This book is not what I expected when I read the synopsis. Not at all. And now I want to write the book that I thought I was getting.
However, this book was amazing.
The Grand Masquerade takes place in 1830s and 1840s Louisianna, following a young woman named Sydnee as she grows from poor 14-year-old, to woman who knows where she’s going. She makes friends and enemies, along with living her life.
As someone who has both traveled the Natchez Trace and been to New Orleans, I love the way Hughes captured an era and area that was constantly changing and evolving. The harsh living of the poor isn’t shied away from as Sydnee grows up on a dying Natchez Trace. She struggles with abusers and the hard life living on the edge.
Upon the introduction of a highly educated slave, Maxime (yes, these did exist), Sydnee has the chance at a life she’d never known. Hired to turn the only son of a wealthy family straight, Sydnee gains the opportunity to become highly educated and eventually enters New Orleans society.
This book focuses mostly on relationships. Relationships between parents and children, with parental figures, between friends, and between lovers. It doesn’t turn from the hard parts of relationships. Hughes definitely doesn’t hide from the strong desire to protect those they love and creating your own family.
My favorite part of the characters is how real they are. Each character learns and grows. They struggle, they thrive, and each is complex in their own way. Sydnee is a contradiction in so many ways and is a fine balance between the child she was and the woman she has become.
My one request would be to see this same complexity in some of the other characters. I will admit, the story revolves around Sydnee, and all of the characters are real people. However, there are times where I would have loved to see the same complexity in Sydnee’s friends. I also recognize that it probably would have lengthened the book.
All of these characters and relationships are put on the background of a beautiful Louisiana. As a history nerd, I will admit that I was in 7th heaven. I loved the rich background painted by Hughes and it definitely added to the beautiful story told.
In Hughes’ online bio (website here), they mention that she is a genre-busting author. She is not writing a stereotypical historical romance. It truly is historical fiction with the focus on relationships between one bold woman (hence the series title) and all the people in her life. While I love purely fluffy novels, this sits a perfect balance between fluffy feel good and the grit of history and real life.
I’m keeping an eye on Amanda Hughes’ other books and they’re on the list of books for when I’m rummaging around for one.
I am happy to recommend Amanda Hughes’ novel The Grand Masquerade to anyone looking for a beautifully written historic novel.
**
The Grand Masquerade
By: Amanda Hughes
Genre: Historical Romance
Publication: 2014
ISBN: 1502351668
Publisher: Lillis and Jaymes
Price: $4.99 ebook/$12.99 paperback