Versailles: My Father's Palace

by Maite Labat, Jean-Baptiste Veber, Alexis Vitrebert (Illustrations)

A fascinating historical biography of the man who brought fame, grandeur and revolution back to the Palace of Versailles.

Henri de Nolhac grew up without a father...though his father, Pierre, was very much alive and working mere meters away from their home at the Palace of Versailles.

Once appointed to the Palace in 1887, Pierre de Nolhac dedicated his life to protecting its historical archives and restoring Versailles to its former glory: an agora of politics, art and culture. But it soon became more than a passion to him--it turned into an obsession, and the closer he got to Versailles, the further he drifted from his family and himself.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Nonfiction, France, Biography

168 pages, Paperback

Published September 22, 2020

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read more graphic novel reviews at www.graphiclibrary.org.

This story of Versailles is told from the perspective of Henri de Nolhac, son of Pierre de Nolhac, who came to be a steward of the palace during the Third French Republic. This is not Versailles during the time of kings and queens. This is Versailles as it was just beginning to be appreciated as an historical masterpiece, and thanks in large part to the dedication of Pierre. But, the demands of restoring the palace took a toll on the family life of Pierre, which is also included in great detail. This story also includes how Versailles morphed during the Great War, changing from a monument to a refuge for wounded soldiers and a place of gathering for Christmas celebrations and the like. Extensive end-notes provide more historical context for the de Nolhac family and the source materials for the creative team.

Historical stories can sometimes be presented very dryly, and there is a bit of that in this story. Nevertheless, this is a fascinating time in the history of Versailles that gets glossed over frequently because of its proximity to World War I. The de Nolhac family was large and some of the children play so minor a role that I couldn't really distinguish them by the end, but son Henri, our narrator, provides an interesting lens for viewing his father's dedication to the palace.

Vetrebert purposefully chose black and white, a mixture of inks and watercolors, to illustrate this volume. While I missed the colors and brilliance of Versailles, the effect makes this story more in line with the source material, which is now all black and white or sepia from age.

Overall, this story would be wonderful for any enthusiast of French history or person interested in the history of Versailles. Humanoids does not have a rating, but this story would be suitable for high school audiences given the elevated narrative tone and prerequisite knowledge of French history and World War I.

Sara's Rating: 7/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12

[Katell BOUALI · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ce fut une lecture surprise d’un des sacs-mystère emprunté cet été à la médiathèque : le thème en était « la vie de château ». Il n’y avait pas de roman mais un roman graphique « Le château de mon père » contant la réhabilitation, aux yeux du public et surtout des pouvoirs publics, du Château de Versailles en tant de monument historique à visiter.

Nous sommes en 1887, Pierre de Nolhac est nommé attaché au Château de Versailles afin de veiller sur ses collections, derniers vestiges d’une royauté abolie. D’attaché il est rapidement promu conservateur et au fil des mois et des années, il se donne comme objectif, ambitieux, de redonner au Château du Roi Soleil une grande place dans le cœur des politiciens. C’est un projet extraordinaire pour un lieu qui l’est autant. Pourtant, Versailles est relégué aux oubliettes de l’histoire par une République Française qui vacilla plus d’une fois.
Pierre de Nolhac tiendra ce pari fou et en paiera le prix fort. La vie de château peut être aussi magnifique que mortifère.

C’est Henri, un des fils de Pierre, qui est le narrateur de cette histoire méconnue, celle de la réhabilitation de Versailles, emblème d’une monarchie absolue tant honnie depuis 1789. Entre souvenirs d’enfance, les années folles et la Grande Guerre, c’est un album de famille qui s’ouvre au lecteur. La souffrance due à l’absence d’un père obnubilé par son projet, la rancoeur de l’épouse qui, un beau jour, jette l’éponge et quitte le palais de Louis XIV, les affres d’une guerre des tranchées qui mutile et traumatise à jamais tout une génération de soldats, les lenteurs administratives et batailles entre ministères sont décrits avec beaucoup de réalisme. Les joies et les drames du quotidien se mêlent aux tragédies de la grande histoire apportant ainsi une dimension plus intime au récit.
Le roman graphique est tout en lavis et gouache. Il offre une longue déambulation en noir et blanc, entre esquisses et décors majestueux et sublimes dans un des joyaux français d’architecture. J’ai été immergée dans un monde aussi magnifique que cruel. La gageure de l’historienne Maïté Labat, secondée par le romancier Jean-Baptiste Véber, servie par les très beaux dessins d’Alexis Vitrebert, est une réussite. Tout est documenté avec rigueur ce qui rend encore plus passionnant et immersif le roman graphique.

