Customer Reviews

Mistress of the Sun: A Novel

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In truth I thought never to see another novel by Sandra Gulland after her Josephine B. trilogy, because it was such a spectacular achievement both in writing and research (down to the footnotes which explained every little fact.)Since there was such a large publishing gap I had thought it was to be a life's achievement worthy of any great author. I was wrong.

"Mistress of the Sun", Gulland's new novel, is quite simply a work of literary brilliance. A novel filled with light. Centered on the life of Louise de Valliere, who arose from the lowest ranks of the country aristocracy to become the mistress of the Sun king, Louis XIV.

It is clear from the first chapter, when Louise (nicknamed Petite) at six years old tames a wild horse no one else can come near to her will that she is more than an ordinary girl. Precocious, graceful as a sawn and full of love and light she enchants her family. But the horse causes the death of her father it leaves her without speech or desire for anything and she sent into the care of a nunnery. However, because of her mothers second marriage Louise is denied the religious life she believes she wants and becomes instead a lady in waiting to the duc d'Orleans eldest daughter, who is believed to be the young king's intended. When plans for the marriage fall through and the duc dies; Louise does the rebuffed bride to be a service for which she is recommend for service in the palace to Henrietta, sister of the English king Charles II and wife to the new duc d'Orleans, the French king's brother.

It is here, in the glittering court were she will meet the King, a man she much admires but can never learn to reconcile with Louis, who she loves. Or their desire and passion with her religion.

And she soon discovers the King has needs the ordinary man would not have-emotions and desires that a simple man would learn to regulate. Eventually Louise finds her great love slipping away as the King emerges to her more and more and Louis less and less...but perhaps this transformation is helped along a little by means not natural? By a new rival who was once a great friend?

This is a novel of passion, god, fallacy, jealousy fears, grief, evil, and love in its many forms. It is the tale of an extraordinary love, and an extraordinary woman who gave her all for love but in the end discovered that passion can follow many different courses. And the little hint of mystery about it is just enough to make me want to start an extensive research project on the Sun King and his women.

Though unlike the Josephine B. series it is written in third person, Gulland loses none of her magical, sometimes fairy-tale style of writing in the change, nor any of her ability to cram in facts and oddities of the time without distracting from the story by any means. The little things you will learn in this novel will astound you about the time, as will the love story move you and Louise's dominating courage inspire.

I enjoyed this novel immensely and was hugely touched by the emotion that poured out of it. It is clear that Gulland was devoted to her subject and took her time to properly tell the story of this very special woman, who has far too often been categorized as just another royal mistress.

This is (for me) obviously a five star novel. I was unable to put it down once I picked it up and was even up a good portion of the night with it. I have high hopes for Sandra Gulland's next novel and owe her a debt of thanks for teaching me so much French history in such an enjoyable way!

(On a side note "Mistress of the Sun" also tells the tale of the making of the simple country château of Versaie into the great seat of France Versailles, though not in great detail. If you'd like to know more about that I refer you to "To Dance with Kings" by Rosalind Laker.)

It seems that tales about royal mistresses never seem to grow stale, at least in our world's literary market. In the few last years I've seen several books on such women as Nell Gwynn and Barbara Castlemaine, both mistresses of Charles II of England, the various mistresses of Louis XIV of France, and women in renaissance Italy.

Author Sandra Gulland has turned to one of the lesser known mistresses of Louis XIV, known as the Sun King, the monarch who created the palace of Versailles, and put his stamp on a place and time so vividly that no one ever really equalled him. His first official mistress was a young woman by the name of Louise de la Valliere, who is usually overlooked in favour of the king's far more flamboyant mistress, Athenais de Montespan.

When the novel opens, Louise -- known as Petite for her small stuature -- is a half-wild child on her family's small manor. She is particularly in tune with nature, and adores horses. Her father understands and indulges her, but her mother is determined to turn her into a fashionable -- and marriageable -- young lady. But Petite would much rather go and be outside, or be reading her father's collection of prized books.

The turning point comes when she at a horse fair with her father, and she sees not just skills of horsemanship, but a magnificent white stallion, unbroken and wild. Termed Diablo -- the Devil -- he allows no one near, but Petite is enchanted by him. She pleads with her father to buy the horse, and he relunctantly agrees. So begins Petite's foray into the world of adulthood, a rather rocky, and at times, unpleasant one.

