Genevieve Pasquier is a girl crippled from birth by being born with a clubfoot,loved by her scholarly father but despised by her beautiful and vain mother who dotes on her more beautiful older sister.

She is in short an ugly duckling but a smart duckling ;)

Her father educates her and gives her books to read.

When on his deathbed he sends for her and gives her some words of wisdom.

But her mother thinks Genevieve was told where her father hid a vast fortune.But Genevieve of course dont know anything and is then put through such abuse that she has no other choice but to leave home.

While escaping she happens on the powerful society witch Catherine Montvoisin wwho proposes a deal:work for her and get revenge.

She become the Marquess, an allegedly 200 year old fortune-teller who acquired immortality through an elixir and its not long before she is popular in the aristocratic circles of Paris.

But things get dangerous when Athenais Montespan,the kings mistress,ask to get her fortune told.

It seems like Monvoisin has some darker agenda that could shake France if the plan is ever carried out.

I dont want to give to much away,but there is enough suspense so you wont get bored.And all the characters feel real and has motivation for their actions. And there is a romance but it takes a while for the heroine to realize who truly loves her.

Judith Merkle Riley has written other historicals wich ive also enjoyed but this book remains my favorite of them.
There is some horrible elements in this story(rape,occult rites,poisoning) But in the end the good prevail.

This is built around an actual event in history,the affair of the poisons.And even though the author takes some artistic liberties it stays mostly true to history. ( )

One of 3 loosely-linked historical novels (with a soupçon of fantasy) by Judith Merkle Riley, this historical novel deals with the diviner Madame de Morville (or Genevieve Pasquier).

Genevieve Pasquier is the youngest daughter of a disgraced financier (who fell with Fouquet). Growing up in a straightened household, her spendthrift mother believes her husband squirrelled away a fortune and does her best to get hold of it, murdering her husband and mother-in-law. Believing Genevieve knows where the fortune is, she threatens her life. Genevieve runs away and falls into the clutches of Catherine Monvoison, Queen of the Witches of Paris.

La Monvoison grooms Genevieve as a water diviner, disguising her as Madame de Morville, a 150 year-old cursed with eternal life. As a diviner, Genevieve makes an excellent living, coming to the attention of Madame de Montespan, who is desperate to keep the affections of the king by any means possible. Along the way, Genevieve gets mixed up with Hugenots and playwrights.

There is less overtly supernatural elements in this book, although it is suggested that Genevieve has true visions of The Terror.

Recommended.

While I enjoyed many of the details, it was fairly forgettable. ( )

The tale of a deformed little girl, with an uncaring mother and loving father, who enters the world of witches after her father's death and being brutalized. She becomes Marquise whom all believe to be 150 year old seer and enters a life of intrigue. French politics, high society and underground world. Definitely long read, but kept pulling me back to find out where the author was going and how her story ends.
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It's a story about a girl from a good home, that is not really good. Her mother does not like her because she is deformed. So this girl transforms into the most sought after seer in Paris. What a Cinderella story. Ok not really. But she took life in her own hands and made something out of it. At a time when a woman should not be alone.

One negative thing about the book would be that it could have been shorter, like 150-100 pages shorter. Because even though it kept out the pace it still felt like it dragged a bit since it was so long. And I am unsure about the end. I can't say but, sometimes you know for sure, and sometimes you can just be 70% sure about something, mysterious, well yes ;)

A secret network of witches, poison, court intrigues at the splendid Sun Court. A world where you can tell futures and those rich enough to spend their money will believe every word you say.

Genevieve was a nice heroine, her mentor La Voisin a nice baddie without being crazy bad. She was just a big spider in a net. Then there was a tiny bit of romance, just a tiny bit late on as Genevieve became more popular.

There are real historical characters in this one, including La Voisin. And the author mixes reality and fiction in a nice blend.
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