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Becoming Marie Antoinette: A Novel Kindle Edition
Why must it be me? I wondered. When I am so clearly inadequate to my destiny?
Raised alongside her numerous brothers and sisters by the formidable empress of Austria, ten-year-old Maria Antonia knew that her idyllic existence would one day be sacrificed to her mother’s political ambitions. What she never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon.
Before she can journey from sunlit picnics with her sisters in Vienna to the glitter, glamour, and gossip of Versailles, Antonia must change everything about herself in order to be accepted as dauphine of France and the wife of the awkward teenage boy who will one day be Louis XVI. Yet nothing can prepare her for the ingenuity and influence it will take to become queen.
Filled with smart history, treacherous rivalries, lavish clothes, and sparkling jewels, Becoming Marie Antoinette will utterly captivate fiction and history lovers alike.
Praise for Becoming Marie Antoinette
“A thoroughly enjoyable novel, brimming with delightful details. Grey writes eloquently and with charming humor, bringing ‘Toinette’ vividly to life as she is schooled and groomed—molded, quite literally—for a future as Queen of France, an innocent pawn in a deadly political game.”—Sandra Gulland, bestselling author of Mistress of the Sun and the Josephine Bonaparte trilogy
“In her richly imagined novel, Juliet Grey meticulously recreates the sumptuous court of France's most tragic queen. Beautifully written, with attention paid to even the smallest detail, Becoming Marie Antoinette will leave readers wanting more!"—Michelle Moran, bestselling author of Madame Tussaud
“A lively and sensitive portrait of a young princess in a hostile court, and one of the most sympathetic portrayals of the doomed queen.”—Lauren Willig, bestselling author of the Pink Carnation series
“Wonderfully delectable and lusciously rich, an elegant novel to truly savor. Juliet Grey’s Marie Antoinette is completely absorbing.”—Diane Haeger, author of The Queen’s Rival
“[A] sympathetic take on the fascinating and doomed Marie Antoinette.”—Publishers Weekly
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBallantine Books
- Publication dateAugust 9, 2011
- File size2225 KB
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“In her richly imagined novel, Juliet Grey meticulously recreates the sumptuous court of France's most tragic queen. Beautifully written, with attention paid to even the smallest detail, Becoming Marie Antoinette will leave readers wanting more!"—Michelle Moran, bestselling author of Madame Tussaud
“A lively and sensitive portrait of a young princess in a hostile court, and one of the most sympathetic portrayals of the doomed queen.”—Lauren Willig, bestselling author of the Pink Carnation series
“Wonderfully delectable and lusciously rich, an elegant novel to truly savor. Juliet Grey’s Marie Antoinette is completely absorbing.”—Diane Haeger, author of The Queen’s Rival
“[A] sympathetic take on the fascinating and doomed Marie Antoinette.”—Publishers Weekly
“An extremely compelling read. The author blends very intricately detailed research with a narrative that is stunning in its poignancy.”—The Elliott Review
“Readers will see Marie Antoinette in a whole new light...A sympathetic and engaging read that presents the French queen in a manner seldom found in other novels...Anyone interested in French history will savor every page of this novel.”—BookLoons
“Juliet Grey’s writing is exquisitely detailed and I enjoyed her lush descriptions of the clothing and decor of the time period. Grey possesses the rare ability to transform readers to a past only accessible by imagination. Becoming Marie Antoinette is sure to appeal to lovers of quality historical fiction as well as those who are simply fascinated by Marie Antoinette.”—The Well Read Wife
“Fans of historical fiction will eat this one up. It's engaging, smart and authentic. Grey has done her homework.”—January Magazine
“A lusciously detailed novel of Marie Antoinette's rise to power and the decadent, extravagant lifestyles of 18th-century Versailles.”—Shelf Awareness
“This is historical fiction at its finest.”—A Library of My Own
“A fascinating ride and I'm looking forward to the next book.”—Endless Reading
“Well-researched and lovingly written with sparkling details--this new trilogy is not one to be missed by any lover of historical fiction or Marie Antoinette centered works. This book leaves you wanting more.”—Stiletto Storyline
“Becoming Marie Antoinette is a well researched and interesting novel. For me, it's a fine example of what good historical fiction should be--it sticks to the facts and just uses the fiction genre to fill in emotions and conversations.”—Tiny Library
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Is This the End of Childhood?
