The Courtier’s Secret by Donna Russo Morin
Review by Mirah Welday (mwelday)
The Courtier’s Secret was my first official novel of summer. I found it to be the perfect action adventure/love story to read by the pool (or on my pool float) while sipping a cool beverage. I was transported from sunny Florida to France in the 1600s.
Louis XIV is reigning over a court of opulence and deception. Many courtiers love the grandeur that is Versailles, while others feel suffocated by the pressure of performing every day to the whims of the King. Jeanne du Bois is newly returned to court and under the oppressive thumb of her abusive father, Gaston. His only use for his daughter is to marry her off to a gentleman of the court who can improve her family’s standing before the King.
Jeanne is not the pliable daughter Gaston desires. Jeanne doesn’t want to be a pawn in his schemes and even through fierce, violent arguments and beatings, Jeanne will not bow to her father’s will. Her uncle secretly gives her fencing lessons and Jeanne feels most free when she is using a sword, independent and strong. Jeanne rebels against being the submissive and accommodating courtier that she is expected to be.
One day at the end of her secret lessons, Jeanne and her uncle jump into the fray to assist the Musketeers in an unexpected breach at the castle. This one act takes Jeanne on an adventure with the Musketeers and she becomes a part of their efforts to foil a plot to assassinate the Queen. In the process of building friendships with the Musketeers, Jeanne meets Henri who has his own family secrets that could change the course of Jeanne’s life and save the Queen.
I found The Courtier’s Secret to be very entertaining and would highly recommend it for those who enjoy historical fiction. I thought the characters were varied and interesting, even if I found some of them to be despicable. I think the key for reading this book is to remember it is historical fiction and was meant to be entertaining, not a history lesson. In the Acknowledgements, the author lists other books and resources for readers who want to learn about the time period.
