Will Bashor

Rating: 3.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A historical novel inspired by real events, The Bastard Prince of Versailles narrates the escapades of a misborn "prince" during the reign of Louis XIV in seventeenth-century France.

Louis de Bourbon wasn't a real prince—even though his father was King Louis XIV. The illegitimate son of the King and his mistress, Louise de La Vallière, young Louis has been kept far from the court's eyes until summoned to bid adieu to his mother. To atone for her adultery, she joins a convent, abandoning Louis to an uncertain future.

When Louis is humiliated by his father for his role in a secret gay society, he struggles to redeem himself through heroism and self-sacrifice in the king's army on the battlefield.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: What surprised me most about this read was that it is based on fact. I was unaware of the existence of the bastard son of the Sun King. I was more surprised still that there was a gay demimonde at this intolerant, aggressively cishet jerk's court. The last jaw-dropper for me was the way the author treated the subject of "gayness" in a time when that identity had not been invented. While being honest and true to the historical record, Author Bashor allows us twenty-first century snowflakes to feel connected to, and hopeful for, the sodomitical young bastard prince.

History buffs, as much as historical-fiction fans, will find much to enjoy in this evocation of a brutal, glamourous past. The gay themes should be a draw, not a bar, as the light the author sheds on the subject is welcome indeed...even if the life it illuminates is very, very saddening to modern eyes.… (altro)

Since I previously read Will Bashor's previous two books on Marie Antoinette, I jumped at the chance to receive his latest book on her. It did not disappoint. The book begins with a brief history of the palace at Versailles and the previous kings, who lived there. We learn about how it began as a hunting lodge for Henri IV. Later, his son Louis XIII turned it into a place for him to meet his lovers. From Louis XIII to Louis XV it remained as a place for lovers of the king, alternating between male and female lovers. Venereal diseases were rampant among the French population. This plays a major part in the story.
When Louis XVI married Marie Antoinette, the marriage was not consummated for 7 years. With the marriage, the author turns his attention to Marie Antoinette. Louis XVI gave Petit Trianon, the former domain of various Kings' mistresses, to Marie Antoinette. He was not allowed to visit without the permission of his wife. We learn of how she spent her time during this long wait of 7 years, playing cards, play acting and spending time with various people, male and female, who may or may not have been her lovers. The author asks us to draw our own conclusions.
Certain parts of the book were very interesting. The fan had a language all its own., used to convey messages between potential lovers. Not only did different positions of the fan have their own meaning, but fans had a practical use, to pass objects to the sovereign as well as to cover up bad breath and rotten teeth!
What was most unusual in the book, was how the author placed chapters into sections, each marking a period of time in the life of Marie Antoinette. At the end of each section, he devotes a chapter to analyzing Marie Antoinette's hand writing at this point in her life. From how she writes, she reveals her character. I am not familiar with the science of handwriting analysis, so I can not attest to how accurate the observations are.
This book is a good addition to any library on Marie Antoinette.… (altro)