The County of Nice has always been contested between the kingdom of the Lilies and the States of Savoy from the dedication of 1388 until 1860.
Christian Maria takes us with his usual dexterity through the pages of our County’s history.
His stories take place in the 16th century, those years of the ‘1500s’, the Cinquecento as our transalpine friends say. In this new novel, Brilheta is the heroine, the central character, victim or guilty, the line remains indefinite throughout the story and that’s just as well. This girl will refuse her pre-determined fate as a shepherdess. She thirsts for adventure, the unknown, and wants to seize life with both hands. Brilheta is somewhat a witch, a spy, avenger of her parents and above all, a performer. She learns quickly, does she have a gift?
The number of the beast, she will also be subject to the inquisition. She mingles with lords, the great ones. She entertains them and especially amuses herself with it, manipulative and manipulated at the same time, she finds herself at the heart of intrigue and betrayal.
The Grimaldis of Beuil oscillate between Francis I and the Duke of Savoy. The county becomes a bargaining chip. There are murders, blood, and superstition. Brilheta moves on to other skies, other adventures and leaves the story to continue, another woman will become an icon, but that is not the subject here anymore.
Christian Maria attempts, with this latest novel, a different writing style, a different genre and it is very successful. Brilheta becomes a sort of Mata Hari, a spy.
The author offers us here, not a thriller, but a spy novel. The style is lively, without any dull moments or unnecessary descriptions, you open this book and don’t close it until the last page. A must-read book and very valuable for a better understanding of the intricacies of the Grimaldis of Beuil.
Christian Maria’s website: https://www.christian-maria.fr
Thierry Jan
