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76th out of 80 books
—
41 voters
The Oracle Glass
Genevieve is a precocious girl with the remarkable power to read the future in a water glass. Left for dead by her family, she is taken in by La Voisin, who rules a secret society of witches that manipulate the rich—from tradesmen all the way up to the king himself.
Genevieve transforms herself into the mysterious Madame de Morville, rumored to be 150 years old. Driven by t...more
Genevieve transforms herself into the mysterious Madame de Morville, rumored to be 150 years old. Driven by t...more
Paperback, 544 pages
Published
November 1st 2012
by Sourcebooks Landmark
(first published April 21st 1994)
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Mar 19, 2013
Deniz
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Deniz by:
Butterfly
its beautifully written, but very slow. Its definitely very duma-esque which is why i in fact gave it 3 rather then 2 stars
but to be honest, the story doesn't really unfold till right the end and the romance is non existent and then suddenly awkward.
but to be honest, the story doesn't really unfold till right the end and the romance is non existent and then suddenly awkward.
view all 4 comments
The Oracle Glass was not as compelling as the rating would imply. I found it took over 200 pages for the story to get rolling and then all the real action felt crammed into the last 50.
Genevieve Pasquier reinvents herself as a centuries-old fortune teller, thrives on the intrigues of the court of Louis XIV and then realizes her ultimate happiness while running in terror from a witch hunt.
The biggest failure here was the failure to fully develop any of the relationships in Genevieve's life. Even...more
Genevieve Pasquier reinvents herself as a centuries-old fortune teller, thrives on the intrigues of the court of Louis XIV and then realizes her ultimate happiness while running in terror from a witch hunt.
The biggest failure here was the failure to fully develop any of the relationships in Genevieve's life. Even...more
Aug 02, 2012
Kristen
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
strong-female-characters
This would have been a very good 300-page book. Unfortunately, the author wrote 500 pages which made it into an only fair story.
There are lots of promising aspects to the book: plenty of strong, independant and intelligent female characters, the fascinating world of the Sun King's court, the unique aspects of the Occult world, politics, family intrigues, love - both unrequited and true, and the city of Paris which is always fun as a book setting.
The story itself was very engaging - a young Frenc...more
There are lots of promising aspects to the book: plenty of strong, independant and intelligent female characters, the fascinating world of the Sun King's court, the unique aspects of the Occult world, politics, family intrigues, love - both unrequited and true, and the city of Paris which is always fun as a book setting.
The story itself was very engaging - a young Frenc...more
It's a story about a girl from a good home, that is not really good. Her mother does not like her because she is deformed. So this girl transforms into the most sought after seer in Paris. What a Cinderella story. Ok not really. But she took life in her own hands and made something out of it. At a time when a woman should not be alone.
One negative thing about the book would be that it could have been shorter, like 150-100 pages shorter. Because even though it kept out the pace it still felt like...more
One negative thing about the book would be that it could have been shorter, like 150-100 pages shorter. Because even though it kept out the pace it still felt like...more
This was a book that started out terrifically well. I was instantly absorbed in the protagonist's story and felt as though I'd travelled back it time to Genevieve's Paris.
At exactly the 50% mark on my Kindle it got really...dull, confusing, boring, tedious. But every time i got to the point of deciding to put it down the story got interedting again for a brief bit, only to once again drag into the slough of drear. In doing some outside research I realised after the fact the nature of the proble...more
At exactly the 50% mark on my Kindle it got really...dull, confusing, boring, tedious. But every time i got to the point of deciding to put it down the story got interedting again for a brief bit, only to once again drag into the slough of drear. In doing some outside research I realised after the fact the nature of the proble...more
Dec 06, 2012
Brianna
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
supernatural,
historical-fiction
I thought this book was excellent. I have a minor in French and always enjoyed studying French history, and both Paris and Versailles were times of great excitement during Louis XIV's reign. This was a good book because it provides a female view of a very male-dominated time period, and it showed the seedier side of court life and the peasants living near Paris and Versailles. Because the book focused on La Voison and the Sun King's main maîtresse en titre (the official name for the French king'...more
Another book I'm unfairly fond of, so don't come here for a review on the technical merits. Oracle Glass does have its flaws. It's loosely based on the real life Poison Affair, during the time of Louis XIV
Genevieve is born to a family of middling rank during the illustrious reign of the sun king, her father is a failed financier who has retreated into intellectual things, her mother of distant noble blood, grasping at rank and beauty as she tries to save her fading youth. Premature and deformed,...more
Genevieve is born to a family of middling rank during the illustrious reign of the sun king, her father is a failed financier who has retreated into intellectual things, her mother of distant noble blood, grasping at rank and beauty as she tries to save her fading youth. Premature and deformed,...more
I was unsure about reading this book for fear it would be a dark horror novel but that proved not to be the case. Although I thought the beginning was slow, the author was subtlety building up her background and characters.
