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23rd out of 199 books
—
546 voters
Mistress of the Sun
by
Sandra Gulland (Goodreads Author)
The author of the internationally acclaimed Josephine B. trilogy presents a new, irresistible historical novel, based on the life of Louise de la Vallière, who, against all odds, became the most beloved consort 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 the e...more
Set against the magnificent decadence of the seventeenth-century French court, Mistress of the Sun begins when the e...more
Hardcover, 400 pages
Published
June 3rd 2008
by Touchstone
(first published 2008)
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When I finished the book, I sat and stared out the window, and just replayed the whole story in my head. Gulland's writing really made me connect to the character, Petite, or Mademoiselle de la Valliere. I love this book so much, and I fell in love with Petite, her morals and strength, characteristics I want to remember and try to live up to.
The story follows the life of Louise, a mistress of King Louis XIV. From her childhood where she demonstrated her courageous character through her passion f...more
The story follows the life of Louise, a mistress of King Louis XIV. From her childhood where she demonstrated her courageous character through her passion f...more
I read Sandra Gulland's Josephine Bonaparte trilogy and was totally in love with it, so I went for Mistress of the Sun imagining it to be as great as the trilogy but...no.
I recognize the hard researching work Gulland had to do for this book and I am in no way saying that I hated the novel. I managed to finish it, so it couldn't be too bad. But it was just such a disappointment.
I liked Gulland because she wrote about strong women and the Josephine books were full of them. But in Mistress of the...more
I recognize the hard researching work Gulland had to do for this book and I am in no way saying that I hated the novel. I managed to finish it, so it couldn't be too bad. But it was just such a disappointment.
I liked Gulland because she wrote about strong women and the Josephine books were full of them. But in Mistress of the...more
I probably love this book for two reasons. One the story is brillantly written and the emotion of the mistress, Louise, is channeled perfectly, almost as if she herself had written this tale. The other reason I love this book is it was the book I was reading during my move away from home and during the part of the story where Louise moves away really touched me during the upheaval of my life.
The story is about Louise de la Valliere who was one of the many mistresses to Louis XIV of France, the...more
The story is about Louise de la Valliere who was one of the many mistresses to Louis XIV of France, the...more
The historical novel of my childhood that I loved very much, Angelique, got me into serious reading in my adolescence. I picked up this book Mistress of the Sun knowing that its author's series about Josephine is in production and associated with the other series I enjoyed very much: The Tudors.
I took the book on vacation with me to Mexico and enjoyed myself during those down times on the trip. I found it enjoyable and the pace of the story matched my mind set: leisurely, paying attention to det...more
I took the book on vacation with me to Mexico and enjoyed myself during those down times on the trip. I found it enjoyable and the pace of the story matched my mind set: leisurely, paying attention to det...more
Overall I enjoyed this. However, I did not find that there was anything overly unique or profound about the story, but perhaps I just wasn't in the right type of mood to read a novel of this nature. One thing I found both amazing and frustrating was the authors highly detailed descriptions of various things within the novel. The author goes in to great detail about how the characters dressed, how rooms and houses were decorated, and even into some of the medical techniques. What I found frustrat...more
This book has an excellent premise, is set in a marvelous time period, and is full of mystery, intrigue, and...obviously...love. Lots of it. And yet it falls flat.
