When we think of historical settings that stir the imagination and bring stories to life, the 18th century in France stands out as the most vibrant and complex setting. This era, characterized by luxurious palaces, accelerating economic life, and profound social change, offers significant material for fiction. From the decadence of Louis XVI’s court to the extreme highs and lows of the French Revolution, 18th-century France is a canvas rich with intrigue, drama, and multifaceted characters. Exploring this period allows readers to dive into a world of lavishness and conflict and provides a captivating lens through which we can understand the forces that shaped modern Europe.
In this blog, we’ll uncover why the 18th century in France is such a creative landscape for storytelling and how its historical and cultural elements can be transformed into addicting narratives by taking inspiration from some classics and V.C. Love’s The Countess of Stonemason.
Books like Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathon Swift and The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, Richard Pevear, and John Lee beautifully capture the essence of the 17th and 18th centuries. Author Jonathon Swift in Gulliver Travels shows us bustling markets and fairs that represent societal dynamics. Through his portrayal of these public spaces, the novel easily painted Europe in the 17th century—the vibrant economic exchanges, social hierarchies, and cultural encounters of the time.
Jonathan Swift uses these scenes not only to entertain but also to critique the political and economic practices of his era, also revealing the absurdities of human behavior and governance, inviting the reader to reflect on the complexities and contradictions of 17th-century life, making Gulliver’s Travels a novel that beautifully mirrors the real-world issues of its period.
Similarly, in her novel The Countess of Stonemason, author V.C. Love introduces us to Andrea, a radiantly beautiful young woman born with royal blood in France. Though naturally adventurous and rebellious, Andrea is also a curious and perceptive girl, always eager to explore the unknown. As she amasses great fortune and power, her desires lead her down a path of darkness, diving her into madness and entwining her with dark and evil forces.
Andrea’s enthralling beauty draws everyone to her, and despite having anyone, no admirer or suitor ever fulfills her desires. You may think that she has everything one could possibly dream of—wealth, power, and endless admiration—-but Andrea’s unquenchable thirst for more drives her toward a chilling fate, so infamous that it is still spoken of in whispers to this day.
V.C. Love’s novel engrosses the reader with its rich, detailed descriptions of 18th-century France and fictitious elements. The narrative takes us through the mansion gardens with its beautiful flowers to the towering church walls.
The novel’s 18th-century setting provides more than just a landscape of majestic architecture; it also vividly provides readers with themes of wealth, elegance, and status through clothing and fashion. At Pierre’s (Andrea’s father) and Marie’s (Andrea’s mother) wedding, the couple’s matching, elegant white garments portray grace and sophistication, the absolute epitome of the refined aesthetics of the era of the 18th century. The saying, “the book takes the reader to a different world,” truly comes to life here, as every detail from the luxurious attire to the magnificence of the setting immerses us in a world of timeless beauty and intrigue.
Pierre is often described wearing finely tailored suits, his golden hair always groomed, and we can’t help but imagine him, even when he is older, radiating an air of authority. The characters are introduced wearing a lot of gold jewelry not tacky and excessive, but tastefully sophisticated, adding elegance that reflects their societal standing. Love also shows the women wearing embroidered floral skirts, each adding to the artistry and luxury of the 18th century.
The novel also deeply examines the dynamics of mother-daughter relationships typical of the 18th century. Mothers were shown to be fiercely overprotective of their daughters. We see this when Marie is concerned for her 15-year-old daughter and does not want her to go to the beach in one of the earlier chapters, warning her of the waves, where many have drowned. Similarly, Pierre’s constant hesitation and unease regarding Andrea’s interactions with any man lacking royal blood shows his overprotective stance as her father, highlighting the rigid societal norms and expectations of the 18th-century era.
Love also discusses that during the 18th century, conflicts were often tempered by decorum and calmness. Even during disagreements between Andrea and Marie, the family maintains composure, fixing disagreements with conversations of a certain grace that reflects the era’s social etiquette.
Click here to buy the book today and transport yourself to 18th-century France with V.C. Love’s storytelling, where beauty, power, and danger are intimately intertwined!
