Here we are at the end, the last book in The Mistresses of Versailles trilogy that started with the Sisters of Versailles and the five Nesle sister sisters, with four of them becoming mistresses to the King before Marquise de Pompadour took over the story and the King's affection in The Rivals of Versailles. In The Enemies of Versailles is Marquise de Pompadour dead and it's Jeanne Becu later Comtesse du Barry that will be the last mistress of the King. With du Barry comes also the end as the French revolution is looming on the horizon. She may not be the one to bring down a dynasty. But, the world she will come to belong to, the court is miles away from the ordinary people. And, the people have had enough! Off with the heads!

The Enemies of Versailles is a fabulous ending to a fabulous trilogy. I have enjoyed each book, but I have to admit that The Rivals of Versailles is the book I loved the most. Why, because I came to adore Marquise de Pompadour. She was such a marvelous person and the one that perhaps was the best for the Louis XV. I found her to be both strong and smart. Jeanne, Comtesse du Barry, on the other hand, is in her own way a very nice person. I did not, however, like her as much as I liked de Pompadour. But, what I liked with Comtesse du Barry is her like of scheming, it was everyone else around her that schemed. I think she would have been just as happy with a comfortable life with someone that she loved. Now, the book also had the point of view from Adelaide, the daughter of Louis XV. And I liked the contrast between the two main characters. Adelaide is such a stuck up person, who all through her life only wants her father's love. But, every mistress he has is an enemy to her, but it's not much she can do about that.

The books can be read separately, but I recommend starting from the beginning. By starting from the first book will you meet a young Louis XV and you get to follow his life through the women that he chose as mistresses. Also, through the books, can one also follow the growing dissatisfaction among the people.

Sally Christie is a superb author and when I came to the end of this book was all I could think "I want more, I want her to continue the story, I want the story of Napoleon through the eyes of the women around him".

4.5 stars

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! ( )

Here we are at the end, the last book in The Mistresses of Versailles trilogy that started with the Sisters of Versailles and the five Nesle sister sisters, with four of them becoming mistresses to the King before Marquise de Pompadour took over the story and the King's affection in The Rivals of Versailles. In The Enemies of Versailles is Marquise de Pompadour dead and it's Jeanne Becu later Comtesse du Barry that will be the last mistress of the King. With du Barry comes also the end as the French revolution is looming on the horizon. She may not be the one to bring down a dynasty. But, the world she will come to belong to, the court is miles away from the ordinary people. And, the people have had enough! Off with the heads!

The Enemies of Versailles is a fabulous ending to a fabulous trilogy. I have enjoyed each book, but I have to admit that The Rivals of Versailles is the book I loved the most. Why, because I came to adore Marquise de Pompadour. She was such a marvelous person and the one that perhaps was the best for the Louis XV. I found her to be both strong and smart. Jeanne, Comtesse du Barry, on the other hand, is in her own way a very nice person. I did not, however, like her as much as I liked de Pompadour. But, what I liked with Comtesse du Barry is her like of scheming, it was everyone else around her that schemed. I think she would have been just as happy with a comfortable life with someone that she loved. Now, the book also had the point of view from Adelaide, the daughter of Louis XV. And I liked the contrast between the two main characters. Adelaide is such a stuck up person, who all through her life only wants her father's love. But, every mistress he has is an enemy to her, but it's not much she can do about that.

The books can be read separately, but I recommend starting from the beginning. By starting from the first book will you meet a young Louis XV and you get to follow his life through the women that he chose as mistresses. Also, through the books, can one also follow the growing dissatisfaction among the people.

Sally Christie is a superb author and when I came to the end of this book was all I could think "I want more, I want her to continue the story, I want the story of Napoleon through the eyes of the women around him".

4.5 stars

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! ( )

This was easily my favorite installment of the trilogy. This book features 2 distinct voices: Adelaide the daughter of Louis XVth and Madame Du Barry, the last mistress of Louis XV.
I do not necessarily agree with the authors portrait of DuBarry as kind, placating and people pleasing. I rather like her but she was most definitely scheming and calculating. Versailles was a court that required much scheming and calculation. ( )

So this is what it's like to finish a series; heaviness within the heart, the inner voice screaming "NO!" and realization that this is the end; the characters one has grown to admire and care about will no longer have future books written about them. I'm awed, astounded, sad and heartbroken that this is the end of Mistresses of Versailles trilogy. The book has really lived up to the previous two books; Sisters in Versailles and Rivals in Versailles, and perhaps in some cases even surpassed Rivals in Versailles. For me as well, the story means both a beginning and an ending to chapter in my life; ending the fact that I am free as I was, and beginning a new chapter with my baby boy. Interestingly enough, the series have been with me when I was pregnant with my son (Sisters of Versailles) and one of the first book I read a month or so after my son's birth is Rivals of Versailles. Enemies of Versailles was around my son's first birthday. I really don't want to say goodbye to the series, but still, for a wonderful and vivid portrait of the final glittering years of Court of Versailles, do pick up and read this wonderful gem. ( )

The last of Louis XV's mistresses - Madame du Barry - comes to life in this final installment of the Mistresses of Versailles trilogy. Born an illegitimate child into the lowest social order, Jeanne du Barry rose to become the mistress of the French king during his last few years - a position which placed her in opposition to the king's daughters and the young queen-to-be Marie Antoinette. I enjoyed Jeanne's spirit, which I feel the author captured well, and I was saddened by her end. This is a must-read for historical fiction fans! ( )