The Shadow Queen

Gulland won my undying readerly love with her fantastic trilogy about Josephine Bonaparte. Her writing is warm and inviting, her characters rich and appealingly complicated. I've been waiting on tenterhooks for this novel, as I'm slightly obsessed with the notorious Athénaïs de Montespan, official mistress to the 17th century French 'Sun King' Louis XIV, and this delightfully detailed and well-plotted novel did not disappoint.

Apologies for the clunky review; is it too early to blame pregnancy brain? In brief, I inhaled this novel. It has all those qualities in a great hist fic: ambiance, sense of era, historically accurate drama, some splashy interpersonal drama, and fabulous clothes.

While this book is titled for Athénaïs, this show more novel is really about her loyal and devoted attendant, Claudette de Oeiletts. Poor, from a family of theater players, Claudette would likely be forgotten were it not for her relationship with Athénaïs and Louis XIV. Meeting the rich and spoiled noblewoman as a young teenager -- Athénaïs asked Claudette for a potion to kill her governess -- the two didn't cross paths again until in their twenties, when Claudette becomes a seamstress and confidante to Athénaïs.

In her time away from Athénaïs, Claudette lives in the vibrant world of playwrights and players, and Gulland's articulation of the people, protocols, and places of 17th century French theater makes this novel go from good to great. (Honestly, the theater world stole the show, apologies for the pun, and made even the licentious court feel pale!)

Claudette makes an appealing narrator: her voice is knowing and unsure at believable points, brave without feeling anachronistically bold. Her mistress Athénaïs is unbelievably awful, and yet, like Claudette, I was captivated by her, curious to learn more about her life. But she remains, in many ways, shadowy even to Claudette, masked in more than one way.

There are lovely extras in the book, including a five-page annotated cast list (which I didn't need: despite this being a heavily-peopled novel, everyone was so vibrant, they were easy to remember!), five-page glossary, a note about currency, and a genealogy as well as an Author's Note with some historical details. For theater geeks, Gulland's website includes her references and favorite websites about baroque theater.

Recommended for Francophiles and those who like court intrigue; but readers who enjoy novels about less wealthy heroines will also enjoy this. show less

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

From the author of the beloved Josephine B. Trilogy, comes a spellbinding novel inspired by the true story of a young woman who rises from poverty to become confidante to the most powerful, provocative and dangerous woman in the 17th century French court: the mistress of the charismatic Sun King.

1660, Paris

Claudette’s life is like an ever-revolving stage set. From an impoverished childhood wandering the French countryside with her family’s acting troupe, Claudette finally witnesses her mother’s astonishing rise to stardom in Parisian theaters. Working with playwrights Corneille, Molière and Racine, Claudette’s life is culturally rich, but like all in the show more theatrical world at the time, she’s socially scorned.

A series of chance encounters gradually pull Claudette into the alluring orbit of Athénaïs de Montespan, mistress to Louis XIV and reigning “Shadow Queen.” Needing someone to safeguard her secrets, Athénaïs offers to hire Claudette as her personal attendant.

Enticed by the promise of riches and respectability, Claudette leaves the world of the theater only to find that court is very much like a stage, with outward shows of loyalty masking more devious intentions. This parallel is not lost on Athénaïs, who fears political enemies are plotting her ruin as young courtesans angle to take the coveted spot in the king’s bed.

Indeed, Claudette’s “reputable” new position is marked by spying, illicit trysts and titanic power struggles. As Athénaïs, becomes ever more desperate to hold onto the King’s favor, innocent love charms move into the realm of deadly Black Magic, and Claudette is forced to consider a move that will put her own life—and the family she loves so dearly—at risk.

Set against the gilded opulence of a newly-constructed Versailles and the War of Theaters, THE SHADOW QUEEN is a seductive, gripping novel about the lure of wealth, the illusion of power, and the increasingly uneasy relationship between two strong-willed women whose actions could shape the future of France.
This book was on my “want to read” list, and I picked it up from my local library. As soon as I started reading, I was transported into France in the 1600’s–with all the sights, sounds, and smells of the period. Claudette was an easy heroine to like, and her desire to make her family’s life better will resonate with many readers.

