Paris in 1789 is a labyrinth of twisted streets, filled with beggars, thieves, revolutionaries—and magicians...
When smallpox kills her parents, Camille Durbonne must find a way to provide for her frail, naive sister while managing her volatile brother. Relying on petty magic—la magie ordinaire—Camille painstakingly transforms scraps of metal into money to buy the food and medicine they need. But when the coins won’t hold their shape and her brother disappears with the family’s savings, Camille must pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
With dark magic forbidden by her mother, Camille transforms herself into the ‘Baroness de la Fontaine’ and is swept up into life at the Palace of Versailles, where aristocrats both fear and hunger for la magie. There, she gambles at cards, desperate to have enough to keep herself and her sister safe. Yet the longer she stays at court, the more difficult it becomes to reconcile her resentment of the nobles with the enchantments of Versailles. And when she returns to Paris, Camille meets a handsome young balloonist—who dares her to hope that love and liberty may both be possible.
But la magie has its costs. And when Camille loses control of her secrets, the game she's playing turns deadly. Then revolution erupts, and she must choose—love or loyalty, democracy or aristocracy, freedom or magic—before Paris burns…
Review:
“Remember—magic is a cheater’s game, and everyone who sees it wants to play.”Enchantée by Gita Trelease was absolutely amazing. I adored this novel. This story takes place in a historical Paris during 1789. The French Revolution is just starting in Enchantée. The people are starving and rioting. The Royals are ignoring their please for help. The one thing that is quite different in this re-imagined Paris is some people are able wield magic.
In the world of Enchantée there are three types of magic.
- Magie Ordinaire: Changing things
- Glamoire: Changing Yourself
- Magie Bibelot: Making Objects Sentient
All magic uses sorrow to work or accomplish the task the characters are trying to do. The magic has such a dark twist too it. I thought it was a quite unique way to add magic to this historical world.
There is the background of the world. Now on to some of the amazing characters.
Camille is your typical young girl that is struggling to survive. Or is she? Camille is able to wield magic but she was taught to be very careful and to fear the possibility of getting caught. I really enjoy how many flaws Camille has. Trelease really made Camille into a character that we can all relate too because no one is perfect. Camille also has the burden of taking care of her young sister in this messed up world. Their big brother who is supposed to be the true guardian is nothing but a drunk and gambler.
One of the things I really enjoyed about Enchantée was the romance. I liked how Camille was so resistant at first. She liked this guy but because she believe that he was above her station, she didn't want to even attempt to get to know him. I really like how things in life kept throwing our characters together.
This book is so well written. The setting is amazing. The plot is great. The characters are so lovable. As a reader, you can't help but get swept away in all the whimsy of this world. I absolutely love Camille' s determination to create a better life for her and her sister. Is this a book you should read?! YES! YES IT IS! So far this has been one of my top books for 2019.
Favorite Quotes:
"What else is there to do with a life than spend it?"
"She hated la magie ordinaire, but it was all she had."
"Though she'd tried so hard to hold it all, in the end it ran away like water through her fingers. Nothing stayed"
"Little by little, magic was erasing her. Sometimes she felt it might kill her."
About the Author:
Born in Sweden to Indian and Swedish parents, Gita Trelease has lived in lots of places, including New York, Paris, and a tiny town in central Italy. She attended Yale College and New York University, where she earned a Ph.D. in British literature. Before becoming a novelist, she taught classes on writing and fairy tales—some of which have seeped into this story.
Along with her husband and son, Gita divides her time between a spooky old village in Massachusetts and the coast of Maine, where she’s still searching for a secret portal that will take her back to Versailles.
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