This was a Goodreads First Reads contest win.

I loved this book! It was written in a very engaging style which made it feel as if Julie d'Aubigny was telling you her life story. I am a huge fan of historical novels and this one? Was a lot of fun. It is based on a real person and her life. It gives the reader a huge desire to find out more about this strong, ahead of her time, woman who ignored social constraints on women. She had to use men to allow herself freedom but within the time period she lived in? There would have been no other way for her to be as free as she was.

Definitely worth a read for readers of historical fiction the are not upset by a strong, not caring about social norms, bisexual, woman, character based on someone from history.

The historical figure this novel is based upon is fascinating so that kept me going through the horrible writing that reminded me of Anne Rice's overblown style.

the story was a good one, but the alternating narrator structure really didn't do a whole lot for me

I wanted to like it, but the focus on monologs, making La Maupin to be this enigmatic pick me got exhausting fast.

You could not make this stuff up - a bisexual Frenchwoman, master fencer, opera star, and even sometime nun. And that's enough review. What, not enough to convince you?

Gardiner puts the words in Julie d'Aubigny's own mouth more than once - you really couldn't make up her story. Reading this novel is worth it just to learn about a real historical figure who didn't bend to convention or sacrifice her individuality at all. I think it's safe to say that she was one of a kind and that the world will never see anyone quite like her again. I would recommend this just on the merits of the historical inspiration alone.

A bit about the style, which is almost as unique as the subject matter - Gardiner has styled the novel as if Julie is looking back on her life and telling the story to a priest as a final confession (though she makes it clear she doesn't feel the need to atone for her sins to God). The story is in 5 "acts" like an opera, with different scenes in the form of duets, minuets, recitatives, etc. Even if you're not familiar with opera, you'll quickly be able to anticipate the style of the chapter based on the type of scene. (Duets are about romantic dalliances, minuets often involve the viewpoint of the public, recitatives are Julie "confessing" to the priest...) Seriously, A+ to Gardiner for originality of idea and execution as well. The one thing that I foresee voyeuristic readers complaining about is lack of detail, though it fits perfectly with the format she chose. Because Julie is telling her own story, she doesn't need to describe her sexual encounters, duels, and other life events with the level of detail you'd normally expect from historical fiction. Even the little detail she does provide often ends with her interrupting herself to tell the priest to stop blushing. She doesn't linger on the details because she knows them - she's working out what she needs to atone for as she approaches her death. I've seen several reviews that suggest Julie is self-centered and very "me me me," but really, that's the point of a deathbed confession, isn't it?

Totally unique heroine, totally unique narrative format. Great easy read for the literary reader.

The fine print: received ARC from Edelweiss.

I was drawn to this because of the blurb, and it certainly was entertaining, but it was a fairly lacklustre read for me.

I wasn't too keen on how Julie saw herself. I figure it was mainly bravado, but vanity and arrogance aren't things that will really draw my sympathy. I didn't really like her voice as it told the story, and I almost wish we'd had a third-person narrator the whole way through. I understand why Julie narrated a lot herself, though, and I suppose it was effective to have the story told as if it were an opera: I just didn't really get on with Julie as narrator.

There is a same sex relationship here, which is great, but, unfortunately, we get so little of it. Most of the story concerns Julie's incredible reinventions, and her soap opera-style life, and there's so little attention to her love story. I thought that was unfortunate, but, again, I understand why Gardiner paid so much attention to her adventurous life.

There was some good introspection on Julie's sexuality, and how it must have been to be a woman who dressed, not as a man or a woman, but as herself. People like Julie were sometimes tolerated if they had talent, but, at the same time, were the subject of gossip and innuendo, and hatred, often. Gardiner captures that sense of isolation fairly well.

In short, I thought this was ok, but I didn't love it. Still, I would recommend it as an example of queer literature for my last paragraph above.

A memorable, unexpected character with an appealing voice. Julie, "La Maupin," is a romantic, flamboyant figure who actually lived in 17th century France. There's plenty of swashbuckling, romance, and humor in her tale, but the best part is the fascinating evocation of the world of the Opera and the art of singing. Because the narrator's ego is so huge, she can sometimes become tiresome (and a little too lengthy) in her own praise, but this is balanced by occasional chapters told from an external point of view. Fans of opera will appreciate the novel's clever structuring into acts and musical movements; fans of swordplay will find plenty of period fencing details; history buffs will enjoy the catty but historically accurate presentation of the Sun King's opulent court. Like its heroine, who dresses in men's clothes and passionately pursues both male and female lovers, this tale has something for everyone.