Review Detail

After the death of her parents to smallpox, Camille Durbonne struggles to get by with her younger sister Sofie. One thing Camille can do is use magic to change metal into coins, but that isn't enough. After her older brother steals her money, she uses dark magic to use glamour to disguise herself as a rich Baroness and gamble with other aristocrats at Versailles. But Camille gets seduced by the glamour of the rich and finds that there is a cost to using the magic. When her secret is revealed, Camille must chose whether to continue using her magic or fight for what she truly believes.

What worked: Fascinating glimpse into 1789 Paris right before the French Revolution. There's magic at the court, but using it comes with a cost. I loved the intrigue of 1789 Paris in the glittering courts of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Also the idea that not only the aristocrats, but Versailles used magic adds to the story.

Camille was a product of her time. Only she had magic to help her rise from the intense poverty that was around her. This didn't stop her from being abused by her older brother. She fights back in the only way she can, by using her ability to use magic. I liked how this ability doesn't come easy to her. The dark element of magic at first repulses her, but she learns to rely on it. She's swept up with the glamour of the court. Her younger sister isn't in the background, but also gets caught up in Camille's lies and attempts to better themselves.

There's also romance in the court and outside. Camille finds herself falling in love with Lazare, who has his own secrets. What's hard for Camille is she's not sure if Lazare will really like her if he knows she's been disguising herself at the court. Her struggles and conflict are shown not only at home, but at Versailles. She finds that she's not the only one using magic and fears being exposed. The king has outlawed magic and the penalty is death.

The addition of the balloons is intriguing too. At this time, balloons were all the rage in Paris. I really liked how the author was able to use this historical fact, along with magic.

Engaging tale of a young girl who uses magic to transform herself into an aristocrat, at first to take back from them, but later falls under the charm of Versailles. Only later does she find that maybe magic isn't enough, especially when it comes to matters of the heart.