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le_corbeau_romantique's review against another edition
4.0
A sympathetic look at the great queen. Even today the slanderous propaganda of her time takes hold of her memory- no she NEVER said "Let them eat cake." She was a very misunderstood woman resulting in very tragic events. I love Fraser's books, but I wish more of the french would have been translated. I read and listened to the wonderful audiobook.
takumo_n's review against another edition
5.0
Marie Antoinette did not say "Let them eat cake" nor she was promiscuous or spent all the money in luxury more than anybody else in the royal court or her private society, nor she was illiterate or had ADHD. What she was was a smart woman who had her education delayed from her mother, the mighty Maria Teresa of Austria, not being her main concern, she was incredibly sympathetic to everyone in any social class making her understand the complaints of the common people, she had a remakable maternal instinct making her a better mother than most queens, she was a people pleaser surprising everybody who ended up knowing her, she never escaped from France when she had the opportunity when the result would be leaving her husband and/or children, she never had anything but love for France her brothers and sisters abroad, she had a great sense of duty so even though her husband couldn't perform for the first seven years of their marriage she waited and waited and tried to get involved in politics the last few years of her life even though she was never interested. For all these virtues she was the political tool of her mother and older brother (Joseph II emperor of Austria), and the scapegoat for the problems of France and the opportunists who wanted her death long before the revolution. She did nothing but suffer humiliations and torture for the last four years of her life, and even though this remakable book makes you care for everything that's happening Marie Antoinette is always in the background, until the last three chapters where you can't feel anything but empathy for this woman who had her destiny already set by France and disgust for this world knowing full well that when we talk about "politics" in the dinner table with the family or friends is nothing more than gossip and charitable reforms that we happened to believe in, knowing full well that to actually talk about politics we need to understand complex structural reasons from a anthropological, philosophical, historical and cultural perspective of the contemporary problems that haunt us every day, but God knows we haven't change. Anyway this book is incredible, please read it. Bye.
Her was an uncommon story but did not begin with an uncommon situation. Where she was exceptionally unlucky was to be shunted off to France in order the cement a Habsburg-Bourbon teatry, entered into after the Seven Years War, which reversed traditional alliances. Yet this treaty was purely one of convenience for the great ones involved; it carried with it neither the hearts not the minds of the French court. She was, after all, l'Autrichienne long before she appeared in France.
Her was an uncommon story but did not begin with an uncommon situation. Where she was exceptionally unlucky was to be shunted off to France in order the cement a Habsburg-Bourbon teatry, entered into after the Seven Years War, which reversed traditional alliances. Yet this treaty was purely one of convenience for the great ones involved; it carried with it neither the hearts not the minds of the French court. She was, after all, l'Autrichienne long before she appeared in France.
dontwritedown's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
2.0
It's incredibly infuriating when the author writes about the 35 year old Queen as if she were still a 15 year old clueless Dauphine. The whole goal of the book felt to lean into this narrative that Marie wasn't a Queen, but more of a Mother but neglected to mention all but one of her adopted children. Around the 50% mark this became a hate read as i had sunk too much time and had this book on my TBR for too long to DNF it entirely.
ur_best_dream_girl's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.25
callmeren's review against another edition
4.0
This was the first book I grabbed off the shelves during my visit to Shakespeare and Co. (Whoot!) As the kind of person who reads mainly fantasy and fiction, reading this dry non-fiction biography was slow going for me. But I learned a lot and I enjoyed learning it in the end. It's very thorough and balances this sympathetic eye opener view of Marie Antoinette with a neutral tone very well. Not recommended for those looking for a story on her life. But I do recommend it for those who want to know more about France's most famous (infamous?) queen.
labunnywtf's review against another edition
3.0
This is a really long book. It didn't take me as long as I thought it did, but to be fair, my brain wandered a lot. The trouble is, there's so much I don't know about the French revolution, so when they start listing names and places and dates and everyone is a Marie Teresa or a Louis the Number, or a King/Prince/Emperor from somewhere, they all kind of run together.
That being said, I learned a hell of a lot about this period of time, stuff I've never understood before, and it makes me want to read more about the revolution and these historical characters. Including Robespierre, I need to get my hands on a book that isn't dry.
The one thing I'm taking away is that Marie Antoinette didn't deserve what history has done to her. She had her flaws, and she wasn't any kind of icon, but she was vilified within an inch of her life, by a world that already hated women.
Last note: maybe I could've paid more attention if certain pop culture references
would've just left my brain alone.
That being said, I learned a hell of a lot about this period of time, stuff I've never understood before, and it makes me want to read more about the revolution and these historical characters. Including Robespierre, I need to get my hands on a book that isn't dry.
The one thing I'm taking away is that Marie Antoinette didn't deserve what history has done to her. She had her flaws, and she wasn't any kind of icon, but she was vilified within an inch of her life, by a world that already hated women.
Last note: maybe I could've paid more attention if certain pop culture references
would've just left my brain alone.
misterythemermaid's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
underwaterlily's review against another edition
5.0
Though oblivious to the plight of the people and known for her extravagance, Marie Antoinette wasn’t a malicious woman. She was vivacious, sweet, and kind-hearted—a true victim of circumstance. Fraser’s biography is beautifully written and sympathetic.