Schonbrunn, May 1766
My mother liked to boast that her numerous daughters were "sacrifices to politics." I never dared admit to Maman, who was Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, that the phrase terrified me more than she could know. Every time she said it, my imagination painted a violent tableau of Abraham and Isaac.
Unflinchingly pragmatic, Maman prepared us to accept our destinies not only with grace and equanimity but with a minimal amount of fuss. Thus, I had been schooled to expect, as sure as summer follows spring, that one day my carefree life as the youngest archduchess of Austria would forever change. What I never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon.
In the company of my beloved sister, Charlotte, I was enjoying an idyllic afternoon on the verdant hillside above the palace of Schonbrunn, indulging in one of our favorite pastimes--avoiding our lessons by distracting our governess, the Countess von Brandeiss.
A bumblebee hummed lazily about our heads, mistaking our pomaded and powdered hair for dulcet blossoms. Charlotte had kicked off her blue brocaded slippers and was wiggling her stockinged feet in the freshly cut grass. So I did the same, delighting in the coolness of the lawn, slightly damp against the soles of my feet, although we'd surely merit a scolding for staining our white hose. Affecting a grim expression and pressing my chin to my chest until I achieved our mother's jowly appearance, in a dreadfully stern voice I said, "At your age, Charlott-ah, you should know better than to lead the little one into childish games."
My sister laughed. "Mein Gott, you sound just like her!"
Countess von Brandeiss suppressed a smile, hiding her little yellow teeth. "And you should know better than to mock your mother, Madame Antonia.
"Ouf!" Startled by the bee, which now appeared to be inspecting with some curiosity the ruffles of her bonnet, our governess began to bat the air about her head. Nearly tripping over her voluminous skirts as she leapt to her feet in fright, Madame von Brandeiss began to hop about in such a comical fashion that it was impossible for us to feel even the slightest bit chastised.
Maman's scoldings were so easy to duplicate because they came with far more regularity than her compliments. From middle spring through the warm, waning days of September, she was a familiar presence in our lives, tending to affairs of state from the outskirts of Vienna in our summer palace of Schonbrunn, a grand edifice of ocher and white that resembled a giant tea loaf piped with Schlag, whipped cream. With scrubbed faces we were presented to her in the Breakfast Room, its walls, the color of fresh milk, partitioned into symmetrical panels by gilded moldings and scrollwork. Charlotte, Ferdinand, Maxl, and I looked forward to the day when we would be old enough to merit an invitation to join her, along with our older siblings, for a steaming pot of fragrant coffee and terribly adult conversation about places like Poland and Silesia, places I remained unable to locate on the map of Europe that hung on the wall of our schoolroom.
For the remainder of the year, when the prodigious Hapsburg family resided at the gray and labyrinthine Hofburg palace in the heart of Vienna, we, the youngest of the empress's brood, scarcely saw Maman more than once every ten days. We even attended daily Mass without her, a line of ducklings, dressed in our finest clothes, kneeling on velvet cushions that bore our initials embroidered in silver thread. Charlotte and I remained side by side as our pastel-colored skirts, widened by the basketlike panniers beneath them, nudged each other; our heads swam with the pungent aroma of incense while our ears rang with ritual--the resonance of the grand pipe organ and the bishop's solemn intonations in Latin.
And as the days grew shorter we began to forget the woman who had almost dared to have fun during those departed sunlit months. Mother became matriarch: a forbidding figure clad all in black, her skirts making her appear nearly as wide as she was tall. Marched into her study for inspection, we would stand still as statues--no fidgeting allowed--while she peered at us through a gilt-edged magnifying glass and inquired of our governess whether we were learning our lessons, eating healthy meals, using tooth powder, and scrubbing our necks and behind our ears. The royal physician, Dr. Wansvietten, was put through the same paces with questions about our general health. The answers were invariably in the affirmative, since no one would dare to admit any act of negligence or weakness, and so she dismissed us from her presence, satisfied that we were dutiful children.
I slid across the grass on my bottom, nestling beside our governess, adjusting my body so that I could whisper in her ear, "May I tell you a secret, Madame?"
"Of course, Liebchen." Madame von Brandeiss smiled indulgently.
"Sometimes . . . sometimes I wish you were my mother." The pomade in her hair, scented to disguise its origin as animal fat, smelled of lavender. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. The fragrance was so pleasant, it nearly made me sleepy.
