Review: "Enemies of Versailles" by Sally Christie

Long time, no see folks! I thought it was worth coming out of hibernation to review the final installment Sally Christie’s Versailles Trilogy. Enemies of Versailles focuses on the last of Louis XV’s mistresses, Jeanne de Becu, Comtesse du Barry. Jeanne often gets a bad rap in history as she was a courtesan before becoming Louis’ Maitress en Titre. She was frequently called a whore and was considered grasping and flashy.

Enemies features Christie’s compelling and refreshingly humorous voice. I will admit that this last installment is not quite as compelling as the two previous entries. I believe this is because the novel is comprised only of Jeanne’s point of view as well as Madame Adelaide, Louis’ oldest surviving daughter. Nonetheless, it is still an enjoyable read.

Christie’s portrayal of Jeanne is much more forgiving, which is what makes her such a wonderful author. It is hard to make a reviled character likeable, yet it is easy to warm up to Jeanne. She was simple person who enjoyed the finer things in life. She rarely engages in politics.

The same cannot be said of Madame Adelaide. Nothing is likeable about her character, although her ability to remain completely blinkered to the outside world is amusing at times. She does undergo a bit of a redemption towards the end of the book as she realizes that infallibility and royalty are not the same thing.

History tells us that Jeanne de Becu did not have an easy end. While Louis XV’s remaining daughters escaped France at the beginning of the Revolution, Jeanne was not so lucky, and unfortunately we are with her right up to the very end. Her death was an unfortunate consequence of the overzealous Revolutionaries.

Enemies of Versailles is a fitting capstone on this excellent trilogy. Christie’s wit is fully on display while still capturing the upheaval of the last years of the Ancient Regime. I’ve read that Christie is hard at work on a new novel; I, for one, cannot wait to see the finished product! 

Review: "Rivals of Versailles" by Sally Christie

The Rivals of Versailles (The Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy #2) by Sally Christie

Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Atria Books
eBook & Paperback
448 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

And you thought sisters were a thing to fear! In this compelling follow-up to Sally Christie’s clever and absorbing debut, we meet none other than the Marquise de Pompadour, one of the greatest beauties of her generation and the first bourgeois mistress ever to grace the hallowed halls of Versailles.

 The year is 1745 and Louis XV’s bed is once again empty. Enter Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, a beautiful girl from the middle classes. As a child, a fortune teller had mapped out Jeanne’s destiny: she would become the lover of a king and the most powerful woman in the land. Eventually connections, luck, and a little scheming pave her way to Versailles and into the King’s arms. All too soon, conniving politicians and hopeful beauties seek to replace the bourgeoise interloper with a more suitable mistress. As Jeanne, now the Marquise de Pompadour, takes on her many rivals—including a lustful lady-in-waiting, a precocious 14-year-old prostitute, and even a cousin of the notorious Nesle sisters—she helps the king give himself over to a life of luxury and depravity. Around them, war rages, discontent grows, and France inches ever closer to the Revolution.

 Enigmatic beauty, social climber, actress, trendsetter, patron of the arts, spendthrift, whoremonger, friend, lover, foe: history books say many things about the famous Marquise de Pompadour. Alongside Catherine the Great of Russia and Maria Theresa of Austria, she is considered one of the three most powerful women of the 18th century, and one of the most influential royal mistresses of all time. In The Rivals of Versailles, Christie gets to the heart of Pompadour’s legendary relationship with Louis XV, France’s most “well-beloved” king. Pompadour was not only his mistress, but his confidante and influential political adviser for close to twenty years. Full of historical insight, decadence, wit and scandal, The Rivals of Versailles is about one woman’s trials and triumphs, her love for a king, and her role in shaping a nation.

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The Mistresses of Versailles Series

About the Author

I'm a life-long history buff - and I mean life-long. One of the first adult books I read was Antonia Fraser's masterful Mary, Queen of Scots. Wow! That book just blew my little ten year old mind: something about the way it brought the past right back to life, made it live again on the page. I date my obsession with history to that time, but I'd been writing ("writing") ever since I was able to hold a pencil. If you'd told my 12-year old self that I'd not be a writer when I grew up, I would have laughed you out of the tree house. With a few detours along the way, to work overseas in consulting and development, as well as to go to business school, I've finally come full circle to where I think I should be. I currently live in Toronto and when I'm not writing, I'm playing lots of tennis; doing random historical research (old census records are my favorite); playing Scrabble, and squirrel-watching (the room where I write has French doors leading out to a deck; I avidly follow, and feed, a scruffy gang). For more information please visit Sally Christie's website. You can also find her on Goodreads and Pinterest.

