Abundance, a Novel of Marie Antoinette

This stunning portrait of Marie Antoinette does much to overturn the legends that have been associated with her name for so long. Marie Antoinette was sent as a young girl of 14 to the court of Louis XV of France, to cement the alliance between Austria and France. She found herself stripped (literally) of everything associated with her home country, and dropped into the lavish court of Versailles. She was married to the hapless Dauphin, portrayed as an odd young man more interested in hunting, reading and mechanical toys than his lovely Queen or the affairs of state. In Naslund's view, Marie was a charming young woman with the grit and backbone of her famous mother, Maria Theresa of Austria. But events conspired to turn her into a hated woman in France. Through no fault of her own, she failed to produce an heir for eight years after her marriage, and in those lonely times, she turned to gaming and frippery to assuage her sorrow and loneliness. According to Naslund, she and the King were sensitive to the poverty and hardship in the country, but were in a sense captives of the nobility who refused to agree to be taxed while the country sank into bankruptcy. We know the sad ending, but somehow Naslund writes with an immediacy and passion that turns this book into a page turner nonetheless. Naslund did a great deal of research, and based her novel's structure on the voluminous correspondence between Marie and her mother. The letters reveal two women striving to fulfill the duty they believed was given to them by God--to rule. This novel gave me new appreciation for the notion of Divine Right of Kings. Royalty had positions of great power but perhaps even greater responsibility. That two clueless teenagers failed in those responsibilities should not surprise. I highly recommend this book!

This was an excellent read! There is evidence of lots of research in the retelling of the story. It begins when Marie is fourteen and on her way to marry Prince Louis. Through actual letters written to her mother in Austria, you are told about her inner feelings and frustration at not having her marriage consumated! It brings the French Revolution to life. You are able to see all the squandor, the poverty, the grandour, the arts, hear the music and smell the city. If you enjoy Historical Fiction, put this book on your list.

I adore historical fiction that goes into great detail about what people wore and ate and bathed and thought about. Abundance is written from the narrow respective of Marie Antoinette herself and therein lies much of the book's strengh (or weakness, according to your prespective). It was wrenching to follow the Queen from the dream-like life at Versailles to the horrors of the Revolution. The chilling scene where the crowd outside her prison cries "kiss the lips" gives a better feel for the atmosphere of the Revolution than piles of history books.

Few historical figures continue to fascinate as does Marie Antoinette. Saint or sinner? Avaricious queen or unwitting martyr? It all depends upon which account you're reading. From the varying opinions, we can assume that she is still very much a mystery, an intriguing one. With prodigious research and imaginative text acclaimed novelist Sena Jeter Naslund (Ahab's Wife) offers an original approach to the life of the ill-fated queen. She does this by allowing Marie Antoinette to speak, thus revealing her impressions, thoughts, and actions in her own words. From the opening line, "Like everyone, I was born naked" to a closing comment, ""I have lived the life dealt to me with as much kindness as I could," Abundance, as performed by Susanna Burney, is riveting listening. Burney effectively captures the voice of the naive 14-year-old Toinette when her marriage to the 15-year-old Daupin, France's future king, is arranged by her mother, the Empress of Austria. The actress is equally efective in expressing wonder as Toinette first explores the riches of Versailles, and finally courage when her son is turned against her and she faces the guillotine. Known for meticulous attention to detail, author Naslund presents a vivid picture of the extravagances of life at court as well as the machinations of various officials who would use Toinette to better themselves. She was blissfully unaware of the dire straits her new country was in, whether due to naivete or deliberate oversight we do not know. However, listeners will find a sympathetic portrait of a young queen who suffered the indignity of her husband's neglect, the false friendships of many, and the horror of seeing her friend's decapitated head on a pike accompanied by angry chants of "Kiss the lips you've kissed before." Abundance is historical fiction at its finest - enjoy! - Gail Cooke

Sena Jeter Naslund is an amazing writer, and her talents are on full display in ABUNDANCE. Her prose is gorgeous, lush and full -- quite befitting a queen. I love the way she takes a character traditionally villified and mocked in the history books and rpesents a much more human and well-rounded portrait of her. Naslund carries themes through her book quite successfully -- color, fashion, love of other, portraiture, and beauty. I enjoyed watching them build as the author threaded these themes & images through the book. This book is a lovely counterpart to the movie, and a palatable introduction to the historical Marie Antoinette.