"Why, Madame Antonia!" The countess managed to appear both touched and alarmed, her cheeks coloring prettily as her gray eyes stole a reflexive glance to see who might be listening. "How can you say such a thing, little one--especially when your maman is the empress of Austria!"
Madame von Brandeiss tenderly stroked my hair. I could not remember whether my mother had ever done so, nor could I summon the memory of any similar display of warmth or affection. It was enough to convince me that they had never taken place. I felt my governess's lips press against the top of my head. Somehow she knew, without my breathing a word, that the empress's demeanor rather frightened me. "I'm sure your maman loves you, little one," she murmured. "But you must remember, it is the duty of a sovereign to attend to great and serious affairs of state, while it is a governess's responsibility to look after the children."
I wriggled a bit. My leg had become entangled in my underskirts and had fallen asleep. "Are you ever sorry you didn't have any of your own?" I asked the countess. Inside my white stockings I wiggled my toes until the tingling was gone.
"Antonia, you're being impertinent!" Charlotte said reproachfully. "What did Maman tell you about blurting out whatever comes into your head?" I loved and admired my next oldest sister more than anyone in the world, but she had the makings of quite a little autocrat--Maman in miniature in many ways. Already her adolescent features had begun to resemble our mother, especially about the mouth.
Ignoring my sister, I tilted my chin and gazed earnestly into our governess's eyes. "If you could have, would you have had sixteen children, like Maman?" There were only thirteen of us now, owing to the ravages of smallpox. I'd contracted the disease when I was only two years old and by the grace of God recovered fully. Only a tiny scar by the side of my nose remained as a reminder of what I had survived. When I grew older I would be permitted to hide it with powder and paint, or perhaps even a patch, although Maman thought that women who covered their pox scars with mouches had no morals. "If you had a little girl, Madame, what would you want her to be like?"
Countess von Brandeiss swallowed hard and fingered the engraved locket about her neck. She was perhaps nearly as old as Maman; the brown hair that peeked out from beneath her straw bonnet and white linen cap was threaded with a few strands of silver. She tenderly kissed the top of my head. "If I had had a little girl, I would have wanted her to be just like you. With strawberry blond curls and enormous dark blue eyes, and a generous heart as big as the Austrian Empire." Tugging me toward her, she readjusted the gray woolen band that smoothed my unruly tendrils off my forehead. It wasn't terribly pretty but it served its turn, and was ordinarily masked by my hair ribbon. But that afternoon I had removed the length of rose-colored silk and used it to tie a bouquet I plucked from the parterres--tulips and pinks and puffy white snapdragons.
"Yes, Liebchen," sighed my governess, "she would be exactly like you, except in one respect." I looked at her inquiringly. "If I had had a little girl, she would be more attentive to her lessons!" Madame von Brandeiss gently clasped my wrists and disengaged my arms from her neck. Her eyes twinkled. "She would not be clever enough to invent so many distractions, and she would pay more attention to her studies. And, she would not ask so many"--she glanced at Charlotte, who was feigning interest in splitting a blade of grass with her pale, slender fingers--"impertinent questions.
"Now," she said, urging me off her lap and onto the lawn. "Enough games. Like it or not, ma petite, it is time for your French grammar lesson. You too, Charlotte." The countess clapped her hands with brisk efficiency. "Allons, mes enfants."
In the blink of an eye, a liveried footman handed Charlotte our copybooks.
Before I could stop myself, I pursed my lips into a petulant little moue. Our governess stuck out her lower lip, playfully mocking my expression. "You mustn't pout, Antonia. It was you, little madame, who convinced me to move your lessons out of doors today."
Rolling onto my belly and propping myself on my elbows, I lifted my face to the breeze and filled my nostrils with the scents of summer. The boning in my bodice pressed against my midriff and my skirts belled out above my rump like a pink soufflé. "But I'm not pouting, Madame. It's how God made me," I said brightly. In truth, what Maman calls "the Hapsburg lower lip" gives the impression of a permanent pout, even when I'm not sulking. Our entire family looks the same way; with fair hair, a pale complexion, and a distinctly receding chin, I resembled every one of my siblings and ancestors.
And yet, if I'd had a glass I would have appraised my appearance. Was I pretty? Maman thought I was a perfect porcelain doll, but I'd overheard whispers among the servants . . . something about the way I carried my head. Or perhaps it was my physiognomy. Then again, I was a Hapsburg archduchess. I had every reason to delight in my lineage. Still--I wanted everyone to love me. If there were a way to please them, I wished to learn it. "Do you think my chin makes me look haughty?" I asked Madame von Brandeiss.
