Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jordan Stratford for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for La Maupin coming out August 9, 2022. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

17 year old Julie d'Aubigny is the daughter of the King’s fencing master during the 17th century. She takes Paris by storm, dueling among the sons of noblemen. This is based on a true story.

I haven’t heard of this story before, so I was intrigued. I love learning about French history during the 17th and 18th centuries. Since I’m not familiar with this story, I’m not sure how much was true and what was fiction.

Normally I don’t like books heavy on description and exposition. I love dialogue more. But I really enjoyed this book! I loved Julie’s character. She was mysterious and intriguing, but gave all the details. Her narration and commentary were fascinating! She had a wild ride of a life. There was a lot that happened to her in a year’s time! She got married, ran away with a lover, dueled, killed people, became a nun and became an opera singer. The craziness kept coming!

Overall I loved the book! There were some things I didn’t care for, but it was a thrilling story. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys French history and strong heroines.

A well written book, that keeps you turning pages! The author writes in a way that capture the reader’s attention, and gets him/her invested in the story and the characters. I am amazed by fact that it is based on a true story.