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Mistress of the Revolution

by Catherine Delors (Goodreads Author)

3.97 · rating details · 498 ratings · 110 reviews

A singular new voice in historical fiction. A time of decadence in a country embroiled in revolution. An unforgettably high-spirited heroine.

Set in opulent, decadent, turbulent revolutionary France, Mistress of the Revolution is the story of Gabrielle de Montserrat. An impoverished noblewoman blessed with fiery red hair and a mischievous demeanor, Gabrielle is only fif...more

Hardcover, 451 pages

Published March 13th 2008 by Dutton Adult

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Dec 05, 2007

Amanda rated it

Shelves: own, historical-fiction, favorites, france

I absolutely loved Mistress of the Revolution. It's a great historical fiction about a lady's life during the French Revolution. I wish I had read the book when I was learning about the French Revolution in college...it clears up a lot of confusion. This is great for people who love historical fiction but don't want a whole lot of cheesy romance. I have my B.A. in History and am always impressed when authors such as Catherine Delors puts an amazing amount of effort to get not only the historica...more

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Mar 28, 2008

Elena rated it

"Mistress of the Revolution" by Catherine Delors possesses all the elements of the finest modern historical fiction. Beautifully written, the reader is carried immediately into the France of the past. The main characters are very human, with foibles, sins, strengths, and potential for redemption. It is obvious that the author immersed herself in the art, music, drama and literature of the time; the atmosphere of the story exudes authenticity without being pedantic. With some aspe...more
"Mistress of the Revolution" by Catherine Delors possesses all the elements of the finest modern historical fiction. Beautifully written, the reader is carried immediately into the France of the past. The main characters are very human, with foibles, sins, strengths, and potential for redemption. It is obvious that the author immersed herself in the art, music, drama and literature of the time; the atmosphere of the story exudes authenticity without being pedantic. With some aspects of a contemporary bodice-ripper, it is ultimately a tale of enduring love, love which devastates and transforms amid societal chaos and personal passions.

In many ways, "Mistress of the Revolution" is highly reminiscent of eighteenth century tragic romances such as "Manon Lescaut" and "Les Liaisons dangereuses," involving psychological struggles in which innocence and beauty are exploited. The lapse of faith and morals which came to characterize so much of the ancien-régime is exposed as one of the factors which fed discontent and bred the Revolution. When the Catholic religion was attacked during the Revolution it was not out of the blue; the carelessness and hypocrisy of many generations opened the floodgates, in spite of the sincere fervor of many believers, who then became martyrs.

The heroine of "Mistress of the Revolution" is a sweet but utterly hapless girl from an ancient but bizarrely dysfunctional family in the mountains of Auvergne. Raised in a convent, Gabrielle is spirited and modest with a strong sense of right and wrong. At fifteen she accepts the marriage proposal of an idealistic young physician, Pierre-André Coffinhal. Her family, however, rejects the idea of her marrying a commoner and instead force Gabrielle into wedlock with her cousin, the middle-aged Baron de Peyre. If the Baron had been a literate man, one would suspect him to be a fervent admirer of the Marquis de Sade, due to the treatment which he inflicts upon Gabrielle, beginning on the wedding night. Such is the extent of his physical and psychological abuse that Gabrielle feels that her soul has died. She prays for deliverance, lighting a candle before the Virgin in church. Mercifully, the Baron drops dead.

Gabrielle then finds herself a penniless widow with a baby daughter. She contemplates becoming a nun like her sister, but fears losing custody of her child. Circumstances bring her to Paris, where she becomes the mistress of a wealthy nobleman. Deprived of true love, Gabrielle turns to pleasure, but guilt and emptiness leave her no peace. Meanwhile, France plummets into Revolution, a Revolution which will bring her once again into the path of her former fiancé, Pierre-André, who has become a committed Jacobin.

Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette appear at brief intervals in the book. The reader is allowed to view them not so much as they actually were but as the French people had come to see them. Gabrielle looks to the new regime to liberate her from her miseries only to find that the old corruptions and abuses are replaced by terror and violence. In their zeal to establish a republic based on virtue, the revolutionary leaders become petty tyrants, with iron-clad rules and regulations, even as the old traditions and values are cast aside. The survival of her loved ones becomes top priority as Gabrielle struggles to retain her integrity and humanity in spite of everything.

The novel makes it abundantly clear that the seeds of modernity were not only planted during the Revolution of 1789, but brought to partial fruition, at the cost of innumerable lives. Yet it was also a time of heroic self-sacrifice, often on the part of the most unlikely characters. Whatever opinions a person has about the French Revolution in general, "Mistress" is an engrossing read for anyone interested in that era. I would especially recommend it for those who relish a love story which wrings both heart and soul.(less)

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Mar 20, 2008

Ana T. rated it

Shelves: keeper, read-in-2008, french-hist, loaned

This was a difficult review to write. I enjoyed the book very much and I wanted to do it justice but sometimes there are so many things you appreciate that you get overwhelmed when it comes to writing the review.

This book reads like a memoir, the heroine is looking back on her past and telling us about her life. There are only a few occasions in which we are brought back to the present and actually know her as an old woman.

This is a book about a very sensitive period in h...moreThis was a difficult review to write. I enjoyed the book very much and I wanted to do it justice but sometimes there are so many things you appreciate that you get overwhelmed when it comes to writing the review.

This book reads like a memoir, the heroine is looking back on her past and telling us about her life. There are only a few occasions in which we are brought back to the present and actually know her as an old woman.

This is a book about a very sensitive period in history. The French Revolution gave us the ideals we still live by today but at the same time it was a period of such blood shed that sometimes, when I read about it, the good parts pale in comparison.

The book starts as Gabrielle de Montserrat is brought to her family to live after a few years living with a nurse and then a few more in a convent completing her education. Her family belongs to the impoverished aristocracy and it is understood that she will be expected to marry well. However Gabrielle ends up falling in love with a young commoner - Pierre Andre Coffinhal - and to prevent them from being together her brother marries her to a man thrice her age when she is only 15. Said husband will mistreat her before finally dying and leaving her penniless and with a little daughter. Without any other options she accepts to go to Paris and live with an old relation. There she will be in touch with the court life and the last moments of the Old Regime. Her story is not uncommon when it comes to the history of women in general. Dependent on men to provide for her, as due to her status work can't be considered, she becomes the mistress of a rich men. Her position as Lady In Waiting to the Countess of Provence will allow her to get to know the most important personalities in the political scene. After the monarchy is abolished she is reduced to a "ci-devant" (an ex) Baroness and in a world where titles are no longer tolerated she finds herself imprisoned and in constant danger of being tried and killed just because she was an aristocrat. As the situation collapses she asks for the help of Pierre-Andree who has risen to be an important member of the Revolutionary Tribunal and a close friend of Robespierre. The relationship that they develop will allow Gabrielle and us to follow the period of the Terror and its political changes especially it what concerns civil rights. From its beginning till the moment when the leaders of the revolution end up being led to the guillotine themselves.

I found it strange at first that Gabrielle could mention so many horrifying things in a detached manner. But then it struck me that she is looking back into the past, some events are long gone and we are watching them through her eyes. The first person point of view also helps with that. It’s an interesting way of telling the story and I also found it important in a different level. She manages to convey both the old world and the new society that comes out of the revolution without being judgemental. It’s through Pierre-Andre’s character that we have most of the analysis and condemnation of the old regime and the defence of the new order. Gabrielle has a more feminine approach to reality with worries about family and friends which make her observations very interesting in a different way. I felt that last part of the book was the stronger one and why I ended up loving it so much.

