Illusion

Volsky's Parallel Universe #1

by Paula Volsky

In the land of Vonahr, the Exalted have ruled by virtue of their legendary magical abilities for centuries, heedless of the misery of the lower classes. Now revolution is in the air. . . .

For two hundred years the Exalted classes have used their dazzling magical abilities to rule Vonahr. Now, their powers grown slack from disuse and their attention turned to decadent pleasures, they ignore the misery of the lower classes until the red tide of revolution sweeps across the land. Thrust into the center of the conflict is the beautiful Eliste vo Derrivalle, spirited daughter of a provincial landowner, who must now scramble for bread in the teeming streets of the capital. With the key to her magical abilities an elusive secret, she must suddenly find a way to survive in a world gone mad ... with liberty.

Illusion is a work of fantasy on the grandest scale - a seamless web of passion, danger, heroism, and romance that will hold you spellbound from the first page to the last.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Romance

674 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Paula Volsky is an American fantasy author. Born in Fanwood, New Jersey, she majored in English literature at liberal arts college Vassar in New York State. At the University of Birmingham, England, she received an M.A. in Shakespearian studies. Before writing fantasy, she sold real estate and also worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Illusion, The Wolf of Winter, The Gates of Twilight, The White Tribunal, and The Grand Ellipse all take place within the same fictional world, with fantasy plot-lines inspired by historical events.

Paula Volsky also writes under the pseudonym of Paula Brandon

Reviews

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, I made it as far as I'm going to with this book. There are three real problems with it.

First, the cover copy mentions a bloody revolution and the heroine begging bread in the street. At the 55% mark, at least some of this still hasn't happened. It took over a third of the book before the revolution even started, though it's bloody enough once it comes. And a revolution was clearly coming. The book begins with depictions of a brutally-suppressed populace with an uncaring nobility (with the fancy fantasy name of Exalted) and a rightsless peasantry of actual serfs—so it's not like you can't see the revolution coming. Taking that long to get to the obvious was just dumb, though.

Second, and this is related, the book takes forever to develop obvious plot points. Yes, the descriptions are lush and the world incredibly detailed. The characters are deep and fully-realized. But get on with the story, already! Please? Seriously, Eliste is in a holding pattern with no motivation and little gumption (beyond spurning a powerful letch). She's smart, but completely wasted. The author may be making a point about women of privilege, but if so, please give me something to hold my interest.

Third, and this was the real killer for me, the situation was bad enough without adding a truly despicable villain who succeeded mostly because the author wanted him to. Valeur was unrelievedly evil but he wasn't that smart (cunning I grant you) and wasn't that strong and he wasn't even personally magical. But Paula Volsky surrounded him with followers who were either terribly weak or fanatically loyal and that simply doesn't wash. There's a reason the Reign of Terror didn't last a whole year (yes, I had to look that up)—that kind of coalition of greed and passion is naturally fractured and impossible to control. On top of that, his actual opposition was impossibly obtuse. I mean, they're supposed to be clever, and yet they hesitate and delay and make excuses why they can't actively oppose him to the point that I lost all patience, and sympathy, with them.

To go along with this last point, and comprising a large part of it, are the magical artifacts the evil Valeur somehow resurrects to enhance his power. They're something of a McGuffin as we don't know (at least to the point I got in the novel) why they were made or who made them let alone why they fell into disuse. And I can see why we don't see this: because their existence makes zero sense beyond that they work wonderfully to back up Valeur's absolute control over Sherreen. Who would make such objects of power and a) leave their operation open to any lunatic that gets his hands on them, b) give them sentience without the sapience to direct their own use, and c) then let them fall into disuse? I mean, come on! The spy machine alone is incredibly useful for any regime. How could that be left moldering in the basement of a building and nobody have bothered to figure out how to keep it going? I mean, all it took, apparently, is a moderately powerful mage to think at it for a while.

So let me sum up: You have a lengthy book going an obvious direction (backed up by cover copy telling you as much) with characters unable or unwilling to act and a villain who only makes sense as an authorial prop. I'm sorry, but at that point I don't really care enough to discover whatever epiphany you have in store for the beautiful girl with the unpronounceable name who hasn't seen her obvious love-interest since she left home half a novel ago.

Illusion is a beautifully-written book, mind. And Eliste is practically designed to appeal to any girl who wants to feel smart and beautiful and challenged by drama and a hidden romance. Unfortunately for me, it's been a long time since I was such a girl...

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published here.

This cover. This cover remains one of my favorite covers ever! I had never heard of Paula Volsky before or read much historical fantasy at all when a copy of ILLUSION arrived at my house. I was fifteen and my Aunt Claudia sent it to me for my birthday. She's a great reader, my aunt, and she has flawless taste. When they were kids, she and my dad would ride their bikes to the library and each check out a stack of Nancy Drews and Hardy Boys, go home, read them, switch, read, return, and repeat. She loves Dickens and Georgette Heyer and all manner of good ones. So I knew this one would be good. And I loved how reassuringly thick the mass market copy was. Slick gray pages and 674 of them in all--absolute bliss. I ended up reading the majority of it during a couple of late night babysitting stints. After the kids brushed their teeth and went to bed, I curled up in an oversize chair in the living room and lost myself in the crazy elaborate world Ms. Volsky created. I had honestly never read anything like it, and sadly, I have yet to actually talk to anyone else (besides my aunt) who has read it.

Eliste vo Derrivale (wow, did I love her name when I was 15 . . . oh, who are we kidding? I still do) is a member of the ultra-privileged Exalted class in the land of Vonahr. Having grown up on a rather idyllic estate in the countryside, she can hardly focus on anything else when the summons comes to move to the capital city of Sherreen and become a lady-in-waiting to Queen Lallazay herself. And so she packs her bags and trips off to make her debut at court without a backward glance. Unfortunately for Eliste, her timing is catastrophic. While she is primped, prodded, and ruthlessly trained in the intricate ways of court life, the nation's serfs are rising up. Sick of centuries of subservience to the Exalted class, whose rule is based on their much-lauded but rarely-seen magical abilities, the peasants have united. Before she has fully adapted to her new life, violence breaks out in the city and the life she longed to lead is ripped from her grasp. Forced out onto the streets, Eliste comes to grim terms with a very different way of life. And a past uncharacteristic and seemingly insignificant action comes back to haunt her, as one of the key members of the rebellion is none other than Dref Zeenosen--a serf she once freed from her father's tyranny in a fit of momentary pity a long time ago. If she is to survive, Eliste must develop a whole new set of skills and avoid the dreaded Kokette--the death machine that awaits any Exalted the rebels can get their hands on.

Just thinking about this gorgeous epic sends pleasant little sparks to the tips of my fingers. And I do mean epic in the long and drawn out sense of the word. Densely written, ILLUSION is expansive and filled with exquisite, minute descriptions of everything from the lace in Eliste's hair to the bloody spikes on the horrific, possibly sentient Kokette. Based on the events of the French Revolution, Eliste's world is richly evocative of that period in history and, while some of the events in the story may not surprise you as a result, the elaborate and sympathetic characterization and the delicious magical overtones will reel you in. I love that Eliste is such a spoiled brat at the beginning. She's the epitome of snobby upper crust debutante with a disdain for anything she deems beneath her--which is pretty much everything. She's young and thoughtless and incredibly annoying. But. She is often a keen judge of character. She is always a survivor. And she's unwittingly in for a real nightmare. The joy is in the transformation that is wrought and the growth she achieves as a result of having front row seats for the devastation of her world. I very much like who she becomes. Everything about this book takes its time, from the main character's evolution, to the extremely subtle and slow-building romance, to the final quiet and bittersweet conclusion. It could get tiresome, but to me it felt earned. If historical fiction is not your thing, you might find it difficult to sink into the slightly affected vocabulary and speech mannerisms of the principle characters. For me, the unusual blend of historical tapestry, magic, and early steampunk (in the form of crazily creepy machinery used as part of the revolution) worked like a charm. I would love to hear what fans of any or all of those genres think of it as it has long been a favorite.

