Carole P. Roman Reviews
The Sisters of Versailles: A Novel (The Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy) (Kindle Edition) by Sally Christie
Another terrific book about the checkered love life of Louis the XV. Sally Christie writes of early years of Louis' marriage. Seven years into the relationship, the courtiers search to find the perfect mistress to keep the king busy and meet their demands. They find a great match with the eldest of the Nesle sisters, Louise. Naive and devoted, she embarks on a love affair that last several years. She is the perfect foil, ready to selflessly serve the king and ask nothing in return. As his ardor cools, his interests ramp up as she brings her sisters to court. One by one, he fulfills a bizarre fantasy, making three of her younger sisters his mistress. Each sister brings a new dimension and demands that tickle the king. While Louise lived to serve and please him, Pauline and Marie-Anne work their relationship to their advantage. Pauline uses Louise for access to the king, then maliciously rubs her sister's face in her triumphs. Marie-Anne, in her turn, uses her dim-witted sister Diane as a prop to spark the kings waning interest. She annihilates, her sister Louise, banishing her from Versailles. This was a fascinating story of the glittering world of aristocrats. Christie transports you to another era, and manages to convey the story of each of the sisters, each voice as different as their needs. Through it all, despite the rivalries, sisterly love surfaces, reminding the siblings blood is thicker than water.
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