Spirit of Lost Angels

by Liza Perrat

Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

Born in the farmlands of pre-revolutionary France, Victoire lives the tough but simple life of a commoner under tyrannical rule by nobles, church, and nature. Once she grows up, she must choose between limited means of survival. These means carry her to Paris and then back to her hometown of Lucie-sur-Vionne again after she is victimized by a noble. Tragedy soon tears her away from her village again and transports her back to Paris and into the Salpatiere, a madhouse and jail, from which she shouldn’t escape alive. Fortune smiles on Victoire and she is provided with means of escape and a new life. Will Victoire live for revenge? Will she survive the extreme violence of the building French Revolution?

Liza has created a beautiful history lesson in a story; the best method, in my opinion. Through Victoire, the reader can see many walks of life lived by people of the period and many perspectives on the volatile political landscape.

Victoire is a dynamic character who brings us through her life with honesty and courage. Her difficult life, helplessness to her fate, and position in life engage the reader’s sympathy and understanding. She brings humanity and reality to the well-known and often overlooked aspects of a country in crisis.

A warning to sensitive readers: this book depicts extreme social situations. Victoire experiences sexual encounters, both consensual and non-consensual, straight, gay, and even adulterous. She is tortured, shot, and participates in riots in which authorities and rioters are harmed and even killed. Many children die of many tragedies. This is the French Revolution, not a bedtime story.

For those who are brave enough to face the grim realities of a people on the verge of revolution or death, Spirit of Lost Angels is a wonderful journey through the extremes of life within the country in crisis.

Spirit of Lost Angels is available as a print and e-book:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Smashwords