[Marquise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nenia told the truth: this book is incredible. So fast-paced, so twisty, so brutal at times, and hard to guess how it'd go despite the very obvious basis for the plotline that would lead readers acquainted with the French Revolution to expect it'd be predictable.

It does have its last minute rescue moments, but balanced by such an incessant barrage of troubles and setbacks that you start doubting this will ever end well as the Big Escape moments would indicate. And despite being pure fantasy and not technically "historical," the worldbuilding and plotline are so well done one often has to remind oneself this isn't real France. It's all quite credible, authentic, as if it's an actual historical tale and the magic/fantasy are just sprinkles of gold dust.

The characterisation is probably what I liked best and that made this book into an all-time favourite. For one, this is one of those rarest of rare stories of female redemption. Do you know just how rare it is to read a woman's redemption arc? Just think of how many literary rakes and scoundrels and bad boys get a redemption arc. Cartloads of them get one, right? Now try to recall how many women got one. Right, I can't count enough to use all the fingers in one hand. That's how Eliste vo Derrivalle became my favourite character here, for her profound, gradual and genuine transformation from an Exalted snot-in-training to a courageous survivalist that comes to own the wrongness of her former aristocratic worldview and embraces a new life her old self would've despised. I'm sure some would find her annoying or don't consider her likable, but it's precisely the fact that she doesn't change overnight, doesn't go far ahead of her times as to feel anachronistic or is impervious to the effects of her privileged background what makes her maturation so genuine. Real change is never brusque and never smooths out 100% of a person's flaws.

Uncle Quinz was also very delightful! In fact, all sides get a POV character that narrates their bit, including the villain side. That's another plus in my opinion, it's not that frequent to find the antagonist side has a voice save for perhaps in the morally relativist fantasy of late. I couldn't fail to notice the strong Les misérables vibe the story gave away either, which for me was the strongest "feel" of the story (there are other inspirations, but none as obvious, in my humble opinion), and although it's a brick of a book, it made me wish it were even a fatter brick as the former novel was. The pace makes it feel it short despite the considerable length. I also noticed a couple loose threads that might serve if the author were to want to continue this or another story in the same world, but overall I think the story ended where it should and is fine as a standalone, one I'd recommend highly.

[Para (wanderer) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even though it's a well-written book, I have found it very hard to enjoy. So I apologise if this comes across as less of a review and more of a vent - it's been a long, long time since I read a book as frustrating and full of pet peeves as this. In general, I'd probably still recommend it, but not without a massive warning.

The blurb and recommendations seemed to promise many things I wanted. A revolution plot! Lower classes rising against their masters! Riches to rags! Character development! Some vague rumours about a guilliotine-like character! I was looking forward to it a lot. It seemed like I'd love it and fuck, I wanted so bad to love it. Revolutionary fantasy is seriously lacking. But even a good concept can't always save a book.

Most of it is because of the characters. Eliste is horribly spoiled, blinded by her own privileged upraising, and largely without agency. Out of all the Exalted characters she has the most redeeming qualities - she rescues a peasant from execution for example - but that's not exactly saying much. The grandmother is vain and arrogant. Aurelie is vapid, shallow, and her stupidity often gets everyone in trouble. I hated her the most out of everyone. Her actions, her manner of speech - nails on a chalkboard personified. Sure she goes throgh major shit like being repeatedly raped by a jailer in exchange for him helping her avoid certain execution - nobody deserves that, no matter how horrible but she remains an intolerable character to read about no matter what. And all of the Exalted think the peasants are less than human. Rather hard to be sympathetic.

Oh, I suppose it's all realistic enough. Well-written in its ability to frustrate. Spoiled, privileged brats acting like spoiled, privileged brats. Fun to read about though? Fuck no, not as far as I go. My tolerance for this sort of behaviour is way too low.

The parts from the revolutionaries' POV were at least interesting. They aren't exactly great people either, but flawed people doing bad things for what they think is the greater good and becoming more and more monstrous themseves, the actions of the mob (a character in and of itself), the divide between the more extremist and the more moderate factions...well, that's fascinating. It did deliver, mostly. Still, there was always the inevitable return to Eliste and co.

Besides, the book moves slow. The revolution? Takes about 200 pages to start happening. Until then it's dresses and parties. The downfall? Roughly 150 pages more. It would not bother me at all had I liked the main characters, but...well, see above. The downfall itself was when it became much better - characters in trouble are more interesting to read about than characters at peace - but the development I was waiting for didn't really happen. When she's rescued, it went right back to tedious. Again, realistic? Yeah. People don't necessarily do a complete 180° after they go through shit. Satisfying? Not so much.

And then the romance aspect...another thing I have mixed feelings about. The love interest himself is a decent enough person, smart, doesn't have his head up his ass - perhaps a bit too perfect, a bit too good compared to her, but in a book devoid of likable characters one takes what one can get. Well, at first. Then comes the whole "you must stay behind for your own safety" trope, another thing I can't stand - 1) the whole argument is the same in every single fucking book it appears in, 2) I get equally annoyed at both parties, and 3) you fucking know staying behind is never going to happen.

The ending is fine, all considered, but overall, every single time I got my hopes up that this may not be so bad, that I shouldn't DNF because it seems to be getting better, they were eventually brought down again by some pet peeve or another. I'm fully aware all of this is me more than the book, since plenty of people seem to love it just fine, but if I was reading it in physical form, I'd be sorely tempted to toss it at a wall.

(An unrelated thing I wanted to mention, but didn't find a place: boy do the women's lives in this world suck. Serfs and prisoners and poor commoners, you can probably imagine what can happen. Exalted, the possibility of sexual assault and nobody, including other women taking your no seriously because surely you must be playing hard to get? How could you not like his attention?
And this just made me realise...are there even any real, equal female friendships in this book? Anyway. I ranted enough.)

Enjoyment: 2/5
Execution: 3.5/5

Recommended to: fans of Liveship Traders who want a revolution story would probably enjoy this very much
Not recommended to: those who cannot stand spoiled brats

More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illusion recasts the French Revolution in a fantasy setting, with the main magical powers being illusion (as one might expect), manipulation of emotions, and control of magical mechs called Sentients. The point of view characters are Eliste, a young noble woman who enters the royal court at just the wrong point in history, and Whiss d'Valeur, the head of the brutal Reparationist movement that displaces the feudal government in Vonahr, and who is instrumental in dispatching its nobility with the help of the Sentients Kokotte, NuNu and ZaZa.

When I read fantasy novels, a lot of the time I'm thrown out of the narrative by modern attitudes or language that don't fit the technology levels or societal structure of the analogous time period. Aside from a briefly mentioned idea of easy, consequence-free abortion, I didn't see enough anachronism to cause an issue. And history on the larger scale--the behavior of crowds, the notion that societal change happens when the time and conditions are right, and a charismatic presence is there to catalyze it--is handled exceptionally well.

