From the Publisher
"[A] complex portrait of the famous marriage between Henrietta of England (sister of King Charles II) and the charismatic Monsieur, the openly bisexual brother of the Sun King." —The Historical Novel Society
"A lush, romantic historical fantasy for young adults." —School Library Journal
Praise for IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN:
"A multifaceted mystery, sparkling with history, romance, and magic, set against the sumptuous backdrop of King Louis XIV's court." —Stacey Lee, award winning author of The Downstairs Girl
"Castellan craftily infuses enchantment in every scene alongside romance and intrigue among the royals and their court, while luxurious descriptions and quick-witted dialogue make for a captivating read." —Publishers Weekly
School Library Journal
01/01/2022
Gr 10 Up—It's 1662, and Henriette is back in this sequel to In the Shadows of the Sun. Previously, she helped defeat the evil magician, Fouquet, and is now the Source for King Louis XIV, the Sun King, as he builds Versailles into the enchanted palace he desires. When Henriette's health and magic begin to deteriorate, she is quickly replaced by the handsome Chevalier de Lorraine. Soon, new trouble is afoot at court and Henriette must work with old enemies to restore her power to help those she cares about most. This is a lush, romantic historical fantasy for young adults. There are not many descriptions of the characters; perhaps, because most characters are based on real historical figures and readers are already familiar with them from the previous volume. The mix of magic and real French locations, such as Versailles, make this an enjoyable read. Overall, this is a fun, quick read with court drama and magic that would have benefitted from more details about the various settings in France. VERDICT Recommended for those who enjoyed the previous book; new readers should start with that one for context.—Maeve Dodds