Petite and Louis's romance seems more based on sexual attraction than love. They don't talk to each other that much - mostly he pressures her into spilling other people's secrets (at least once) and they thrash around in bed, on the floor, outside... The two of them do not seem particularly well-matched and Petite seems to have trouble...more
Petite and Louis's romance seems more based on sexual attraction than love. They don't talk to each other that much - mostly he pressures her into spilling other people's secrets (at least once) and they thrash around in bed, on the floor, outside... The two of them do not seem particularly well-matched and Petite seems to have trouble...more
This is the compelling love story of Louise de la Vallière (known as Petite) mistress of King Louis X1V of France and the struggles she faces while living in a court where gossip is prolific, privacy is rare and fidelity is nonexistent
Living in the royal court in her late teens, Petite falls under the king’s magical charm becoming his hidden mistress. After becoming pregnant, the reality is shocking, she is sent into seclusion in order to protect her reputation. Their children are removed at bir...more
Living in the royal court in her late teens, Petite falls under the king’s magical charm becoming his hidden mistress. After becoming pregnant, the reality is shocking, she is sent into seclusion in order to protect her reputation. Their children are removed at bir...more
Jun 02, 2008
Teddy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Historical fiction lovers
Recommended to Teddy by:
Harper Collins ARC
I just finished this very good work of historical fiction. Here are the links to my review:
Amazon.ca (Please vote if you feel so inclined):
http://tinyurl.com/6pf4oq
My Blog (I would love to hear about the books you have read on this
topic or books by Sandra Gulland):
http://tinyurl.com/3ut8wu
Teddy
So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/
Amazon.ca (Please vote if you feel so inclined):
http://tinyurl.com/6pf4oq
My Blog (I would love to hear about the books you have read on this
topic or books by Sandra Gulland):
http://tinyurl.com/3ut8wu
Teddy
So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/
Clearly I'm in the minority but I do not get all the hype. The author has stuck so many little details of 18C life (factual? I don't know) that in no way move the story along and it became quite irritating. Very slow paced, I gave up at page 200 and L&L are barely getting better acquainted. IMO you're better off reading Dumas' take on Louise and skip this. I wish I had.
view all 8 comments
I have to admit, I was actually somewhat disappointed with this book. I really enjoyed the Josephine B. trilogy, and have read it a few times, and had really expected more from Sandra Gulland's second work. I felt that the characters were rather undeveloped --many of the characters felt very one-dimensional, despite opportunities to really flesh them out.
Also, the plot felt very patchy and unevenly paced. I didn't really care for the entire first section of the book, where I think the character...more
Also, the plot felt very patchy and unevenly paced. I didn't really care for the entire first section of the book, where I think the character...more
Mistress of the Sun is the story of Louise de La Valliere, (known in the book by her pet name Petite) who became the mistress of King Louis XIV of France, he was also known as The Sun King. As a young girl her father had taught her to ride a horse, her favored horse was Diablo. Diablo was a menacing temperamental horse, he was beautiful and grand. To me this was a foreshadowing of her future enamored feelings for and relationship with The Sun King. When she was a young teenage girl she went to w...more
This book is set in one of my all time favorite historical eras; the court of the Sun King. I was immediately attracted to the main female character, Louise de la Valliere or as she's better known as, Petite. The book follows the life and the loves of Petite, which is constantly changing except for two things ... her infatuation of horses and her fear of the devil.
I absolutely fell in love with Mistress of the Sun. The characters are so well portrayed that you cannot help but become intertwined...more
I absolutely fell in love with Mistress of the Sun. The characters are so well portrayed that you cannot help but become intertwined...more
Captivating story of Louise de la Valliere, from her early childhood and obsession with horses (even making a pact with the devil to help her tame a wild horse, which haunts her for years to come), service in the royal court, and becoming Louis XIV's mistress with initial reluctance. Louise is such a compelling and sympathetic character: sincerely devout, she struggles with the sin in being the royal mistress, but is deeply in love with Louis. The relationship is complicated by the secrecy and p...more
Louise lebt zu Zeiten von Louis des XIV ("Sonnenkönig") und muss schon als kleines Mädchen den Tod ihres Vaters verkraften. Sie kommt daraufhin in ein Kloster und lernt dort die Stille zu schätzen. Nach der erneuten Heirat ihrer Mutter wird sie die Begleiterin der Prinzessin. Sie lernt den Hof mit all seinen Intrigen, Lieben und Täuschungen kennen. Bald lernt sie den König kennen und verliebt sich in ihn. Es beginnt eine Liebesgeschichte, die mit Tränen, Angst, Trost, Kindern und Liebe endet. Ei...more
I enjoyed this book but, perhaps unfairly, compared it all the way through to Gulland's Josephine Bonaparte trilogy. Few books can surpass that masterpiece I guess. This was a typical fiictional novel based on historical fact, unlike the trilogy, which was written in the form of Josephine's diary, a very effective method of historical story-telling. It really seems as though you are inside the head of the diarist, and feel everything experienced. So, 'Mistress' was good, historically very accura...more
Historical fiction can be really hit and miss, especially when writing about actual historical figures who have been chronicled by peers, left memoirs etc. I feel like Gulland did an excellent job of writing Louise de la Vallière as she was: gentle, sometimes passive, easily manipulated, deeply religious. Where Gulland did an excellent job portraying Josephine as a strong survivor, it would have been easy to lead Louise into the same stereotypes. As is the reality of many historical mistresses,...more
I listened to the audio of this book and I was not thrilled with the narrator. I did find however a very interesting and detailed portrait of 17th centory France especially the lives of women. The focus was on Louis XIV the Sun King and his mistress Louise de la Vallière. The novel follows Louise from childhood to her love affair with Louie, her children by him and Madame Athenais the woman who competes with Louise for Louie's heart. Louise ultimately chooses a route to "save her soul".