Blog Tour Schedule

Sunday, May 1 Review at A Book Drunkard Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past Monday, May 2 Review at Caroline Wilson Writes Tuesday, May 3 Interview at The Maiden's Court Wednesday, May 4 Review at To Read or Not to Read Review at With Her Nose Stuck In A Book Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway at History Undressed Thursday, May 5 Review at Bookish Friday, May 6 Review at History From a Woman's Perspective Monday, May 9 Review at Book Lovers Paradise Guest Post at leeanna.me Tuesday, May 10 Review at Ageless Pages Reviews Wednesday, May 11 Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book! Thursday, May 12 Review at The Lit Bitch Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book! Friday, May 13 Review at #redhead.with.book Sunday, May 15 Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views Review & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Obsession



Review

Hello all and welcome to an early edition of Review Tuesday! Today I'm very stoked to present my review for Sally Christie's latest novel, Rivals of Versailles. If you remember, I reviewed Sisters of Versailles last year and LOVED it.Rivals of Versailles is the next volume in the trilogy about the mistresses of Louis XV. I will admit that the beginning of Rivals didn't quite grab me. The novel mostly focuses on Jeanne Poisson, the woman who would become Madame Pompadour. The first section is told from the first person perspective and I initially found Jeanne a bit dull. But as the novel moved along, being told alternatively by the many minor mistresses that Louis XV had, Jeanne's character becomes more fleshed out. By the end of the novel, I was quite attached to her and even shed a tear or two. She was really a remarkable woman and though time and experience taught her to not trust anyone, she never became cruel or despicable. I think this was evidenced by her eventual friendship with Marie Leszczyńska, Louis's much put upon queen.

The many mistresses that followed in Jeanne's wake are all perfectly characterized. Rosalie was much like Pauline de Mailly-Nesle from Sisters of Versailles, so basically, not very sympathetic but so outrageous you wanted to see what she would do next. La Morphise was refreshingly simple and I found myself pitying her though after researching her a bit, she ended up all right. The second Marie Anne de Mailly (Marquise de Coislin) is outright hilarious--I was laughing so hard the hubby was questioning me why.

The slow descent of Louis XV into depravity is well done--you actually feel sorry for the poor man even though he did not deserve Jeanne's devotion. Their relationship is co-dependent in the extreme and yet Jeanne lived in constant fear of being discarded. It is no wonder she died early after the years of intrigue and dealing with stress.

All in all, Rivals of Versailles is an excellent book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It is wonderful to read historical fiction that covers real people, especially ones that are semi-famous and yet have very little fiction centered on them. I definitely recommend that you pick up a copy. Further information about the book and the characters can be found on Sally Christie's website. The final volume in the trilogy Enemies of Versailles will follow Jeanne de Becu, Comtesse du Barry and will be available in November. I can't wait!

Review: "Mistress Firebrand" by Donna Thorland

Publication Date: March 3, 2015 

NAL 

Trade Formats: eBook, Paperback 

416 Pages 

 Series: Renegades of the American Revolution (Book 3) 

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

   

  British Occupied Manhattan, 1777. American actress Jenny Leighton has been packing the John Street Theater with her witty comedies, but she longs to escape the provincial circuit for the glamour of the London stage. When the playwright General John Burgoyne visits the city, fresh from a recent success in the capitol, she seizes the opportunity to court his patronage. But her plan is foiled by British intelligence officer Severin Devere. Severin’s mission is to keep the pleasure-loving general focused on the war effort…and away from pretty young actresses. But the tables are turned when Severin himself can’t resist Jenny Leighton… Months later, Jenny has abandoned her dreams of stage glory and begun writing seditious plays for the Rebels under the pen name “Cornelia,” ridiculing “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne and his army—and undermining the crown’s campaign to take Albany. With Jenny’s name now on the hanging list, Severin is ordered to find her—and deliver her to certain death. Soon, the two are launched on a desperate journey through the wilderness, toward an uncertain future shaped by the revolution—and their passion for each other…

My Review

The third in a series dubbed the Renegades of the American Revolution, Mistress Firebrand focuses on Jenny Leighton, an actress who longs to be a London playwright. Jenny is a country bumpkin who has taken up residence with her glamorous aunt in New York. She plays bit parts at the John Street Theater while her aunt Frances packs the house as the lead actress. When she discovers that General Burgoyne is in the harbor, Jenny hopes to gain his patronage. She doesn't count on Severin Devere, the bastard son of an earl, a spy for the British Crown, and self-appointed watchdog for the general.

