The Courtier of Versailles

De: Donna Russo Morin

Narrado por: Dana Roth

France, 1682. Louis XIV, the Sun King, is at the height of his power. The court at Versailles is a paradise for privileged young women.

Jeanne Yvette Mas Du Bois is unlike most other courtiers: her thirst for knowledge often incurs her father's brutal wrath. But her uncle encourages Jeanne's independence, secretly teaching her fencing in the palace's labyrinthine basement. When two of the king's Musketeers are beset by criminals, mere feet from Jeanne's fencing lesson, she intervenes and saves one of the Musketeers' lives.

Hidden behind her mask, Jeanne is mistaken for a man. As "Jean Luc", she is admitted to an inner circle where she learns of an assassination plot against the Queen. As Jean Luc, she is permitted to bring her intelligence and swordsmanship to bear. And as Jean Luc, she is free to love the man of her choosing...even if she can never have him.

With the Queen in jeopardy and her own double life making her privy to the tangled intrigues at court, Jeanne finds herself in a powerful, yet increasingly perilous position.

Brimming with lush period detail and vivid, unforgettable characters, The Courtier of Versailles will take you into an intriguing world of pageantry, adventure, betrayals, and secrets.

©2018 Donna Russo Morin (P)2019 Donna Russo Morin

The Book Summary is misleading

The court of Versailles during the time of King Louis VII was NOT a paradise for women. The main character's best friend is brutally forced into a marriage with a man who abuses her simply because he can. There is no one to stop him. Listening to this book was a struggle, the narration was poor. Her characters all sounded the same. Since we are visiting the French court, it would have been more authentic if the narrator had a French accent. I suggest if you want to read this book stop reading now, spoiler alerts ahead. The Courtier of Versailles not a happy story. Jeanne's father beats her and his wife, when they are among the other inhabitants of the chateau, they must hide the bruises he inflicts upon them. Court life is not as glamourous as most people might fantasize about. It is boring, attending parties, hunts and festivals to please the spoiled demand of the King. Even Jeanne admits it to herself, but is powerless to changes her life. When she tells the Queen she wants to help the poor, Maria Therese and her sycophants look down upon her. Jeanne's only escape to disguise herself as young Jean Luc, here she finds freedom, but at a steep price … she eventually is killed fighting alongside the man she loves. Her friend remains in a brutal marriage. No hope of rescue from that brute. Not a happy ending. The author said this is a retelling of her original story, The Courtier's Secret, her editor at the time asked her to change the ending to a happy one. I wish I had read that story instead. Will not read anything else by this author.