Against the background of the court of the Sun King, Louis IV Genevieve Pasquier under the tutelage of La Voisin (who actually did live in this period) becomes Marquise De Morville, a fortune teller with a talent for reading water glasses. Soon she is making a great deal of mo...more
Against the background of the court of the Sun King, Louis IV Genevieve Pasquier under the tutelage of La Voisin (who actually did live in this period) becomes Marquise De Morville, a fortune teller with a talent for reading water glasses. Soon she is making a great deal of mo...more
My favorite of Judith Merkle Riley's books. I read this in junior high, and managed to severely unsettle a number of teachers with my in-depth knowledge of poisons and their effects. This novel introduces us to the dark side of the Sun King's court, a world rife with backstabbing, social-climbing, Satanism, and magic. Our guide is a young girl with a gift for seeing the future, abandoned by her family and re-made into a society fortune-teller. Her mentor is La Voisin, an amused and amusing woman...more
Um, I have to own up to the fact that I just skimmed this book. Now before you judge me too harshly, I did actually read every word of the first 90-odd pages and then the skimming began. Why? Because it was that or just not finish it at all.
The plot is based loosely upon historical events connected with a fortune-telling ring that set itself up on Paris during the late 17th century. Let's just say that there were a number of inconsistencies in the book and I just couldn't really dredge up much...more
The plot is based loosely upon historical events connected with a fortune-telling ring that set itself up on Paris during the late 17th century. Let's just say that there were a number of inconsistencies in the book and I just couldn't really dredge up much...more
Oracle Glass was a very different type of historical read for me, VERY descriptive, it had a soft touch of magic, suspense and some humor. This story is about a woman’s (Genevieve’s) journey of life, her life and all of the trails tributes along the way. I found it to be a touching, adventurous tale to a woman’s very long journey to gain peace in her life and with herself. Die hard historical fans would most enjoy reading Oracle Glass.
What’s a girl to do when she’s not wanted in the first place?...more
What’s a girl to do when she’s not wanted in the first place?...more
Jul 21, 2011
Kate Forsyth
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical,
historical-romance
This novel is set in 17th century France, during the reign of the Sun King, and has at its heart the shocking Affair of the Poisons which scandalised French society and saw many hundreds put on trial for murder, sorcery, abortion and satanic rites. I've been studying the period for the book I'm now writing and so it was very interesting to read another novel drawing on the same events. The Oracle Glass is a thick, dense, and rather strange book, jammed full of reflections on philosophy and relig...more
I didn't know what to expect from this book. I checked it out pretty much because it was available, but looking at the cover, I almost just returned it without trying it. It looked like it would be a fantasy, which really just isn't my favorite. Instead, it turned out to be a really compelling historical fiction with elements of fantasy.
