Skip to main content

A Betting Woman: A Novel of Madame Moustache by Jenni L. Walsh: A Book Review

A Betting Woman: A Novel of Madame Moustache

Author: Jenni L. Walsh

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing

Release Date: 2021

Pages: 320

Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Born Simone Jules, reinvented as Eleanor Dumont, and largely remembered as Madame Moustache, A Betting Woman is a historical novel inspired by the tumultuous life, times, and loves of America's first professional croupier of modern-day blackjack, bringing to life an intrepid and entrepreneurial real-life woman who lived on her own terms.


     When her whole family dies in a fire, young Simone Jules flees her grief and travels west to reinvent herself in burgeoning San Francisco. Down to her last dollar and facing some unsavory options, Simone quick-wits her way to a gambling table where she begins to deal vingt-et-un - modern-day blackjack. Word travels fast among of this French-speaking, card-playing novelty, and she begins to build a new life for herself.


      Fans of Thelma Adams, Therese Anne Fowler, and Marie Benedict will root for the quick-witted, charming, and self-sufficient Eleanor as she paves her way in a man's world and into the pages of history.


       My Review: The author of Becoming Bonnie has penned a tale of another infamous woman, Eleanor Dumont, known as Madame Moustache! Madame Moustache is known as the first female blackjack dealer. When Simone’s family dies in a fire, she flees to San Francisco. Harsh circumstances force Simone to play what is known as blackjack. Simone re-invents herself as Eleanor Dumont to open her own gambling parlor. Thus, Simone has to navigate herself through a male dominated game to become successful in the field of blackjack.


I had never heard of Madame Moustache previously, so this novel was really enlightening. I found it interesting that she got her nickname because she had a hairline on her upper lip. I found Simone Jules to be a survivor. She went through many tragedies but endured. She started out being very naive, but gradually became wiser. There were a few of her actions that I thought were a bit shady, and some of her decisions I did not agree with. Thus, Simone was a very complex character. She used her intelligence, ambition, and ruthlessness to become successful.


Overall, this novel is an in-depth psyche of a larger than life woman. Besides Simone, I thought the other characters were not developed enough. The story is told at an even pace. However, the novel became repetitive. The romance was not my favorite because it was not developed enough, and I found it to be unnecessary. Still, I like how the author showed us the gritty San Francisco underbelly during the Gold Rush. A Betting Woman does a fascinating job in portraying the struggles of a woman in a male dominated society. I recommend this for fans of Gold Digger: The Remarkable Life of Baby Doe Tabor, Crown of Dust, and Daughter of Joy!


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Seven Sisters (The Seven Sisters #1) by Lucinda Riley: A Book Review

The Seven Sisters (The Seven Sisters #1) Author: Lucinda Riley Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Atria Release Date: 2015 Pages: 463 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis: Maia D’Apliese and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, “Atlantis”—a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva—having been told that their beloved father, who adopted them all as babies, has died. Each of them is handed a tantalizing clue to her true heritage—a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Once there, she begins to put together the pieces of her story and its beginnings. Eighty years earlier in Rio’s Belle Epoque of the 1920s, Izabela Bonifacio’s father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into the aristocracy. Meanwhile, architect Heitor da Silva Costa is devising plans for an enormous statue, to be called Christ the Redeemer, and will soon travel to Paris to find the right sculptor to
Post a Comment
Read more

A Noble Cunning: The Countess and the Tower by Patricia Bernstein: A Book Review

A Noble Cunning: The Countess and the Tower  Author: Patricia Bernstein Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: History Through Fiction  Release Date: March 7, 2023 Pages: 266 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: A Noble Cunning is a novel based on the true story of persecuted Catholic noblewoman Winifred Maxwell, who rescued her husband from the Tower of London with the help of a group of devoted women friends in 1716.             A Noble Cunning is a novel based on the life of Winifred Herbert Maxwell (1680-1749), who became the Countess of Nithsdale in 1699.     Set amidst the 1715 Rebellion against England’s first German king, George I, the novel depicts the ruthless persecution of Catholics and the relentless determination of protagonist Bethan Glentaggart to save the life of husband Gavin after he is captured and condemned to death. Bethan faces down a mob attack on her home, travels alone from the Scottish Lowlands to London through one of the wo
Post a Comment
Read more

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath
Post a Comment
Read more