A very sympathetic version of Marie Antoinette, an engrossing story

Marie Antoinette | Marie Antoinette: The Journey | Antonia Fraser

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	• Marie Antoinette: The Journey Antonia Fraser Anchor, 2002 - 544 pages average customer review:based on 117 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

BOOK

THIS WAS A GIFT SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THE RECIPIENT LIKED IT, HOWEVER, I'M SURE SHE DID.

A very sympathetic version of Marie Antoinette, an engrossing story

I am not a history buff, so it's hard for me to judge if this book is historically accurate. What I can attest to is that Antonia Fraser knows how to write a very engaging non-fictional narrative. And from my limited experience with non-fiction, it is a hard thing to do.

"Marie Antoinette" doesn't appear to be an overly objective book, the tone of it is very involved and I guess that's what makes it so readable. Fraser paints a very sympathetic portrait of Marie Antoinette, who at some point in French history was the most hated woman in the country and was accused of being sexually deviant (to the point of incest), an Austrian spy, an enemy of French people, of bankrupting the country... the list goes on.

Fraser's French queen is extremely likable. Not raised for the high throne, lacking education and crucial understanding of politics, Marie Antoinette is a tragic figure more than anything else. She marries French Dauphin at the age of 14 almost by default, when her sister dies. Without proper tutoring, with her marriage unconsummated for over 7 years, Marie Antoinette keeps herself busy by frivolous occupations: she organizes parties, she dances, she gambles, she buys jewelry and dresses. She is kept in the dark about politics and current events, her first obligation is to be a decoration, not to rule French people who are struggling under heavy taxes. As the years pass, Marie Antoinette becomes a mother, and a great mother at that. She is still apolitical, and yet strangely held responsible for everything bad happening in the country.

Marie Antoinette's political awakening finally happens when France is taken over by the revolutionary forces. When her husband (as inexperienced in politics as she is) finds he has no courage or ability to make decisions about their future, it is Marie Antoinette who takes charge and attempts to salvage monarchy for her son. Unfortunately, due to the lack of clear understanding of politics, she is unable to make the right decisions, and her entire family eventually meets an awful demise.

"Marie Antoinette" is an interesting (and sad) story of a woman whose only aspirations are her family and peaceful life. She is thrown into the world of politics without any preparation and is quickly consumed by it.

Recommended to those readers who are interested in history and biographies of royalty.

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Marie Antoinette

this is such a great story. So much information but it's told like a story. It isn't difficult to read, but i feel i am bettering my vocabulary by the minute.

this product arrived on time and in WAY better condition than i thought it was. And the art work in the book and on the front cover are stunning.

A MUST READ!

France?s beleaguered queen, Marie Antoinette, wrongly accused of uttering the infamous ?Let them eat cake,? was the subject of ridicule and curiosity even before her death; she has since been the object of debate and speculation and the fascination so often accorded tragic figures in history. Married in mere girlhood, this essentially lighthearted, privileged, but otherwise unremarkable child was thrust into an unparalleled time and place, and was commanded by circumstance to play a significant role in history. Antonia Fraser?s lavish and engaging portrait of Marie Antoinette, one of the most recognizable women in European history, excites compassion and regard for all aspects of her subject, immersing the reader not only in the coming-of-age of a graceful woman, but also in the unraveling of an era.

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