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ithepomegranate's review against another edition
emotional
tense
fast-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? No
3.5
kbulovic's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
jwaddy17's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
erboe501's review against another edition
2.0
THE SHADOW QUEEN underwhelmed me. I was very excited for a new historical fiction book and hoped this one would include romance as well as informative details about life in 17th century France. On the first count, the book didn't deliver until the very end, which felt like an afterthought. On the second count, I did learn about the precarious position of the theater in juxtaposition with the Church and Crown, something which I had only a vague understanding of before.
Claude's story is fascinating: a former player becomes personal companion of the King's mistress, then the King's mistress herself, and narrowly escapes burning at the stake. Gulland did such a riveting narrative disservice with her far-reaching plot. The story starts too early in Claude's life; the novel covers nearly all the years of Claude's life in less than 300 pages. The climax of the novel--when Claude stands accused of sorcery and faces a trial--finally captured my attention, but the danger ended too quickly. Gulland dispatched the danger more quickly than she killed Claude's father. Claude's romance with Xavier at the end felt rushed and underdeveloped.
I don't feel like I understand Claude's interiority. She wanted to remain true to the ideals her father held in esteem, but she had few scruples when it came to advancing her family. I don't have a problem with this in itself, but I feel that Gulland didn't fully explain this inner battle that Claude fought between what she thought morally right and fiscally lucrative. What interiority we were given often felt forced. Too many exclamation points, too many exclamatory phrases. Claude's invocations to her mother and father were hollow.
A dramatic life reduced to mediocre narrative.
Claude's story is fascinating: a former player becomes personal companion of the King's mistress, then the King's mistress herself, and narrowly escapes burning at the stake. Gulland did such a riveting narrative disservice with her far-reaching plot. The story starts too early in Claude's life; the novel covers nearly all the years of Claude's life in less than 300 pages. The climax of the novel--when Claude stands accused of sorcery and faces a trial--finally captured my attention, but the danger ended too quickly. Gulland dispatched the danger more quickly than she killed Claude's father. Claude's romance with Xavier at the end felt rushed and underdeveloped.
I don't feel like I understand Claude's interiority. She wanted to remain true to the ideals her father held in esteem, but she had few scruples when it came to advancing her family. I don't have a problem with this in itself, but I feel that Gulland didn't fully explain this inner battle that Claude fought between what she thought morally right and fiscally lucrative. What interiority we were given often felt forced. Too many exclamation points, too many exclamatory phrases. Claude's invocations to her mother and father were hollow.
A dramatic life reduced to mediocre narrative.
stinalynn24's review against another edition
3.0
I received this as a first-reads book. I like this book a lot. I have never read a book about the theater and it's relationship with the French Court and Church. It was refreshing to read something different for once. I like Claude. Her drive to help her family and friends. Her relationship with her brother was great and how they had adopted their own language. I would recommend this book.
gilmoreguide's review against another edition
4.0
Louis XIV may have been a fascinating king but thankfully for readers, author Sandra Gulland prefers to focus on the woman behind the man. In The Shadow Queen, that woman is Athénaїs de Montespan, an aristocratic beauty who is able to pull the King’s interest away from his longtime mistress and claim him for herself. Forget the Queen, apparently she is too shy and speaks little French and is, therefore of no consequence. Unfortunately, for Athénaїs, Louis is a man whose need for beauty is constantly changing and difficult to satisfy in the long term. In order to maintain her power over him Athénaїs needs someone she can trust with her secrets and rely on to help her keep the King’s attention—at any cost.
To that end, we are introduced to Claudette des Oeillets a performer who meets Athénaїs when they are both still young girls. They form a bond that follows them through one’s rise to power (even if hidden) and the other’s desperate attempts to keep herself and her family alive. Although Athénaїs is the mistress of the King and leads a life of unparalleled luxury, it is Claudette’s story that makes The Shadow Queen such gripping reading. After her father’s death when she is thirteen she is left to take care of her family. Despite the antipathy of the church to actors, Claudette decides to take her family to Paris to try and work again in theater. Once there, she does manage to get work and her mother is able to act at the famed Marais Theater. Gulland’s vivid imagination and copious research mean that the back streets and back stages of Paris come to life. Playwrights such as Racine, Moliere and Corneille battle for the King’s favor in an effort to ensure their success. In the same way that there are two worlds at court, there are two in the theater—what goes on onstage and what is happening behind the scenes. Gulland doesn’t hold back the details in any of these worlds, giving the reader full access to the illusion and to the toil that makes it happen.
The Rest of this review can be read at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://gilmoreguidetobooks/2014/04/shadow-queen/
To that end, we are introduced to Claudette des Oeillets a performer who meets Athénaїs when they are both still young girls. They form a bond that follows them through one’s rise to power (even if hidden) and the other’s desperate attempts to keep herself and her family alive. Although Athénaїs is the mistress of the King and leads a life of unparalleled luxury, it is Claudette’s story that makes The Shadow Queen such gripping reading. After her father’s death when she is thirteen she is left to take care of her family. Despite the antipathy of the church to actors, Claudette decides to take her family to Paris to try and work again in theater. Once there, she does manage to get work and her mother is able to act at the famed Marais Theater. Gulland’s vivid imagination and copious research mean that the back streets and back stages of Paris come to life. Playwrights such as Racine, Moliere and Corneille battle for the King’s favor in an effort to ensure their success. In the same way that there are two worlds at court, there are two in the theater—what goes on onstage and what is happening behind the scenes. Gulland doesn’t hold back the details in any of these worlds, giving the reader full access to the illusion and to the toil that makes it happen.