The romantic element is strong but this is Gabrielle's story, not a romance, and in the end she survives and becomes stronger. When she reaches the end of her story she is in London and thinks about how twenty three years later the émigrés are returning to France as the Bourbons were restored to the throne. She, however, will never be able to go back…

The characters are interesting and I felt that the more I knew them the more I wanted to know. The historical background is really well done. We get a true feeling of the period without it taking centre stage.

One final note to say the book is populated by real people, who actually existed – starting with Coffinhal - and I really liked that.

Grade: A(less)

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Apr 01, 2008

Gerald rated it

Recommends it for: students of history, sexual politics

Recommended to Gerald by: the author

From a writer's technical viewpoint, the impeccable prose style of this book is remarkable. Delors is a native French speaker, and English is her second language. The book is written from Gabrielle's (the main character's) point of view in 1815, while exiled in England. Like Delors, Gabrielle writes in her adopted English. In the historical note in the book's endpapers, the author admits, "I strove to write this novel in the British English Gabrielle would have used in 1815." I find th...more

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Apr 23, 2010

Moppet rated it

· review of another edition

In the second year of my history degree, I had the opportunity to write a dissertation, and naturally I chose my favourite subject, eighteenth-century France. The post-revolutionary period was particularly rich in memoirs and I decided that I would analyse seven autobiographies by noblewomen. This is an extract from my conclusion:

The role of women of the eighteenth-century noble elite was in many respects strictly limited. The task to which they were dedicated by their own order was

...moreIn the second year of my history degree, I had the opportunity to write a dissertation, and naturally I chose my favourite subject, eighteenth-century France. The post-revolutionary period was particularly rich in memoirs and I decided that I would analyse seven autobiographies by noblewomen. This is an extract from my conclusion:

The role of women of the eighteenth-century noble elite was in many respects strictly limited. The task to which they were dedicated by their own order was to form a marriage alliance with another noble house for which they provided heirs. Marriage was therefore usually the most important event in their lives and it was one over which they had little control. In normal circumstances daughters of noble houses had only the right of refusal and knew little of their suitors. They were expected to obey their husband and if their behaviour displeased him he could imprison them permanently in a convent. Independence only came with widowhood and throughout their lives, women were governed by strict rules of etiquette which few dared transgress.

Mistress of the Revolution, which takes the form of a memoir by a fictional character, Gabrielle de Montserrat, reflects exactly this historical reality. This is not the type of historical novel which features a twenty-first century woman in historical dress: Gabrielle is very much of her time.

Raised in Auvergne by a cold and abusive family, Gabrielle hopes to find escape through her love for a commoner, Pierre-André Coffinhal. Her brother, who is also her guardian, won’t hear of her demeaning herself by such a match and instead forces her to marry a much older nobleman who treats her alternately with generosity and brutality. His death does not bring her independence, because he has failed to provide for her financially. Faced with the necessity of supporting herself and her small daughter, Gabrielle moves to Paris to become the companion to a dowager, her cousin the Duchesse d’Arpajon. With so little money, her chances of marriage are slim, but she finds several men willing to consider a less orthodox arrangement. She enjoys a brief period of glamour and luxury before the Revolution begins. And from that point, I couldn’t put the book down.

Catherine Delors manages to convey both the excitement of the early days of the Revolution, when liberal nobles like Gabrielle dreamed of a new, more democratic society, and the Terror, when Gabrielle finds her life in danger simply because she was born noble. To protect herself and her daughter, she turns to Coffinhal, now a member of the revolutionary government – only to find he bears her a grudge.

Catherine researched the book using many of the same sources I studied in college, and the text has a lovely authentic flavour. Here is an extract from Gabrielle’s first conversation with Marie Antoinette:

That night we attended the Queen’s gaming salon. She was seated at a card table, quite different from the woman I had seen before. Here, she was alive, enthralled by the game, the rules of which were unknown to me. All I understood, from the quantity of gold louis piled in front of each player and in the middle of the table, was that the stakes were very high. The Duchess de Polignac occupied the chair next to the Queen’s. The two friends were whispering to each other and giggling like schoolgirls…

Madame de Polignac looked at me and said something to the Queen’s ear. Her Majesty smiled at her friend and addressed me.