I generally like historical fiction, but this one was really refreshing. It looks at the court of the Sun King and his mistresses, but it isn't all about the cou...more
I generally like historical fiction, but this one was really refreshing. It looks at the court of the Sun King and his mistresses, but it isn't all about the cou...more
Apr 23, 2012
Nora Branch Library
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites
A web of intrigue surrounded the opulent court of France's Sun King, Louis XIV. Discarded mistresses, disgruntled courtiers, satanists, witches, and even professional poisoners. In this peculiar society, there is no character more mysterious than the Marquise de Morville, a seeress reputed to be more than 100 years old. The Oracle Glass is the spellbinding tale of Genevieve Pasquier, an abused, deformed child, the despised offspring of French aristocracy, who rises to the heights of power and gl...more
Although filled with annoying anachronisms like, "Nice work if you can get it." and "This isn't fun anymore." , this is still an enjoyable book. The setting and plot are very compelling and the male love interest is very charming. I was quite fascinated by the society of witches during the time of Louis XIV and the way they formed a mutual self-help society. The book was ultimately a page turner. It was an enjoyable romp despite all the irritating details. I was especially impressed that the aut...more
One of my favourite historical fiction reads, set in Paris of Louis XIV's reign. Genevieve is witty, smart -- and marked for murder. When she is unexpectedly saved by none other than arch-poisoner Catherine Voison, Genevieve finds that her life takes on a very unexpected twist. I've read this one about a half-dozen times and find out something new each time. It's smart, entertaining and great good fun. Recommended for anyone who is sick of historical romance and wants something different.
For th...more
For th...more
I enjoyed the character of Genevieve very much. She showed that to be able to survive you sometimes had to associate with undesirable people. I particularly liked her infatuation with Lamotte. Beacuse what one of us has not fantasized about a good looking celebrity which he ended up being in his time. I was happy with how it ended but I would have liked to have a bit more about them after. Overall I liked the story very much but it could be sluggish at times but then the Queen of Shadows would d...more
I was fortunate enough to win this book in Goodreads First Reads giveaways.
An exciting well written novel based on actual events during the reign of King Louis the IV.
The Oracle Glass is a richly written detail oriented novel about Genèvieve Pasquier, a penniless young girl of France, who has been born with the ability to see future events.
Ms. Riley provides the reader with in depth details as to the life and mannerisms of 17th century French court. A known pass time of the elite was the occult...more
An exciting well written novel based on actual events during the reign of King Louis the IV.
The Oracle Glass is a richly written detail oriented novel about Genèvieve Pasquier, a penniless young girl of France, who has been born with the ability to see future events.
Ms. Riley provides the reader with in depth details as to the life and mannerisms of 17th century French court. A known pass time of the elite was the occult...more
The Oracle Glass was a fabulously told historical fantasy tale that took place around The Affair of the Poisons, a real series of events that happened during the reign of Louis XIV.
After the death of her beloved father, Genevieve Pasquier escapes her abusive family and becomes Madame Morville, a 150 year old fortune teller with the help of La Voisin. La Voison, who really existed, was the ruler of a secret society of witches, and is the prime source in dealing out poison to high-end clients.
Gene...more
After the death of her beloved father, Genevieve Pasquier escapes her abusive family and becomes Madame Morville, a 150 year old fortune teller with the help of La Voisin. La Voison, who really existed, was the ruler of a secret society of witches, and is the prime source in dealing out poison to high-end clients.
Gene...more
This is my favorite book of all time. I love historical fiction. It's at least 75% of what I read. So the setting of this was right up my alley. I've read a lot about England so that naturally will lead to France because of their long rivalry. I had heard of the Sun King and read other books in this time period but it was really interesting to dive into the occult and walk in the back door of some really disreputable places.
I instantly sympathized with Genevieve. I am a bookworm and my major wa...more
I instantly sympathized with Genevieve. I am a bookworm and my major wa...more
This well-paced historical novel is built around the real Affaires des Poisons in late 17th century Paris and at the court of Louis XIV. The fictional protagonist, Genevieve Pasquier, is a very intelligent, bookish girl horribly mistreated and outcast by her petty nobility family. When she runs away from them, Genevieve is taken under the wing of La Voisin, the most successful and powerful witch* in Paris, leader of a large organization of witches which is kind of a mixture of a guild and the ma...more
The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley
What a pleasure it was to read a well-written book. I looked forward to each evening, when I could steal a few minutes to read. However, if you can, this book deserves more than a few minutes an evening. You will instantly fall into the story and become captivated by Genevieve, a teenage girl who dressed as a 150 year-old widow. How she came to be in that position, and how she saved the king are the makings of a great story.
