Mademoiselle Revolution: A novel

A powerful, engrossing story of a biracial heiress who flees to Paris when the Haitian Revolution burns across her island home. But as she works her way into the inner circle of Robespierre and his mistress, she learns that not even oceans can stop the flames of revolution.

Sylvie de Rosiers, as the biracial daughter of a rich planter and an enslaved woman, enjoys the privileges of a lady in 1791 Saint-Domingue society. But while she is a woman born to privilege, she is never fully accepted by island elites. After a violent slave uprising begins the Haitian Revolution, Sylvie and her brother leave their family and old lives behind to flee unwittingly into another uprising—in austere and radical Paris. Sylvie quickly becomes enamored with the aims of the Revolution, as well as with the revolutionaries themselves—most notably Maximilien Robespierre and his mistress, Cornélie Duplay.

As a rising leader and abolitionist, Robespierre sees an opportunity to exploit Sylvie’s race and abandonment of her aristocratic roots as an example of his ideals, while the strong-willed Cornélie offers Sylvie guidance in free thought and a safe harbor. Sylvie battles with her past complicity in a slave society and her future within this new world order as she finds herself increasingly tugged between Robespierre’s ideology and Cornélie’s love.

When the Reign of Terror descends, Sylvie must decide whether to become an accomplice while another kingdom rises on the bones of innocents…or risk losing her head.

Story Locale: Saint-Domingue (now called Haiti) and Paris, France

About the Author

Zoe Sivak advocates for the restoration of diverse stories and characters to historical fiction. In her writing, she strives to explore famous male figures through the lens of the women beside them—women who could have existed, even if history left them behind. When not engrossed in historical research, Zoe is pursuing both her Juris Doctor and master of public health in Philadelphia, PA.

Author Residence: Philadelphia, PA

Author Hometown: Virginia