“Madam, will you not sit? The Count de Vaudreuil will gladly surrender his place to you.”

I obeyed, my heart beating fast. There were but two gold louis of twenty-four francs each in my pocket.

“Why, Baroness,” said the Queen, “do you not play?” Her manner had become haughty again.

I took a deep breath. “Your Majesty is very kind, but I have neither a taste for games of cards nor the means to indulge in them.”

The whole room became silent. After what seemed a very long pause, the Queen said: “How odd! What do you like then, Baroness?”

“I enjoy music and riding, madam, and more particularly reading.”

Madame de Polignac chuckled while the Queen shrugged and turned her attention back to the cards without paying me any further attention. I heard whispers and giggles behind my back. I rose and curtseyed to the Queen as soon as the game was over.

This little scene presents Marie Antoinette in a less than flattering light – which is exactly how she appeared to those (the vast majority) who were not admitted to her private circle of friends. Although Marie Antoinette appears only briefly in the book, we get a very good idea of why she was so unpopular and so misunderstood.

In conclusion, recommended, especially for anyone who would like to know more about what it was like to live in Paris during the Revolution.

Read my interview with Catherine at The Misadventures of Moppet: http://bit.ly/9dqOPy (less)

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Mar 24, 2008

Jp rated it

A real page turner!

This is the story of Gabrielle de Montserrat, a young noblewoman who runs into trouble by falling in love with a commoner a few years before the Revolution. Gabrielle is forced by her family to marry a brutal cousin three
times her age.

Soon widowed with a young daughter, she manages to
escape to Paris where she receives the help of a friendly Duchess. Her prospects are dimmed by her lack of fortune and she has to become the mistress of a wea...more

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Mar 23, 2008

Pam Sheppard rated it

Every other review of this book goes into great detail about the plot, characters and history before actually telling you if it is good at all. I'll skip all that. This novel is GOOD, very good! Like "Other Boleyn Girl" the subtext of using young women as currency to advance the family fortunes is central. Here, Gabrielle is denied her true choice and must submit to the choices forced on her by her family. Later, she must trade herself into Paris Society, not for a husband, but for sur...more

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Mar 10, 2008

Michelle rated it

From The Associated Press:
¶ "Mistress of the Revolution" (Dutton, 464 pages, $24.95), by Catherine Delors: Raised in an impoverished aristocratic family by her penny-pinching mother and lascivious brother, Gabrielle de Montserrat is forced into a brutal marriage at 15.
¶ When a lucky heart attack strikes her husband during a hunting excursion, Gabrielle finds herself a penniless widow at 17. She takes refuge with a family friend in Paris in 1787, as momentum is beginning...moreFrom The Associated Press:
¶ "Mistress of the Revolution" (Dutton, 464 pages, $24.95), by Catherine Delors: Raised in an impoverished aristocratic family by her penny-pinching mother and lascivious brother, Gabrielle de Montserrat is forced into a brutal marriage at 15.
¶ When a lucky heart attack strikes her husband during a hunting excursion, Gabrielle finds herself a penniless widow at 17. She takes refuge with a family friend in Paris in 1787, as momentum is beginning to build toward revolution.
¶ Gabrielle becomes the mistress of a wealthy count to survive and provide for her daughter. The relationship gives her notoriety that puts her in danger when Paris revolts. Desperate, she pleads for help from her childhood sweetheart, who has become a powerful judge.
¶ First-time author Catherine Delors comes from a family of French aristocrats who lived in the same area where her heroine grew up. Gabrielle's love and savior, Pierre-Andre Coffinhal, was a real person with a street named after him in the town where Delors spent part of her childhood.
¶ "My father told me that he had been Vice President of the Revolutionary Tribunal," Delors wrote in a note her publisher made available to The Associated Press. "I was intrigued and looked up the man. And I found someone everybody hated! It was too tempting."
¶ The novel contains two other historical characters from her home region, the Chevalier des Huttes, a loyal servant of Queen Marie-Antoinette, and Jean-Baptiste Carrier, who massacred thousands of counterrevolutionaries and others in Nantes.
¶ Delors, who lived in Los Angeles for nearly two decades and wrote the novel in English, said she hoped to make the French Revolution _ "often perceived as an utterly confusing mess of events and characters" _ understandable and appealing to readers without a background in French history.
¶ She does this with short summaries of historical events scattered throughout the novel. It provides an education for Americans, whose history classes probably jumped quickly from the storming of the Bastille in 1789 to the Reign of Terror, which ended in 1794.
¶ Delors' fine use of historical events to drive the plot and her skillful weaving of truth and fiction have produced a historical romance that's a cut above much of the genre.
¶ Using Gabrielle as narrator, Delors explains at each turn how the tumble of events might affect one individual trapped between factions of aristocrats and the rising bourgeois.
¶ At one point, Gabrielle reflects that she, like the nation, is adrift and uncertain about her course. Should she leave her wealthy count or attempt to mend the rifts between them? The relationship, like France, descends into violence.
¶ In terms of entertainment value, "Mistress of the Revolution" holds up well against best-selling historical novels such as Tracy Chevalier's "Girl With a Pearl Earring" and Philippa Gregory's "The Other Boleyn Girl." Delors keeps the plot moving and her leading male characters have all the sex appeal required for a hot romance. This is definitely a contender for one of the best reads of the year.(less)