One of the best things about THE SHADOW QUEEN is that the author Sandra Gulland didn’t bury the plot in a lot of politics. Rather, she spends her description on the trials and triumphs of stage actors, and later, the sumptuous trappings of Louis the XIV’s Court. Her characters come alive: Moliere, Corneille, and Athenais are alternately drawn to scale and then appear larger than life at times. Gulland keeps the story true to life, for the most part, as she takes historical fact and makes it sing. She brings the hopes and fears of Athenais to the forefront, and helps the reader to see who she was and who she turned into: a cunning and manipulative woman who fears the loss of her youth and vitality, and resorts to black magic to keep the affections of her beloved Sun King. It seemed hard to understand if that affection was true, or just opportunistic.

Claudette stayed true to herself throughout the book, continuing to care for her mother and brother even as her innocence is slowly pulled from her; and she made a stand against her beloved Athenais, which comes back to haunt her and threatens to ruin her life. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how it would end for Claudette.

I enjoyed this book a great deal, and intend to read other novels of Gulland’s. Her research is thorough and her writing is clean. Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.

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I love historical fiction where the plot is tightly integrated with the setting. Sandra Gulland achieves that well here. The story could take place in very few other time periods and by following the plot, I learned a lot about this particular time period. The details of daily life as both a player and as a lady’s maid are fascinating and sometimes scandalous. The scenes the author chose to share painted a vivid picture of the poverty and opulence which existed side-by-side in the middle ages. The use of archaic terms, helpfully explained by a glossary, added to the ambiance. The writing did strike me as a little stiff at first, but as I got to know Claudette better, I began to feel the narrative style suited her. I was also swiftly show more distracted from thoughts about narrative style, as the action naturally built momentum and kept me constantly wanting to know what would happen next.

I felt we got to know Claudette pretty well, but Athenais was often the star of the show. Athenais reminded me a bit of Anna Karenina (which I loved!), because both are beautiful and alluring, but also reckless, even self-destructive, when passionately pursuing what they want. Much of Claudette’s life ended up being all about Athenais. I think some readers might actually like this, since Athenais is a fascinating character and the inequality of their relationship is appropriate to the times. However, I would have liked to see more of Claudette. Several incredibly emotional events happen in Claudette’s life during the course of the story. I thought some of these were glossed over too much, particularly those that occur when Athenais is around. I just didn’t get a good feel for Claudette’s emotions. Claudette also lacked agency, making only a few decisions for herself, and the end has the feeling of Deus ex machina Claudette and I both hate. Things just wrapped up too neatly with little help from Claudette.

Despite this small complaint, I really enjoyed the book as a whole. In fact, I think my wanting more of Claudette is indicative of how engaging the book could be at times. I’d definitely suggest giving this a chance if you like well-researched historical fiction which will immerse you in a different time.

This review first published on Doing Dewey. show less

I'm a big fan of Sandra Guilland -- loved her three novel series about Josephine Bonaparte. This was also a quick and very enjoyable read!

Although this book is advertised as being about the court of Louis XIV and his mistress, Athenais de Montespan -- both are more peripheral, though important characters. The central protagonist is Claude des Oeillets as she moves in and out of Parisien theatre in the 1600s. The rivalries between Pierre Corneille and Moliere, followed by the appearance of Racine-- all of them vying for the king's favor -- make interesting reading. Claude, who comes from a family of actors, eventually finding her way into Athenais's service, where she is exposed to the brutal rivalries of court. These are similar in many show more ways to theatre, as is the competition between Louis's mistresses. It all makes for fascinating reading. show less

I'm a big fan of Sandra Guilland -- loved her three novel series about Josephine Bonaparte. This was also a quick and very enjoyable read!

