SOURCE: A review of The Little Flowers of Madame de Montespan, in Quill and Quire, Vol. 50, No. 5, May, 1984, p. 35.

In the following mixed review, Tregebov asserts that The Little Flowers of Madame de Montespan "is a well-written little book … that reveals a poet who could do more if she wanted to."

Madame de Montespan's 10-year career as mistress of Louis XIV (he built the Petite Trianon at Versailles for her) ended in scandal. She was implicated in the poisoning scare that raged through the court in the late 1670s. Madame had administered love potions to Louis, but greater mischief was not proved conclusively: Louis himself destroyed the trial records to preserve her name. If more such facts had been noted somewhere in Jane Urquhart's book of poems, it would be more easily appreciated.

Nonetheless, this is a well-written little book (illustrated with some very fine photos by Ottawa...