
The School of Mirrors - BOOK ONLY
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A paperback edition ofĀ The School of MirrorsĀ by Eva Stachniak. Included in our 2024 Speed Dating with a Book grab bags.Ā
About the Book
āA riveting epic, keenly observed and shining with lush historical detail. Youāll never forget this journey.ā--Cara Black,Ā New York TimesĀ bestselling author ofĀ Three Hours in Paris
āA sweeping tale of tumult and tragedyā intricate, absorbing, and impeccably depicted,Ā The School of MirrorsĀ will linger in your imagination long after you turn the last page.ā--Ann Mah, bestselling author ofĀ Jacqueline in Paris
A scintillating, gorgeously written historical novel about a mother and a daughter in eighteenth-century France, beginning with decadence and palace intrigue at Versailles and ending in an explosive new era of revolution.
During the reign of Louis XV, impoverished but lovely teenage girls from all over France are sent to a discreet villa in the town of Versailles. Overseen by the Kingās favorite mistress, Madame de Pompadour, they will be trained as potential courtesans for the King. When the time is right, each girl is smuggled into the palace of Versailles, with its legendary Hall of Mirrors.Ā There they meet a mysterious but splendidly dressed man who theyāre told is merely a Polish count, a cousin of the Queen. Living an indulgent life of silk gowns, delicious meals, and soft beds, the students at this āschool of mirrorsā rarely ask questions, and when Louis tires of them, they are married off to minor aristocrats or allowed to retire to one of the more luxurious nunneries.Ā
Beautiful and canny Veronique arrives at the school of mirrors and quickly becomes a favorite of the King. But when she discovers her loverās true identity, she is whisked away, sent to give birth to a daughter in secret, and then to marry a wealthy Breton merchant. There is no return to the School of Mirrors.
This is also the story of the Kingās daughter by VeroniqueāMarie-Louise. Well-provided for in a comfortable home, Marie-Louise has never known her mother, let alone her father. Capable and intelligent, she discovers a passion for healing and science, and becomes an accredited midwife, one of the few reputable careers for women like her. But eventually Veronique comes back into her daughterās life, bringing with her the secret of Marie-Louiseās birth. But the new KingāLouis XVIāis teetering on his throne and itās a volatile time in Franceā¦and those with royal relatives must mind their step very carefully.