Après cette lecture, une seule envie : visiter le Château de Versailles dont je n’ai pu admirer que l’extérieur.

[Mandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Versailles – My Father’s Palace is a beautifully researched graphic novel that combines biography and history. This story of Versailles is narrated by Henri de Nolhac, the son of Pierre de Nolhac who becomes the attaché of Versailles in 1887 and later the curator in 1892. Pierre originally took the job because it was the only opening in his field of study, but once he arrives with his family at the Palace, he throws himself into the work of learning the history and then changing the way France views Versailles. The author begins the story at the end of Pierre’s life, 1936, and has Henri explain the events of the renovation of Versailles after the French Revolution left if in disrepair and forgotten all while traveling back and forth from the time of the de Nolhac family’s arrival at Versailles to Pierre’s death.
I love the fact that the illustrations were in black and white and the style of the drawings reminded me of the book series Madeline, also based in France. It was a connection that helped me enjoy the book. The authors include a dossier at the end of the book with photographs that connect the characters to the real people. Some prior knowledge of France would be beneficial to the reader and enhance their appreciation of the work, but isn’t necessary. I enjoyed the illustrations so much that I showed a few random pages to a few students and asked their opinions. My middle school students’ responses:
• “The pictures look really interesting. I WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!”
• “I think it’s gorgeous how the illustrator blended the water color with bits of gray and black. I would definitely read it just to see the art on every page. So pretty!”
• “I think the attention to detail is amazing! (coming from someone who struggled immensely to make a detailed comic strip) I think I would definitely read this graphic novel.”
Thank you, Netgalley for the e-ARC!

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best part of this entire graphic novel is the art.  The character design and backgrounds and everything about graphic aspect of it is absolutely gorgeous.  I liked how the illustrator conveyed the characters and their emotions.  If I was just looking at art work, I would probably give the graphic novel a 5/5 stars.  However, I wasn't just looking at the art, I was also looking at the story.

Before I get into the story, I will say that overall I had a good time reading this graphic novel.  I enjoyed the overall idea of it, and as I mentioned the artwork was beautiful.  However, certain parts of the story weren't quite what I hoped.

Firstly, I wanted more detail and more depth to the story.  It was a short graphic novel so I shouldn't have expected as much as I did, but I really was hoping that there would just be more in general to the story.  I wanted more family dynamics and more Versailles.  There was a lack of development that just really disappointed me.  I wanted the story to be longer, and while I enjoyed what was there, some of it felt a little bit jumpy.

I also found myself a little confused by the inclusion of the son of the son of the main subject of the book.  It seemed like an unnecessary layer to add to the books, and mostly I just wanted to focus on the story from the past.  I didn't need the extra narrative layer to know why the story was being written down now of all times.  I really just wanted the story.

However, I did find myself intrigued by the dynamics of the de Nohlac family.  I enjoyed seeing scenes from their history and from when they moved to the palace and as things continued on and the children grew up.  I thought it was really very neat that they got to live in the palace while their father worked to restore it and I felt for them as they felt like their father had no time for him because he was too consumed with the palace.  You really did feel for the family and their struggles over the course of the story.

Overall, I had a good time reading this book, and while I do wish that it had had some more development in places, I still highly recommend it and think it's worth checking out when it publishes on September 22nd.

[Emilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il voulait son château, il a eu. Louis XIV n’a que faire de l’avis des autres quand il emménage au château de Versailles en 1682. C'est de là que le Roi Soleil rayonnera. Depuis, le temps a passé. Des empires, des monarchies, des républiques se sont succédés et à la fin du 19e siècle, Versailles n’est plus qu’une ombre dans le paysage de la Troisième République. Les visiteurs se font rares. La Révolution a vidé le château de tout ce qui faisait sa magnificence. Et pourtant, un homme va se passionner pour ce château royal. Il lui consacrecra toute sa vie. Cet homme, c'est Pierre de Nolhac, un auvergnat qui par son acharnement et ses compétences va redonner vie au château de Versailles. Passionnés d’histoire, de bulles ou simples curieux, cette BD est faites pour nous ! Je me suis régalée des informations et de petites anecdotes sur la restauration de ce monument français riche en histoire. Et que dire des illustrations... Elles sont simplement magnifiques. Voir Versailles en noir et blanc et un peu déroutant au début mais très vite les nuances de gris l’emportent (les expressions des personnages, la grandeur des bâtiments... tout y est magnifique). Bref, vous l’aurez compris, c'est une très belle découverte !