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Mar 23, 2008

Franklin Michaels rated it

Recommends it for: adult readers

Shelves: historical-fiction

This is first and foremost an exquisite exercise in the intertwining of details, all true to the period, most arising from in the historic record, for which the author's website reveals that she relied heavily on original sources such as 18th century memoirs and actual trial transcripts, and the rest coming to life in the intersticies.

The character development is so subtle, a line here or there, but soon each is alive and at once haunting. The author quotes Alain Jouffroy at the beg...more

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Apr 18, 2008

Jennifer rated it

Shelves: historicalfiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 19, 2009

C.w. rated it

A young woman's struggle for independence featured against the devastating backdrop of the French Revolution.

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May 12, 2008

Amy S rated it

I really enjoyed this book. Between this and Sandra Gulland's books on Josephine Bonaparte, I am just amazed at anyone who lived during the french revolution. I am also amazed that this was the author's first work. It was obviously a work of love. I enjoyed the character development, details of the period, and the story in general. The only thing I ever shook my head in frustration at was the men in her life. Was it just me, or did they seem a little...overbearing? I guess it was the period of t...more

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Aug 04, 2011

Amanda rated it

Set during the years that led up to the French Revolution, Mistress of the Revolution tells the story of french noblewoman Gabrielle de Montserrat as she fights to survive in radically changing, and increasingly hostel, world.

Mistress of the Revolution is a wonderful debut novel from Catherine Delors, a native of France and practicing American attorney. It is well-written, engaging, and appeals to female readers who are fans of Diane Haeger, Philippa Gregory, and any British/French his...moreSet during the years that led up to the French Revolution, Mistress of the Revolution tells the story of french noblewoman Gabrielle de Montserrat as she fights to survive in radically changing, and increasingly hostel, world.

Mistress of the Revolution is a wonderful debut novel from Catherine Delors, a native of France and practicing American attorney. It is well-written, engaging, and appeals to female readers who are fans of Diane Haeger, Philippa Gregory, and any British/French historical novel. I would hesitate to call this a romance, however, because even though a core element of the plot is the forbidden love between Gabrielle and commoner Piere-Andre, there seems to be little romance between the two characters past the first hundred pages.

However, as a purely historical novel, this novel was epic. The reader follows Gabrielle's life, from her forced marriage to an abusive husband, her journey to Paris and subsequent introduction to court life, and her struggle to avoid the guillotine during the Revolution. The story encompassed nearly every all of Gabrielle's experiences and perfectly sketched a picture of what life was like for noblewomen in French society. Even though Gabrielle is not a particularly strong character, she is a survivor that any woman, and mother, can connect with.

