About The Sisters of Versailles
Series: The Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Atria Books (September 1, 2015)
Carefully researched and ornately detailed, The Sisters of Versailles is the first book in an exciting new historical fiction trilogy about King Louis XV, France’s most “well-beloved” monarch, and the women who shared his heart and his bed.
The Sisters of Versailles centers on the (relatively, at least for the genre) overlooked period of early 18th century France. The French Revolution and Marie Antoinette have been extensively written about; it’s time for fans of that time period to step further back in time and to explore the reign of Louis XV (1715 – 1774) a time of increasing social turbulence and change that sets the stage neatly for the Revolution that follows.
Goodness, but sisters are a thing to fear.
Set against the lavish backdrop of the French Court in the early years of the 18th century, The Sisters of Versailles is the extraordinary tale of the five Nesle sisters—Louise, Pauline, Diane, Hortense, and Marie-Anne—four of whom became mistresses to King Louis XV. Their scandalous story is stranger than fiction but true in every shocking, amusing, and heartbreaking detail.
Court intriguers are beginning to sense that young King Louis XV, after seven years of marriage, is tiring of his Polish wife. The race is on to find a mistress for the royal bed as various factions put their best foot—and women—forward. The King’s scheming ministers push Louise, the eldest of the aristocratic Nesle sisters, into the arms of the King. Over the following decade, the four sisters—sweet, naïve Louise; ambitious Pauline; complacent Diane, and cunning Marie Anne—will conspire, betray, suffer, and triumph in a desperate fight for both love and power.
In the tradition of The Other Boleyn Girl, The Sisters of Versailles is a clever, intelligent, and absorbing novel that historical fiction fans will devour. Telling the story of a group of women never before written about in English, Sally Christie’s stunning debut is a complex exploration of power and sisterhood—of the admiration, competition, and even hatred that can coexist within a family when the stakes are high enough.
Purchase Links
Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble
About Sally Christie
Sally Christie was born in England of British parents but grew up mostly in Canada. As a child she moved around with her family and then continued her wandering as she pursued a career in international development; she’s lived in 14 different countries and worked in many more. She’s now settled in Toronto and loving it.
Sally lives and breathes history; ever since she read Antonia Fraser’s masterful Mary, Queen of Scots when she was 10, she’s been an avid history junkie. She wishes more attention and technical innovation was devoted to time travel, because there is nothing she would rather do than travel back in time! Writing historical fiction is a poor substitute, but it’s the best one we have at the moment.
When not reading and writing history, she’s a tennis and Scrabble fanatic.
Connect with Sally
Website | Goodreads
Sally Christie’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, August 17th: Broken Teepee
Tuesday, August 18th: The Reading Date
Tuesday, August 18th: #redhead.with.book – Review and “Sister” Bio **
Wednesday, August 19th: Scandalous Women
Wednesday, August 19th: Raven Haired Girl
Monday, August 24th: Peeking Between the Pages
Tuesday, August 25th: Curling Up by the Fire – “Sister” Bio **
Wednesday, August 26th: Stephanie’s Reviews… 100 Pages a Day
Thursday, August 27th: Historical-Fiction.com
Friday, August 28th: Bibliophilia, Please
Monday, August 31st: The Maiden’s Court
Monday, August 31st: Peeking Between the Pages “Sister” Bio**
Tuesday, September 1st: Let Them Read Books
Wednesday, September 2nd: Life is Story
Thursday, September 3rd: Book Dilettante
Monday, September 7th: A Bookish Affair
Tuesday, September 8th: A Chick Who Reads
Wednesday, September 9th: Read. Write. Repeat.
Friday, September 11th: A Literary Vacation
Monday, September 14th: Hoser’s Blog – Review and “Sister” Bio **
Tuesday, September 15th: Living in the Kitchen With Puppies **
Wednesday, September 16th: The Baking Bookworm **
Monday, September 21st: Snowdrop Dreams of Books – Review and “Sister” Bio **
Tuesday, September 22nd: Lavish Bookshelf
Thursday, September 24th: Books Without Any Pictures
Monday, September 28th: Pingwing’s Bookshelf **
Thursday, October 23rd: Books a la Mode – author guest post & giveaway
** denotes Canadian bloggers