I liked how women were portrayed in this novel, and also liked its portrayal of "strength." There's no doubt that women aren't the movers and shakers in this world, when it comes to leadership and power and things like that. The women in this novel are victims of structural violence against their gender--although the book doesn't present it in those words--and what makes them strong is how they deal with that. Eliste's grandmother Zeralenn puts up a wall of impervious sophistication between herself and anything that might trouble her; cousin Aurelie has an astonishing talent for self-preservation in a man's world, despite how flighty she is. And as for Eliste herself? She's kind of passive as she goes from the highest rungs of society to the lowest, from the queen's chambers to the torture chamber. But sometimes simple survival is its own strength.

One thing I can say about this book is that it's long. Volsky has a wonderful gift for immersion, consistently creating scenes that I felt I was participating in as the characters were. I could understand their motivations (with one notable exception, about which more in a bit), even the pitiable and reprehensible Whiss'. That doesn't change the fact that I frequently came out of a reading session feeling like I'd made little or no progress.

There's a real sense of continuity, from the secondary characters, to the illusion and magic, to the Sentients... to characters from the early parts of the book, seemingly forgotten, showing up in unexpected places much later on. Dref, the serf from Eliste's father's estate who flees to Paris-analog Derrivale early in the novel, is one of them. He meets Eliste after her multilayered journey through the strata of Vonahrish society. Eliste's uncle Quinz, an illusionist who has a temperamental little Sentient up his sleeve, is another.

Dref, among a large coterie of vividly realized characters, unfortunately is a cipher. Even when he and Eliste are living in the same quarters, we don't see much of him. This makes the two's inevitable romance fall a little flat. Although Eliste was a pauper for a period of time, she still holds onto her old notions of social stratification well after rank is all but irrelevant. And Dref, while he seems to be following an entrenched societal quirk in calling Eliste a "child," also isn't great at showing his romantic attachment toward her. Honestly? If their romance had been done well, this would have, no doubt whatsoever, been a lifelong favorite. I'm still wavering in that direction....

The end of the book shows us the bloody end of the bloody, and brief, Reparationist movement. It's equivocal, and lets us wonder: maybe the arc of history doesn't always bend toward justice. But it does always bend toward change.

I would highly recommend Illusion to fantasy fans who despondently wonder if world-saving farmboys might be all there is to it, after all. They should be ready for the long haul, though.

This was a buddy read with M. Thanks for a fun set of reads last year. I'm looking forward to more!

[Salsera1974 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this in the mid-1990s, and I've been periodically re-reading it ever since.

This was a wonderful story that melded the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, magic, and a classic romance between a haughty aristocrat and a smarter-than-anyone-wanted-to-believe field worker. The narrative zips along, the characters are nicely-drawn, and the dialogue is witty and sharp. I only wish that the romance had been a bit more -- well -- romantic. The fantasy, though, was outstanding, and almost makes up for the disappointing lack of woo. I've read several of Volsky's books, and this was, hands down, the best. I just love this book. Recommended.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had forgotten about this book until I stumbled on it at a blog. This was truly one of my fave books years ago, I have a paperback on the way to re-read and add to my permanent bookshelf! :) It's French Revolution retelling with magic, or...I dunno, just check the blurb yourself, see if it's up your alley!

[Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though skeptical of this book at first, I wound up having a great time with it. Illusion is one of those books that recreates real historical events (the French Revolution, in this case) in an alternate world with a bit of magic, and this is a great example of why I love such novels: when done right, they provide the depth and texture of real history along with the adventure and possibility of a fantasy novel. And Illusion is excellent on both counts.

One of the book’s great strengths is its plot, focusing primarily on the life of a young noblewoman, Eliste vo Derrivalle. There’s a lot going on, and the pacing is just right, moving quickly enough to be gripping but taking long enough to fully develop the situations presented. And it’s unpredictable enough to be genuinely exciting; halfway through I realized I had no idea what would happen next, which is a rarity for me these days and kept me glued to the pages.

If you want that same experience, I suggest you stop reading this review now, because while I try to avoid spoilers, there will be plot details below.

The primary reason for my skepticism about this book is that it’s rather unsubtle, particularly at the beginning; the first chapter is as obvious about explaining the class divisions in Vonahr as it is in explaining the characters. Partly this seems to be mistrust of the audience's ability to read between the lines (which fades after the early chapters), but partly it’s just because there is so much going on in this story--covering two years of enormous and complex upheaval--that if Volsky never resorted to telling rather than showing, it would be a trilogy. I’m a big fan of standalone fantasy novels, so I reconciled myself to the occasional summary.

So, other than the great story, what I love about this book is the complex and realistic way it deals with class and revolution. The upper classes are neither excused nor demonized; the revolutionaries have a wide range of agendas, some better than others; no group is portrayed as a monolith, as even mobs are made up of individuals. People’s ideas and feelings don’t always match: there are nobles who appreciate democratic ideas, but only as abstractions; there are committed revolutionaries offended by poor treatment of the king. There are of course ideological divisions among the revolutionaries, with chilling consequences in practice. There are enormous changes to the society as a whole, beyond simply the effects on our protagonists.

The setting, meanwhile, is detailed and believable, from the provincial plantations to the lavish court to the streets of the capital. The chapters set on the streets are especially impressive: fantasy readers might anticipate a lucky break for our heroine, but instead the situation is handled with the utmost realism. By which I don’t mean these chapters are “gritty” in the sometimes gratuitous way of 21st century fantasy, but that Volsky captures what it would really be like to be homeless and penniless, rather than some romanticized fantasy version of it.

As for the characters. Eliste is a strong heroine who slowly grows and changes through the events of the novel. She comes from a privileged background and has picked up most of the prejudices of her class, which sees itself as a different species from ordinary mortals, but while she begins the book spoiled, we can see that she has a better nature. By the time the story is in full swing, it would be nearly impossible not to root for her. There’s less complexity to the secondary cast, though they work well enough in their roles: I enjoyed the proud and unbending Zeralenn, the kind and unworldly Uncle Quinz, the frivolous and mercenary Aurelie. The love interest, though, is annoyingly perfect, and the villain gets a lot of scenes in which he, of course, acts villainous (I have little patience for villain chapters in fantasy for this reason)--it is interesting, though, to see a fantasy villain who uses words and political maneuvers rather than might, and who has to win allies rather than having them automatically by virtue of his villainy.

Finally, I have some reservations about the end, particularly the romantic aspect (a small but important part of the book). Volsky seems to misidentify the biggest obstacle to the relationship as the characters’ unwillingness to admit their feelings, when the real problem is their lack of respect for each other. Eliste is mostly there by the end, but he’s still calling her “an impossible child.” Ew.

Overall, I found this book to be great fun, very readable and surprisingly complex, especially once you get past those first couple of chapters. An excellent example of historical fantasy, and one that left me wanting more from this author.

[Karen Field · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I've read this book. The first time was about 15 years ago.

Based on the French Revolution, the story is set in a fantasy world, but more specifically in a city called Sherreen. Eliste, a toffee nosed Exalted, travels to the city to be presented at court and become “maid” to the queen. We see exactly who Eliste is and how she thinks. We live inside her head for a number of months. It all makes perfect sense and we could almost believe things are just how they should be. Almost.