At times this novel did become a little tedious and long, and frankly, I think that it should have been edited down a little bit more. There were also a few small plot holes and some character reactions that didn't quite make sense -for example, after being told for several pages that she should never be alone with a man, Gabrielle seems to have few objections to being alone with a strange man in the very next chapter.

Most of these issues are minor and can be overlooking due to the overall quality of the work. I have a feeling that Delors' follow-up novels will be even better. Heck, they'll probably on the New York Times Bestsellers' List. She may never achieve the level of popularity that Philippa Gregory has, but she definitely has a chance. (less)

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Nov 30, 2009

Alicia Nielsen rated it

Fabulous. In a word, fabulous.
I adore historical fiction, and this is some of the best writing have read in a long time.
The word mistress in the title is literal, so beware of a few sexual encounters, but nothing over the top. I really enjoyed reading about the main character's escapades and it was nice to have a more "normal" heroine. By that I mean, I love a novel where the heroine is spicy and sassy and spurns culture or society to get her way, but I don't think that tha...more

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Dec 09, 2010

Jennie Thai rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: history

I've been fascinated about the French Revolution ever since I watched The Rose of Versailles (an anime) and then visited Versailles with my family. I love historical novels, and this is one of my favorites, I think, partly due to a female point of view. I found Gabrielle, while not my favorite character (though to be honest, I don't know who would be in this story, if not her), interesting to read about because she represented a female aristocrat who through a series of events came to sympathize...moreI've been fascinated about the French Revolution ever since I watched The Rose of Versailles (an anime) and then visited Versailles with my family. I love historical novels, and this is one of my favorites, I think, partly due to a female point of view. I found Gabrielle, while not my favorite character (though to be honest, I don't know who would be in this story, if not her), interesting to read about because she represented a female aristocrat who through a series of events came to sympathize with the revolution. The main character was an aristocrat, but she wasn't particularly wealthy, so this gave her the unique opportunity to see both sides of the revolution. On the one hand, she was afforded privileges over the commoners, but on the other hand, she struggled in much the same way as the commoners did. Through Gabrielle's change of social statuses throughout the story, we got to see how women in different social settings perceive the events happening around them and what little choices they often had in their own affairs. It certainly makes one glad to be in the present time and in a society where women have more rights. Also, while Marie Antoinette was not a main character in this novel, we got to see her through the eyes of the public, which is refreshing since she was a main character in the previous work of fiction I mentioned above. I thought the author captured the queen especially well during Gabrielle's first meeting with her; it is consistent with historic accounts regarding Marie Antoinette. It was probably one of my favorite scenes in the book as well.

One thing that I thought was unrealistic was the way the men in Gabrielle's life told her details about their work life. I understand that it's a way for the author to show us how Gabrielle would come to understand the events in her life. Realistically though, I somehow had the impression that men wouldn't speak to women about their work or about what's actually going on with the world, much like how adults would sometimes treat their children nowadays, especially since the men in Gabrielle's life were all significantly older than her...

I am surprised to learn that this is Catherine Delors' first novel. Even more surprising is that her first language is French as opposed to English, and what an accomplishment it is for her to write a historical memoir-like work of fiction depicting a French woman writing in English! I look forward to reading her other works.