The Rest of this review can be read at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://gilmoreguidetobooks/2014/04/shadow-queen/
jessica_flower's review against another edition
3.0
The book had a definite atmospheric start. We're introduced to Claude, familiarly known as Claudette to those close to her, and her family of 'players' or actors as we would know them now, as well as a beautiful young noble girl who becomes central to Claudette's story when she grows up. Claudette loves her profession, as does the rest of her family, with all the fun and dramatics in the plays they act out. But in 17th century France, the theatre, and professional acting in general, is regarded as sinful by the Catholic church and all actors are forbidden from taking full part in the faith ie. not being allowed Communion and being refused a proper funeral and burial, unless they formally renounce the stage on a legal document supervised by a priest. Claudette is bitter about this, especially when her father dies and by legal law, they can't bury him like he deserves.
So Claudette and her family go to Paris in hope of a better life, where they find work in the theatre and where we end up meeting the most famous playwrights of the time: Corneille, Molière and Racine. Her mother Alix becomes famous for her wonderful acting, and one night after her mother's performance, Claudette meets Athénaïs, the noble girl she'd met as a child. And from there the story with regards to the future "Shadow Queen of France" begins, as Athénaïs and Claudette grow closer. This novel's pacing is definitely a slow burn, but it's not that long.
From the moment Claudette meets her, she seems enraptured by Athénaïs' "heartstopping" beauty and allure, to the point where she's seriously attracted to her for a long time. She even calls her "my princess" in her head, though by how Claudette behaves when she's been around Athénaïs, she seems more like an enchantress (she's just as self-serving too). Claudette recognizes this, at one point even buying an amulet as so-called protection, but loses her resolve and ends up leaving her mother and brother to work as Athénaïs's "suivante", a personal attendant at Court. From there, it's a slow but slippery slope from one manipulation to another, all within the intrigues and extravagance of the court of Louis XIV and the machinations of his "Shadow Queen" Athénaïs, the Marquise de Montespan. Until Athénaïs and Claudette play the game too far . . .
The author did her research and it shows in the details she adds to the setting and Claudette's perception of the world. As a woman of common birth, Claudette's life is working, working, working to provide for her family. She carries this responsibility with her as she goes to Court with Athénaïs, sending money and needful goods to her family back in Paris. As the novel goes on, Claudette loses her naive admiring and idealization of the noble life, although she still longs for the material things they have: the food, the clothes, the certainty that they have a roof over their head their whole lives. That being said, she held true to herself when it mattered most at the end.
Overall, it's an alright novel, but the writing isn't for everyone. I was wanting more at times from the characters; I suppose my imagination and background knowledge of this time period provided the rest.
So Claudette and her family go to Paris in hope of a better life, where they find work in the theatre and where we end up meeting the most famous playwrights of the time: Corneille, Molière and Racine. Her mother Alix becomes famous for her wonderful acting, and one night after her mother's performance, Claudette meets Athénaïs, the noble girl she'd met as a child. And from there the story with regards to the future "Shadow Queen of France" begins, as Athénaïs and Claudette grow closer. This novel's pacing is definitely a slow burn, but it's not that long.
From the moment Claudette meets her, she seems enraptured by Athénaïs' "heartstopping" beauty and allure, to the point where she's seriously attracted to her for a long time. She even calls her "my princess" in her head, though by how Claudette behaves when she's been around Athénaïs, she seems more like an enchantress (she's just as self-serving too). Claudette recognizes this, at one point even buying an amulet as so-called protection, but loses her resolve and ends up leaving her mother and brother to work as Athénaïs's "suivante", a personal attendant at Court. From there, it's a slow but slippery slope from one manipulation to another, all within the intrigues and extravagance of the court of Louis XIV and the machinations of his "Shadow Queen" Athénaïs, the Marquise de Montespan. Until Athénaïs and Claudette play the game too far . . .
The author did her research and it shows in the details she adds to the setting and Claudette's perception of the world. As a woman of common birth, Claudette's life is working, working, working to provide for her family. She carries this responsibility with her as she goes to Court with Athénaïs, sending money and needful goods to her family back in Paris. As the novel goes on, Claudette loses her naive admiring and idealization of the noble life, although she still longs for the material things they have: the food, the clothes, the certainty that they have a roof over their head their whole lives. That being said, she held true to herself when it mattered most at the end.
Overall, it's an alright novel, but the writing isn't for everyone. I was wanting more at times from the characters; I suppose my imagination and background knowledge of this time period provided the rest.
missywinesalot's review against another edition
Couldn't get into the story. Seemed to be going nowhere. Characters lacked depth.