Flaunting, Extravagant Queen (French Revolution Series)

This historical novel about Marie Antoinette is very enjoyable. I picked up the book being interested in Marie Antoinette and looking to find out more about her life. The book follows her from the time her wedding to Louis XVI is announced to her death. It is well written with a good pace. It shows well the different sides of her personality and how while she was obviously disconnected from the reality, at the end of her life she remained a humble yet proud person. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to familiarize themselves with the life of Marie Antoinette and who look for a historically acurate yet enterntaining account of her life.

I read this book while still a student of Advanced Level European History. I swear I learnt more European History in this and other similar titles, than I did in the class room. The novels were exciting, factual and more engaging than any history class. Thank you Ms Plaidy for keeping the fires of interest burning.

Poor Marie Antoinette! She was the wrong person in the wrong place in the wrong time. She grew up in the virtuous court of the Hapsburgs and married into that of scandalous France. There, she found a shy husband, admirers, but mostly enemies. Eventually, the King died, and she and Louis became rulers of France. The people were ready to admire the new king and queen, especially when the new rulers declared France would be great. Fueled by power hungry men and women, the people's love soon turned to hate as the people' became poorer and the aristocracy followed Marie Antoinette's lead and became more extravagant. She didn't understand how her foolishness would lead to downfall until it was too late. Things spiraled out of control, and before they knew it, the royal family was prisoners in the hands of their own subjects. And everyone knows the fate of Marie Antoinette after this: the guillotine.While I was reading this book, I was impatient to finish it, because I wanted to read another one. Even under these circumstances, Jean Plaidy's work never ceased to lose its richness. She is a great author, even to the impatient reader.