I was st...more
I was st...more
I read the Josephine series one after the other without getting that "I've had too much of a good thing" feeling. The whole trilogy was a delight from beginning to end. Perhaps my expectations were too high for this one, but I barely managed to finish Mistress of the Sun. It wasn't the improbably subplot of the wild horse, or the black magic curse that got me. It was that I ended up not being able to care about Louise, and once you lose empathy with the protagonist, it's hard to go on. How could...more
This is one of the best stories I have read all year. I was throughly engrossed in the whole story. I liked the idea of having a hand-madien to help you get dressed and other things that seem to get in the way of just having fun.
Being a member of the Royal Court in the 1600's was no easy job. I can't believed how much they did without all the modern conveniences. I had such a good reaction to this story that I just have to assume that I was once a member of a Royal Court sometime in the past. LO...more
Being a member of the Royal Court in the 1600's was no easy job. I can't believed how much they did without all the modern conveniences. I had such a good reaction to this story that I just have to assume that I was once a member of a Royal Court sometime in the past. LO...more
This book kept me interested from start to finish. If you love historical fiction, you will love to read about King Louis' elaborate court. The main character had a lot of depth, a strong character that maintained very human characteristics: fiery, honest, educated, independent, devout, and of course experiences her share of sinful behaviour that weighs on her conscience. A character you will love and respect after you have read the last page. I have fond memories of reading Sandra Gullands Jose...more
This was a nice distraction while handling the chaotic mess of moving, but it fell short of the promise offered in the first few chapters (the promise being some witchy magic in seventeenth century France.) The plot wandered as if the author didn't quite know where it was going. The author excelled at weaving historical details into the story, never making such details feel encyclopedic. I do wish I had noticed the glossary tucked away in the back before I finished the book, though, because I wa...more
When I first took a peak inside this novel, I was concerned for the fact that it was written in the epistolary style, specifically, diary entries. I thought it would cause the plot to not flow well, but was I ever wrong.
In one day I completed half the novel and still anticipate going home each night to read some more. This is perhaps one of the most well-written novels about the French revolution that I have read and has given me a new character to emanate: Joséphine de Beauharnais.
Although I...more
In one day I completed half the novel and still anticipate going home each night to read some more. This is perhaps one of the most well-written novels about the French revolution that I have read and has given me a new character to emanate: Joséphine de Beauharnais.