I will admit that my interest was piqued by the premise of Mistress Firebrand. It's a big departure from the typical historical novel. Conversely, I went into the novel looking for errors, particularly because I am Revolutionary War re-enactor. I'm pleased to say that there were no glaring errors. The initial set-up was a bit slow moving as Thorland is a very detailed writer. I prefer more movement and less play-by-play. Severin's background was particularly fascinating. Jenny seems a bit dull at first, but she improves as the plot progresses. She is realistic but with a heart.

All in all Mistress Firebrand is an interesting novel. I love the fact that it is romantic historical fiction since that is the genre I myself write (or to used write since the muse has deserted me...haha). In any case, pick up a copy of Mistress Firebrand if you like your romance with a side of intelligence.

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About the Author

A native of Bergenfield, New Jersey, Donna graduated from Yale with a degree in Classics and Art History. For many years she managed architecture and interpretation at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, and wrote and directed the Witch City’s most popular Halloween theater festival, Eerie Events. She later earned an MFA in film production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Donna has been a sorority house mother, a Disney/ABC Television Writing Fellow, a WGA Writer’s Access Project Honoree, and a writer on the ABC primetime drama, Cupid. Her screenwriting credits include episodes of the animated series, Tron: Uprising. Her short fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Albedo One. The director of several award-winning short films, her most recent project, The Night Caller, aired on WNET Channel 13 and was featured on Ain’t It Cool News. Currently she is a writer on the WGN drama SALEM. She is married with one cat and divides her time between the real Salem and Los Angeles. For more information visit Donna Thorland's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Mistress Firebrand Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, April 6 Excerpt at What Is That Book About Excerpt & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages Tuesday, April 7 Review & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary Wednesday, April 8 Interview at The Maiden's Court Thursday, April 9 Guest Post & Giveaway at Susan Heim on Writing Friday, April 10 Spotlight at Broken Teepee Sunday, April 12 Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book Monday, April 13 Spotlight, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Passages to the Past Thursday, April 16 Review at Caroline Wilson Writes Friday, April 17 Spotlight at I'd So Rather Be Reading Saturday, April 18 Excerpt & Giveaway at A Dream Within a Dream Monday, April 20 Review at Book Nerd Tuesday, April 21 Guest Post & Giveaway at Book Babe Wednesday, April 22 Guest Post & Excerpt at The Lit Bitch Thursday, April 23 Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time Friday, April 24 Review at Back Porchervations Monday, April 27 Review at Just One More Chapter Tuesday, April 28 Review at Historical Readings & Views Wednesday, April 29 Review & Giveaway at Unshelfish Guest Post at Boom Baby Reviews Thursday, April 30 Review at Bookramblings Friday, May 1 Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Drey's Library Spotlight at Genre Queen Sunday, May 3 Review at Forever Ashley Monday, May 4 Review at A Chick Who Reads Guest Post & Giveaway at To Read, or Not to Read Tuesday, May 5 Excerpt at CelticLady's Reviews Wednesday, May 6 Review at Unabridged Chick Thursday, May 7 Spotlight at A Literary Vacation Friday, May 8 Interview at Scandalous Woman

Author Spotlight: Antonia Hodgson and "The Devil in Marshalsea"

 

Pub Date: June 10, 2014 | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | Formats: eBook, Paperback

Thrilling new historical fiction starring a scoundrel with a heart of gold and set in the darkest debtors’ prison in Georgian London, where people fall dead as quickly as they fall in love and no one is as they seem.

It’s 1727. Tom Hawkins is damned if he’s going to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a country parson. Not for him a quiet life of prayer and propriety. His preference is for wine, women, and cards. But there’s a sense of honor there too, and Tom won’t pull family strings to get himself out of debt—not even when faced with the appalling horrors of London’s notorious debtors’ prison: The Marshalsea Gaol.

