Marie-Antoinette and a ferocious gold rush in this months historical fiction: The Tarot Reader of Versailles by Anya Bergman, The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis, The Rush by Beth Lewis
The Tarot Reader of Versailles by Anya Bergman (Manilla Press £16.99, 480pp)
The author of the dynamic The Witches Of Vardo heads onto the bloody streets of the French Revolution in this equally propulsive epic in the company of two extraordinary women – Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand, the titular tarot card reader (and a real historical figure), and Cait, an Irish scullery maid with psychic gifts.
Marie Anne, loyal to Queen Marie Antoinette, and firebrand Cait, whose leanings are more republican, unite to make their fortunes in volatile Versailles.
The prose is lush, the love stories beguiling, but Bergman doesn't shy away from the horror of the reign of terror and the harsh realities of change.
The Hounding is available now from the Mail Bookshop
The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis (Hutchinson Heinemann £16.99, 272pp)
There's a haze of heat over the small, claustrophobic village of Little Nettlebed in 18th-century Oxfordshire, the setting for Purvis's haunting debut.
The days are parched, the river is drying up and people's thoughts are addled, honing in on five unconventional Mansfield sisters.
Rumour has it that the siblings can transform themselves into dogs – and in this 'season of strangeness', there's great danger in being different.
Purvis's story is brimful of dark foreboding; unsettling hints of violence ripple through her prose and there's a fearful sense that the sisters' safety is at stake. Reminiscent of Jeffrey Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides, this debut is feverish, finely wrought and unforgettable.
The Rush by Beth Lewis (Viper £18.99, 400pp)
Canada, 1898, and the frozen bleakness of the Yukon has been gripped by gold fever.
Ramshackle claims have been staked, desperate men are seeking their fortune, and Dawson City is the scene of lawlessness. Into this chaotic mix, Lewis places three strong-minded, spirited women.
Journalist Kate is searching for her rebellious sister; bar owner and brothel keeper Martha is determined to keep her business from the local hard-man, while Ellen is worried about her safety as her prospector husband loses his perspective.
When a woman is found murdered, the lives of the three women intertwine as they search for the killer.
A rip-roaring adventure that's rich with drama and gutsy plotlines.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
8 hours ago
- Times
A local's guide to the perfect summer day in Marseille
Moesha 13 is a French producer, singer and DJ, and Nikolaj owns the effortlessly cool wine bar, Ivresse. In this episode of Detour, the friends spend a summer day in France's sun-bleached second city, Marseille. They begin by visiting the art gallery and café La Traverse. They meander to the coast at Malmousque to take a dip in the sea from the rocks, before fuelling up on vegan pastries from the patisserie Oh Faon! In the evening, they grab drinks from Nikolaj's bar, Ivresse, before heading to party at the underground venue Spazio. In each episode of Detour, local creatives take us to visit the hidden gems of their city, from the best places to eat and shop to where to go after dark.
The Sun
16 hours ago
- The Sun
Woman shocks with outfit that shows ‘zero class' as she walks down the beach promenade with one butt cheek fully out
A WOMAN has left people gobsmacked with her ''horrific'' outfit that has one butt cheek fully exposed. Fashion lover and model Marie B., from France, left social media users horrified after flaunting her curves in an outfit they reckon shows '' zero class ''. 2 2 According to the blonde French beauty, she was heading to a beach party and had found a rather bizarre outfit she insisted made her '' feel powerful ''. Marie, who boasts over a whopping 191k followers on her Instagram page, could be seen striding down the beach promenade in a figure-hugging bodysuit in black. The young stunner had opted to complete the look with strappy heels, a chic pearl necklace, as well as a clutch bag. However, despite clearly feeling herself, Marie came under fire over the shocking cut of the skintight garment. The slinky bodysuit, which retails for £141, boasts a fully exposed arm on one side - and a fully exposed leg on the other. The latter, she showed off in the now-viral video, also meant that one of her butt cheeks was also hanging out, as she walked in public. Fellow beach goers, who didn't appear to notice the tanned model walking towards them, were dressed in summery shorts and a T-shirt. The gorgeous model captioned the clip: ''I just want to wear this stunning outfit from @ to feel powerful every day. ''Let's go to @ for the best party.'' But while Marie was all chuffed with her ''tacky'' outfit, gobsmacked Instagram users begged fellow fashionistas to not ''normalise this''. 