FREE: The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley

The listing, The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley has ended.

With imaginative verve, intelligence, and
exceptional detail, The Oracle Glass captures
the rich tang of one of history's most
irresistible eras. Spinning actual police
records from the reign of Louis XIV into a
darkly captivating story, it follows the
fortunes of Genevieve Pasquier, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been transformed into
an imperious, seemingly infallible fortune-teller... Genevieve is a skinny, precocious
little monkey with a mind full of philosophy
and the power to read the swirling waters of
an oracle glass - for a demimonde who will
believe anything. Left for dead by her
family, Genevieve is taken in by La Voisin,
an ingenious occultist and omnipotent
society fortune-teller. La Voisin also rules a
secret society of witches - abortionists and
poisoners - who manipulate the lives of the
rich and scandalous all the way up to the
throne. Tutored by La Voison, Genevieve
creates a new identity for herself - as the
mysterious Madame de Morville, complete
with an antique black dress, a powdered
face, a cane, and a wickedly sarcastic streak
who is supposedly nearly one hundred fifty
years old. Even the reigning mistress of the
Sun King himself consults Madame de
Morville on what the future holds for her.
And as Madame de Morville, Genevieve can
revel in what women are usually denied
power, an independent income, and the
opportunity to speak her mind. Beneath her
intelligence and wit, what drives Genevieve
is a private revenge - but what she doesn't
expect is for love to come in the
bargain.