The School of Mirrors
A Novel
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- ¥1,700
Publisher Description
“A riveting epic, keenly observed and shining with lush historical detail. You’ll never forget this journey.”--Cara Black, New York Times bestselling author of Three Hours in Paris
“A sweeping tale of tumult and tragedy— intricate, absorbing, and impeccably depicted, The School of Mirrors will linger in your imagination long after you turn the last page.”--Ann Mah, bestselling author of Jacqueline in Paris
A scintillating, gorgeously written historical novel about a mother and a daughter in eighteenth-century France, beginning with decadence and palace intrigue at Versailles and ending in an explosive new era of revolution.
During the reign of Louis XV, impoverished but lovely teenage girls from all over France are sent to a discreet villa in the town of Versailles. Overseen by the King’s favorite mistress, Madame de Pompadour, they will be trained as potential courtesans for the King. When the time is right, each girl is smuggled into the palace of Versailles, with its legendary Hall of Mirrors. There they meet a mysterious but splendidly dressed man who they’re told is merely a Polish count, a cousin of the Queen. Living an indulgent life of silk gowns, delicious meals, and soft beds, the students at this “school of mirrors” rarely ask questions, and when Louis tires of them, they are married off to minor aristocrats or allowed to retire to one of the more luxurious nunneries.
Beautiful and canny Veronique arrives at the school of mirrors and quickly becomes a favorite of the King. But when she discovers her lover’s true identity, she is whisked away, sent to give birth to a daughter in secret, and then to marry a wealthy Breton merchant. There is no return to the School of Mirrors.
This is also the story of the King’s daughter by Veronique—Marie-Louise. Well-provided for in a comfortable home, Marie-Louise has never known her mother, let alone her father. Capable and intelligent, she discovers a passion for healing and science, and becomes an accredited midwife, one of the few reputable careers for women like her. But eventually Veronique comes back into her daughter’s life, bringing with her the secret of Marie-Louise’s birth. But the new King—Louis XVI—is teetering on his throne and it’s a volatile time in France…and those with royal relatives must mind their step very carefully.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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.