For Diablo is nothing but trouble -- Petite, driven with a hunger to tame him, is tempted to use a dangerous spell called 'bone magic' to control him, and while it does succeed, it comes at a terrible price. We also get to see Petite's own desire for entering the religious life and becoming a nun, but her mother has very different plans for her.

When the opportunity comes to enter the household of the Duke d'Orleans household, Petite discovers that being a royal handmaiden and the lives of the aristocracy is quite different than she had expected. And when she mets a young huntsman, her life takes a drastic turn as she falls for the young king of France, Louis XIV.

I have to say, I was prepared to be disappointed with this one; I had read the author's previous series about the first wife of Napoleon, Josephine de Beauharnais, and found it to be not quite what I liked. This time, Sandra Gulland has sharpened her skills at creating narrative and imagry and created a young woman in Petite that is complicated, and satisfying to read about. True, at times, I felt that the heroine would bleed pure sugar if you cut her, but there's just enough there to make her come alive. By the end, I genuinely cared about Louise/Petite, and the extravagant life she was leading in the Sun King's court.

Nor does Gulland neglect the other characters in the novel. Louis XIV is a young king, still untried in many ways, but determined to tame the nobility of his country and rule by his will alone. Gulland brings a bit of humanity to him, and his ever wandering lust for women to life and does it with enough style to make him sympathetic. Especially when the tempetuous, dangerous Madame Athenais comes into view. Here too we get to see a seductive, deadly charm -- you might not like her very much, but you can't help but pay attention to her either. Other minor characters appear as well, from Clorine, Petite's maid, who is full of commonsense and not afraid of speaking her mind, to the equally horse-mad Abbe Patin, who becomes one of Petite's best friends and spiritual advisor. There are some interesting tidbits about the Affairs of the Poisons, the scandal that rocked France at the time, and where Petite gets to learn about true witchery.

I was pleased with this novel, as it is quick moving and compelling to read -- I had it finished within two nights. It's one that I happily recommend for those who enjoy historical novels, with plenty of details focused on the history and grandeur of the time, without going over the top with contrived romances. While there are a few blunders here and there, it's not bad at all, and easily earned a four star rating from me.

As well as the story itself, there is an author's note at the end, a map of France in the time of Louis XIV, and a genealogy chart showing the rather tangled relationships of the Bourbon Kings. The author recommends Antonia Fraser's excellent _Love and Louis XIV_ about the king's many affairs and relationships with women.

Louise's story comes alive in this masterful novel by Sandra Gulland. What is fascinating about Sandra Gulland is that she goes to great lengths to include historical accuracy. From wearing period correct clothing, to spending a few weeks in a completely silent convent!

But what adds to all of this is the passion and detail she places into her characters. It is difficult not to experience everything Louise de La Valliere goes through as the mistress to Louis XIV. This is by far the finest historical novel I have come across!

Gulland pens a passionate account of the love affair of Louise de la Valliere, a commoner with few aspirations, and the Sun King, Louis XIV of France. Raised in poverty, "Petite", a pale and slender child, is clever, curious a talented horsewoman. Gentling the great white stallion, Diablo, purchased by her beloved father in her youth, Louise dabbles in the dark arts to master the willful animal, only the beginning of a lifetime laced with devout prayers for guidance and a deliberate will to follow her passions. Once she finds herself in the unlikely position of maid of honor to Louis' brother Philippe's wife, Petite is on a fated path, an affair with Louis that results in royal offspring and years of subterfuge in a contentious court, where spies are everywhere and enemies pounce on opportunity.

Given her slightness of figure and low profile in Henrietta's assemblage, even Louise is surprised to capture the king's attention, fueled by a meeting years before when she thought him a poacher. Carrying that fanciful and romanticized image in her heart, Louise is easily seduced by the urbane and amorous Louis, his Spanish wife ignorant of court nuance, clinging to her language and habits. The soon-to-be king's paramour learns quickly of the dangers of court intrigue and the constant machinations of those drawn to power, one the author's most successful themes in this novel, a pervasive atmosphere of treachery and risk where the uninitiated are easy prey to sophisticated schemers. Yet the ambivalence of this protagonist is stunning, an obsessive devotion to prayer and God's favorable intervention while pursuing a radical path as consort to the king, building falsehood upon falsehood and the dislocation of self that ultimately occurs. History is littered with the children of such royal dalliances.

