To Serve a King
Set in 16th century France at the court of François I, To Serve a King, the third novel from Morin (The Secret of the Glass), is a tale of intrigue and rivalry that will be sure to please fans of both French and Tudor historical fiction.
Headstrong and independent Genevieve Gravois is raised in France by an emotionally frigid aunt and is taught to believe that François I is her bitter enemy, responsible for the death of her parents. Genevieve is trained in espionage, can cipher and decipher codes, shoot an arrow with skilled precision, and can kill if need be. Once Genevieve comes of age, she is sent to François’s court as a maid of honor to François’s mistress, the beautiful and powerful Anne de Pisseleau, in order to spy for her own king, Henry VIII of England.
As Genevieve gets to know François as a person rather than her enemy, she is torn between her sense of duty to Henry VIII and the feelings in her heart. Rich descriptions of the sumptuous court abound throughout the book, making the reader feel as though they are there. Genevieve’s determination and quest for the truth about her past make this novel a worthy and delightful read.
