The Embroidered Book by Kate Heartfield
‘Power is not something you are given. Power is something you take. When you are a woman, it is a little more difficult, that’s all’
1768. Charlotte, daughter of the Habsburg Empress, arrives in Naples to marry a man she has never met. Her sister Antoine is sent to France, and in the mirrored corridors of Versailles they rename her Marie Antoinette.
The sisters are alone, but they are not powerless. When they were only children, they discovered a book of spells – spells that work, with dark and unpredictable consequences.
In a time of vicious court politics, of discovery and dizzying change, they use the book to take control of their lives.
But every spell requires a sacrifice. And as love between the sisters turns to rivalry, they will send Europe spiralling into revolution.
About the author
Kate Heartfield is the author of The Embroidered Book, a historical fantasy novel out in February 2022. Her debut novel won Canada’s Aurora Award, and her novellas, stories and games have been shortlisted for the Nebula, Locus, Crawford, Sunburst and Aurora awards. A former journalist, Kate lives near Ottawa, Canada.
Review
‘The Embroidered Book’ is an epic tale of a pair of royal sisters making their way in a world full of tension, politics and a patriarchal system. But there is a twist…and that one is magical! I adore historical fiction and magical discourses so this book was a match made in heaven. Plus, I love when a book has some heft to it - this is a big book but it allows the reader to really get to know the characters. It's full of rich details from the period, extremely well-developed characters and whilst the historical facts have been altered slightly with magical twists and turns it is still a book where you learn as you read!
I think we all know about Marie Antoinette as a personality in history but I knew nothing about her sister Charlotte and I loved learning about her life and out of the two sisters I liked her the best. I loved how both of them were working against the system in order to achieve some measure of power in their lives. Sometimes, it wasn't through magic and other times it was. This was a book full of rich details that allowed the reader to build up a vivid picture in their minds! It probably helps that I have visited Versailles and also the royal palaces in Vienna so I was able to visualise it perfectly!
This was a wonderful book to immerse yourself in and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
