Belle Epoque

Belle Epoque by Elizabeth  Ross

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross was captivating.  I had to wonder how Ross came up with the story of an agency where plain girls were hired as foils to make the rich look more beautiful.  In the author’s note she explains that the inspiration came from a short story by Emile Zola called “Les Repoussoirs.”  Ross began imagining what it would be like to be such a girl and thus created Maude Pichon, the narrator of Belle Epoque.  Maude has run away from her home in Brittany to escape an arranged marriage to the butcher.  She dreams of a glamorous life in Paris, but soon finds it difficult to find a job.  She ends up as a repoussoir, who as in Zola’s story are hired to make privileged young girls trying to find suitable husbands look good by comparison.  Maude is hired by Countess Dubern to befriend her strong-willed daughter Isabelle to help her to look all the more beautiful in public accompanied by plain Maude.  Maude does become friends with Isabelle and struggles with loyalty to the job she desperately needs and her loyalty to Isabelle.  It is a well-told story that middle and high school girls should find a favorite.  Highly recommended.




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