The School of Mirrors

At 13, Veronique Roux is sold into service by her impoverished mother. Veronique believes that she is destined for a life of domestic service in a grand Parisian home, but she and other young women are being groomed to serve as mistresses to King Louis XV. When Veronique becomes pregnant, she is banished—but not before she realizes the identity of her child’s father. When her daughter, Marie-Louise, is born, she is taken away and Veronique is married to a wealthy merchant. Years later, revolutionary fervor seizes France, and Marie-Louise, now a midwife, knows nothing of her parentage. When the dangerous secret of Marie-Louise’s birth comes to light, it threatens her family’s safety. Ell Potter’s crisp narration complements Stachniak’s (The Winter Palace) lush, detailed story. Potter handles the French names fluidly, embodying the various characters and their struggles and passions. It can be difficult to follow the point-of-view changes during the book’s early part, when perspective shifts frequently, as there is no extended pause or other indication that listeners are entering a different thread of the story, but this is a minor distraction in an otherwise excellent production.