When in the mood for a true epic tale in which to immerse yourself, you wouldn't be wrong to choose this. Told as a retrospective in the style of a classic romance, it differentiates itself by being driven from the start not by destiny or by duty to king and country but by a deep and abiding love that joins together a complex web of relationships, which runs as a thread throughout. Also somewhat of an alternate history. Don't disregard it just because it's about a masochist and has a cover more reminiscent of a modern romance.

Beware the pronunciation of those damned French names.