Madame Tussaud - by Moran (Paperback)

About the Book

Wax-sculptor Marie has stepped into a lavish world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table. Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war?

Book Synopsis

The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire, but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? From the internationally bestselling author of Nefertiti and Maria comes a "rollicking drama" (Good Housekeeping) that is "intimate and entertaining" (Associated Press).

"Both a gripping, fictionalized biography of an intriguing woman and a well-paced, illuminating chronicle of the French Revolution."--New York Journal of Books

Smart and ambitious, Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire. From her popular model of the American ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie's museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, and even politics. Her customers hail from every walk of life, yet her greatest dream is to attract the attention of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI; their stamp of approval on her work could catapult her and her museum to the fame and riches she desires.

Though many people are starving and can no longer afford bread, Marie's business is booming. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there's whispered talk of revolution. Spanning five years, from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom.

Review Quotes

"This is a first-class novel, brilliantly written, and Michelle Moran has authentically evoked an era, infusing her narrative with passages of gripping and often horrifying drama, set in one of history's most brutal periods. The scope of the author's research is staggering, but you won't need to get to the notes at the end to realize that. As historical novels go, this is of the first rank--a page-turner that is both vividly and elegantly written. I feel privileged to be able to endorse it."--Alison Weir, author of Eleanor of Aquitane

"Certain to be a breakout book for Moran, this superbly written and plotted work is a welcome addition to historical fiction collections. The shocking actions and behavior required of Tussaud to survive the revolution make the novel a true page-turner and a perfect reading group choice."--Library Journal, starred review

"Moran's latest is an excellent and entertaining novel steeped in the zeitgeist of the period. Highly recommended."--Historical Novels Review, Editors' Choice

"Madame Tussaud . . . is brought to life in this well-crafted, fast-paced novel by the talented Michelle Moran . . . Michelle Moran has done what few novelists have been successfully able to accomplish, and that is to depict the full range of the swift political changes that occurred in the few years from the fall of the Bastille to the beheading of the king. Madame Tussaud promises to be a breakout book for this talented writer--a novel that is both a gripping fictionalized biography of an intriguing woman and a well-paced, illuminating chronicle of the French Revolution."--New York Journal of Books

"This is an unusually moving portrayal of families in distress, both common and noble. Marie Antoinette in particular becomes a surprisingly dimensional figure rather than the fashionplate, spendthrift caricature depicted in the pamphlets of her times. A feat for Francophiles and adventurers alike."--Publishers Weekly

"Well-plotted . . . Mannered and elegant; reminiscent in many ways of novels of days long past."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Michelle Moran is the internationally bestselling author of many historical novels. A California native with a master's in education, she was inspired to write historical fiction by her experiences on archeological digs. Her novels, translated into more than twenty languages, include Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen, Cleopatra's Daughter, Madame Tussaud, The Second Empress, Rebel Queen, Mata Hari's Last Dance, and Maria. A frequent traveler, she currently lives with her family in England.