The Master of all Desires (1999) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit

Write a ridiculously simplified synopsis.

Characters/People edit see section history

• Catherine de Medici: Queen of France, bulging-eyed, unattractive, Italian wife of Henry II, who has borne him ten children. Great-niece of two Medici popes. Insanely jealous of the king's mistress, Diane de Poitiers. Dabbles in the black arts.
• Diane de Poitiers, Duchesse of Valentinois: Mistress of Henry II, King of France, Allied to the de Guises. Twenty years older than the king and queen. La Grande Sénéchale.
• Lucrece Cavalcanti, Madame d'Elbène: Queen Catherine's Italian "dame d'honneur" - her waiting woman and confidant
• Cosmo Ruggieri: Queen Catherine's astrologist and sorcerer. Came with her from Florence. Has a younger brother, Lorenzo, who is a painter. Head of the Ruggiero clan, traditional astrologers yo the Medici.
• Doctor Michel de Nostre-Dame, aka Nostradamus: Queen Catherine's seer and astrologer, a prophet who communicates with the disorganized spirit of prophesy Aneas. Troubed by gout. Author of The Centuries and other works of prediction and medicine - which forecast the future in vague, twisted ways.
• Sibille Artaud de la Roque: The oldest daughter of noble Hercule & former heiress-, considers herself educated, a young aspiring poet(bad) and writer(decent), a dabbler in natural sciences. Was left a vineyard for her dowry. Godmother is a very rich, eccentric widow, her father's sister, Aunt Pauline Tournet. Has shot her fiancé who wants the vineyard
• Thibault Villasse, Monsieur de La Tourette: A rich, fifty-ish, twice widowed neighbor who has bought his title, becomes engaged to Sibille Artaud de la Roque to get the vineyard that is her dowry, in a deal that cancels debts and loans money to her always financially embarrassed father,
• Maestro Gabriell Simeoni: Royal astrologer ranked as third-rate and run down by everyone
• Laurette Artaud de la Roque: Sibille's beautiful next younger sister. A selfish, grasping uneducated girl.
• Annibal Artaud de la Roque: Sibille's only brother, who is two years younger. He is
• Madame Pauline Tournet: An eccentric, obese, childless widow whose husband was a pirate. Sister of her Goddaughter, Sibille's father, Hercule who refuses to acknowledge his infamous sister, but lust after her money and estate.
• Annibal Artaud de la Roque: Sibbille's only brother. Has a commission in Monsieur de Damville's company
• Hercule Artaud de la Roque: Sibille's always financially embarrassed father. Violent of temper. Retired ex-captaine of the light horse. Married rich heiress and has lost most all of it. He refuses to acknowledge his infamous sister, but lusts after her money and estate.
• Monsieur Phillippe d'Estouville: Friend of Annibal's. Also has a commission in Monsieur de Damville's company.
• Nicholas Montvert: Son of an elderly banker. A wastrel, dreamer, half-educated lover, excellent fencer and swordsman.
• Senor Alonzo: Aunt Pauline's monkey
• Antoine de Bourbon, King of Navarre: Oldest of the Bourbon brothers. Holds the title, but not the lands, of Navarre
• Charles, Cardinal of Bourbon: Brother of Antoine de Bourbon, King of Navarre and Louis, Prince de Conde, the yougest Bourbon brother
• Louis, Prince de Conde: the yougest Bourbon brother
• Anne de Montmorency: Grand Constable of France. Head of the powerful Montmorency family - rival of the de Guises
• Henri de Montmorency, Baron de Damville: Second son of the Constable, and Grand Marshall of France. Commander of the company in which Annibal Artoud and Phillippe d'Estouville serve.
• Nicolas Montvert: Add a description of this character.
• Menander
• Anael
• Leon
• Clarette
• Madame Tournet
• Philippe
• Madame Gondi
• Arnaud
• Monsieur Montvert
• Matheline
• Mary
• Baptiste
• Lorenzo Ruggieri
• Vincent
• Lorraine
• Monsieur Villasse
• Les Tournelles
• Isabelle
• Elisabeth
• Francis
• Hercule De La Roque
• Monsieur Tournet
• Maistre Nostredame
• Lyons
• Montgomery
• Beatrice
• Francois

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Orleans, France
• Paris, France
• Anet: Jewel-like chateau given to Diane de Poitiers by the king
• La Roque-aux-Bois: Sibille's family's farm, where they live year-round since her father lost the family home in Orleans.
• Dauphin
• Scotland
• Spain
• England
• Calais
• Blois
• Italy
• Rome
• Genoa
• Agaba

First Sentence edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Judith Merkle Riley (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › Genre Fiction › Historical
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary