Narrated by Meredith Mitchell
Sandra Gulland is one of those authors I hear great things about and constantly keep meaning to read. Sadly, there are so many books and just not enough time to read them all, which means certain authors languish on my to-be-read list far longer than they should. With this in mind, I requested The Shadow Queen for review, excited to finally be introduced to the author’s work.
Claudette is the daughter of wandering actors. Her parents were once quite famous, but the church frowns on those who make their living on the stage. Still, it’s the only life Claudette knows, and she can’t imagine living any other way, especially after the death of her father. Now, the ever-resourceful Claudette is left in charge of her mother, who became slightly unhinged after losing her husband, and her younger brother, a boy who cannot speak and who will always be viewed as a simpleton.
For several years, Claudette keeps her mother and brother housed and fed in a rundown room in Paris. She does odd jobs wherever she can find them, and her mother has finally agreed to try acting again. They aren’t exactly destitute, but, sometimes, Claudette dreams of more.
Her dreams are answered in the form of Athenais, one of the most powerful women in 17th century France. She’s the mistress of King Louis XIV, a woman known to many as the Shadow Queen. Athenais needs someone she can trust, and so, through a series of mysterious events, Claudette is elevated from commoner to the personal attendant of the king’s mistress.
The story is told in Claudette’s voice. There were times when narrator Meredith Mitchell pulled this off well, and other times when she floundered. The story spans Claudette’s life from childhood until she is well past forty. Mitchell never varies the way she speaks. Claudette always sounds the same, whether she’s fifteen or forty-five. Mitchell gave her a rather high-pitched sound that sometimes bordered on shrill. I found this difficult, as it didn’t match the character Gulland crafted. Claudette is practical, resourceful, and a little wistful. Mitchell sometimes lets us see her wistfulness, as well as her determination to better her life and the lives of those she loves, but there weren’t enough of those moments to make her characterization of Claudette one that worked for me.
Other characters were distinctly voiced and dialogue tags were not necessary. Mitchell is one of the few female narrators who can deepen her voice enough when reading the part of a male character without it sounding ridiculous. I was especially pleased with her depiction of one of the French playwrights. I felt like she had brought the character of a historical figure to life.
One thing really bothered me as I listened to this book. I was constantly hearing about brassieres keeping people warm, or heating food, or being lit. Common sense tells me Mitchell actually meant brazier, but that was not how it was pronounced. I had quite a few images of my bra being on fire. Not really a pleasant thought.
It’s important for would-be listeners to know that The Shadow Queen isn’t a romance. Claudette does end up with someone at the end of the book, but it’s more of an afterthought. I would classify this as historical fiction.
Overall, I found The Shadow Queen to be an exciting, historical read. Gulland lived up to all the great things I’ve heard about her but a different narrator would have improved the listening experience.
Shannon
Narration: C+
Book Content: A
Steam Factor: You can play it out loud
Violence: Fighting (Some talk of war, and a few death scenes)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
The Shadow Queen was provided to AudioGals for review by Blackstone Audio.
