Queen of the jesters, and her strange adventures in old Paris

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

78828

Title

Queen of the jesters, and her strange adventures in old Paris

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in 18th-century Paris, this historical adventure follows Corinne de Montesson, a witty and beautiful woman who rejects high society to live among the city's outcasts. Guided by her eccentric dwarf servant, Yerut, she navigates a world of jesters, thieves, and nobility, using her charm and charity to rescue the condemned and expose the absurdities of the court.

Summary up to 500 words

Max Pemberton's *Queen of the Jesters* transports readers to the vibrant, chaotic, and fantastical Paris of 1760 under Louis XV. The narrative centers on Corinne de Montesson, a woman of extraordinary wit and influence who rejects the rigid salons of the elite and the galleries of Versailles. Instead, she establishes a sanctuary in the Rue St. Paul, gathering a diverse circle of wits, scientists, adventurers, dwarfs, and even demons in disguise. This unconventional group operates outside traditional social hierarchies, engaging in elaborate pranks and masquerades that blur the lines between the supernatural and the ridiculous. The story opens with Ferdinand Dauberval, a young man from Avranches ruined by gambling debts, seeking refuge at Corinne's home, the Hôtel Beautreillis. Initially finding the residence deserted and silent, he is soon saved from starvation by her mysterious household, illustrating her role as a benefactor to the city's outcasts. The plot thickens with the arrival of Henri de Villefort, the Captain of the Guard, who pursues the Chevalier Guibert, Corinne's beloved. Villefort intends to arrest and execute Guibert, but Corinne and her eccentric inner circle, led by the mischievous dwarf Yerut, devise a cunning plan to save him. Through a series of elaborate deceptions, including the use of drugged wine and false trails, Corinne successfully delays Villefort. In a climactic scene at an inn near Ussy, Yerut incapacitates the Captain with a blow to the head, allowing Guibert to escape. The narrative culminates with the lovers' reunion and Guibert's safe arrival at Versailles, where he is rewarded by the King. The novel concludes with Corinne's continued reign as a powerful, unconventional force in Parisian society until her death in 1779. Thematically, the book explores social mobility, suggesting that wit and charm can triumph over established status. It contrasts the corrupt, stifling court life with the vibrant, chaotic freedom of the lower classes and Corinne's sanctuary. By blending historical setting with fantastical elements, Pemberton presents a world where the absurd and the miraculous coexist, celebrating the power of the individual against oppressive authority.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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data/epubs/pg78828.epub

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Categories

• Adventure
• Fiction