Book Review: ‘Milady’ Is A Good Debut Novel From Author Laura L. Sullivan About Milady de Winter

Author Laura L. Sullivan’s debut novel is a great historical fiction look at the the character of Milady de Winter from the Three Musketeers story. She is a cunning woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. She starts off as a somewhat naive woman living with her mother. When her father shows up one day and is told this girl is his daughter her takes her and makes plans for her to be part of the royal palace and maybe to the King himself. She sees a lot on her journey there and is fooled into giving her heart away and then betrayed.

Soon she is sent to a convent where she schemes to make her escape. She decides to trick a newly turned priest into helping her. But her mother and lifelong friend turn up to rescue her and she soon learns shocking truths. Her mother has been a spy and Milady is expected to become a spy as well if she chooses. When she goes back to get her friend Connie, who is also being help prisoner at the convent, things turn bad and she must escape to save her life. She arrives in a new land and soon marries but it is short lived when her previous secrets are revealed. Once again she has to fight for her life.

Then years later she has become a spy and now the wrath of the Musketeers for her crimes. One of the Musketeers is someone she is very familiar with and soon her life is once again in jeopardy and the story ends up with a shocking finale.

The novel is told in two parts. Some chapters are her past life from when she was taken to palace and leading up over a year. The other parts are present day and her running and being captured by the Musketeers and her ultimate fate.

This is a fascinating story told entirely from Malady’s point of view. She is a strong woman that you don’t want to mess with. She will outwit every time. For fans of The Three Musketeers this is a good look at the woman that caused them havoc.

You can pick up Milday in stores on Tuesday, July 2nd from Berkley.