''A Place of Greater Safety'' is a 1992 novel by Hilary Mantel. It concerns the events of the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are consider ...

, focusing on the lives of

Georges Danton Georges Jacques Danton (; 26 October 1759 – 5 April 1794) was a French lawyer and a leading figure in the French Revolution. He became a deputy to the Paris Commune, presided in the Cordeliers district, and visited the Jacobin club. In August ...

Camille Desmoulins Lucie-Simplice-Camille-Benoît Desmoulins (; 2 March 17605 April 1794) was a French journalist and politician who played an important role in the French Revolution. Desmoulins was tried and executed alongside Georges Danton when the Committee ...

, and

Maximilien Robespierre Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (; 6 May 1758 – 28 July 1794) was a French lawyer and statesman who became one of the best-known, influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. As a member of the Esta ...

from their childhood through the execution of the Dantonists, and also featuring hundreds of other historical figures.

Background

Although Mantel began writing the novel in 1975 and completed it in 1979, she was initially unable to find a publisher. “I wrote a letter to an agent saying would you look at my book, it’s about the French Revolution, it’s not a historical romance, and the letter came back saying, we do not take historical romances. They literally could not read my letter, because of the expectations surrounding the words ‘French Revolution’—that it was bound to be about ladies with high hair." The novel remained unpublished until 1992. Mantel explains that, where possible, she used the historical figures' own words, from their speeches or writings.

Reception

''A Place of Greater Safety'' won the Sunday Express Book of the Year award. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' praised Mantel, but not the book, wondering if "more novel and less history might not better suit this author's unmistakable talent."

References

1992 British novels Novels set in the French Revolution Novels by Hilary Mantel Works about Georges Danton Works about Maximilien Robespierre Cultural depictions of Georges Danton Cultural depictions of Maximilien Robespierre Viking Press books {{1990s-hist-novel-stub