"People who have nothing better to do will indulge in idle gossip," our governess replied. Charlotte placed her hand over her mouth to hide a smile. "Your chin makes you look proud. And you have every reason to be proud because you are a daughter of Austria and your family has a long and illustrious history. And," Madame von Brandeiss continued, beginning to laugh, "you are doing it again."
"Doing what?" I asked innocently.
"Doing everything you can think of to avoid your books. Don't think you can fool me, little madame."
She clapped her hands again. "Come now, you minxes, you've dawdled enough. Vite, vite! It's time for your French lesson." She shook Charlotte gently by the shoulder.
Charlotte rolled onto her back and sat up; she was diligent by nature, but if I began to dally, she could become as indolent as I when it came to our schoolwork. Our moods affected each other as if we had been born twins. Her grumble became a delighted squeal as something caught our eyes at exactly the same moment. "Toinette, look! A butterfly!" My sister shut her copybook with a resonant snap. Joining hands, we pulled each other to our feet and began to give chase. Without breaking her stride Charlotte swept up her net from where it lay in the soft grass with a single graceful motion.
"Ach! Nein! Girls, your shoes!" Madame von Brandeiss exclaimed, rising and smoothing her skirts. Her boned corset prevented her from bending with ease; she knelt as if to curtsy and scooped up one of my backless ivory satin slippers.
"No time!" I shouted, clutching fistfuls of watered silk as I hitched up my skirts and raced past Charlotte. The butterfly became a blur of vivid blue as it flitted in an irregular serpentine across the manicured hillside, its delicate form silhouetted against the cerulean sky. It finally settled on a hedge at the perimeter of the slope. Charlotte and I had nearly run out of wind; our chests heaved with exertion, straining against the stiff boning of our stomachers. My sister began to lower her net. I raised my hand to stay her. "No," I insisted, panting. "You'll scare her off."
I held my breath. Gingerly reaching toward the foliage, I cupped my hands over our exquisite quarry. The butterfly's iridescent wings fluttered energetically, tickling my palms. "Let's show Madame," I whispered.
With Charlotte a pace or two behind me, limping a bit because she'd put her foot wrong on an unseen twig, I cautiously tiptoed back across the lawn, fearful of tripping and losing the delicate treasure cocooned within my hands. The rapid trembling of the butterfly's wings gradually slowed until there was only an occasional beat against my palms.
Finally, we reached the countess. "Look what I've got!" I crowed, slowly uncurling my fingers. The three of us peered at the motionless insect. Charlotte's face turned grave.
Catching the troubled expression in her pale blue eyes, "Maybe she's sleeping," I said softly, hopefully, stroking one of the fragile wings with my index finger. My hands were smudged with yellow dust.
"She's not sleeping, Toinette. She's . . ." Charlotte's words trailed off as she looked at me, her usually flushed cheeks now ashen with awareness.
My lips quivered, but the sobs became strangled in my throat. Drawing me to her, Charlotte endeavored to still the heaving in my shoulders, but I shrugged her off. I didn't deserve to be comforted. An enormous tear rolled down my cheek and landed on my chest, marring the silk with an irregular stain. Another warm tear plopped onto my wrist. I closed my hands again as if to shelter the butterfly in the sepulcher made by my palms, while the full weight of my crime settled on my narrow shoulders.
"I. Didn't. Mean. To. Kill. Her. I've. Never. Killed. Anything. I. Would. Never. Hurt . . ." My sobs finally came in big loud gulps, bursts of hysterical sound punctuated by apologies. With a look of sheer helplessness I threw myself into my governess's open arms.
Product details
- ASIN : B004J4WMXQ
- Publisher : Ballantine Books (August 9, 2011)
- Publication date : August 9, 2011
- Language : English
- File size : 2225 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 482 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #713,924 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #738 in Historical Biographical Fiction
- #995 in Biographical Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #3,202 in Biographical Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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Customers find the book enjoyable and well-written. They appreciate the interesting story about Marie Antoinette's arrival in France and her early years. The writing style is described as easy to read and informative, with plenty of facts to keep them entertained. Readers also enjoy the character development, finding each character interesting and getting a good feel for them. However, opinions differ on the pacing - some find it fast and consuming, while others feel it moves at a slow pace.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the book. They find it delightful and enjoyable, especially learning about Marie Antoinette's childhood. Readers consider it worth reading and say it's the start of an excellent trilogy.