'I sunbathe topless for attention – I didn't pay £15,000 for these breasts to keep them hidden' A critic - just one of the 5.5million viewers - commented: ''Beautiful girl but that outfit is horrific. ''I'm sad it's been normalised to go out in public with a** cheeks hanging out. ''It's got zero class… one can be sexy without showing too much, or am I so f****** old now that this has become the norm?'' Can you be dress coded for wearing crop tops in public? The concept of being "dress coded" typically applies to specific environments such as schools, workplaces, or certain establishments where dress codes are enforced to maintain a particular standard or atmosphere. In public spaces, however, the situation is generally more relaxed and governed by societal norms rather than strict rules. That said, whether or not you can be dress coded for wearing a crop top in public largely depends on the context and location: Public Spaces: In most public spaces, like parks, streets, and beaches, wearing a crop top is generally acceptable and unlikely to result in any formal repercussions. People have the freedom to dress as they choose, provided they adhere to basic standards of decency and local laws. Establishments and Venues: Some restaurants, shops, or clubs may have their own dress codes. It's possible that a crop top might not meet the dress requirements for more formal venues. In such cases, staff may politely request that you adhere to their dress code or deny entry. Schools and Workplaces: Educational institutions and workplaces often have dress codes in place. Crop tops may be considered inappropriate in these settings, and you could be asked to change into more suitable attire. Cultural and Regional Considerations: In certain cultures or regions, norms and expectations around acceptable clothing can vary widely. It's always a good idea to be aware of and respect local customs and dress codes when travelling. Someone else was just as baffled, writing: ''She's gorgeous why would she wear a trashy outfit like this?'' ''I knew about nip slips, but a lip slip is a wardrobe malfunction I never considered,'' a third joked. ''If I had the most amazing body in the world I would still not wear that hideous thing,'' another horrified viewer chimed in. ''That is so cheap,'' a fellow critic shared their brutal verdict.
Times
17 hours ago
- Times
French nightclubs close as youth stay at home
Clubbing is regarded as a pastime for the young, but 70 per cent of nightclubs in France have shut down since the 1980s and their demise is being mourned mainly by the middle-aged. Generation Z is more likely to stay at home to play video games and watch TikTok videos for fun, unlike Generation X and boomers, many of whom considered dancing until dawn on Saturday night as a badge of honour. 'No one I know goes clubbing,' said 19-year-old Antonin, who declined to be identified by his surname. 'I prefer simple pleasures like chatting with friends or PlayStation. We're a homebody generation,' he told Le Parisien. • Why Gen Z have fallen in love with the house party 'Everywhere in France, disco balls have stopped turning,' according to the newspaper. 'Only 1,400 clubs are still open, compared with the 6,000 we had a few decades ago,' said Thierry Fontaine, the head of the nightclub section of France's UMIH hospitality union. 'Breathalyser tests on the roads, student poverty and higher entrance fees when you've got big name DJs have put an end to the large clubs.' The Covid-19 lockdowns also had a lasting impact and young people became used to staying at home, according to Mathieu Dagneaux, marketing manager of Dune, a well-known club in La Grande Motte, a Mediterranean resort near Montpellier in the south of France. 'Since Covid, consumer habits have changed,' he said. 'The young are more demanding. Before, they used to go out three or four nights a week in the summer, regardless of the kind of music played. Now they only go to a club if there's really something happening that grabs their interest.' Jérémie Peltier, the author of a book on the phenomenon, entitled La Fête est finie (The Party's Over), said young people were still dancing, but not in clubs. 'Since the pandemic, there have been a lot more home parties. It's cheaper, you can control the music, the people you invite and how the night progresses, as going out is viewed as more stressful or even potentially dangerous.' • UK's worst night out? Costly, crime-ridden London In the UK, about 400 clubs have closed in the past five years, more than a third of the total number. The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has warned that clubbing could be 'extinct' in Britain by the end of the decade. The cost of living crisis, social media and the pandemic have changed the way young people socialise, and an NTIA survey this year found that nearly two-thirds of 18 to 30-year-olds were going out less frequently than last year. Laurence Voyer, editor of Le Parisien, expressed nostalgia for the club nights of her youth, but concluded that the way young people have fun today 'is not better or worse, it's just different'.
