A review by missprint_
The Queen's Dressmaker: A heartbreaking historical romance novel in the time of Marie Antoinette by Meghan Masterson
2.0
Giselle Aubry hopes that her position as undertirewomen to Marie Antoinette will help her achieve her dream of designing opulent dresses. The tedium of the day-to-day work of dressing the queen and maintaining her wardrobe is mitigated by living in Versailles while she works and being so close to the grandness and beauty of the palace.
Within the palace the nobles are aware of the growing unrest among France's poor. But unlike the queen, most of them lack even the most basic sympathy or even understanding of the political unrest.
Ambitions aside, Giselle is eager for more adventure so she jumps at her uncle's suggestion that she begin reporting on the queen's movements. Working for her uncle, a retired spy from Louis XV's secret du roi, Giselle thinks she has found a grand game. But she soon realizes that the stakes are higher than she could have imagined.
Torn between her growing affection and loyalty for the queen and her undeniable attraction to a young revolutionary, Giselle will have to make difficult choices to protect her heart . . . and maybe even her head in The Wardrobe Mistress: A Novel of Marie Antoinette (2017) by Meghan Masterson.
The Wardrobe Mistress is Masteron's debut novel.
Through Giselle's first person narration Masterson creates an evocative vision of revolutionary era France. Despite demonstrably thorough research to set the scene, The Wardrobe Mistress fails to fully immerse readers into the setting thanks to dialogue that, while stilted, fails to feel authentic.
With her position above the working class but beneath the nobility Giselle has the chance to have a uniquely nuanced view of the revolution as it unfolds. Unfortunately Giselle's guileless narration still manages to frame many aspects of the story as a strict binary between good and bad. The story's focus on Giselle also limits the scope of the plot and relegates many key moments (notably the Flight to Varennes) are related to readers in lengthy recounts between characters.
The Wardrobe Mistress is an entertaining introduction to this turbulent moment in history. Recommended for readers eager to try historical fiction for the first time or those interested in the time period who enjoy their history with a healthy dose of romance on the side.
Possible Pairings: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, A Place of Great Safety by Hilary Mantel, Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran, The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
Within the palace the nobles are aware of the growing unrest among France's poor. But unlike the queen, most of them lack even the most basic sympathy or even understanding of the political unrest.
Ambitions aside, Giselle is eager for more adventure so she jumps at her uncle's suggestion that she begin reporting on the queen's movements. Working for her uncle, a retired spy from Louis XV's secret du roi, Giselle thinks she has found a grand game. But she soon realizes that the stakes are higher than she could have imagined.
Torn between her growing affection and loyalty for the queen and her undeniable attraction to a young revolutionary, Giselle will have to make difficult choices to protect her heart . . . and maybe even her head in The Wardrobe Mistress: A Novel of Marie Antoinette (2017) by Meghan Masterson.
The Wardrobe Mistress is Masteron's debut novel.
Through Giselle's first person narration Masterson creates an evocative vision of revolutionary era France. Despite demonstrably thorough research to set the scene, The Wardrobe Mistress fails to fully immerse readers into the setting thanks to dialogue that, while stilted, fails to feel authentic.
With her position above the working class but beneath the nobility Giselle has the chance to have a uniquely nuanced view of the revolution as it unfolds. Unfortunately Giselle's guileless narration still manages to frame many aspects of the story as a strict binary between good and bad. The story's focus on Giselle also limits the scope of the plot and relegates many key moments (notably the Flight to Varennes) are related to readers in lengthy recounts between characters.
The Wardrobe Mistress is an entertaining introduction to this turbulent moment in history. Recommended for readers eager to try historical fiction for the first time or those interested in the time period who enjoy their history with a healthy dose of romance on the side.
Possible Pairings: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, A Place of Great Safety by Hilary Mantel, Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran, The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*