- Shopping Bag ( 0 items )
Born into a world of wealth and pleasure, Annette Vallon enjoys the privileges of aristocracy, but a burning curiosity and headstrong independence set her apart from other women of her class. Spoiled by the novels of Rousseau, she refuses to be married unless it is for passion. Her stubborn devotion to her romantic principles bears the sweetest fruit when William Wordsworth, a young English poet, enters her life. She will be his mistress, his muse, his obsession. But theirs is a love that will test Annette in unexpected ways, bringing great joy and gravest peril in a dark time of chaos, upheaval, and death.
Set amid the terror and excitement of the French Revolution, Annette Vallon is an enthralling and evocative tale that captures the courageous spirit of a remarkable woman who, for too long, has been relegated to the shadows of history.
Inspired by English poet William Wordsworth's continental romance on the eve of the French Revolution, Tipton's debut novel depicts the poet's lover, Annette Vallon (1766-1841), as a Loire Valley Scarlet Pimpernel. History records Wordsworth met Vallon while in France, departed for England when the revolution darkened, but came back to see her and their daughter, Caroline (born in 1792), even after he proposed marriage to an Englishwoman. Tipton begins this fictional account with 16-year-old Annette listening to her father and Thomas Jefferson discuss wine. Six years later, her virtue lost to a dance tutor and her father killed in a grain riot, Annette falls in love with the then unknown English poet. Their idyllic interlude inspires his best work, but soon his political associations place him in danger, forcing him to flee with Annette's help. Pregnant and on her own, Annette recalls early training in hunting and horsemanship to survive the Reign of Terror and beyond, with Caroline in tow. Tipton's descriptions, à la Tracy Chevalier, of how masterpieces are created alternate with the spirited heroine's adventures, making for an uneasy balance, but Annette-and those who help her along the way-are believable in their struggles through the best and the worst of times. (Nov.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationThis debut novel by a literature teacher relates the romance between English poet William Wordsworth and Annette Vallon, his French mistress, about whom little is actually known. Tipton attempts to fill in the blanks, exploring Annette's early life and first meeting with Wordsworth and following their relationship through the French Revolution and beyond. An exciting enough premise, but the key to strong historical fiction is rich characterization and stirring description; Tipton's effort, unfortunately, falls flat. The war is largely relegated to the background, presented with surprisingly little fanfare or drama; its existence is used only as a convenient means of separating the lovers. Further, while the romance between Vallon and Wordsworth is meant to be the main focus here, it is too often eclipsed by a love for Wordsworth's poetry and Anglo-French linguistics, presumably the author's own passion. While fans of Wordsworth's poetry will find much to love here, few others will find anything to hold their interest. Recommended only where literary fiction is popular.
—Leigh Wright
Chapter One
Remember That
But may you never have a revolution in this country," the tall American said.
We were dining at the grand house of my older sister and her husband. The American gentleman had come down from Paris in a golden carriage on some business regarding my brother-in-law's vineyard. I had not paid attention to what it was: I was only sixteen and fresh out of convent school.
"In France you enjoy the most graceful lifestyle in the world," he continued. "You value philosophy, literature, art, music, all the sciences, more than any culture I know, including my own," and he laughed. "But your people do not have any representation in the government. To that end, I hope they may be educated, but gradually—for if they were thrust headlong into a freedom which they have never known, it would be chaos. A revolution here would not be as it was in my country, against a foreign power; a revolution here would be . . . a disaster. But forgive me for presuming to speak on a subject of which you know far more than I. What do you think, Mademoiselle?" And his blue eyes suddenly looked directly at me.
I frantically tried to think of something, oneline from Rousseau that I had talked about with the girls because I had applied it to the despotic Sister Angèle.
"I think that since Might cannot produce Right, the only legitimate authority in human societies is agreement."
The American laughed. "That must be an enlightened convent school your parents sent you to," he said.
"I'm afraid, Monsieur, that some of us read Rousseau in secret."
"Well, for now," he said, "Rousseau may be best kept behind closed doors in France and pondered upon by fine young minds." And he turned to the men.
We were on to the duck with orange now. Our guest took a bite of the meat but held back on the sauce. I was impatient for the steaming sauceboat, placed in front of him, with its mélange of caramelized sugar, lemon and orange juices, white wine, and red currant jelly.