Then…things change and Eliste’s life is thrown into turmoil. We travel with her as she goes from a wealthy miss to living on the street – cold, hungry and scared. There are more twists in this book than you think possible. Each time something is overcome, something worse is thrown at her. We witness the change in her personality and in the way that she thinks, and that change corresponds with the way the book is written.

Whilst Eliste is wealthy and somebody, the wording used in the book can become quite tedious. The long words and phrases are confusing at times, but they suit the mind set of the main character and her situation. Everything is centred on class and intelligence and that shows in the word usage. Although I loved the way this was done, I did find it exhausting and this would be the one complaint I have about the book as a whole. However, the characters and plot pulled me over this flaw. Then, when I just started to get used to it, Eliste’s life changes and with it so did the word usage. No longer were education important to her as survival, especially where her next meal would come from, consumed her mind. Gone were the large words and simplicity took over. Well maybe “simplicity” isn’t the right word, but I can guarantee the reading becomes easier nonetheless.

The outcome is brilliant.

The story is filled with suspense, romance, gore, politics, and much more. The characters are whole and convincing. The setting is solid and real. The emotions pull at you, even when you put the book down and try to do something else. I found myself thinking about Eliste’s circumstances and wondering how I would cope if I found myself in the same situation. The scenes filled my mind when I was trying to fall asleep at night. I couldn’t wait to return to Sherreen and read more of Eliste’s plight (remember, I have read the book before and knew what was going to happen and still the book had a hold on me).

Yes, this is still my number one book. Highly recommended.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

SUCH a pretty cover from Michael Whelan@!!!!

[Jenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever read The Goblin Emperor and thought “More class warfare please!”? Alternatively, have you ever read The Powder Mage Trilogy and thought “Needs more fancy dresses and magical guillotine!”*? Well, search no longer.

(* Tbf I’m only on chapter 6 of Promise of Blood, fancy dresses may be incoming.)

Paula Volsky’s Illusion is a sort of fantasy retelling of the French Revolution, mixed with a dash of the Russian. The country Vonahr is divided into several classes, with the Exalted firmly on top and their serfs on the bottom. The Exalted used to possess great magical power, primarily that of creating magical illusions, as well as the ability to give mechanical creations sentience. By the time of the book’s setting however, these powers seemed to have mainly faded, and in fact there’s rumours that they’ve lost their magic completely. This, of course, makes it finally possible for the subjugated classes to dream of overthrowing their masters…

The protagonist of Illusion is Eliste vo Derrivalle, a seventeen year old member of the Exalted. She starts off as spoiled and breathtakingly arrogant as the rest of her class, but also shows an innate streak of decency from the start when she helps a serf childhood friend escape torture. Her journey goes from the highest heights to the lowest depths, from being a lady-in-waiting to the queen herself to starvation and near-freezing on the streets. Eliste is an interesting character to follow, as the narrative doesn’t shy away from showing the effects of her bigoted upbringing on her character (she’s no abolitionist and in fact considers serfs closer to animals than humans). At the same time, she has just enough strength of will, cleverness, and even kindness that I readily sympathised with her even before she got thrown onto the street and was forced to reexamine all her beliefs.

She’s joined by other interesting characters of the revolution: her eccentric Uncle Quinz, one of the last powerful magicians; her grandmother Zeralenn vo Rouvignac, who possesses a cool grace and an unbendable iron spine; Shorvi Nirienne, who dreams of a peaceful revolution, and Whiss Valeur, who demands reparations for centuries of subjugation in both coin and blood. There’s also the mob, which plays a large enough role to be counted as its own character: it reflects the mood of the city, at times capable of sympathy and desiring justice, at time purely vengeful and bloodthirsty. And of course there’s Kokotte, the sentient, magical guillotine (/Iron Maiden) mentioned earlier, who craves worship and adoration.

In my opinion, the book explores the ideas of social classes and revolution very well. The Exalted’s dehumanisation of the serfs is sickening, but at the same time Eliste and her grandmother believe firmly in noblesse oblige. The common people are perfectly just in rising up, but the republic they build after is marked by paranoia, corruption, and everyday executions. As a side-note, I liked that the intersection of sexism and class wasn’t ignored: Eliste’s life is in general incomparably more dangerous on the street, but the threat of sexual assault shadows her both before and after the revolution. Volsky is also fantastic at building up tension - you can sense shit’s gonna go down from the very start, but the atmosphere is built gradually, full of smaller injustices and reactions to them, until it’s finally too much and the clouds break into wrath. The glorious republic built after mirrors the problems we see in post-tyrannical regimes both in history and today.

Alright, I realise that my review makes the book sound gloomy and dark, and to a large extent I guess it is, but it’s actually also a very hopeful book! There’s good or admirable qualities to be found in most of the characters, including the mob, and the overall tone is “Well that last try was a fuck-up but that doesn’t mean we can just give up!”, both from the country as a whole and from the indomitable Eliste. I also found myself weirdly invested in the romance, which, while set up quite well, only really takes place in the last ~5th of the book. Poor Eliste, I cackled a lot at her romantic plight. So altogether, I highly recommend this book!

The only problem is that it's currently out of print. BUT not to worry: you can borrow the ebook from the Open Library, which means it’s afaik available for free to people anywhere in the world (or at least it works here in Germany).

[lady h · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most dense high fantasies from the early 90s, Illusion takes some time to get started. It moves leisurely, taking us through a period of two years in a whopping 674 pages. But I didn't mind the length and I didn't mind the sometimes uneven pacing, and that was wholly because of the writing.

Before I get into anything else about this book, I have to stress the quality of the writing. Reading Illusion felt like reading a literary classic from the 19th century. Everything about the writing was so elegant, so old-world, so formal, so eloquent...from the very first page I was hooked, drawn into this world through the evocative and elegant syntax. I wish I could write like Paula Volsky. God, her writing is everything I aspire to. I was drinking it in as I read, sometimes going back and rereading various phrases just to marvel at the way she could make something so utterly simple sound so grand.

Illusion is heavily inspired by the French Revolution (and maybe the Russian Revolution as well). In the country of Vonahr, the privileged Exalted, some of whom possess magical powers, live lavishly and oppress the serfs who are tied to their estates. Tension is brewing in the country, however, thanks to rising taxes and food shortages, and the popular writings of revolutionaries criticizing the monarchy. Throughout the book we witness the start of the revolution, the fall of the monarchy, and the reign of terror that follows. We see all this mainly through the eyes of Eliste vo Derivalle, an Exalted young woman who starts out the book highly prejudiced against non-Exalted and slowly learns humility by the end of the novel.

As I said, the book is somewhat unevenly paced. We spend literally hundreds of pages setting up the world and getting Eliste to the capital of Vonahr, where the revolution will be centered, and while none of this is boring, it's perhaps not as gripping as it might have been. While Eliste is blinded by her privilege, we the readers can feel the tension brewing and expect something to happen, and when it does it is fantastic - but then things slow down for another couple hundred pages. Then, when Eliste, caught in the throes of the reign of terror, is forced to go on the run, the pace become electrifying; I sped through three hundred pages in a single day. Then the pace slowed down again, then picked up in the last sixty or so pages. To be fair I'm sure it's difficult to maintain tension and interest for nearly 700 pages, but perhaps the book could have been shorter.