A note of warning, however, this book isn't for everyone. I wish I was a little more prepared for the gory imagery it conjured up of molestation, rape, and murders. More blood was probably shed after the Revolution than before and during. If you think you can handle all of that, I'd recommend this book. (less)

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Feb 17, 2011

Agatha rated it

Historical fiction set during the time of the French Revolution. It is quite long but very good if you like this genre. Main character Gabrielle du Montserat is a penniless but aristocratic noblewoman born in a remote province in France. She is educated in a convent up until the age of 11 and then her brother, the Marquis du Montserat, marries her to a cruel and elderly brute of a man in order to gain more money in the family and to prevent her from marrying a handsome but disrespectable comm...more

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May 13, 2008

Stephanie rated it

Recommends it for: historical fiction fans

Shelves: historical-fiction

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I went into the book not knowing much about the French Revolution, but now I am curious to learn more. The main character, Gabrielle, lives on the fringe of the French court. While she is a fictional character, many of the characters around her are historical. If you are interested in well researched historical fiction, you may enjoy this book.

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May 30, 2008

Stephanie rated it

Recommends it for: fans of historical accuracy

Shelves: historical-fiction

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a work of fiction about the French Revolution that is well researched with a mixture of fictional characters, such as the main character and her family, and historical figures, such as her first love. I started this book fairly ignorant about the French Revolution, only knowing the basics; this book has wet my appetite for more.

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Aug 02, 2010

Lisa rated it

· review of another edition

This book is a very interesting mix of a personal story interspersed with history. My favorite kind of historical fiction. I love when the characters are participants in historical events; in this case it's the French Revolution. Even the few references to the recent American Revolution (or, as it is called in the book "The American War") pique my interest. The author chose to integrate real characters from the French Revolution, and I, with my limited knowledge of these events, fe...more

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Feb 04, 2010

Rosina Lippi rated it

Shelves: fiction, reviewed-here

This is Catherine Delors' first novel, and I would call it a great success. I confess I was a little worried; the French Revolution has been written about so widely that it's not easy to capture the interest of dedicated readers of historical fiction. Delors pulls this off, because her character and story are strong enough to overcome background historical events that are - to some at least - too familiar. From her website, about this novel:

In 1815 England, an exiled Frenchwoman, Gabrielle

...moreThis is Catherine Delors' first novel, and I would call it a great success. I confess I was a little worried; the French Revolution has been written about so widely that it's not easy to capture the interest of dedicated readers of historical fiction. Delors pulls this off, because her character and story are strong enough to overcome background historical events that are - to some at least - too familiar. From her website, about this novel:

In 1815 England, an exiled Frenchwoman, Gabrielle de Monserrat, begins a memoir of her days before and during the French Revolution. Gabrielle, the youngest daughter of a family of the impoverished nobility, recalls her journey through hardships and betrayals by three men in her life.

Which sounds a great deal like other novels and plots. But wait. If you ask Delors directly, you get a much more interesting take on the novel:

My ambition became to make the French Revolution, often perceived as a confusing medley of events and characters, understandable for a reader without any scholarly knowledge of the period. I wanted to explain in an accurate manner how the chain of events led from idealism to bloodshed and international catastrophe, all through the eyes of an intelligent female witness.

And then from the first page of the novel itself:

These tidings from Paris have affected my spirits today. I never cry any more, yet feel tears choking me. I know that I must not allow myself this indulgence, for it is far easier to keep from crying than to quit. Nevertheless, over twenty years have passed since the great Revolution, and it is time for me at last to exhume my own dead and attempt to revive them, however feebly, under my pen.

These things taken together might have been enough for me to order the book, but the kicker was her resources page. Go on, have a look. Now, Lelors is a native of France and as such knew a lot about the Revolution to start with (especially as her father is a professor of history). But she knew she needed more material than what she had learned from second hand historical works and textbooks, and so she immersed herself in memoirs of the time.

The sheer number of available memoirs is stunning. It's not surprising that so many people in that time and place recorded their memories, given the terrible events they lived through (or failed to live through). But these are riches for the historical novelist. I'm particularly aware of that these days as there are so few memoirs written by women who lived in my version of New-York between 1794 and 1824. I am reading one right now -- Elizabeth Cady Stanton's Eighty Years & More -- and it is so well written and full of excellent detail that it makes me sad that there aren't more memoirs like this one. Reading memoirs and diaries (diaries are sometimes even better) is the closest I can get to really hearing the voices of the women who interest me.

