This week we've been talking about our favorite heroines. I found my favorite so compelling and strong I've read her story at least three times. Her name is Cordelia, and she was the best friend of Marie Antoinette. The book is called "The Diamond Slipper" by Jane Feather. Cordelia and Marie grew up together, and as best friends and companions, got married at around the same time to men they didn't meet until it was time for the wedding.
Since Cordelia's marriage was not as important as Marie's, she had a small ceremony. Her husband was a prince of Prussia. He wasn't even in attendance at the wedding. He had a proxy stand in for him. And that's where the romance started. She fell in love with the proxy.
What made her so compelling? Her husband was a cruel man. She spent her nights being tortured by the man she was bound to. He had two children that she loved with all her heart. She loved them enough to endure endless punishments for having any interest in them. Their father never spent any time with them, they were being raised by his sister who was an incompetent, ignorant woman. And he was just counting the days until he could marry them off to get them out his hair. No one knew he murdered his first wife (the hero's sister). They thought she died of a strange illness, but the truth was he slowly poisoned her. He even gave Cordelia a charm bracelet that belonged to his dead wife as a wedding present. He just added a diamond slipper charm. But through it all, she had enough love in her for his children and the man she truly loved to survive.
I find heroines like this amazing. It reminds me of a line in Aladdin. When you're not supposed to die, it's amazing what you can live through.
Since Cordelia's marriage was not as important as Marie's, she had a small ceremony. Her husband was a prince of Prussia. He wasn't even in attendance at the wedding. He had a proxy stand in for him. And that's where the romance started. She fell in love with the proxy.
What made her so compelling? Her husband was a cruel man. She spent her nights being tortured by the man she was bound to. He had two children that she loved with all her heart. She loved them enough to endure endless punishments for having any interest in them. Their father never spent any time with them, they were being raised by his sister who was an incompetent, ignorant woman. And he was just counting the days until he could marry them off to get them out his hair. No one knew he murdered his first wife (the hero's sister). They thought she died of a strange illness, but the truth was he slowly poisoned her. He even gave Cordelia a charm bracelet that belonged to his dead wife as a wedding present. He just added a diamond slipper charm. But through it all, she had enough love in her for his children and the man she truly loved to survive.
I find heroines like this amazing. It reminds me of a line in Aladdin. When you're not supposed to die, it's amazing what you can live through.
Thanks for sharing, Shawn! This is a story I hadn't heard of - or that I somehow forgot - but it's very interesting...and I'm heading over to the big A to do a little research!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to check that story out, Shawn. It sounds intriguing. I think my favorite heroine is Ayla (?) from Jean M. Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear series. She faces unbelievable odds but survives and finds love.
ReplyDeleteKristi, it's a really good book but beware. Cordelia goes through some serious crap with her husband, and I mean-serious with a capital S.
ReplyDeleteMaeve, Clan of the Cave Bear is my daughters favorite book and she fell in love with the series. She raves about it. I saw the movie but never read the book.
Excellent post and what a story! I felt some heart-fissures just reading about it.
ReplyDeletethanks Liz! I really is one of my favorites! The love ocnquers all ending was cool.
ReplyDeleteI have two favorite heroines. Claire Fraser of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. And also Amelia Peabody of Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peadody series. Both are incredibly strong, intelligent women who have to survive in environments that are not quite the norm. Claire travels back in time to the mid 1700's and experiences history that she'd previously only read about along with her husband from that time, the incredible Jamie Fraser. Amelia lives in the late 1800's, is married to a sullen Egyptologist who tries to protect her. She drives him nuts refusing to accept the attitude that women are inferior. Very fun characters.
ReplyDeleteVery intriguing story. I'd never heard of it either, and am looking forward to checking it out.
ReplyDeleteGood post.
Anita, I love time travels. I have to check tose books out. Margie, the book was written in the 70's which is why it may not be so well known.
ReplyDeleteWell now I have to find that book! Plus, I googled Jane Feather, and discovered she writes contemporaries as well - you may have turned me onto a new favorite. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt's a great book. I stumbled on it in a thrift store. It's available on Amazon.
ReplyDeleteWhoops! Need to correct a mistake. The Diamond Slipper was written in the 90's not the 70's.
ReplyDelete