Given the length of this book, I also wanted the worldbuilding to be stronger. We learn virtually nothing about Vonahr's religion, history, or customs; the focus is very much on the present. We do learn a bit about Exalted magic, and here Volsky introduces an intriguing system that blends some science fiction with magic in the form of sentient machines that can communicate with Exalted. It's a bit strange and not explained very specifically, but I think that was intentional. It was definitely interesting and vaguely unsettling to think of inanimate objects being imbued with consciousness.

What I liked about Eliste is that she's a very ordinary sort of heroine. That is, she's been raised as a privileged girl and she has all the skills (or lack thereof) to show for it. So she never wields swords or fights, but she still gets the chance to show how spirited she is when she fights off a would-be rapist and a guardsman hoping to drag her to prison. She is clever and resilient, and though she is dripping in entitlement, she's not an inherently bad person: she's sympathetic to the plight of serfs even as her ingrained prejudices tell her she shouldn't be, and her maid is more of a friend whom she treats with respect. Her maid, Kairthe, is allowed character development of her own, and has one character-defining moment towards the end of the novel that nearly brought me to tears.

Two other fascinating female characters include Zeralenn, Eliste's grandmother, and Aurelie, her cousin. Zeralenn, former mistress to two separate kings, is a formidable and stubborn woman clinging to her honor and her ideals. She reminds me a bit of Ned Stark, sacrificing her life for her honor, and while she is by no means someone to be admired in all her facets, as she is even more entitled and prejudiced than Eliste, she is nevertheless a fascinating character whose stoicism in the face of disaster is astonishing. Aurelie, meanwhile, is a chatty, somewhat air-headed teenager who will do whatever it takes to survive, including sacrificing her honor and her ideals. Though Eliste and Zeralenn scorn Aurelie for her decisions, it's hard to hate the young woman for doing what it takes to survive (even if she is occasionally annoying).

Though Illusion does have some of the trappings of 90s fantasy, I was pleasantly surprised at how much agency Eliste was given despite Vonahr being a patriarchal society. That is, she can't do much, but she's resourceful with what she's given. Volsky places Eliste through the ringer in a way few authors are willing to - I'm reminded a bit of George R.R. Martin - but Eliste handles herself extremely well, especially given her pampered lifestyle, and this leads her to being a thoroughly likable heroine.

Clearly, this book is not perfect, but I loved it anyway. I even bought myself a copy because I knew I would want to return to the writing again and perhaps try to learn from it. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey it took me on, the characters it introduced me to, and even the romance! I highly recommend this book for all lovers of fantasy and literary writing. This is definitely going to be one of my more memorable books of this year!

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illusion. The cover comes first, because that was the reason I bought the book in the first place, and it was the first of Paula Volsky's books that I read. Michael Whelan, bless his brushes, is still my hero. This is nothing short of magnificent, and I'm still proud that I had coffee with the man once.

Anyway... the book echoes the French Revolution (except that the Queen isn't exactly Marie Antoinette - hated like she was, though), and follows both Eliste - Exalted lady-in-waiting to the Queen, spoiled but clever and thoughtful when she bothers - and the leaders of what becomes the Reparation movement, the bourgeousie, the "canaille" - the commoners, the serfs and tradesfolk who are being taxed literally to death to support their betters, who are no more than property or servants in the eyes of those "betters"...

One can't help but think about conditions here and now, and wonder about the possibilities of another revolution here and now. I'm not about to pick up a torch or a pitchfork... but I can see how it could happen.

Many of Volsky's books call up echoes of classics, and for Illusion the echoes are (somewhat obviously) A Tale of Two Cities - and, less obviously, The Diary of Anne Frank. It's a beautiful, unexpected book.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volsky's book is quite a bit top-heavy. it's a technical demerit, but the book holds you at a distance; i like it, but i'm not in love with it, so technical is what i end up with.

this tale is basically a slight fantasization of the french revolution, told through the eyes of a high-born lady of means on her wild ride through the terror of ill-conceived democracy. stationed in the high-fashion capital of sherreen (i.e., say paris with the french pronunciation), a noble-born girl witnesses first the high life of the royal court; later the life of the gutter. for some reason, though the cover has the heroine in rags and snow on the street, we spend 300+ pages in the high-court life, waiting for this book to get off the ground.

the story is interesting and evocative...one wonders if a harsher editor could have whipped it into something wonderful. as is, worth reading, but not worth seeking out.

[Brian Durfee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well done. Love older fantasy novels like this (1980s-90s). Volsky's writing reminded me a bit of Ken Follett's epic Historical novels. Volsky has a bit more flair in her descriptions though. Her Dialogue is a bit stilted, but works for the Victorian/Steampunk feel of the whole thing. Great coming-of age tale. I am now excited to read 3 more Volsky novels that I have on order.

[Kavita · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a land reminiscent of Medieval Europe, there are the serfs (peasants) and the Exalted (the aristocracy). Eliste is the daughter of a provincial "Baron", soon destined for Paris Sherreen and work her way up in court. Before this happens, her childhood friend and serf, Dref Zoonoson, is caught standing up to the local Lord and has to escape with the help of Eliste. While these provincial shenanigans are going on, there are rumblings of a revolution in Sherreen.

The story is based on the French Revolution. But for whatever reason, Illusion has been marketed as a fantasy. I would consider it alternative history or steampunk. I like my fantasy more ... fantastical. The Exalted are supposed to be magical, but it's now long-forgotten. There remains some sentient creations of yore that lie sleeping until the revolution awakens them. This is the extent of magic in this book.

Eliste is a decent heroine but Dref seems to be the real hero. I wish he had more to do throughout the book than just disappear until he is able to rescue Eliste and begin their romance. The author could have also spent more time talking about the revolutionary changes that happen in Eliste's hometown so that we don't get the silly deux ex machina plot that hastens the downfall of the tyrant. The character causing it simply appears for this reason and we never get to know what happens to her after.

There are some nice characters like Quinz vo Derrivale and Cavalier that were fun whenever they appeared on the pages. Most of the others were absurd people. Eliste's chaperone and grandmother, Zeralenn, was a ridiculous character who put both her granddaughters' lives in jeopardy because "pride". My eyes couldn't roll back far enough. But Zeralenn was much preferred when the other option was Aurelie, Eliste's cousin. A selfish, disgusting piece of shit, I would have bludgeoned her to death much before any revolution started. It was irritating that Eliste just gave in and stopped telling her off halfway through any time Aurelie does something annoying, dangerous, and inexcusable - which is fucking ALL THE TIME. I wish the author had at least given us a satisfying death in Aurelie, with some torture, etc. thrown in.

And then, there was the ridiculously comical villain of the piece, Whiss Valeur. He was evil because he was evil. That's it. A man without magic, without brains, without brawn. He is the Dr Evil of the Vonahrian revolution. I honestly skipped through the pages when this guy and his stupid Kokotte showed up. The descriptions of violence lasted for pages and pages and quickly became boring. By the end when Valeur's downfall began, the book itself had become exhausting to read.

Which is a pity, because the last 25 percent of the story (once Dref and Quinz appear) is truly the best part of it. This is where we get the fun of magic, the experience of reading a fantasy book, and overall just more pleasant characters. Dref provides the solid, interesting hero figure while Quinz provides the whimsical that is so important in a book like this.

I would say that I overall did not enjoy this book as much as I expected, but the concept is memorable and the writing is decent. Maybe another book of Volsky might be a better choice.

