Patti Flinn’s The Devil’s Berries is a gripping historical novel that follows Louis-Benoit Zamor, a former page and personal servant, from his childhood in India through his enslavement in the court of Louis XV and Madame Jeanne du Barry, and into the tumultuous heart of revolutionary Paris. Zamor, facing a treacherous world of shifting alliances and revolution, must balance his growing involvement with the Jacobins and his desire for personal freedom with his loyalties to those who once held power over him. As the French Revolution roils, Zamor becomes a secret voice behind political pamphlets and intrigue. At the center of his emotional life is his relationship with Véronique, a fellow servant and seamstress whose ambitions match his own. The story is a powerful meditation on survival, identity, and the cost of change. When the last cards are played, who goes to the guillotine: the slave or the master?

The Devil’s Berries by Patti Flinn shines in its nuanced exploration of the characters and settings. Zamor is a profoundly complex character, and his trauma is examined with clarity. The narrative is delivered in his voice, sometimes wry, sometimes raw, and it drew me into the turmoil of his inner world, the nature of his relationships, and his relentless struggle to change his fate. Véronique is equally compelling, portrayed with emotional depth. The supporting cast—from the embattled Madame du Barry and her brutish guard, Gaspard, to Zamor’s Parisian allies, Sebastien and Valentin—gives insights into the class, race, and political convictions that defined revolutionary France. The exchanges between Zamor and Véronique fueled the conflict, enhanced the characterization, and highlighted the plot points. I loved many things in this book, from the well-crafted cultural and political setting to the fully developed characters and the prose. This book is a winner for historical novel fans.

It is the early spring of 1793. Louis-Benoit Zamor, the page of Madame Jeanne du Barry, the mistress of King Louis XV of France, lives a dangerous double life. By day, he is a servant at the Chateau du Barry. By night, he is part of the revolutionary fervor at the Jacobin Club in Paris. Zamor dreams about many things, like starting a family with Veronique, a fellow servant he is smitten with. But his greatest desire is for him and all the enslaved people to be free. In his pursuit of freedom, Zamor finds himself increasingly involved in and at the centre of defining moments in the burgeoning revolution. But that’s not all. He is about to face a bitter betrayal that threatens everything he has dreamed of. Find out more in The Devil’s Berries: The Last Favorite’s Page, Book Two by Patti Flinn.

The story unfolds as reminiscences, structured through journal entries, written in 1820 by an older Zamor who is reflecting on the events of his controversial past. Flinn takes readers back to late eighteenth-century France, giving them a glimpse into its sociopolitical environment through Zamor’s perspective. Through his activities at the Chateau du Barry and Paris, his interactions and relationships with the cast, and his internal conflicts, readers get a clear picture of the way society perceived black people, the injustices and oppression they were forced to endure, and their contributions to the arts, politics, and French culture. I could relate to Zamor’s longing to be recognized for his intellect and personality, and not as a mere slave. Flinn explores themes of identity, freedom, change, race, classism, and love. The Devil’s Berries by Patti Flinn is a perfect pick for lovers of historical novels.