Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 stars)
The School of Mirrors starts strong with a haunting setup—young girls unknowingly trained to become mistresses for King Louis XV under the guise of privilege. The first half, focused on Véronique, is atmospheric and emotionally charged. The backdrop of Versailles is vivid, and Stachniak doesn’t flinch from the gritty realities of power and exploitation.
But the pacing wears thin. Once the story shifts to Véronique’s daughter, the plot begins to meander. Many chapters felt overly long, with slow-moving scenes that didn’t add much to the story. At times, the book became downright tedious. The emotional arc dulled, and just when a storyline picked up, it would veer off or vanish altogether.
That said, the writing itself is graceful, and the themes are important—abuse of power, the cost of secrecy, and what women must endure to survive. I just wish the narrative had stayed tighter and more focused. I did learn much about the era surrounding the French Revolution, though.
If you like richly detailed historical fiction and don’t mind a slower pace, there’s value here. But it wasn’t as gripping or satisfying as I’d hoped. A solid read, but not one I’d rush to recommend.
** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.