[Alison McBain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've long been fascinated by the French Revolution, and I'm not the only history buff who finds that time period/location near the top of their reading list. If I discover a novel based on it, I'm the first in line to pick it up. But no one, in my humble opinion, has been able to write a better genre retelling of a fantastical French Revolution (although it's set on an alternate world where the country's not France, but very closely based on it) than Paula Volsky in her book Illusion.

Before I get into what makes it such a strong story, here's a bit of background on the plot. Eliste vo Derrivalle, privileged daughter of the Exalted class in the country of Vonahr, is about to be sent to the capital to be a handmaiden to the queen. Although she tries very hard to remain distant from the serfs who run her parents' country estate, she has grown up with them and is sympathetic to their lives. One in particular, Dref Zeenoson, is a brilliant young man she's followed around with hero-worship since she was a babe. When Dref gets in severe trouble with her strict father, Eliste helps Dref escape punishment and flee from her parents' estate with the help of her Uncle Quinz. Her uncle is a master at creating illusions and communicating with Inanimates - mechanical creations that are powered by magic.

Soon, the unpleasant incident is behind her, and Eliste has completed her journey to the capital city of Sherreen. She takes up her post serving as handmaiden to the flighty queen, along with a gaggle of other Exalted young ladies who soon become her fast friends. She gets caught up in court intrigues, celebrations all night, and the attention of court admirers. Although before too long, Eliste realizes that none of her admirers compare to her affection for Dref, and none of the city Exalted are even half as talented at magic as her Uncle Quinz.

While captivated by the high life, Eliste fails to notice more and more frequent rumblings from the lower classes. When violence breaks out in different parts of the city, she thinks it's only temporary and goes about her life as normal. But then her world is turned upside down – the peasantry revolt, the lower classes rise up, and the Exalted are cast down. The magic that is supposed to protect the status of the Exalted class – indeed, the reason why they're considered nobility in the first place – doesn't save them.

Instead, hostile magic wielded by the peasantry awakens the Stupefactions - huge, mechanical creatures that have been dormant for centuries. With the help of these sentient Stupefactions, the new ruling class holds sway over the city with an iron fist, making attempts to escape Sherreen nearly impossible for the Exalted who have gone into hiding. Eliste becomes trapped, homeless and friendless, while her peers are executed in multitudes. Her only hope for survival is to adapt to this strange new world before the peasant militia uncovers her disguise and reveals her for who she really is. If she could only escape, she could flee to her home estate and her Uncle Quinz, who she knows will protect her. But escaping the eye of the Stupefactions without any help will prove beyond her talents. It's not until she runs into an old friend that she begins to feel hope again for the future.

While this book is set in a fantasy world based on historical France, it has so much more to offer than a dry historical text. The level of detail is amazing, the events create a close parallel to real-life happenings, and the texture of the story is composed of both adventure and romance. It takes a lot for Eliste to grow up and become the woman she would have been, if not for the rigid rules of society and privilege that have spoiled her better nature.

Told in a personable style, it's easy for the reader to sympathize with Eliste's turmoils, even when, at the beginning of the book, they are frivolous. Glimpses of the person she is to become shine through, even when she is trying her hardest to fit in with others of her class. But in the midst of a life and death struggle, she soon discovers that what she's been raised to believe about nobility, humanity and herself has become contradictory to the reality of life.

I've read the book a dozen times, and each time, I'm still on the edge of my seat as Eliste faces the challenges she must overcome at each step of her journey. If looking to label this book's genre, I'd probably want to come up with a new term for it, since it's too late for clockpunk and too early for steampunk, although it has many components of the -punk genre. Perhaps revolutionpunk?

Regardless of its classification, this is one of my all-time favorite books, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did (and still do, each time I reread it). I highly recommend it.

This review was originally published in the magazine Bewildering Stories, Issue # 750.

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Illusion is a retelling of the French revolution in a fantasy world with magic. Other authors have written in this genre, among them Guy Gavriel Kay and Tanith Lee with her tales of an alternate world Paris (“Paradys”) and Venice (“Venus”.) These authors’ works are a mix of historical fiction and fantasy with the magic elements being comparatively slight. Some might say (including me) why they bother retelling history at all, as the actual historical events were thrilling narratives in themselves. But the flexibility of fiction provides character motivation and development that history does not -- as well as exercise of a more fanciful prose style -- and I suppose that's why.

Illusion, as some other reviewers have said, makes no bones about what is, the fall of a young girl from wealth and privilege to being homeless and begging on the street. The role reversal plotline is a compelling and time-honored one. It is what got me reading. In Volsky’s world, the exploitive, decadent nobility are called the Exalted for their hereditary magical powers (which, for all the talk of them, are shown only once, when a debauched count attempts to seduce the heroine) while the serfs are dumb clods little better than animals. Anyone with half a brain can see a revolution is about to happen by these stereotypes, but unfortunately, as written, neither the serfs or the nobles do, which makes both classes come across as dim and clueless to the reader. This was one of my problems with the book. There was no one to root for. The nobles were despicable and truly believed they deserved their higher status (despite the fact they never really use their magic) while the peasants were dull witted and brutish, fomented only by the scheming Valeur, this world’s version of Robespierre. No serious talk of the Enlightenment here; a character who is supposed to represent those ideals is depicted as ineffective and dispatched with early. The effect is of a French Revolution on steroids, flattened and cartoonized. I could even picture Wile E. Coyote running the Kokette, this world’s magical version of the guillotine.

This left the heroine of the story, Eliste, a daughter of the displaced aristocracy, as the single sympathetic character. Well, should have sympathetic. From the start she is shallow and spoiled, and becomes even more so when she is sent to Sherreen (Paris) to be a maid of honor to Queen Lallazy (Marie Antoinette) and spends her time categorizing the Queen's wardrobe and having champagne breakfasts. Never has a clue to the inequities of her world even though they are quite glaring. A little over halfway through the book the revolution happens and things get interesting. I developed just a little sympathy for the nobles then, when they see a long-time chocolate shop wrecked and realize their world is beginning to crumble, and for the heroine as she hides out in an attic, Anne Frank-style, for a time to escape the plebian mob. But the manipulations of the Robespierre character detract from her story, and by the time she is rescued from the street by a young serf who once served her (and who forgives her instantly for his maltreatment by her family) I lost all interest in how things turned out. I am still not sure what the "Illusion" was. There were no revelations at the books' end. The nobles are gone, the peasants are still brutish, and the heroine doesn't care about any of this, because she's in love with the serf. Was it the nobles' belief in their superiority? The nobles' vaunted but useless magic? The ideals of revolution that turn into a bloodbath? The payoff was not there.

On the plus side, I do think the writer is talented and has clearly done her historical research. Much of the court life that was depicted in the first half of the book is factual and can be read in biographies like Antonia Fraser’s Marie Antoinette: The Journey. (They must have used the same sources.) Volsky’s style too writing is lyrical and lush, suited well for 18th-century pseudo-France. But ultimately something was just missing in the book, and I think it was a true passion for and closeness to the characters.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, which is basically the French Revolution with different names, set in a parallel universe where magic is real. Although it's not a "historical" novel, the rich details make it feel like one, and the characters in particular are wonderfully-drawn. Also, it has one of the few fantasy romances I've really enjoyed, as it shows just how hard it is for people of different social classes to break down their barriers, even amidst a revolution: it's not that easy to just say, "Who cares what other people think and how I was raised?"

