Poison
Poison by Kathryn Harrison, published by Harper Collins in September 1996, is a literary work that intertwines the lives of two young women, Francisca de Luarac and Marie Louise de Bourbon. Set against a backdrop of superstition, repression, and the Inquisition, the narrative explores their distinct yet parallel journeys. Francisca, the daughter of a poor silk grower, dreams of a life beyond her circumstances, while Marie Louise, niece of Louis XIV, navigates the complexities of the French court. Both women are shaped by their relationships with their mothers and the societal constraints of their time.
Readers will find a rich exploration of desire, love, and resistance as the characters confront their fates. The story delves into themes of obsession and political expediency, highlighting the secret lives both women lead in pursuit of their dreams. With a page count of 336, this edition presents Harrison’s prose, which is noted for its lyrical quality, drawing parallels between the lives of a queen and a commoner. Poison offers a vivid portrayal of the persistence of dreams and the bonds between mothers and daughters, set within a historical context that enhances the narrative’s depth.
Official synopsis Publisher
Francisca de Luarac, the daughter of a poor Spanish silk grower, is a dreamer of fabulous dreams. Marie Louise de Bourbon, the niece of Louis XIV, dances in slippers of fine Spanish silk in the French Court of the Sun King and imagines her own enchanted future. Born on the same day–in an age when superstition, repression, and the Inquisition reign–the lives of these two young women unfold in tandem, barely touching. Each hoards the memory of her adored lost mother like an amulet. Francica’s obsession with her lover, a Catholick priest, will shaper her fate. Marie Loouise is yoked by political expediency to the mad, imptoent Carlos II of Spain. But even as their twin destinies spiral inexorably toward disaster, both Queen and commoner cultivate a dangerous, secret life dedicated to resistance, transcendence, and love. Written in gorgeous prose that has the sheen of silk, Kathryn Harrison’s POISON vividlyreminds us of the persistence of desire, the passion that exists between mothers and daughters, and the sorcery of dreams.
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