In the excesses of the Sun King’...more
What a pleasure it was to read a well-written book. I looked forward to each evening, when I could steal a few minutes to read. However, if you can, this book deserves more than a few minutes an evening. You will instantly fall into the story and become captivated by Genevieve, a teenage girl who dressed as a 150 year-old widow. How she came to be in that position, and how she saved the king are the makings of a great story.
In the excesses of the Sun King’...more
Even though this book took me a long time to get through, I really liked it. The latter half was a bit better than the beginning. But I really enjoyed Merkle Riley's take on, well, basically feminism in 18th century Paris. The book doesn't idealize 18th century life for women. It was no doubt every bit as harsh, even for the women of court standing, as the book portrays.
I especially loved the fact that the main character was extremely smart and depended on that ability to stay alive and prosper....more
I especially loved the fact that the main character was extremely smart and depended on that ability to stay alive and prosper....more
Apr 01, 2012
Kagama-the Literaturevixen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
readers who dont mind a bit of supernatural in their historical fiction
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Hmmm - not bad. Our latest read-aloud, from a book I got for peanuts at some discount table. Set in Paris of Louis XIV, a bit of a bodice ripper, a lot of crowd-pleasing elements - witchcraft, ESP, sex… but quite crisply written and nicely constructed. There are words of praise from Diana Gabaldon and Jean Auel on the dust jacket, but it still ended up in the remainder bin. Seems that neither quality, mass market appeal, nor who-you-know can entirely tip the scales… How depressing.
Is my favorite book until now.
The thing about this book is that it is not a romance book, even if Geneviève has some romantic relationships. No, this book centers on the life of a French girl who fell on disgrace and was able to rise gracfully form it as Madame de Morville; a girl who had to endure great suffering which made her the wise women she ends up being at the end of the book.
Little Atena is what a girl should be like; well, what an intelligent girl should be like.
The thing about this book is that it is not a romance book, even if Geneviève has some romantic relationships. No, this book centers on the life of a French girl who fell on disgrace and was able to rise gracfully form it as Madame de Morville; a girl who had to endure great suffering which made her the wise women she ends up being at the end of the book.
Little Atena is what a girl should be like; well, what an intelligent girl should be like.
#1 on my top 10 list. This book follows a young girl through an unfortunate birth into a complicated youth. Tragedies befall the heroine and continue one after the other. She is not always perfect. She is definitely brash which sometimes works in her favor other times brings disaster. She discovers that subterfuge will bring you everything you want but truth will bring you what you need. I love her because I am her. By admitting the truth to herself she was set free.
This book is one of my all-time favorites.
Riley creates one of my favorite literary heroines with Genevieve Pasquier, a girl born in fifteenth-century Paris who can read the future in a glass. Truly wonderful plot and characterization -- Genevieve's foil, Catherine Montvoisin, is written so well.
I recommend this book to everyone. Judith Merkle Riley is a wonderful author, and The Oracle Glass is a wonderful example of her genius.
Riley creates one of my favorite literary heroines with Genevieve Pasquier, a girl born in fifteenth-century Paris who can read the future in a glass. Truly wonderful plot and characterization -- Genevieve's foil, Catherine Montvoisin, is written so well.
I recommend this book to everyone. Judith Merkle Riley is a wonderful author, and The Oracle Glass is a wonderful example of her genius.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have re-read it several times and recommended it to friends. I enjoy historical fiction, especially when magic isn't used to tie up the plot in the last fifty pages. I also liked that the heroine has scoliosis and has to deal with enormous pain in addition to all the other problems in her life. This kind of verisimilitude has brought me back to this book many times.
Fortune tellers and witches and royal intrigue in 17th century Paris, oh my. Very long. Very well written. Many actual historical characters. Fascinating main character: a 15-year-old girl with a real talent for seeing the future, who poses as a 150-year-old fortune teller. But too many characters with French titles for me to keep straight in my head.
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Judith Astria Merkle was born on January 14, 1942 in Brunswick, Maine and grew up in Livermore, California, U.S.A. Her great-grandfather was a Swiss emigrant, who moved to the United States in 1860. Her uncle-abue was the famous player of baseball Fred Merkle. Her father, Theodore Charles Merkle was contralador of the Project Pluto and her brother Ralph C. Merkle is technological professor in a Co...more
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