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I forced myself to read 100 pages of this book but I just can't do it. The author is way too descriptive. I was literally skipping pages at a time and all I'd miss out on was a discussion about the lace on the girl's dress or how her hair was fixed. I just can't do it. Too many other books out there I want to read.

[Annette]

I love purple prose. I can lost myself in descriptions of dresses or food but this book is testing my patience. The characters are all one dimensional except for the main character. I think I will put this book down for now.

[Rebecca Smucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eliste vo Derrivalle is, quite frankly, a spoiled brat of an "Exalted", one of the (theoretically) magically-gifted nobility of Vonahr, a traditional monarchy very closely aligned with pre-revolutionary France. The description of her appearance actually reminds one of a prettier version of Marie Antoinette. She strives to exemplify everything Exalted, from the pride and refinement to the disdain for the "unrefined" lower classes.

Eliste has one thing going for her as a protagonist, though--she has a soft spot for a particular serf on her father's estate, a prodigy named Dreff Zeenoson. Dreff is a natural genius who has a knack for everything except looking down his nose at other people. Eliste grew up with Dreff, 7 years her senior, as her mate in the schoolroom. Until she was told Dreff was not someone with whom she should associate, she idolized him. Even as a self-centered young girl, Eliste can't quite escape a feeling that she is much more interested in Dreff's comings and goings than she should be.

We are quickly introduced to the signs of a changing tide in Vonahr when Eliste's father callously has a serf beaten to death for reading pamphlets espousing equality between the classes. As a result of his attempted intervention, Dreff is sentenced to lose his tongue and hand, and Eliste almost reflexively enlists the help of her magically-talented Uncle Quinz in arranging his escape. Dreff leaves, and Eliste is momentarily bereft.

Fortunately for Eliste, however, she is on her way within a few days to become one of the ladies-in-waiting to the Queen. She heads to the capitol city with her maid. She first arrives in the city to stay with her grandmother Zeralenn, a noted beauty and concubine to two kings in her time. Zeralenn quickly puts Eliste in her place and rebuilds her idea of what an Exalted should be, polishing her to achieve her family's aim--a good marriage for Eliste.

Before long, Eliste is embroiled in the excesses of court life, just in time for the kettle to boil over. Revolutionaries take over the city, and a time much akin to the Reign of Terror begins. Eliste soon finds herself alone and destitute, and only a chance encounter with a mysterious but notoriously clever young man named Beq can save her--and Vonahr.

This book is NOT for people who want a light read: you will NOT enjoy it if you're looking for fluff to read on the beach. Volsky's prose is riveting, but she is wordy and this book has substance. Entire sections of it could be taken out and read as manifestos on liberty and revolution--or anti-revolution. Do not expect bubbles and unicorns--this is a serious novel. It is as much about politics as it is about love, personal growth, and magic combined and is as dark as it is light. If I were hard-pressed to compare the style of this novel to another, I'd be equally likely to chose of Tolstoy's War and Peace as I would be to chose something like Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus or any of Patricia McKillip's work. The people who have downrated this book have done so because they weren't looking for substantial material, and I can see how they might be disappointed.

That all being said, I loved this book. It struck a great balance between the historical and fantastic. I would read either a straight historical novel or a pure fantasy by Volsky with equal enthusiasm.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illusion follows Eliste vo Derrivale, a member of the Exalted class, on the cusp of attending court in Sherreen to attend the Queen as a maid of honor. Sherreen is very clearly an analogue for Paris, and the events that follow are based on that of the French Revolution and - more specifically - the Reign of Terror.

It's really clear in reading this book that Paula Volsky did her research; she also cleverly weaves in magic, using it as the "justification' for the Exalted's status and the means by which they subordinate the lower classes. This magic, though never explained in great depth, is mostly based on illusions, and, rather than dominate the text,- instead flavors it in a way that feels realistic. The magical artifacts used to terrorize the citizens of Sherreen are unique, well conveyed, and are fantastical, without detracting from the grimness of the story.

Pacing wise, the story starts off a little slow, with the first quarter of the novel describing Eliste's journey to Sherreen, her duties as a maid of honor, and her experiences in court life. I think Eliste is an interesting enough character to pull this off, however, and I think there's enough fun world-building here that it's intriguing, regardless of "action". (That being said, I've also watched Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette like, ten times, mostly for the pretty cinematography, so descriptions of court life are totally up my alley.) The story really picks up as the Revolution takes off and Eliste's situation grows more desperate, shooting off to a satisfying and exciting conclusion.

The focal point of this novel is Eliste's character growth, which is absolutely fantastic. At Illusion's beginning, Eliste is a spoiled brat, who wholly believes she is entitled to her entitlements. I applaud Volsky for writing a main character who - at least initially - submits to the ideals of her time. Too often, aristocratic characters disdain the class system which privileges them in order to appeal to modern readers. That Eliste buys into her own prestige makes her arc and her growth far more rewarding and far more interesting to read about.

While the other characters don't see the same development as Eliste, they're well-drawn and portrayed with depth. The people who surround Eliste feel colorful and memorable, and even those who appear for only a short period are distinct, individual characters. I do think Dref could've been a bit more flawed, however; in comparison to the very human and very faulted people around him, he seemed a touch too clever and perfect.

Though Valour's descent into paranoia is done with skill, the sections from his perspective were by far my least favorite, and the reason I docked a star. Valour, unfortunately, has the tendency to pontificate, and his speeches were numerous, repetitive, and above all, boring. Particularly around the middle of the text, I think he pulled too much focus, and while I understand his perspective was necessary to fully conveying the Revolution, his story might've been done with greater brevity.

Overall, this is a really fun hidden gem - though it may be a bit difficult to locate, as I don't think this is in print anymore, it's very much worth the read for fans of awesome character growth and historical fantasy.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illusion by Paula Volsky is a ripping good yarn and it's tottering on the edge of a five star rating. Lots of adventure and twisty plots in a Fantasy/Steampunk variety of France during the revolution, complete with a Robespierre like figure bent on a Reign of Terror, only this time aided by magically enhanced automatons. The main character Eriste was unusual too, since she was, as her servants at the start of the novel would say, a Little Miss Snot. She grew throughout the novel though, to firsthand experience the hollow reality of life at court, and then on to gradually shed layer after layer of that almost brainwashing education making her believe the illusion of superiority by blood.

Creating sympathetic main characters with some really unsympathetic views is difficult, and even if the reader certainly often were made to want to shout at Little Miss Snot, it was not difficult to with bated breath follow her fate and hope for her salvation during the last days of the old Kingdom of Vonahr and the first fledgling steps of the revolution, with the purging of the nobility as a result. It's also unusual with a female protagonist who gets to be proud, snotty and not really emphatic or always kind, stubborn and extremely prejudiced, yet resourceful and very determined. This in itself is a definite plus, and Eriste gets to be who she is, with all her flaws on full display, yet still remain sympathetic.

The plots moves along at a nice clip, the supporting characters are interesting and impressive, stupid actions have consequences and not everyone makes it to the end, making the characters' fear s more real instead of just being "peril". Further, for the ASOIAF fans out there, there is a scene in Illusion that brings to mind a corresponding scene in the first ASOIAF novel: A Game of Thrones . Perhaps this is by chance, perhaps it is not.

