Synopses & Reviews
The author of the internationally acclaimed Josephine Bonaparte trilogy returns with another irresistible historical novel, this one based on the life of Louise de la Vallière, who, against all odds, became one of the most mysterious consorts of France's Louis XIV, the charismatic Sun King.
Set against the magnificent decadence of the seventeenth-century French court, Mistress of the Sun begins when an eccentric young Louise falls in love with a wild white stallion and uses ancient magic to tame him. This one desperate action of her youth shadows her throughout her life, changing it in ways she could never imagine.
Unmarriageable, and too poor to join a convent, Louise enters the court of the Sun King, where the king is captivated by her. As their love unfolds, Louise bears Louis four children, is made a duchess, and reigns unrivaled as his official mistress until dangerous intrigue threatens her position at court and in Louis's heart.
A riveting love story with a captivating mystery at its heart, Mistress of the Sun illuminates both the power of true and perfect love and the rash actions we take to capture and tame it.
Review
"...this is a fine telling, bolstered by the strength and sensitivity of Gulland's characterizations." -- Kirkus Reviews
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"An excellent book, glittering and tender and soulful and wise." -- Merilyn Simonds, author of The Holding
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"An irresistible story" -- Ottawa Citizen
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"Suspenseful, evocative, atmospheric, and deliciously satisfying reading, with an immensely appealing heroine." -- Margaret George, author of Helen of Troy
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"I fell in love with Petite from the moment she tamed her wild, white horse, and I galloped along with her through her undying devotion to one of France's most colorful kings." -- Anne Easter Smith, author of The King's Grace and A Rose for the Crown
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"[A] captivating jewel of a novel." -- Historical Novels Review, editors' choice
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"Here's a warning: Mistress of the Sun is dangerously seductive. It's one of those books that will grab you and hold you captive till the last page is turned." -- Montreal Gazette
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"Teeming with the rich period details that make historical fiction so rewarding, Gulland's dynamic and nuanced portrait of Louis's notorious reign thrums with page-turning expediency and deliciously seductive machinations." -- Booklist
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"This lively story is rich in period detail...Gulland successfully unfolds the story of Petite and Louis while smoothly weaving in other actual historical personages." -- Rocky Mountain News
About the Author
Sandra Gulland is the author of Mistress of the Sun; The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.; Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe; and The Last Great Dance on Earth. She lives in Killaloe, Ontario, and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Table of Contents
Contents Map: France at the Time of the Sun King
The Royal Families (abbreviated genealogy)
Part I: Bone Magic
Part II: Confession
Part III: The Enchanter
Part IV: Mislove
Part V: Beloved
Epilogue: Marie-Anne, June 6, 1710
Author's Note
Glossary
Acknowledgments