Within moments of his arrival in the Marshalsea, Hawkins learns there’s a murderer on the loose, a ghost is haunting the gaol, and that he’ll have to scrounge up the money to pay for his food, bed, and drink. He’s quick to accept an offer of free room and board from the mysterious Samuel Fleet—only to find out just hours later that it was Fleet’s last roommate who turned up dead. Tom’s choice is clear: get to the truth of the murder—or be the next to die.

Praise for The Devil in the Marshalsea
"Hodgson...conjures up scenes of Dickensian squalor and marries them to a crackerjack plot, in her impressive first novel...Hodgson makes the stench, as well as the despair, almost palpable, besides expertly dropping fair clues. Fans of Iain Pears and Charles Palliser will hope for a sequel." --Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)

"The plot develops almost as many intricate turns as there are passages in the Marshalsea…Hodgson’s plotting is clever…the local color hair-raising." –Kirkus Reviews

"Satisfyingly twisty debut thriller...so well detailed that one can almost smell the corruption, and the irrepressibly roguish Tom makes a winning hero." —Booklist

"Historical fiction just doesn’t get any better than this. A riveting, fast-paced story…Magnificent!" —Jeffery Deaver, author of the bestselling The Kill Room and Edge

"Antonia Hodgson’s London of 1727 offers that rare achievement in historical fiction: a time and place suspensefully different from our own, yet real. The Devil in the Marshalsea reminds us at every turn that we ourselves may not have evolved far from its world of debtors and creditors, crime and generosity, appetite and pathos. A damn’d good read." —Elizabeth Kostova, author of The Historian and The Swan Thieves

"A wonderfully convincing picture of the seamier side of 18th-century life. The narrative whips along. Antonia Hodgson has a real feel for how people thought and spoke at the time—and, God knows, that’s a rare talent." —Andrew Taylor, author of An Unpardonable Crime and The Four Last Things

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About the Author
Antonia Hodgson is the editor in chief of Little, Brown UK. She lives in London and can see the last fragments of the old city wall from her living room. The Devil in the Marshalsea is her first novel.

For more information please visit Antonia Hodgson's website. You can also find her on Goodreads and Twitter.

The Devil in the Marshalsea Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, June 10
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, June 11
Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, June 12
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Monday, June 16
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Friday, June 20
Interview at Reading the Past

Monday, June 23
Guest Post at Kinx's Book Nook

Wednesday, June 25
Review & Giveaway at Book Nerd

Monday, June 30
Interview at Caroline Wilson Writes

Tuesday, July 1
Review at Mina's Bookshelf

Thursday, July 3
Review at A Bibliotaph's Reviews

Monday, July 7
Review & Giveaway at 100 Pages a Day

Tuesday, July 8
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Wednesday, July 9
Spotlight at Layered Pages

Friday, July 11
Review at Princess of Eboli
Spotlight & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Connection

Review: Kathy Fischer-Brown's "The Serpent's Tooth Trilogy"

Please join Kathy Fischer-Brown as she tours virtually for her Serpent's Tooth trilogy - Lord Esterleigh's Daughter, Courting the Devil, & The Partisan’s Wife - and her novel Winter Fire. Blog tour includes a chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card. See below to enter.

Lord Esterleigh’s Daughter: Book 1, The Serpent’s Tooth trilogy

Publication Date: June 13, 2012 Books We Love Ltd.
Formats: eBook, Paperback

As a child, Anne Fairfield dreams of the father she never knew, the hero who died fighting the French and their Indian allies in a land across the sea. Her mother’s stories, and fantasies of her own devising, sustain and nurture her through a poor and lonely existence. Until one winter night, a strange man comes to call, and the life she has known comes crashing down like shattered glass. Forced to confront sordid truths, secrets and lies, the headstrong young woman begins to learn that, like generations of women ruled by their hearts, she is destined to follow in their footsteps. Set against the backdrop of 18th century England, Lord Esterleigh’s Daughter is the first book in “The Serpent’s Tooth” trilogy, which follows Anne from the rural countryside, to London society and into the center of the American Revolution.

