rouge_red 's review for:

The Rose of Versailles Volume 3 by Riyoko Ikeda

4.0

emotional tense fast-paced

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This omnibus has done the best at marrying the drama of Oscar's private/love life and the people rising up in protest against the aristocracy, poverty, Marie Antoinette and her lavish spending. Alongside that, you can really see how Oscar is wrestling with her own loyalties to the crown and her countrymen, as well as the powers she exerts as a leader in the military. In fact a big theme in this collection is control- the people fighting for votes in Parlement, Oscar trying to get her regiment to take her seriously, Marie Antoinette and Co. figuring how best to raise taxes in order to fund their spending, etc. As we end the last volume, we are on the precipice of war, Oscar and Andre have declared their love, the people are set to riot...and sure, like Oscar said, we're just marching...we won't be called to turn our swords on our own people.