A review by ovvlish
Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King by Antonia Fraser

5.0

Well-organized, clear and engaging prose, fresh opinions about the characterization about the sun king, and a general feeling of contributing to the discussion in a way that both honored the women in his life but was also realistic about them as humans with their own flaws. I also am always deeply invested in promoting books that are written for a general audience but which take said audience seriously as people who will understand the historiography if it is given to them. Fraser did not shy away from saying "we just cannot be sure based upon the evidence, but here are some past ideas and arguments, and whether I think they could be valid or not given the viewpoint I present in this work". Additionally, the narrator of this edition did a truly tremendous job, and I would listen to her read the phone book.