Although I...more
I picked this historical fiction story because of my interest in reading about the lives of women in different time periods. In this case it is the seventeenth-century. I liked the main character, Petite, who was an early mistress of Louis XIV. She loved horses (I couldn't identify with that) and was a "tom boy" (I could identify with that). Petite shared an interesting insight about marriage. Even the most powerful women (those born into nobility) lacked the power to choose who they would marry...more
Mistress of the Sun, by Sandra Gulland
One of the best historical fiction writers out there today, Mistress of the Sun is another shining jewel in Gulland's formidable crown of literary accomplishments. We are immersed in the complicated world of the royal life of Louis XVI, and the many, many lives dependent upon his crown. Petite, the main character, is a woman of character, but of little station. Her passion for horses, hunting and honesty win her favor in court and in love. I am biased toward...more
One of the best historical fiction writers out there today, Mistress of the Sun is another shining jewel in Gulland's formidable crown of literary accomplishments. We are immersed in the complicated world of the royal life of Louis XVI, and the many, many lives dependent upon his crown. Petite, the main character, is a woman of character, but of little station. Her passion for horses, hunting and honesty win her favor in court and in love. I am biased toward...more
Gulland is a good writer but the heroine of this story is just very dull. Oddly enough, however, I've seen more fiction books about her than any of Louis XIV's other mistresses. The best book about Louise de la Vallerie is the one written by Alexandre Dumas but there, despite the title, she is not the main focus of the book. And Gulland had great success in her Josephine trilogy by keeping Bonaparte mysterious with unexplained motivations, it did not work as well for Louis XIV; he just came acro...more
I found this book a bit disappointing. Having devoured the Josephine trilogy, I was so looking forward to the same kind of read. This does not hit the mark. The research is great, but the characters just do not come to life in the same way. And the plot-the symbols--the metaphors--became too predictable. For that reason, the reader doesn't come away with the feeling of how the characters are formed by the forces bearing on their lives that was so profoundly realized in the other books. Disappoin...more
Feb 18, 2013
Jinny (SkyInk.net)
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
france,
historical
For my next historical novel, I decided to read one on France, since I seem to be stuck in the England/Tudors era a lot. I am trying to branch out a bit more, but it’s a little hard when the his-fic royalty sections in stores are usually just full of Tudors novels. I want to learn more about famous French royalty, and this book has to do with one of the most famous French kings, King Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King. Well, to be more precise, it is about one of his most famous mistresses, L...more
Hmmmm.... I actually found this book when I was browsing thru the library looking for something to keep me until my next book came in, but I'm glad I did choose it. This book was very good, very believable and very captivating. It reminded me a bit of the Boleyn girls movie- which is a hint to say I would love to see this in movie form. I liked reading Sandra's comments at the end of the book, and how she revealed who she left out and who she embellished. Now that she's on my radar I can look up...more
By Sandra Gulland
HarperCollins, 381 pages, $30
Reviewed by Nisha Tuli
ONTARIO author Sandra Gulland made her reputation with a trilogy of historical novels about French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's mistress.
The Josephine B. books were released from 1999 to 2000. It has taken Gulland years of research, but she is back with another historical title about a kept woman, this one also set in France but in an earlier era, that of King Louis XIV.
And though Mistress of the Sun is rich in period detail, it...more
HarperCollins, 381 pages, $30
Reviewed by Nisha Tuli
ONTARIO author Sandra Gulland made her reputation with a trilogy of historical novels about French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's mistress.
The Josephine B. books were released from 1999 to 2000. It has taken Gulland years of research, but she is back with another historical title about a kept woman, this one also set in France but in an earlier era, that of King Louis XIV.
And though Mistress of the Sun is rich in period detail, it...more
“The astrologer present at Petite’s birth had written…that her ‘affective sensibility tended to overheat,’ concluding with the warning that her mild manner veiled a voraginous passion. Petite had yet to discover what voraginous meant, but because of a line in the Aeneid (“Neptune came upon them, with all his vorages and his waves full of scum”), she thought it might have something to do with a whirlpool.” (Chapter Eight)
Mistress of the Sun, by Sandra Gulland, was published in the spring of 2008....more
Mistress of the Sun, by Sandra Gulland, was published in the spring of 2008....more
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I'm the author of the Josephine B. Trilogy, the internationally best-selling novels based on the life of Josephine Bonaparte, Napoleon's wife. The Trilogy is now published in 17 countries.
I most recently published MISTRESS OF THE SUN, the first of what will be a series of novels set in the Court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. (I'm writing a second now.)
An American-Canadian, I was born in Miami, Flor...more
More about Sandra Gulland...
I most recently published MISTRESS OF THE SUN, the first of what will be a series of novels set in the Court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. (I'm writing a second now.)
An American-Canadian, I was born in Miami, Flor...more
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“For the king, love like an alter fire, eternal”
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