Waters of Versailles

69 pages

English language

Published March 25, 2015

ISBN:
978-1-4668-8822-7
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Goodreads:
25025753

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4 stars (1 review)

"Waters of Versailles" is a 2015 fantasy novella by Kelly Robson, about plumbing. It was first published by Tor.com.

1 edition

Review of 'Waters of Versailles' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

In a historical novella, a soldier plunges into court politics and tries to gain acceptance by bringing water into Versailles.

The main character, Sylvain, builds running water and indoor toilets into Louis XV era Versailles. He does this with help from a captive water spirit. Even though most of the story happens in palace halls, the real essence of it is the interplay between Sylvain and the spirit, the way their relationship develops.

The story is well written and captivating. The palace politics are deftly described, and the internal conflicts of Sylvain are nicely built. The story really revolves around him - the other characters are described just enough to fit their role. No more is needed, though - I enjoyed the story just the way it is.