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Sunday, July 21, 2019

Review - Enchantée (Enchantée, #1) by Gita Trelease





Title: Enchantée (Enchantée, #1)
Author: Gita Trelease
Pages: 464
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Release Date: 26th February 2019


Blurb from Goodreads: 
 
Paris in 1789 is a labyrinth of twisted streets, filled with beggars, thieves, revolutionaries – and magicians . . . 
 
When smallpox kills her parents, seventeen-year-old Camille is left to provide for her frail sister and her volatile brother. In desperation, she survives by using the petty magic she learnt from her mother. But when her brother disappears Camille decides to pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Using dark magic Camille transforms herself into the ‘Baroness de la Fontaine‘ and presents herself at the court of Versaille, where she soon finds herself swept up in a dizzying life of riches, finery and suitors. But Camille’s resentment of the rich is at odds with the allure of their glamour and excess, and she soon discovers that she’s not the only one leading a double life . . .









My Review:

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley*





Seventeen-year-old Camille lives in a Paris that is on the brink of revolution.
After the deaths of her mother and father, Camille tries to care for her little sister the only way she knows how - magic.
But their brother is in debt to a dangerous man, and Camille finds herself struggling to pay the rent and to put food on the table. So Camille turns to a different kind of magic - a dark magic that allows her to change her appearance and become the Baroness de la Fontaine and gamble at the court of Versailles.
Camille vows to only use this magic until she has enough money for her and her sister to live in comfort, but will she be able to stop? Or will Camille become swept up in the finery of court life?


For me, the best part of Enchantée was the setting - 1789 Paris was certainly an interesting time with Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and the whisper of revolution in the air.
I thought the author did a very good job of capturing the allure of court life and the hardship that the non-royals went through.
Camille was a good protagonist. She was relatable and I felt sorry for her. I could understand why she enjoyed being at court so much.
Sophie, Camille's sister, was another character that I liked, as well as some of the friends Camille made at court.
I quite liked the romance, which I thought was rather sweet.
The plot was interesting and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped and nothing that happened shocked me.
The magic was intriguing. I liked the idea of being able to change items like buttons into coins.
The writing style was easy to follow and was atmospheric at times.
If you enjoy reading about this time period and like magic/magical elements then I would recommend this.


Overall this was an enjoyable read.







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