But Gulland's focus is on Louise and the terrible cost of her love for the Sun King. After years of affection, the king reveres Louise, but is still a man in thrall to the charms of women; such betrayals are common at court, especially the decadence of Louis' reign, Louise face to face with her moral quandary, the condition of her soul and the future of her children. Religion becomes more of an imperative as the years unfold, Louise no longer the love-struck girl. She faces hard choices, burdened by the decisions of her youth: "Sin was in her; she knew that. But she would not give way this time." Like the great white stallion she once tamed, Louise rises above her station in life, the title bestowed by the king and the home that makes its own historical imprint, a woman unable to deny love and its demands, finding peace at last, grief assuaged by humility. Gulland does a wonderful job, emphasizing the few options open to a woman of no means and impressive spirit, imbued with the religious devotion that defines the great European powers, carving an extraordinary character from the fragments of the past to claim her place in history. Luan Gaines/ 2008.

Set in seventeenth century France, Mistress of the Sun is an opulent treasure of a historical novel. In it, author Sandra Gulland pulls off a difficult balancing act: The novel is both impeccably researched and gorgeously written. (As a long time reader of the genre, they usually strike me as being tipped one way or the other. Not so here.)

Mistress of the Sun is the story of Louise de la Vallière, nicknamed Petite because of her diminutive size. However, what Petite lacks in physical stature, she makes up in spirit--Petite was noted in history for her skills as a courageous horsewoman. On top of that, she's also mistress to Louis XIV, which requires a different sort of courage.

Think it's easy being mistress to the Sun King? Think again. Petite enters the court of Louis an innocent teenager, but succumbs to royal love-at-first-sight after the couple meets cute in a park. Initially they hide their affair through complicated disguises and discrete assignations. But Petite's love for Louis forces her to make (to my mind) unimaginable sacrifices that go way beyond her personal moral code--hiding pregnancies under tightly-bound corsets, giving away their children to be raised by others. Even her mother disowns her.

Eventually Louis takes his romance with Petite public, which leads to a suspenseful "third act" that presents all sorts of questions about superstition, religion, and consequences. The court of the Sun King is a complicated place of ever-shifting alliances, where little is as it seems, especially to the pure-hearted Petite. Ultimately, Petite is forced to make a heartrending choice that will determine the remainder of her life. The denouement of this choice is presented in a tear-inducing coda that I adored (and won't give away here).

Lest you think this is yet another voluptuously detailed romance, there's a lot of nuance and dry wit here too. Gulland is a master of observation, and at defusing the ridiculousness of royalty. I found myself laughing out loud at some of her passages:

"The King scanned the room with his eyes, his expression masklike. With calm dignity, he received the passionate adulation. A woman at the back slumped to the floor and was efficiently whisked out of the room. (Petite gathered that swooning happened rather often.)"

Though Mistress of the Sun is primarily the story of Louise's life as this king's mistress, it's also a recounting of how Louis shaped his mythos into becoming the larger-than-life Sun King we recognize from history; and how this affected his relations with those he loved and was loved by in return, such as Petite. We are fortunate to share in this adulation. Highly recommended!

I picked up this book on a whim from the library having never heard of or read the author. But I loved this book! It made me want to read more from this author and learn more about Louis XIV. One of my favorite books of 2008!

Let me start off by saying Sandra Gulland's three novel series about Josephine Beauharnais are 3 of my favorite books, and I have read them multiple times. As a result, my expectations for this book were probably too great. The characters seem shallow and the story is mostly romance with very little history. The author brought history to life in the Josephine novels, but this seems rather mundane in comparison. The book was a fairly enjoyable read, but is far less interesting than her previous efforts.

A book on love, spirituality, mysticism, power and courage lived by Louise de Lavallière, known as, Petite, during an important chapter in Louis XIV's life; A great Love...


Right from the beginning, I immediately felt tenderness for the six-year old Petite; this child whose heart and mind races as quickly as the stallions she already knows how to tame and ride. Her passion for horses leads her to push the ways of the dark side in order to tame her `beloved' and wild, white stallion -Diablo. She truly believes this pact with the devil is what brings forth the inevitable course of her life.