"...All this is the start of an excellent trilogy that will appeal to those who like historical fiction, Marie Antoinette, French history and day dreams..." Read more
"...This is a fun and educational read...." Read more
"...Enjoyable, pace felt slow. Best enjoyed by readers looking for a lighter historical story." Read more
"...Worth your time & money!" Read more
Customers find the story engaging and descriptive. They describe it as an excellent historical fiction novel that takes them into the time period. The storyline is based on actual historical events and is a must-read for history fans.
"...appeal to those who like historical fiction, Marie Antoinette, French history and day dreams about magnificient gowns and the distant trappings of..." Read more
"...A seamless story emerges of how, despite the desire to become what both the French and Austrians expect of her, Marie's thorough lack of..." Read more
"...Best enjoyed by readers looking for a lighter historical story." Read more
"Descriptive & so very interesting. I have read other Marie A books before bit this one was different...." Read more
Customers find the book well-written and easy to read. They appreciate the first-person style, which is different from other types of books. The author is described as talented and descriptive.
"...character though she is not portrayed as a Disney princess, she is well written and we see her strengths and weaknesses...." Read more
"Easy reading with plenty of facts to keep the reader entertained from beginning to end...." Read more
"Easy read in a “first person” account of Marie Antoinette’s preparation to become Queen of France. Enjoyable, pace felt slow...." Read more
"Descriptive & so very interesting. I have read other Marie A books before bit this one was different...." Read more
Customers find the book informative and insightful. They appreciate the well-researched content and the factual information that keeps them entertained. The story brings Marie Antoinette's life to life with an in-depth look at her life. The study guide questions at the end allow readers to explore new perspectives on the subject. Overall, readers find the book easy to read and provides a new perspective on one of history's most interesting periods.
"...In fact this novel (and the others) contains study guide questions at the end which allow the reader to contemplate their view of Marie and the..." Read more
"Easy reading with plenty of facts to keep the reader entertained from beginning to end...." Read more
"...This is a fun and educational read...." Read more
"...nothing to do with content, the book was extremely well written and researched...." Read more
Customers find the characters interesting and well-developed. They appreciate the attention to detail and get a good feel for the characters. The book provides an insightful perspective on one of history's most intriguing figures.
"...Marie is a likable character though she is not portrayed as a Disney princess, she is well written and we see her strengths and weaknesses...." Read more
"...Each character was interesting all on their own and the etiquette and attention to detail of the time period made this all the more delicious...." Read more
"...i liked the attention to detail and I got a good feel for the characters. I highly recommend it...." Read more
"...The characters are developed really well and you feel a connection with them." Read more
Customers have different views on the book's pace. Some find it fast and engaging, while others feel it moves slowly.
"...Events in the novel move at a slow, but consuming pace that made me not want to put it down...." Read more
"...Enjoyable, pace felt slow. Best enjoyed by readers looking for a lighter historical story." Read more
"...This was a fun, fast read and I really enjoyed it!" Read more
"very interesting but a slow read. almost more detail than I wanted." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2015This is the first of a trilogy taking the reader through Marie Antoinette's life and death. Told in the first person (mostly) from Marie's point of view the reader is immersed in history. Becoming Marie starts when Maria Antonia is just a child in Austria and deals with her relationship with her mother and sisters. I was shocked to find all the things Maria had to do in order to 'be suitable' to be wed to the future King of France. Maria's mother, Maria Theresa very much wants the marriage to take place to cement a political alliance and the novel devotes a good amount of time setting up this dynastic goal. However, Juliet Grey does a fantastic job of balancing this with all the splendor and radiance you would expect to find among Royals in the 18th century.
