Marie Antoinette: The Last Queen Of France

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Summary: The new Marie Antoinette
Review: A new biography of Marie Antoinette. There is something of a yawn here. Uness you're new to this old story of woe, you're sure to find here nothing new. The exhausted dramatis personae soon emerge and take their cues as in those archaic dramas by Corneille. Tired old characters: Marie Theresa, Mercy, Campan, DuBarry, Lamballe, Artois, Fersen, Vaudeuil, la Motte, Rohan, etc. Soon rally about the new inept royal couple and quickly tear them apart. I actually recommend this new biography of the doomed Austrian archduchess who became Queen of France in 1774. Although scholastic this new version has something of Jean Pleidy in it. Mostly simply because the historical reality is so intensely melodramatic. Evelyne Lever draws the life of this enigmatic and super vilified woman with certainty but without the vital background information given by Andre Castelot. Neither she has the brilliance and posseses the supreme compassion articulated by Stefan Sweig. A book I recommed to those interested in the subject is 'The Wicked Queen' by Chantal Thomas. An account of the disguting depravity and horror, indirectly propelled by Marie Antoinette's chronic shot-sightness. What remains as yet depicted is the woman herself. Marie Antoinette is an enigma. And thus she smiles wanly from many a bookcase. No writer will be able to reveal the woman herself. Who like Hecuba sat humiliated inside the Conciergerie; waiting to die. Or the desperate mother whose's son was torn from her arms at the Temple. Vilified and spat upon as she so tragically returned to Paris from Varennes, in a living nightmare. Or like Penelope, whom in those perilious mornings at the Tuilleries, astutely grinned at revolutionaries, then at night screamed for help in code. Or the queen, who under a new mauve parasol in organza, paced sighing about the gardens of Trianon, her heart suddenly beating faster at the sight of the comtesse de Polignac. Marie Antoinette lives forever.

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Summary: Harrowing look at the life of Marie Antoinette
Review: A very good biography of Marie Antoinette, which mixes both the politics of the time along with the many mistakes made by Marie Antoinette. It is fascinating to read about a woman who when presented with two choices, almost always made the wrong one.

The last few chapters of the book, about the time period after the King and Queen are imprisoned by the revolutionaries is presented in a very harrowing manner. It is hard to imagine living through what Marie did in the final years of her life. The constant turmoil and apprehension and the pure misery that must have accompanied her final days is well documented and excellently written.

I would highly recommend this biography.

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Summary: Well Written...Slightly Dry/Repetitive at Some Points
Review: Madame Lever has a good sense of style and confidence when it comes to her writing of Marie Antoinette's biography. I have not looked into the actual accuracy of the dates and events that occurred, but instead read the book to acquire some background knowledge about the Queen. However, I'd be interested to know why the family tree shows the son of a duke being two years older than his father. :)

The book reads like a soap opera, without too much emphasis on the political background of Marie Antoinette and Louis the Sixteenth, and more emphasis on the dirty little details of their private lives. However, there seemed to be too much repetition involved in discussing the Queen's affair with Swedish count Axel Fersen, and in these points, the book could become dry and only worth skimming. I also found myself confused at the switching of names between Princess Marie Therese and Madame Royale from chapter to chapter, when they were in fact the same person.

The ending was beautiful, sophisticated, and simple. I appreciated the epilogue, because I found myself interested in what happened to the (few) survivors of the French Revolution. The cover was well done also, and is a beautiful work overall. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in a biography about scandalous royalty. :)

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Summary: Factcheckers please note!
Review: One cannot believe much in a book with an incorrect title. Marie Antoinette was not the last queen of France. That distinction was held by the wife of Louis-Philippe, Marie-Amelie 1782-1866, queen of France 1830-1848. Try instead the biography by Antonia Fraser being published in the US in Sept. 2001.

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Summary: The Widow Capet in biography
Review: Partway through this well-written biography of Marie Antoinette, you realize that you'd rather be reading the biography of her powerful mother, Maria-Theresa, Empress of Austria. The book opens with an excellent mini-bio of Marie Antoinette's politically-savvy mother, who succeeded her father as empress of the eastern empire and who, in addition to making 16 or so children, spent a good deal of her time marrying them off to political advantage, whether or not the match was one that would bring personal happiness to her children. Indeed, some of the princes and kings were duds.

Marie Antoinette was not in herself a terribly interesting person. Her life reads like the life of any celebrity, surrounded by lovers, sycophants who enjoyed a fabulous lifestyle. Marie ensconced herself at The Trianon, dispensing with court dress and court manners to live a luxurious and peaceful life. Sadly, the ferment of the French Revolution swirled around this somewhat simple queen, and she paid a price that must have, in the end, surprised her. The story of their belated attempt to escape France, and the indifference of other crowned heads of Europe (relatives) to their plight is pathetic.

This biography is dry at times--perhaps due to the fact that it's the surrounding history, persons and events that make Marie Antoinette interesting, not the queen in herself.

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Summary: The title IS CORRECT!!
Review: The reader who claims the title is wrong DOES NOT KNOW French History. Marie Antoinette, Reine de France et Navarre WAS THE LAST Queen of France. Marie Amelie, wife of King Louis Philippe I was titled Queen of the French. Her husband was NEVER TITLED King of France but King of the French. That title difference separated the Bourbon Monarchy from the Orleans Monarchy.

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Summary: Why this truncated version?
Review: This is truly strange! The French edtion has 733 pages and this English version is clearly truncated. Why? Can't English readers go beyond what is more or less a synopsis of the original book???

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Summary: Author of Book is so-so writer.
Review: While the book itself isn't bad, in fact it's informative, the problem is that it's somewhat informative, it's missing a few details, and it seems that the author of the book should've done more research for the book on the life of this tragic Queen. I recommend reading the book on the life of Marie Antoinette written by Antonia Fraser. She doesn't skimp on the details!