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Madeleine
Moreau is a teacher in her parents’ academy for young
ladies. Following a disastrous evening in Vauxhall Gardens
she finds herself alone with nowhere to live. Discovering
that she has a family in France that her émigré
father never told her about she goes there to find them with
a friend in tow. But this is the time of the French Revolution
and nobody is safe, maybe even at Chateau Mirabelle deep in
the countryside, home of the enigmatic Comte Etienne d Aubery.
This has something of the style of those old Gothic romances
with its exotic settings, danger, old castles and “female
in jeopardy” plot. Told in the present tense by Madeleine
herself, this is an enjoyable look at life during the revolution
in the country rather than in Paris, although there are scenes
set there including the King's execution. Madeleine has two
handsome suitors and various mysteries to explore, but the
main part of the book is about daily life in the country.
The author gives good descriptions of Madeleine working in
the vineyard, teaching the young children, dodging sympathizers
of the revolution, making do with little as food is scarce
and getting to know the locals. These activities take up the
largest part of the plot in a long book and at times this
seems repetitive; this book could have done with some editing.
However, if you want to read what life was like in rural areas
at this time interspersed with romance and mystery this is
a well written tale that neatly avoids being like the bulk
of other novels set at this time.
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