In the second half of the book we see Marie's transition from an Austrian Archduchess to the French Dauphine and her stumbles and ordeals in the French court. Marie is a likable character though she is not portrayed as a Disney princess, she is well written and we see her strengths and weaknesses. In fact this novel (and the others) contains study guide questions at the end which allow the reader to contemplate their view of Marie and the Monarchy in general. The end of this book is breathtakingly beautiful, hopeful, and tragic considering we know how the story is going to eventually end up. All this is the start of an excellent trilogy that will appeal to those who like historical fiction, Marie Antoinette, French history and day dreams about magnificient gowns and the distant trappings of Royalty.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2014Easy reading with plenty of facts to keep the reader entertained from beginning to end. The author superbly describes the contrasts between Marie's idyllic, isolated childhood, and growing up in a close familial, religiously oriented po-dunk Austrian court. Versus the ruthless, amoral, audaciously hedonistic lifestyle awaiting her at the glittering French Versailles palace. In Grey's book, we see the pampered, well-loved daughter of a politically powerful mother, who continually fails to understand her Mother views her only as a pawn for advancing Austrian causes. Marie Antoinette's naivette and uneducated upbringing is historically well documented. Grey uses these facts to set the stage, and demonstrate Marie was raised in a fantasy of thinking she can live eternally among loving, congenial royals. As Revolution looms, readers see that reality will become a harsh teacher for the young innocent girl. The author makes a clear case how this foreign countrified princess possesses no skills, or understanding of anything in particular. Yet, she learns how to navigate among those who view her only as a mindless, frivlous, female; whose only purpose is to produce heirs, and further the reputation of an extravagnt, decadent, fashionable France. The author does an excellent job of describing Marie's plight trying to serve her adopted country of France, as she learns the langauge, customs, and ways to please her husband and the King. While, at the same time, she is expected to meet political demands arriving via courier on a regular basis, from her critical complaining mother and brother. A seamless story emerges of how, despite the desire to become what both the French and Austrians expect of her, Marie's thorough lack of preparation prevents Marie from succeeding. The book makes it clear, Marie never understands the peril surrounding her, until it is too late. As Revolution begins, the book reveals how the innocent, wide-eyed, bumpkin begins to slowly realize she is isolated and on her own to save her life, and the lives of those she loves. Though we all know the tragic ending of Marie Antoinette, this author's book offers insight into what life was like for Marie transitioning from Austrian to French, from bumpkin to ambassador, from child to woman; from princess to queen, from queen to captive, from captive to execution. In Juliet Grey's book, the reader is given a glimpse of how a young inexperienced Austrian princess, possessing no knowledge of French language or culture, through her death, becomes the most famous French Queen in history.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2013Becoming Marie Antoinette is the first installment of the Marie Antoinette trilogy by Juliet Gray. This is a fun and educational read.
I previously knew very little about Marie Antoinette, only that she was the queen of France who was beheaded during the French Revolution and that she once said, of the starving masses, "Let them eat cake!" Now, I feel sympathetic toward her, having the weight of the world placed upon her young shoulders beginning at the tender age of 10, when it was first suggested that she should marry Louis XVI and cement the treaty between Austria and France. She was constantly reprimanded by her ambitious mother, who withheld the simplest demonstrations of affection or comfort, then at 14 sent to Versailles without the slightest hope of ever seeing her beloved Austria or family ever again.
Once married and living in the palace at Versailles, I admire the way our heroine strove diligently to follow the often ridiculous French etiquette and to live above reproach. It was also fun to read about the crazy behavior of the upper echelon and to hear about the unusual circumstances of Marie Antoinette's marriage with a husband so shy that he could barely touch her for years and how she learned to love him, offering patience and understanding, for all his shortcomings.
And, just for the record, Marie Antoinette never did say, "Let them eat cake!"
This novel ends as Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI ascend the throne of France, and I am eagerly anticipating the next two books to learn how the rest of her story unfolds.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2018Easy read in a “first person” account of Marie Antoinette’s preparation to become Queen of France. Enjoyable, pace felt slow. Best enjoyed by readers looking for a lighter historical story.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2016Descriptive & so very interesting. I have read other Marie A books before bit this one was different. It was more behind the scenes & puts you in to your Antoinettes mind. Worth your time & money!
Top reviews from other countries
- MiffyReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 29, 2014
5.0 out of 5 stars ... and makes you wonder what life must have been like for Marie Antoinette before leaving Austria and settling into ...
Very interesting start and makes you wonder what life must have been like for Marie Antoinette before leaving Austria and settling into Court life in Versailles. An enjoyable read.
- GamesmartReviewed in Canada on November 15, 2014
4.0 out of 5 stars I like the way the author makes you feel like it ...
Interesting book. I like the way the author makes you feel like it really is Marie-Antoinette narrating her story.
- ElizaReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Although it said used the book was as brand new
- Darren DalliReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 24, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Good
- RebeccaReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2018
2.0 out of 5 stars Two Stars
I'm sure it is a good book I don't know but I just couldn't get into it sorry