The Sisters of Versailles

The Sisters of Versailles is the first book in the Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy.  It is a fictionalized account of the true story of the 4 Mailly Nesle sisters who were all mistresses of Louis XV, both concurrently and sequentially, during a ten year period of time.

The chapters alternate between the stories of each sister from the time the oldest, Louise, left their childhood home to be married and eventually was sent to Versailles where she worked for the Queen.  There she met the King but did not become involved with him until his aides asked her to be his mistress as he was becoming bored with his wife. Their relationship was one of mutual love and respect. However, Louise was a meek and mild woman and was not prepared for the strong personality of her younger sister Pauline when she arrived for a visit.  Pauline took over at Louis' Court and pushed her sister out of the king's bedroom.

Pauline flirted with the king and he fell in love. Pauline would not sleep with him until he arranged a good marriage for her. Once the marriage took place the king scandalized the nation by supplanting the new husband on the wedding night. Pauline was more interested in obtaining political power and was not in love with the king. When Pauline died after the birth of a child the foolish Louise invited the next youngest sister Diane to visit. A mistake for sure but before Diane arrives another sister, Marie Anne, obtains a job as a lady-in-waiting to the Queen and moves to Versailles. She brings her married sister Hortense with her.

Louise gets talked into resigning her position with the Queen and Marie Anne soon has her banished from Versailles. Marie Anne is Louis' next mistress and then Marie Anne and Diane together as a threesome.  After the king falls ill and is expected to die he banishes Marie Anne and Diane so that he can confess his sins and receive the final sacrament. He recovers but does not ask for them back as his confession was published.

This story was well written.  I was engaged from the first page and could not put this book down.  Of course, the salacious material probably made it more interesting but the reader still needs good writing to stay engaged.

What confounded me was that all of these sisters had a religious upbringing.  I guess it didn't take as all but one was quickly willing to commit adultery with the king and didn't bat an eye about back-stabbing a sibling. In the beginning chapter when they were still together in the family home they seemed to be close. I guess that old adage that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" holds true here.

Will I read the next book in the trilogy? Absolutely! I look forward to it.

5 out of 5 stars.