A servant poured a ruby wine into the one glass I was allowed at dinner. I was sure it was my brother-in-law's vintage, which he said smelled of green peppers and pea pods. He was championing a red wine in the land of famous whites. I reached for my glass, then caught Papa's eye and became aware of a curious tension at the table. Our guest, my father had told me, was the finest wine connoisseur in the New World and had a peculiarity about trying new wines. He thought they were only truly appreciated in the context of food, so he waited until dinner to make his final decisions. He had come all the way from Paris now for this moment. All his pleasant and insightful conversation, all of my sister's dinner plans and Cook's lengthy preparations, were leading to this.
The American drank some water, raised his wineglass, inspected the color within—I noticed a flame from the hearth reflected, shimmering, in the burgundy depths—swirled it gently, tipped, sniffed it—would he smell peppers and pea pods? He closed his eyes, sipped, held, and almost chewed the wine. He seemed oblivious to us, in a world of pure concentration.
I could smell the sauce, see its curling steam, and very much wanted him to pass it to me. But there was no rushing the moment. A smile gradually spread across his handsome face. He opened his blue eyes. "Monsieur Vincent," he said, "it exceeds all expectations. It must be those cool limestone caves you keep it in."
The table relaxed. Maybe he would now pour the sauce. But he held the eye of my brother-in-law. This was a moment of business transacted between gentlemen, at a table laden with duck and wine. "I will take ten cases and, with your permission, the soil samples I collected today back to Paris," the foreigner said.
I liked his hair. My father and brother-in-law had powdered wigs, and here was this bright red hair that seemed to shine in the candlelight.
Our guest lifted the porcelain boat and discreetly lavished his duck with the sauce that was now coming my way. He paused a moment and took in the fragrance. Then he returned to business. "And I will accept your offer to ship some vines to Virginia."
"I would be honored," my brother-in-law said.
"I will call it," said the American, "the Shenandoah grape."
I liked the name. "Pardon, Monsieur?"
"Yes, Mademoiselle?"
"Could you please say that name again?"
"Shenandoah," he said. "It is the river that runs near my home. Like your great river here. It is very beautiful, and I miss it. When I think of America, I do not think of the vast Atlantic seaboard and of our victory against the British Empire; I think of one small patch of rocky land on top of a cliff overlooking the river. So you remember that, Mademoiselle," and he looked at me again, his eyes twinkling.
"Remember what, Monsieur?"
"To thine own land be true," and he smiled, and my brother-in-law asked him to sample another wine, and their conversation went on, but it isn't part of my story.
Excerpted from Annette Vallon by James Tipton Copyright © 2007 by James Tipton. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Anonymous
Posted October 23, 2007
Wow! What a great story - I LOVED it! James Tipton's heroine is Annette Vallon, a French woman who lives during the Revolution period. She loves, lives and survives, but she does more than just survive! She soon finds a way to fight back and performes a service with a heroic purpose. Facing grave danger and risking all she holds dear, she follows her heart and shows us what being a hero is all about. It's a fabulous adventure and a passionate love story. I hope it becomes a BEST SELLER for it is very thought provoking and a good read. Annette Vallon lingers on the soul like fine French wine on the tongue.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Dshill
Posted March 2, 2009
I really enjoyed this book. It is historic fiction, which is my favorite. It is set in France during the French Revolution. Annette meets and falls in love with William Wordsworth. They marry in a secret ceremony and Annette has their child. They are separated during the the Revolution because William is English and may be mistaken for a spy so he has to go back to England. During their separation, Annette becomes a hero of her people. She is very brave and helps many escape death. Wordsworth, on the other hand, turns out to be a wimp. I was very disappointed in what he does later in the book. I don't think that he was worthy of Annette. It was a great read.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 26, 2011
I really enjoyed reading this book. Its not only a beautiful romance, but it taught me a lot about the French Revolution. If you like historical fiction and romance, you will love this too!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 29, 2010
I Also Recommend:
I would love to learn more about Annette Vallon! She is truly an amazing individual - such courage and spunk. This novel was long but it described her entire life so by the end I felt as if I really knew her. It was partly a passionate love story and partly an adventure. There were some moments throughout the book where I was holding my breath waiting to see what would happen next. James Tipton's writing style is very eloquent and descriptive which makes the plot even more believable. I highly recommend it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.The only French history I'd ever read was from the British-side of things. Reading Tipton's book and going through the challenges Vallon faced in life was fascinating and gave a different meaning to the previous historical fiction books I'd read. The characters have great depth and you feel as if you're in the middle of the war with Vallon and Wordsworth.
