Marie Antoinette’s dramatic life-story continues to arouse mixed emotions. To many people, she is still ‘la reine méchante’, whose extravagance and frivolity helped to bring down the French monarchy; her indifference to popular suffering epitomised by the (apocryphal) words: ‘let them eat cake’.

Others are equally passionate in her defence: to them, she is a victim of misogyny. Antonia Fraser examines her influence over the king, Louis XVI, the accusations and sexual slurs made against her, her patronage of the arts which enhanced French cultural life, her imprisonment, the death threats made against her, rumours of lesbian affairs, her trial (during which her young son was forced to testify to sexual abuse by his mother) and her eventual execution by guillotine in 1793.

Picked up at the York Bookcrossing meetup in March.

To be released at the monthly York Bookcrossing meetup.

Lovely book. Picked up at Ye Olde Starre Inne in York.

I didn't know much about Marie Attoinette apart from what I'd read in children's books. They mentioned how she liked to dress as a Shepherdess and and lead (nicley washed) sheep round on ribbons, which isn't true. I knew about how much the Royal Family was on view because I'd read a novel where someone went to see Marie Attoinette eat her dinner. The extent that the Royal families inter married made me wonder if that contributed to her children's ill health.
An interesting read. Thanks for sharing Chuggypig.

Taking to the BC meet up.

For the bookcrossing shelf just inside the door