, which are some of the funniest bits of the book. Pauline, for example, stuck in a convent, desperately wants Louise to invite her to Versailles and tries every way she can think of to persuade her. Diane is frankly more interested in food than men, so in her sections and letters we get a very humorously written insight into the various dishes of the time and how they were prepared. Hortense likes to present a façade of piety (though one suspects she's open to sin as much as the next sister, should the opportunity arise). And Louise likes to pretend that she and Louis are 'just good friends', even although the whole country knows what's going on.
While all this humour makes it a hugely enjoyable read, Christie doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of life in this time. Death in childbirth is commonplace, and mistresses are expendable – their aim must be to consolidate their financial position before they are discarded when their looks begin to fade. The gossip-mongering and nastiness of the Court comes through strongly, as does the aristocratic disregard for the desperate poverty growing outside the walls. Christie uses her light touch to show how hated the mistresses are by the general populace, many of whom see the ongoing famines as God's judgement on the King's immorality – but the King, of course, cannot be criticised, unlike the women. There are parts that are dark indeed, making the book feel balanced and with plenty of depth underneath the gauzy surface.
I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed this walk outside my comfort zone – a tribute to the quality of Christie's writing. It's billed as the first of a trilogy on Versailles mistresses – I will most certainly be in the queue for the next one.
NB This book was provided for review by the author.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
nissahh's review against another edition
4.0
Truth is stranger than fiction. At first I thought this was fake, but when I looked it up it was very much real. While reading I would pause and look up certain people to see what they look like so I could picture them better. The writing is beautifu. The story is beautiful as well, but also heartbreaking. I had to take a break from it, because I was getting emotional (I get emotional easily).
I received this book from NetGalley to review, and even though I loved the books, I usually get them on my ebook, but with this one, I have to say, I will be getting the physical copy. The cover is beautiful, and for some odd reason, I think I will get even more emotional with it in my hands. There's something about buring your face in a physical book when you get second hand embarrassment.
I received this book from NetGalley to review, and even though I loved the books, I usually get them on my ebook, but with this one, I have to say, I will be getting the physical copy. The cover is beautiful, and for some odd reason, I think I will get even more emotional with it in my hands. There's something about buring your face in a physical book when you get second hand embarrassment.
plantladyreader's review against another edition
5.0
I love any book I can find surrounding 18th century French Nobility and the life of the court in Versailles, and this series is everything I need.
We follow the true story (somewhat fictionalized) of the Maille-Nesle sisters, Louise, Diane, Hortense, Mary-Anne and Pauline, and how they ended up at Versailles with King Louis XV. The sisters desire nothing more than to make excellent marriages that will get them into the service of the Queen and living in Versailles. Louise is the first daughter to be married, and is given the distinction of being one of the Queen's many ladies in waiting. However, she catches the eye of King Louis XV, and soon finds herself wrapped up in scandal. At this time in France, there is political upheaval and impending war. The economy is suffering, and starting to resent the lavish way everyone at the Palace of Versailles is living. Within a few decades, the sisters have come and gone in Versailles, each of them having an impact on the king during their time at court.
This book is so well written. The detail that went into researching true personas from King Louis XV's time at Versailles and as the King of France, the activities the people in court participated in, how they lived, and the ever-changing social politics that went on in Versailles added such a rich depth to this plot. Christie wove the lives of these women into a tale that instantly absorbs you, following along with the intrigues and dynamics, seeing how even blood bonds can be broken.
if you're a fan of 18th century French history, Versailles and historical fiction, I highly recommend picking up this trilogy. I can't wait to get to book two!
5
We follow the true story (somewhat fictionalized) of the Maille-Nesle sisters, Louise, Diane, Hortense, Mary-Anne and Pauline, and how they ended up at Versailles with King Louis XV. The sisters desire nothing more than to make excellent marriages that will get them into the service of the Queen and living in Versailles. Louise is the first daughter to be married, and is given the distinction of being one of the Queen's many ladies in waiting. However, she catches the eye of King Louis XV, and soon finds herself wrapped up in scandal. At this time in France, there is political upheaval and impending war. The economy is suffering, and starting to resent the lavish way everyone at the Palace of Versailles is living. Within a few decades, the sisters have come and gone in Versailles, each of them having an impact on the king during their time at court.
This book is so well written. The detail that went into researching true personas from King Louis XV's time at Versailles and as the King of France, the activities the people in court participated in, how they lived, and the ever-changing social politics that went on in Versailles added such a rich depth to this plot. Christie wove the lives of these women into a tale that instantly absorbs you, following along with the intrigues and dynamics, seeing how even blood bonds can be broken.
if you're a fan of 18th century French history, Versailles and historical fiction, I highly recommend picking up this trilogy. I can't wait to get to book two!
5
minanonim's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Infidelity, Body shaming, and Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Fatphobia, Grief, Incest, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Alcohol, War, Child death, and Infertility