Some books you buy because someone you know (or Reese Witherspoon) recommends them. And some you buy because you're wandering Barnes & Noble during a book sale and stumble upon the most vibrant, lovely cover. That was how I came across Enchantée, a historical fantasy set on the cusp of the French revolution. The book brings together magic, romance and the glittering enchantment of Versailles. With a premise like that, how could I say no?
Honestly, I don't read a lot of historical fiction (excluding classics, which aren't technically historical fiction since they were written for contemporary audiences). So I was curious to see how I would like this one.
Enchantée follows Camille Durbon, a Parisian girl who works magic in order to keep a roof over her and her sister's heads. Eventually, she has the idea to work a darker sort of magic in order to earn enough to create a better life and move away from her abusive and alcoholic brother.
That being said, it really isn't too dark of a story. The main focus is on Camille's excursions to Versailles (which she uses this darker magic to sneak into as an aristocrat), and her romance with an adventurous, hot air balloon flying boy who is also more than he seems.
Overall, I really liked this story. It started off slowly and took awhile to actually get to the Versailles part, but once it did, I felt like I was truly among those gold-covered walls, with the occasional sight of Marie Antoinette and nobles in sparkling ball gowns. It was also interesting to see the effect that working so much magic had on Camille, and how she was continually drawn to the allure of Versailles despite trying not to be.
I did have some issues with the ending though, because the final villain's actions seemed to almost come out of nowhere. They were justified, sure, but let's just say things suddenly got very dangerous and dramatic, and the pacing was so much faster here than it was throughout the rest of the book. I would have liked to see more of Camille and Lazare getting to know each other as well, because those were my favorite moments of the book.
In the end, however, Enchantée is a great read, and a wonderful historical fiction book. I truly did feel like I was walking the streets of Paris in the 1700s and watching the French Revolution rise among its people.
Rating: 4/5 stars
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