My Review

I read the first book in the trilogy and enjoyed the Ms. Fischer-Brown's style. Her writing sets the tone and scene for this novel, which is set in England in the mid-eighteenth century. I will admit that I had a hard time liking Anne at first--she is childish, headstrong, and completely selfish. Her upbringing was obviously hard, but was filled with love, and while discovering the truth about her father may have been traumatic, she seems bent on punishing everyone around her as a result.

As she digs deeper into the past, she becomes more amenable to her circumstances, and thus more likeable. The novels excels in that it introduces a myriad of characters, all of whom leave the reader wanting more. I've noticed a lot of comparisions to Jane Austen or rather "the dark side" of Jane Austen. I don't really get that beyond the fact that the book is set in England and deals with the aristocracy. The novel is set nearly half a century before Jane Austen even began to write her novels--if anything, I would reference Daniel Defoe or Henry Fielding, though there is little comedy in Anne's journey. The novel is quite gothic in fact.

All in all, Lord Esterleigh's Daughter  is an interesting read that aptly captures the period in which it is set. Be prepared to purchase the second and third novels in the trilogy as the first is a true cliff hanger!

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Courting the Devil: Book 2, The Serpent’s Tooth trilogy

Publication Date: August 31, 2012 Books We Love Ltd.
Formats: eBook, Paperback

Four years after a near fatal blunder uproots her from her home and inheritance, Anne Darvey, daughter of the Marquess of Esterleigh, finds herself an indentured servant on a farm near Fort Edward in New York, as the British army advances toward Albany. Driven by guilt over the pain she has caused her father and grief over her lover’s death, she sets out to deliver a message. The consequences lead to the discovery that all is not as it seems, and sets in motion events that lead to love and danger. Set against the backdrop of the American Revolution, Courting the Devil is the second book in “The Serpent’s Tooth” trilogy, which follows Anne from her childhood in the rural English countryside, to London society, and into the center of the American Revolution.

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The Partisan’s Wife: Book 3, The Serpent’s Tooth trilogy

Publication Date: February 6, 2013 Books We Love Ltd.
Formats: eBook, Paperback

Faced with an impossible choice, Anne Marlowe is torn between her husband’s love and the hope of her receiving father’s forgiveness. As American forces follow up on their tide-turning victories over the British at Freeman’s Farm and Bemis Heights, Peter is drawn deeper into the shady network of espionage that could cost them both their lives. Is his commitment to “the Cause” stronger than his hard-won love for Anne? Will her sacrifice tear them apart again...this time forever? Or will they find the peace and happiness they both seek in a new beginning? The Partisan’s Wife follows Anne and Peter through the war torn landscape of Revolutionary War America, from the Battle of Saratoga to British-occupied New York and Philadelphia, and beyond.

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Winter Fire

Publication Date: November 6, 2010 Books We Love Ltd.
Formats: eBook, Paperback

When Ethan Caine pulled the unconscious woman from the half-frozen creek, he had no idea that his world was about to explode. Dressed in quilled doeskin of Iroquois design, she stirred up dark secrets from his past. At the same time, she was everything he desired. But she was more Indian than white, and on the run for murder. He needed to know the truth. He needed to find it within himself to trust her. Banished by the Seneca Indians who adopted and raised her, ostracized by the whites in the settlement, Zara Grey wanted only to be accepted. “Ethancaine” treated her with kindness and concern. It was easy to trust him. But her Indian ways disturbed him, and in her heart she would always be Seneca.

