Laurel Corona Finding Emilie

Finding Emilie

Laurel Corona

Simon and Schuster, Apr 12 2001, $15.00

ISBN 9781439197660

In 1749, less than a week after she gave birth to her daughter, fortyish mathematician Emilie the marquise du Chatelet dies. Since the father is unknown, the late mother's best friend Julie de'Bercy raises Lili along side of her own recently born daughter, Delphine.

Julie realizes how much Lili is just like her late mom as a brilliant independent person. Neither trait is welcome during the reign of King Louis XV. Her daughter proves as much a feisty troublemaker as her adopted child. However Lili keeps Delphine safe until she finds the right mate for her best friend though that leaves her alone wanting to learn who sired her.

Finding Emilie is a terrific Louis monarchy French historical in which the three femmes are terrific fully developed characters. The two BFFs make a formidable team as Julie (and readers) knows first hand. Based on the life of a real aristocratic female mathematician, readers will relish this deep look at eighteenth century France anchored by real people like Voltaire as Laurel Corona uses two complementary subplots; that of the two buddies and their mom, and that of the marquise as the mathematician and her daughter remind readers "to thine own self be true" (Hamlet).

Harriet Klausner