[Kelsey (Bookishly Nerdy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be given a ARC to review. This graphic novel is based on the real life story of Pierre de Nolhac who revolutionized the Palace of Versailles. I will admit that this is a part of history that I know nothing about, so I was curious to see what this graphic novel had

I ended up enjoying my time reading this book, but it was not a new favorite. Graphic novels based upon history aren’t usually the most exciting thing unless you care or know about the history behind the story. But this one was still hard to get into, despite knowing that. It moves very quick, and seems to rush through a lot of the history surrounding the castle. You have to pay close attention to the dates throughout the book, or you will be lost in the timeline.

With all of that being said, is was very cool to see a potion of history that I didn’t know that much about. And to see such a real look at an imperfect family during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

I recommend this for people who are interring in the history of the castle and how it become modernized. I think this would be a really good book for that niche of people.

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deeply researched graphic novel about the restoration of the Palace of Versailles. It makes a little-known slice of history come alive! The story (while not actually written by a family member) is told from the viewpoint of Henri de Nolhac, one of Pierre's sons, as an adult looking back over his childhood and his father's accomplishments at Versailles. Pierre was a man laser-focused on conserving the palace, sometimes to the detriment of his family life. The book is appropriate for all audiences, though the interest/ability level would be middle school-high school or adult. The black and white illustrations are stunning and make you feel like you're touring the palace. I appreciated the dossier included at the end of the book. It's chock full of family photographs, letters, sketches, and research notes from the authors/illustrators.

An excellently executed book, it's a definite must-read for lovers of French history or people intrigued by the Palace of Versailles!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own and are unbiased.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pierre de Nolhac began working at Versailles in 1886 and had a major hand in creating the palace as the tourist destination and heritage site that it is today. Told through the eyes of his son, Henri, this graphic novel shows how Pierre was dedicated and often overly driven to the work he did at the palace. Pierre's family lived and worked in the palace during his tenure and we get to see the family grow up in the halls of one of my favorite places in the world (I'm a bit jealous). The family had its ups and downs and the narrator doesn't shy away from the conflict of Pierre seemingly being more dedicated to his work at the palace than his family. I enjoyed this graphic novel for it's introduction to a man who dedicated his life's work to the palace and the glimpse of family life in a royal palace when the royalty has gone.

[Kuba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biography of Pierre de Nolhac and his quest to bring back Versailles to its former glory.
I like biographies of less famous people, especially in form of comics, therefore I enjoyed Versailles: My Father's Palace. Unfortunately, a lot of names and rather boring plot can scare off a lot of people.
De Nolhac fights for funds, meets a lot of famous french people or supervises the renovation of the Palace. It feels more like a Wikipedia entry than a colorful story.

Sketches are interesting but black and white pallet makes Versailles less intimidating. Hidden behind the veil.

[Sarah Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful graphic novel rendition of de Nolhac's revitalization of the Palace of Versailles. His love and appreciation for the architectural wonder often overtook his focus on his family's joys and tragedies, which are woven throughout the story. This would be a good curriculum piece to explore with French language/culture learners, and the artwork makes the concept accessible to any reader.

[Kayla Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the ARC. Versailles: My Father's Castle is a beautifully drawn graphic novel that tells a little known piece of history. Telling the story of Pierre de Nolhac and his journey to restoring the famed palace of Versailles to its former glory. Filled with beautiful drawings and the impact that such a journey can have on a family, this graphic novel is a must read for those interested in French history.

[David Schwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel telling the history of the man who started restoration work on the Palace of Versailles. At one point late in the 19th century the palace was an anachronism to the French government. One person was tasked with keeping it from complete decay. This book tells his story.

During WWII the palace was a target of the Germans and special measures were put in place to disguise the palace and grounds.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art is evocative of a rainy day spent in contemplation at an art museum. The story is a familiar one—great men who sacrifice their families for a grand lifetime’s project.

[Camille B Tessier · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Max Kramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

très ennuyeux

[Elia · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an interesting biographical graphic novel! This book tells the story of Pierre de Nolhac, a man who was basically highhandedly responsible for revitalizing the palace of Versailles after it had lain in disrepair and disregard for years. The story is told from the point of view of one of his sons, who also reveals the fact that the enterprise of fixing up the grand palace basically cost his father his entire family, as he was so singlemindedly focused on the restoration that he rarely spent time with his wife or children.

[Arvilla]

A beautiful gift, this graphic novel was the first book I read for the year. Informative and lovely, would recommend if one has an interest in Versailles's later history.