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About the Author

As a child Kathy wanted to be a writer when she grew up. She also wanted to act on the stage. After receiving an MFA in Acting from the Mason Gross School of the Arts and playing the part of starving young artist in New York, she taught theater classes at a small college in the Mid-West before returning home to the East Coast, where over the years, she and her husband raised two kids and an assortment of dogs. During stints in advertising, children’s media publishing, and education reform in the former Soviet Unions, she wrote whenever she could. Her love of early American history has its roots in family vacations up and down the East Coast visiting old forts and battlefields and places such as Williamsburg, Mystic Sea Port, and Sturbridge Village. During this time, she daydreamed in high school history classes, imagining the everyday people behind all the dates and conflicts and how they lived. Claiming her best ideas are born of dreams, Kathy has written a number of stories over the years. Her first published novel, Winter Fire, a 1998 Golden Heart finalist in historical romance, was reissued in 2010 by Books We Love, Ltd., which also released Lord Esterleigh’s Daughter, Courting the Devil, and The Partisan’s Wife. When not writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, photography, playing “ball” with the dogs, and rooting on her favorite sports teams. For more information visit Kathy Fischer-Brown's website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, May 5 Review at Caroline Wilson Writes (Lord Esterleigh's Daughter) Tuesday, May 13 Guest Post at The Bookworm Friday, May 16 Review at History From a Woman's Perspective (Lord Esterleigh's Daughter) Monday, May 19 Review at Just One More Chapter (Lord Esterleigh's Daughter) Tuesday, May 20 Guest Post at Just One More Chapter Tuesday, May 27 Guest Post at Book Lovers Paradise (with Louise Turner and Juliet Waldron) Monday, June 9 Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection Thursday, June 12 Review at Book Nerd (Winter Fire) Monday, June 17 Review at Historical Fiction Obsession (Lord Esterleigh's Daughter) Wednesday, June 18 Review at So Many Books, So Little Time (Winter Fire) Wednesday, June 25 Review at Closed the Cover (Winter Fire) Monday, June 30 Review at Book Nerd (Courting the Devil)

Giveaway

To win a $20 Amazon Gift Card please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Giveaway is open internationally. Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on June 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter. Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on July 1st and notified via email. Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: "The Traitor's Wife" by Alison Pataki

Hello dear readers! I'm back with a new review, but not without some hesitation. I'm going to post the bulk of what appeared in the Historical Novel Review and then follow up with some comments at the end.

 

Beautiful. Tempestuous. Cunning. Peggy Shippen is all these things. As the reigning belle of Philadelphia society during the British occupation of 1778, she is admired by men and envied by women. First the lover of the notorious British spy John Andre, and then the wife of celebrated American general-turned-traitor Benedict Arnold, Peggy and her story are brought to life through the eyes of her loyal maid, Clara Bell.

 

The Traitor’s Wife is a refreshing departure from the typical royal-themed historicals pervading the market today. The upheaval caused by the American Revolution makes for fascinating reading, and yet Peggy Shippen has been little written about. Perhaps it is because she is not a sympathetic character, and this novel does nothing to disprove that notion. Nonetheless, Peggy’s magnetic ability to obtain her desires is vividly brought to life; the reader can almost imagine her melting gaze in the midst of her full-fledged assault on the brash, yet unassuming Benedict Arnold.

 

Unfortunately, this novel has some drawbacks. The story’s narrator, Clara Bell, has little depth. While generally loyal to Peggy, she floats along without much purpose beyond bemoaning her living conditions with the Arnolds and pining after Caleb Little, the Shippen family stable hand. Even when given a chance to make a difference, she agonizes over what to do. Additionally, there are numerous mistakes in the details of the period. Descriptions of clothing and customs are misrepresented throughout the novel.

 

However, it is clear that the author has a passion for the story of Peggy Shippen; she accomplishes the re-telling of the historical narrative very well. General historic fiction readers will enjoy the quick plotting and originality of the The Traitor’s Wife, but historical fiction purists may want to pass.

 

OK, so I was really looking forward to reading this novel. As I have mentioned before, I am a Revolutionary War re-enactor. I've also a American Civil War re-enactor as well. I've loved both periods since I was a child, and have read a ton of books on the subject(s). I'm also very interested in social history and women's roles in history. Let's just say that I know more than the average historical fiction reader at least when it comes to these two subjects.

 

The Traitor's Wife is a good book essentially. It is certainly no mean feat to write a novel featuring one of history's most notorious women. But I'm one of those historical fiction purists mentioned in my review. I have little patience for mistakes in details and they were numerous in this novel, which made it difficult to read for me. However, if you are one of those who can overlook such things, you should definitely pick up a copy, especially if American history is of interest to you.

Dwelling on Dead People

So I'm back from the great beyond. So it is rather fitting that I should do another post on portraits of long dead people.

I am currently reading "Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire" by Amanda Foreman. I've always been a little bit fascinated by the Duchess and so I should be ashamed that I have never read this excellent biography. I generally have a short attention span when it comes to non-fiction, but Foreman has a very engaging style that has kept me reading.

As I have been reading, I've been looking up the various personages mentioned in the book. Which of course has lead me to looking up their portraits. I have written before about my love for portraits of long dead folks, but I thought I would share some of the interesting stories that I've come across while reading.

