THE FRENCH INNKEEPER'S DAUGHTER by Diane McPhail is set in early eighteenth-century France. A nine-year-old monarch rules the country, but troubles that will erupt in revolution are already brewing.

The main character, Azelie Dubois, lives in an inn with her sister, Nicole, and her parents. They are simple people who are trying to keep their heads above the poverty line and deal with the daily grind of providing shelter and fare for travelers. The sisters are very close and understand the rhythms of life at the small country hostel. Unfortunately, Azelie's father lost ownership of the inn to a corrupt judge whose son, Claude Aguillon, lurks about the property. I had a sinking feeling every time Aguillon's name showed up because I knew he had ill intent. Aguillon is a bully coward who berates the girls' father and eyes the girls luridly, particularly Nicole.

The inevitable occurs and sets in motion a chain of events that casts Azelie out of her home and onto the road. I sympathized with Azelie, who was alone and bewildered as the realization set in that she would not see her family again. An itinerant thief, Jules Charavany, happens upon Azelie in the woods, and together they concoct a plausible story for the road as they journey toward Paris.

Their traveling along the road is probably the most lighthearted part of the book because Jules reveals his backstory, and they encounter kind people who buy their story. Their bonding is evident, and Azelie is still naive, but with Jules' coaching, she is quickly learning how to survive as an unattached vagrant.

Eventually they become separated, and Azelie musters her courage to stride into a local village and ask for help. A local widow provides shelter and understanding, and for the first time since Azelie was forced to leave her home, she is at peace. Jules tracks her down and convinces her to continue to Paris with him. More adventures await the pair in the bustling capital city until Azelie finds herself alone and pregnant. She is forced onto a ship bound for the New World South, where she again finds comfort with people who assist her in her new life.

The novel does a good job of allowing readers to comprehend the trials and tribulations the ordinary French citizen faced. It also showcases the injustice and mistreatment many endured, whether at the hands of a corrupt aristocracy or simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It also displays the strengths of Nicole, who hid the truth from her parents; of Jules, with his breezy, nonchalant attitude toward thievery; and of Azelie, whose resilience is tested as she is forced to reinvent herself and begin new chapters as the familiar ground she inhabits is consistently ripped away.

THE FRENCH INNKEEPER'S DAUGHTER affords readers a glimpse of a country in fluctuation and a young woman caught in the midst of change who struggles to find firm footing.