All This, and Heaven Too

All This, and Heaven Too is the story of the infamous "Mademoiselle D," Henriette Deluzy-Desportes. After eight years as governess to an English girl, Henriette returns to France to tutor the younger Praslin children. She becomes very fond of them, but can't help noticing that something is amiss in the marriage between the Duc and Duchesse. Eventually, rumors fly that Henriette and the Duc are having an affair, and she leaves the Praslins' employ. Later, a scandalous murder occurs, and after the trial, Henriette flees to the United States to start her life anew.

The first 350 pages of this book are interesting and intriguing. However, after the murder and its trial, the latter part of the novel seemed very anticlimactic to me; the book show more simply came to a grinding halt once Henriette got to Massachusetts. I haven't seen the movie version of this book, but I suspect the director and screenwriters did right by not including the second half of the novel in the movie.

Also, I thought the author has a little too much bias in favor of her heroine, portraying her in a way that's almost unrealistically, cloyingly perfect. She's a perfect governess. She defends herself perfectly during the trial. She's then a perfect New England housewife. And, at times, this book read a little bit like creative nonfiction; there are times when the author would say something like, "Henriette must have felt..." that was a little jarring for me, considering that this is supposed to be fiction.

Field was a good writer, and she was clearly interested enough in her own family history to think that other people would be interested in it as well, but ultimately this book fell a bit flat for me. show less

In life, being honest and idealistic and free from a spirit of malice, she reckoned her problem without taking scandal into account. And scandal has a way of catching up with those who disregard its power.

I first came across this book early this year. I had been looking up something about a song by Florence and the Machine with the same title as this book. I put the book on my tbr shelf after discovering it. I also discovered that there was a movie version of this book and I watched it a month or two ago. I really enjoyed the movie and it made me want to read the book even more. After reading the book, I wish I would have read the book before I saw the movie. I just had a certain picture in my mind as to how I thought the book would be show more and while it was a good book it was a bit different than my expectations.

Rachel Field wrote this book about her great-aunt Henriette and her real life role in in the murder of a French duchess that played a part in the downfall of King Louis-Phillipe. While Rachel was not around to meet Henriette she still did her research before writing this book. Even though she did her research, this is still a fiction book and is Rachel Field's interpretation of what she felt Henriette's life and personality would have been like.

After seeing the movie version I was definitely prepared for all of the events that happen in France. While the movie version is basically just those events the book follows Henriette's life after the events in France all the way towards the end of her life. I felt like the book was a bit disjointed. Once Henriette leaves France she becomes somewhat of a completely different person and the story turns almost into a whole different story. I enjoyed all three parts of the book but the Henriette in France and the Henriette in America were two so very different people that it was just odd.

Overall this was an interesting book but it felt more like it should have been broken up into two books. If you have not seen the movie or read the book and are interested in doing so I would recommend reading the book first. show less

If you like Edith Wharton, you'll enjoy this book too.
It is almost 2 books in one. The first part set in France is excellent and a novel in itself.
The second, set in the USA, is really a biography of the Field family. Enjoyable in its own way but not really a story, more a denouement of the first part of the book.
Probably a better read for Americans as the Field family were pioneers in 19th Century USA.