With the French Revolution as the historical background, du Maurier tells the story of a family of master craftsmen who prefer to live in a world of their own, with distinct traditions and rules, but when civil war breaks out, even they must choose a side. This is apparently based on du Maurier’s own family history, and the story is told by a fictional version of one of her ancestors.
This is a great piece of historical fiction, and what sets it apart from other books taking place in this rather famous period is that it is told from the viewpoint of a woman, and one that is not part of the aristocracy. This makes it a distant look at important historical events but it shows the impact on every single person in the realm clearly. Members of the family become parts of the revolution, some of them even emerge as fanatics, but the narrator herself remains mostly moderate in her views which makes her watch the proceedings with consternation, fear, and sometimes revulsion at what her fellow men and women are doing. However, even she feels the surge of patriotism and the power of group dynamics in certain situations which makes her voice very realistic.
The characters in general are fleshed out and believable, as they all have unique traits and flaws, and often react in distinct ways to the terror and violence of the times. Overall, du Maurier makes the inherently ambivalent nature of a revolution clear. Opportunists, agitators, and wartime profiteers seize the moment; in the end, the movement eats its own, and especially the common people wonder about the advantages of the new world order that in so many ways mirrors the old one.
To me personally, the fact that the story is told from a female point of view made all the difference in my enjoyment of the book. The story is populated with strong female characters who are realistic and relatable, women who work alongside the men and have authority and their own opinions. At one point, Sophie, the narrator, is told by her brother, an agitator for the Duke of Orléans, that she “would never, for one moment, understand the reason for it. No woman would,” but du Maurier makes it clear that, in fact, he is the one that doesn’t understand.