It is purely by chance, that her fate leads her to meet the Sun King. In the fields that day, when she speaks to the tall, vibrant young man dressed in hunting gear... she doesn't realize who he really is. Later, while on duty, attending a young Princess at court, Petite sees the King. She recognizes him! King Louis spots her as well; she looks familiar...


Then, during a disastrous rain storm, fate brings them together once more. From that fleeting moment of tenderness, follows a strong resistance. Due to her virtuous morals, unwavering faith, regard and respect for the Queen, Petite renounces every attempt to succumb to the King. Alas, they are young, filled with passion and an irresistible longing to be together. Couple this with their common love of horses, hunting and riding, as well as, great friendship and interest in eachother- there is no escaping this powerful force... Petite surrenders. They are meant to live this love.


However, loving Louis and loving the King are two different things. Can Petite accept one without the other? The ways of Royalty are not all that glitters. There is much pain and sorrow. Can their love endure in a world filled with lies, deception, betrayals, masks and sorcery? Petite is deeply in love and totally devoted to Louis; yet extremely committed to her faith. A pure soul at heart, Petite constantly struggles to fight the evil battle.


In this beautiful historical novel, author Sandra Gulland, captures the true feeling of the times, whether it's in the fine points pertaining to the history, or the minute details of every day life at court for both royals and those who dared live alongside. History buffs will be amazed by the amount of interesting historical information that keeps you plugged to this book.


Birthing and illness remedies and methods, including love potions and magical concoctions believed to soothe (or destroy) both soul and body, are meticulously described. In addition, the dialog is extremely well-suited and completely realistic. For me, it's of particular importance for a novel to be written using the language feel and best possible form reflective of the period. Even the French expressions are intact; mirroring the times perfectly. Gulland succeeds through and through.


In addition, character depictions are solid and skillfully developed to bring out the needed emotions in order to completely detest or adore the targeted figure. I was also surprised by the chameleon effect of certain characters, bringing about a whole different element and aspect to the story; particularly where Athénaïs is involved, for example.


The concept of living a life through intricacies, complications and deceptions of sorts helps depict the deterioration of spirit, youth, beauty, and life in the Court of Louis XIV. Inevitably, people resort to various methods to control the invariables by means that are contrary to the teachings of the Church at the time. Holding on to Louis proves to be an even greater challenge than taming her beloved Diablo. Will Petite need to make a different pact? She alone must decide her fate.


What an intense love story! For me, Petite came through as angelic in her ways; a gentle and free spirit entangled in wrath. As for Louis XIV, he was larger than life; the Sun. ...an angel fighting for the sun- within so much darkness. Even the title reveals a deep and mystical meaning. Petite my have miraculously `survived' a true fairytale after all...`happily ever after'...


The story unravels magnificently. I was enraptured from beginning to end. Splendid!

This is a novel about the Sun King's lesser known mistress Louise, who is nicknamed Petite because she is so small. The author tells the story of how Petite is a rather wild child, running here and there, indulged by her father, taming wild horses that non one else can tame... Her mother disapproves of all of this, just as her mother disapproves of Petite's growing interest in becoming a nun. Instead, Petite's mother wants her to marry, and this is where the novels really takes off. I would recommend this for lovers of historical fiction, French history and of course, anyone with an interest in the Sun King. I found the author's footnotes really interesting, and they're well worth a look when you've finished reading.

I found this an engrossing tale of life in the court of the young Louis XIV, a figure so associated with engendering the extravagance that came to represent 17th century France, that it was refreshing to see him portrayed in a very human way; a person struggling to reconcile his duty as monarch with his innate need for love and family, sans the excessive pomp and grandeur for which he was later famous. The attention to detail was impeccable and one can tell that the author spent an exhaustive amount of time researching her subjects. This novel may not be filled with the pageantry and extravagance that one comes to expect in stories involving French royalty of the 17th century but what it lacks in firepower it more than makes up for in rich characterizations and an unerring sense of time and place. The story moves in a beautiful, languid pace, very much like taking a stroll through a flowering garden rather than a race through a carnival. If you're looking for tawdry thrills, idle court gossip and catty exchanges, this may not be your book; however, if you're in the mood for some excellent writing about a little known historical figure who managed to steal the heart of the King of France and in her own small way, influence history, I think you'll find this a rewarding read. Another reviewer stated that there was "no meat" to this story. I wholly disagree. There is much substance. What it might lack, however, is the whipped cream that most people love in tales of courtly life.