Delors made good use of the materials available to her, and the results are quite tangible.(less)

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Nov 26, 2010

Janayalee rated it

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Dec 31, 2008

Athene rated it

Fantastic. Moving, gripping, and powerful, this book is one of the best historical fiction novels I've ever read. Gabrielle is a wonderful narrator, and Ms. Delors' brilliant writing shines throughout the entire piece. Just perfect.

like 1 like

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Jun 25, 2008

Katie rated it

Awesome to read about the French Revolution, my high school education didn't go beyond reading Les Mes. I was deeply drawn to the protagonist and moved to tears at the end. The novel was lengthy but never felt cumbersome.

like 1 like

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Apr 29, 2010

Laraine rated it

Shelves: abandoned, historical-romance

Mistress of the Revolution by Catherine Delors is a beautifully written piece of historical fiction. That is, from the few pages I read, and the pages I scanned towards the middle and end...I couldn't bring myself to read through it all...
I bought this book a while back and recently wondered why I put off reading it. After a few minutes curled up on the sofa with it, I realized fairly quickly why.. I was starting to get stressed over the things Gabriel had to go through as a lady of that ...more

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Oct 10, 2011

Donia rated it

This book is the definition of great historical fiction. A fictional character lives through historic events and meets historic figures. Delors deftly navigated the intricacies of the French Revolution all the while telling us the story of an extremely brave young woman.

I could not put this book down. Gabrielle's story made me laugh and cry; it angered me beyond words but touched me very deeply. She survived terrorizing times to the best of her ability...and she did it all with...more

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Mar 27, 2009

Recynd rated it

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, francophile

The best way I can describe this book is "bi-level"; on one level (the one I liked the best), it's a light historical romance, with enough perversion (verrry light incest) and sex to keep my interest. On a deeper level, it's about the highly-charged and constantly-changing political atmosphere of the French Revolution. Unfortunately, politics (particularly 18th Century French politics) isn't really my bag, although I can appreciate...and, having read this book, more clearly understan...more

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Oct 12, 2010

Sarah Wagner rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, france

This tale of Gabrielle de Montserrat and her first love Pierre-Andre Coffinhal is an engrossing historical epic. Gabrielle's life witnesses some of the pivotal events of the French Revolution and the heroine is often effected by the changing political currents.
The primary thing I found frustrating about this novel was how often the central character of Gabrielle found herself a victim of the men in her life. She is forced into an abusive marriage, and later has a lover who treats her po...more

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Jan 19, 2011

Heidi rated it

· review of another edition

This is one of my top favorite books of all time. It is about a life of a women who lives through the French Revolution. When she is only 15 she is forced to marry a older man after falling in love with a man she could not have. She is hart broken. After her husband dies at 17 she takes her child to Paris. There she runs into the man she thought she would never see again. Though, there is a war brewing...
This is an excellent book. It is during a time when most women had no choice in where ...more

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Jul 30, 2008

Elizabeth rated it

Shelves: possible-book-club-pick

I just started this book and can't put it down! It is so good!

like 1 like

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Jul 26, 2011

Sherry H rated it

Shelves: hist-fiction-europe-royalty

This was a fast read, engaging, and I learned a bit about the French Revolution, which is not an era that I have read much about.

It is written as a memoir, and the fictional woman who writes it is a penniless aristocrat, a stunning beauty, a victim of circumstance, with impeccable morals and incredible courage. She is kind to the ugly, aged and odd, to whom so many others are not kind. She was a member of the court and inside the palace when King Louis and Marie-Antoinette were a...more

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About Catherine Delors

Author of Mistress of the Revolution and For the King (publication date: July 8, 2010). Both are historical novels set in Paris around the time of the French Revolution.
Catherine was born and raised in France. She is also an attorney with an international practice, and splits her time between Paris, London and Los Angeles.
Visit her blog, Versailles and more, at http://blog.catherinedelors.com.

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