Review - Mistress of the Revolution by Catherine Delors
Mistress of the Revolution
Catherine Delors
Dutton Adult
ISBN # 978-0525950547
"In 1815 England, an exiled Frenchwoman, Gabrielle de Monserrat, begins
a memoir of her days before and during the French Revolution. A girl of quiet strength and startling beauty, a widow at seventeen with a young daughter, Gabrielle is released into the world of Paris nobility. Determined and inquisitive, with little money and few prospects, she strives to find her own freedom. Around her, the French people attempt to build a utopia based on the ideals of liberty and equality. Differing currents of thought clash over the fate of a nation as the Revolution takes an ever more violent turn. Yet Gabrielle survives, maintaining her humanity and sense of decency. On occasion, she glimpses her first love as he ascends from obscure patriot to one of the most passionate architects of the new order. At last she reaches for him and an impossible happiness."
If you're a historical fiction fan, Mistress of the Revolution is a must read. It will take you deep into the story of the French Revolution, but it also shows the lengths a young woman had to go to in that time just to survive. Lush and evocative, Catherine Delors writing pulls you into Gabrielle's life and forces you to care about what happens to her.
(March 13, 2008, pp 464, $25.95)
2 comments:
I'm in the process of reading this book and I can't even begin to tell you how much I love it. The descriptions are outstanding, the story well-crafted, and the author obviously knows the time period very well.
Thanks for the great review! Catherine is traveling today, so I don't know if she'll have a chance to drop in, but I wanted to let you know how much we appreciate your great reviews.
Cheryl
Thanks so much for this insightful review! I am delighted to hear that you loved Gabrielle's story of courage and survival.
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