Elizabeth Lamb, Lady Melbourne
by George Romney

Most people do not know that Georgiana was amateur author herself; she anonymously wrote and published The Sylph. Though it was not too anonymous as it was an open secret that she wrote it. Many of the instances in the novel (which was a scandalous, behind-the-scenes depiction of the Ton) were drawn from real stories. It was also a rather serious and jaded commentary on the pitfalls of aristocratic marriages. Of course Georgiana's own marriage was not a success and this apparently was the norm during the 18th century. Many marriages were dynastic arrangements used to unite families in wealth, property, and influence. Unlike the staid morals of the 19th century, Georgian Britain was somewhat more relaxed when it came to extramarital affairs. Both men and women indulged, though the ladies were expected to provide their husbands with male heirs before taking a lover. One example of this was Lady Elizabeth Lamb, Vicountess Melbourne. If you remember my Historical Hotties series, I profiled Lady Melbourne's son, William Lamb, later prime minister of England during Queen Victoria's reign (and husband to the ill fated Lady Caroline Lamb). Lady Melbourne was one of Georgiana's inner circle, a kind of mentor, though morality was definitely not her strong suit. In fact she has a rather scandalous reputation. Her husband was a womanizer and once she had presented him with their first son, Peniston, she was off to the races. Among her many lovers were Lord Coleraine and Lord Egremont. In fact it was reported that Coleraine sold her to Egremont for £13,000, and that both she and her husband benefited from this arrangement. Hmmm....  Elizabeth's next three children are widely regarded to have been Egremont's (including Lord Melbourne the prime minister), and her son George is thought to have been the progeny of the Prince of Wales, who served as his godfather.

Lady Emily Cowper, later Lady Palmerston

Interestingly enough, Lady Melbourne's daughter Emily emulated the ways of her mother. After her marriage to the decidedly dull Lord Peter Cowper (who was rather good looking if you ask me), she became the mistress of Lord Palmerston, future prime minister. He was quite tasty as well but he apparently knew it as he was busy sleeping with Lady Cowper's friends at Almack's before he moved on to her bed.

But perhaps Lady Emily was the "one." In fact her mother counseled her on her death bed that she should remain true to her paramour. And Emily did. Following her husband's death in 1837, she and Lord Palmerston married even though they were both in their 50s. Their remaining years together were reportedly very happy. Emily had three sons during her first marriage, so she certainly did her duty. Her last child, a daughter named Emily, was apparently Palmerston's. But her cloudy paternity did not keep her from marrying an earl when she came of age.

Lady Elizabeth Stanley
by George Romney

Lastly, a rather sad story related by Georgiana's correspondance was the disgrace of Lady Elizabeth Stanley, Countess of Derby. I'm sure it was a cautionary tale that was most likely whispered about for years following its conclusion. Lady Elizabeth left her husband and three children to run off with the Duke of Dorset, with whom she had been having an affair. I would hope that she was violently in love with him. She stayed quietly in the country while society decided how to deal with her. Georgiana was called upon her friends to visit the poor woman, but she eventually capitulated to her parents' demands to not receive the disgraced countess. Lady Elizabeth certainly paid for her recklessness. Her husband refused to divorce her, thus consigning her to social oblivion. Had she been allowed to married the Duke, she may have been able to recover some of her former social standing. Instead, she made off with another lord to Italy, where she died at the relatively young age of 44.

And the other players in the sordid affair? Well the Earl of Derby went on to marry the lovely actress Elizabeth Farren. And apparently all was forgiven in his book, as the Duke of Dorset was continually received by the earl. He went on to bed other women (including Georgiana's "frenemy" Lady Bess Foster) and eventually married Arabella Diana Cope. Fortunately for her, the Duke died a few years later and she became a very wealthy woman. No rest for the wicked, as they say...

As an interesting aside, Lady Sarah Lennox was also cited as a source of this story in the book. Lady Sarah was the subject of a similar scandal some years before when she indulged in an affair with Lord William Gordon. She became pregnant by him and after giving birth to a girl (who was surprisingly claimed by Sarah's husband Charles Bunbury), she ran off with the baby to live with Gordon. Though Bunbury granted her a divorce, her liaison ended and she was treated as the scandalous relation by her family for many years before finding happiness with a British army officer.