Wonderful book!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.It was an interesting book, not my favorite.
Based on the real mistress of the poet William Wordsworth, her life was really interesting. But, by the end of the book, I felt sometimes a bit bored. Probably it went on too long for my taste. Still, it is an enjoyable read.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This fact-based historical romance/adventure takes you back to the French Revolution through the eyes of an upper-middle class woman who leads a double life. Her romance with poet William Wordsworth is interesting and painful. Annette's thrilling exploits (and those of other women) keep you turning pages long after you meant to stop. The discussions of French politics are informative.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.susreview
Posted February 16, 2009
I Also Recommend:
Loved this book. I had never heard of Annett Vallon before. This story takes place during the French Revolution. William Wordsworth is over in France visiting before the outbreak of the war.
Scholars of Wordsworth have thought most of his best work was created during this ten year period.
You'll have to read this book yourself to find out what happens. This is a real page turner- the one where you start reading, and keep turning the page, and you are still going at 1am without realizing you have just gotten lost in this book and must see what happens next.
I would recommend this to those who love real heroines and historical fiction.
A great read! You will recommend it to your friends.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 27, 2009
I was very pleasantly surprised - sometimes historical novels get caught up in just dramatizing factual events. Sometimes they are all fluff. This was neither - it was dynamic, interesting, but not a lesson book at all. It contained much more action than I expected; it was less of a love story of Wordsworth than the story of a woman and her life during the French Revolution - and this woman happened to be in love with a poet. I highly recommend this book - it got better and better the farther I got into it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 21, 2012
Great book, took me awhile to get to the end but overall not bad.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I enjoyed this book very much until the end. It's a shame that history never changes nomatter how we might like the characters in these historical novels to meet with happier endings. Annette devotes her entire life to a man whom she shares the most passionate and fulfilling love, however they do not marry and have the kind of life together that they, and we as readers wish them to have. Still, it's a diverting story, entertaining and informative.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.HBella
Posted June 23, 2011
I Also Recommend:
This is my all time favorite book. Ever. It is the best book I've ever read. It made my heart ache it was so romantic and heartbreaking. I was extremely sad when I finished the book because it was over! I can't vouch for historical accuracy, but for a genuinely good read, this is your book. I haven't read it in 2 years, probably time for a re-read!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Little is known about Annette Vallon, the muse and mistress of English poet William Wordsworth during his brief stay in France. James Tipton takes the few available contemporary sources and spins a marvelous story of Annette. It is also the story of the French Revolution, and the Reign of Terror which spread throughout France, including into the idyllic village of Blois where Annette is raising Caroline, her child by Wordsworth. Annette becomes the unlikely heroine of the resistance movement in the area, showing courage, cleverness, and audacity in her efforts to assist those fleeing the Terror. A tender love story alternates with heart-pounding action. Annette is a character not easily forgotten. Beautifully written, and not to be missed by those who love French history - or just a great story.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This historical fiction is a wonderful read and a keeper. In this French Revolution Annette is a wonderful character that has gone through some dark hours but keeps a courageous spirit you will love this story and find it enriching.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.b33
Posted February 20, 2010
I Also Recommend:
i enjoyed this book because of the idea that it showed having take place during the french revolution.
it showed how women were treated and how some were lucky and unlucky including the main character annette vallon. through her trials she learns true love in helping her country and protecting her child.
the ending i felt could have been better but you wonder what you could expect with an indescretion with a poet from another country.
Anonymous
Posted August 1, 2009
Although the French may not be popular people with some Americans, this young lady is! This novel is full of adventure and romance, with touches of thrill! Accurate history is woven through this wonderful fiction novel. The author had a keen eye to make a known a little-known lady. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for something to escape to!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 7, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted August 13, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted September 11, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted July 20, 2009
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
Born into a world of wealth and pleasure, Annette Vallon enjoys the privileges of aristocracy, but a burning curiosity and headstrong independence set her apart from other women of her class. Spoiled by the novels of Rousseau, she refuses to be married unless it is for passion. Her stubborn devotion to her romantic principles bears the sweetest fruit when William Wordsworth, a young English poet, enters her life. She will be his mistress, his muse, his obsession. But theirs is a love that will test Annette in unexpected ways, bringing great joy and gravest peril in a dark time of chaos, upheaval, and death.
Set amid the terror and excitement of the ...