Unfortunately the ending felt too rushed, and while the character development before the ending was well done, gradual and you could sense the main character's resistance to change, how deep her beliefs of inherited nobility was, it felt that it made an inexplicable leap at the end. The last 50 pages or so could easily have been almost doubled and it wouldn't have hurt the story in the least. Instead I ended up feeling a bit cheated. A novel that stretches for almost 600 pages and which I devoured with gusto in a day and a half and that had enough plot, adventure, atmosphere and world building to make you not want to leave could certainly have given itself a richer, more detailed ending.

Regardless of the somewhat rushed ending, it should be noted that I absolutely devoured this novel, and found it near un-putdownable, in itself a mark of quality, although it should be noted I'm a sucker for novels featuring revolutions. I found myself wishing to read more novels in the same setting, and to know what happened to the new Republic and how they got on. Also if the University students in Sherreen ever got any studying done, or did they only ever meet in coffee houses, collude with revolutionaries and got shot at by the troops? What happened to that pastry shop? And the King's diamonds? Rushed ending is rushed, gief more plz!

[Kate Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like fantasy best when it has a solid underpinning of real history, and "Illusion" can be described as the French Revolution with magic. The story follows Eliste, an aristocratic beauty who serves as lady-in-waiting to the queen, and gets caught up in the storm of revolution as a corrupt aristocracy is toppled. The king and queen are openly modeled on Louix XVI and Marie Antoinette; the fanatical revolutionary villain is a good double for Robespierre; and the terrifying machine into which the nobility are fed is a nice substitute for the guillotine. Eliste makes an appealing heroine, and the best thing about her is that she is no 21st century modern woman in hoopskirts, but a conventional if lovable snob who holds all the prejudices of her class about grubby peasants and the divine rights of her birth. The title "Illusion" refers to the book's magic, which is based on creating magical illusions - but it also refers to Eliste's illusions, which are slowly stripped away as she struggles to survive the reign of terror. The hero is a bit one-dimensional, but the smaller characters of Eliste's absent-minded magician uncle, chatterbox cousin, and imperious great-aunt more than make up the difference. Recommended especially for fans of the French Revolution.

[Ida Jagaric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hmmm. This book is still awesome but not as awesome as I found it in the past. One of the amazing things about it, is that it truly conveys the feeling of the French revolution. Like what was happening in the society to set the foundation for revolution, how the revolution's ideals can be corrupted by charismatic leaders, and the feelings and moods of the masses. That was so brilliantly done! But this time round, I found a lot of sections slow and overly detailed and I got quite bored. And I found myself not looking forward to reading it.

But I still love so many of the characters so much! Especially Eliste! I found myself thinking without the insane circumstances of her life and her country she would never have married her childhood sweetheart coz she was noble and he was a serf. He had to escape, the nobility had to be brought down by the revolution, she had to live on the streets to gain a different perspective and not look down on him despite her love. I think that was greatly done... showing how slow transitioning our beliefs is! Like even near the end she's being discriminatory and he gets so frustrated with her BS. It's so accurate to how we work as humans! ;)

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my very favorite comfort books. It's a retelling of the French Revolution, but with magic, and it's really well done on top of that. Lots of authors, in writing in historical or historically-based settings (I'm looking at you, Phillipa Gregory...) cheat on making their main characters likable by setting aside any and all inconvenient beliefs of the day. The hero or heroine is the Lone Voice of Morality, somehow living in a culture and never adopting ANY of its beliefs that might be unpalatable to a modern reader. Paula Volsky resists that urge, and Eliste is exactly a product of her upbringing and her culture. The lessons it takes to bring her around, to help her grow up, are the central story of the book. It's a story that couldn't be told if Eliste were already in possession of modern morality; it would be a BORING story.

But in this case, we get to watch this character change and grow as her refined society falls apart, crushed by the weight of its inherent injustice. It's a fascinating rendering. Highly recommended.

[Joanne Renaud · Rating 1 out of 5]

Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown. Or... Illusion, by Paula Volsky, and it's a turgid, overwritten 'epic' that feels like a rehash of every cliched French Rev novel ever. I got to the point where the Camille Desmoulins!expy character gave a speech against expy!Marie Antoinette, and it was relayed, not in dialogue, but as a two-page summary. If Ayn Rand died of eating macaroons, and turned into a zombie, I think it would be this book. HARD PASS.

[Legens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let’s get the historian nitpicking out first: For everyone saying here that this is a fantasy retelling of the French Revolution or the Russian Revolution in French flair, it is neither (as should be evident by people being unable to agree which one, if you don’t suppose they – or all revolutions – are the same). It’s not a historical treatise on these revolutions, it’s a fiction evoking popular vibes of revolutions (particularly the French and Russian ones). If you want to draw any political conclusions from that, do so, but be aware that you based them on a fictional story and not on any real events. More on the political conclusions below.
I find it commendable that the author tackled such a subject in a fantasy book – a genre which often is wildly unimaginative about its political systems (never-changing monarchies, often lasting millennia, still seem to be the norm). Volsky builds a rich mosaic of a rotten feudal system and the convulsions of its downfall, which alone are worth the read.
This sociopolitical fantasy is neither dull nor dry. All scenes are deftly executed (albeit at times a bit long for impatient readers), but I particularly enjoyed the dialogue whenever two witty characters (and there are many – Eliste vo Derrivalle, Dref Zeenoson, Zeralenn vo Rouvignac, Aurelie vo Rouvignac, Quinz vo Derrivalle) met. Eliste’s rock-bottom in the third quarter is accompanied by her not having anyone to trade barbs with.
Eliste’s wit is one of the reasons we root for her, no matter how spoiled she is and how often she exasperates us with her less-than-enlightened views on the world (which, incidentally, make her ever more believable as a product of her class and her world). In contrast, villain Whiss Valeur and his henchmen pale a bit – Whiss’s main motivation is craving recognition (which seems a bit flat for a revolutionary), and everybody else just follows along with him. Allegedly he is a good orator, but we barely get to see that, so the unflinching loyalty of his underlings seems questionable (and here the book neither captures the feeling of being under siege which both the French and Russian revolutionaries felt as their countries faced foreign invasions nor the constant infighting between revolutionary factions).
Which brings us back to politics: The book’s (political) ending is too saccharine for my taste (but I acknowledge that it might be grounded in Eliste’s rose-tinted outlook on life as her personal situation is right where she wants it to be): The reign of terror is over, and so is the feudal system. They are both replaced by what can only be described as a moderate liberal dreamland: The former Exalted lose their privileges, and most (but not all) of their property, but they never think of trying to take either back (neither those who remained in Vonahr nor the emigrants around the Duke of Feronte), nor do the revolutionaries begrudge them their apparently still comfortable lifestyle with the holdings they retain. In a Hegelian-Fukuyaman sense, feudalism and revolution have merged in the last synthesis which leaves no contradictions behind. I don’t buy it.
But as said: This is no historical-political treatment, but a fantasy land. And for that, it’s milquetoast political conclusions are still better than the thoughtless monarchist conservatism encountered in much else of the genre.
Lastly: That’s some beautiful cover art there!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by the French Revolution and its Reign of Terror, this sweeping fantasy novel enthralls the reader with its intriguing magics and wonderfully detailed worldbuilding that truly comes alive off the page. Protagonist Eliste, a young woman of the Exalted (i.e. noble) class fallen on hard times due to the revolution, was a bit of a disappointment though. While much is made of her magical abilities in the book description, these are barely there and don't really play a role at all, and she doesn't really do much of consequence throughout the whole novel, in the end having to be rescued from execution by her love interest in a singularly predictable development.