The School of Mirrors

A Novel

By: Eva Stachniak

Narrated by: Ell Potter

“A riveting epic, keenly observed and shining with lush historical detail. You’ll never forget this journey.”--Cara Black, New York Times bestselling author of Three Hours in Paris

“A sweeping tale of tumult and tragedy— intricate, absorbing, and impeccably depicted, The School of Mirrors will linger in your imagination long after you turn the last page.”--Ann Mah, bestselling author of Jacqueline in Paris

A scintillating, gorgeously written historical novel about a mother and a daughter in eighteenth-century France, beginning with decadence and palace intrigue at Versailles and ending in an explosive new era of revolution.

During the reign of Louis XV, impoverished but lovely teenage girls from all over France are sent to a discreet villa in the town of Versailles. Overseen by the King’s favorite mistress, Madame de Pompadour, they will be trained as potential courtesans for the King. When the time is right, each girl is smuggled into the palace of Versailles, with its legendary Hall of Mirrors. There they meet a mysterious but splendidly dressed man who they’re told is merely a Polish count, a cousin of the Queen. Living an indulgent life of silk gowns, delicious meals, and soft beds, the students at this “school of mirrors” rarely ask questions, and when Louis tires of them, they are married off to minor aristocrats or allowed to retire to one of the more luxurious nunneries.

Beautiful and canny Veronique arrives at the school of mirrors and quickly becomes a favorite of the King. But when she discovers her lover’s true identity, she is whisked away, sent to give birth to a daughter in secret, and then to marry a wealthy Breton merchant. There is no return to the School of Mirrors.

This is also the story of the King’s daughter by Veronique—Marie-Louise. Well-provided for in a comfortable home, Marie-Louise has never known her mother, let alone her father. Capable and intelligent, she discovers a passion for healing and science, and becomes an accredited midwife, one of the few reputable careers for women like her. But eventually Veronique comes back into her daughter’s life, bringing with her the secret of Marie-Louise’s birth. But the new King—Louis XVI—is teetering on his throne and it’s a volatile time in France…and those with royal relatives must mind their step very carefully.

©2022 Eva Stachniak (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Fascinating

A comprehensive and richly detailed account of a French courtesan living in Versailles during the 1700’s. Wonderfully drawn characters and vivid imagery weaves an epic story seeped in history.

Fun story

This was a fun glimpse into life at Versailles and events during the French Revolution.

A well-researched novel with beautiful prose

Eva Stachniak’s School of Mirrors is another heart-breakingly beautiful account of the lives of “ordinary women” and their perseverance in a male-dominated world. With illuminating prose, and flawless narration, this audiobook is a must listen.

Delicate thoughtful tempo

Beautifully written personal story of a girl of limited opportunity who was swept into the Parc Aux Cerfs and her legacy. Move over it is an empathetic revelation of the life of women in this gilded period of French history. Touching and often sad but definitely recommended especially if you liked Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell.

Fascinating but pedophilia nonetheless.

The first section of the book is about Louis XV’s practice of having sex with children. I found that very hard to take. The remainder of the book is unrelentingly sad. I didn’t know much about this era but this book falls in line with what I did know so it all seems plausible,

I was not emotionally engaged with the characters as they seemed concocted rather than relatable or sympathetic. I did, however, appreciate the view of what the French Revolution must have been like for those unfortunate enough to live in France during the Reign of Terror.

I wish I liked at least a couple of the characters; I found the historical aspects of the novel to be much better than the subjects.

Engaging story. Recommeded.

The historical events were very interesting and well researched. The performance was top notch. I will be looking for more novels by this author and narrator.

Interesting Drama

It took a while for me to really be interested son the book. It got better and better as it went on. Interesting story and I enjoyed the history at the end. Overall very good

I found the book very interesting and entertaining

I learned a lot about the French Revolution and the development of midwifery as a profession. It is a wonderful historical novel. Well done!

last third of the book read like an outline

I enjoyed the first part of the book, but the end seemed rushed and incomplete, like the author ran out of time or ideas

language barrier much

I found it hard to keep up with the characters simply due to the French pronunciation of every name sounding similar. It took me at least 4hours to figure out that 1 character was a woman, & that 2 were really 1-- author flips between just the 1st name or just the last name randomly it seems for a few characters.
never-ending & title-less chapters also made it hard to follow the timeliness initially.
Aside from my personal struggle, that had me rewinding whole chapters due to sudden disoriented feelings of being entirely lost in the story line, I found the story to be captivating. I just had to know what happened & so I listened till the end & I'm glad I did.