Although this book is advertised as being about the court of Louis XIV and his mistress, Athenais de Montespan -- both are more peripheral, though important characters. The central protagonist is Claude des Oeillets as she moves in and out of Parisien theatre in the 1600s. The rivalries between Pierre Corneille and Moliere, followed by the appearance of Racine-- all of them vying for the king's favor -- make interesting reading. Claude, who comes from a family of actors, eventually finding her way into Athenais's service, where she is exposed to the brutal rivalries of court. These are similar in many show more ways to theatre, as is the competition between Louis's mistresses. It all makes for fascinating reading. show less

Highly recommended for anyone interested in the world of 17th-century French theater.
The title of the book is a little inaccurate - while the novel certainly features the woman who was known as 'The Shadow Queen,' Athénaïs, Madame de Montspan, the main character is the woman who came to be her companion, Claude des Oeillets.
We follow Claude from dire poverty, as the daughter of a family of travelling players, to reasonable success in the theater world. Through a series of coincidental meetings (and they do seem very coincidental) she develops a huge girl-crush on the wealthy Athénaïs, who eventually takes her into her confidence as her intimate maid.
The story starts out extremely strong, with vivid characters, a great set-up, and a show more lively writing style. The depictions of the theatrical lifestyle and its intrigues are fascinating and fun.
However, the pacing didn't quite hold up, for me. The character of Gaston, Claude's autistic brother, grew a bit tedious. Rather than the classic dramatic structure of rising action to a climax... things happen... and then some more things happen.
Historically, Mademoiselle des Oeillets is known for her alleged involvement in 'The Affair of the Poisons' - a huge court scandal in which Satanic black masses were supposed to have been put on, and thirty-six people were executed. For such a major (and shockingly dramatic!) event, in this book it's brought up and skipped through quite quickly - and I felt that an opportunity was missed to explore the true complexity and nastiness of the French court society.
The author's focus here, is more creating a rags-to-riches story set in the theater world. (To that end, she definitely also exaggerates Claude's family's low standing - in reality her family were official appointees to court, and owned their own theater company, so her meeting Madame de Montspan was probably not nearly as unlikely as the book makes it appear.)
Still, while there were things I'd like to have seen more of in the story, this was a very entertaining diversion. Gulland's a new author to me, but I'd definitely read more of her work.

Copy received through NetGalley, from Doubleday Books. Thanks! show less

3.5 Stars

I found the story and the setting of this novel fascinating. I haven't read as many books from the 17th century as other time periods, but every subsequent book makes me want to devour more. Shadow Queen follows right along in this pattern. The author has brought to vivid life the world of Renaissance theaters, the sparkly world of court politics, the dreariness of the common man, and the danger in trying to reach high in a world filled with vipers. Historical details like the Affair of the Poisons, the War of the Theaters, and the many love affairs of Louis XIV made me live and breathe the book, not just read it. This book definitely has the historical setting down pat.

I enjoyed the character of Claude. I felt she had a load show more of verve and pluck that saw her through many a trial. She didn't have an easy life at all, but she faced her trials with strength of character and a crap load of guts. I also liked seeing how intelligent she was. She thought out her plans of action, how best to take care of her loved ones, and how to survive in such dangerous surroundings. My only gripe with her character would be her almost complete fascination with Athenais, almost right up to the very end. It seems to come out of nowhere and leaves the reader wondering why in the world Claude finds this woman so beautiful and loyalty-deserving. It's almost an obsession and not in a good sense.

I could wish that the balance of setting was a bit more even. The world of Louis the XIV's court didn't receive near the attention that the world of 17th century theaters and the peasant world received. And for a book that is titled after someone very strongly tied into that court and its intrigues and who draws our main character into that world, I felt like maybe we should have gotten more action there. However, I, for one, was enthralled with the world of the theaters and their inner machinations for power and prestige. So I guess when all is told and done, the lack of court story wasn't a huge detriment. Just a little twinge of disappointment.

At the end of the day, this is an enjoyable historical fiction that brings to light some not-often-explored material. I enjoyed my journey into 17th century court intrigue and theaters with Sandra Gullard my conductor. Her characters, for the most part, shone with life. And while her story balance may be a bit off, this book is still one I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a good historical fiction novel.

Note: Book received for free through GoodReads FirstReads program in exchange for honest review. show less