Saturday, March 8, 2008

The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette

I read The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette by Carolly Erickson for the Royalty Rules Challenge. I decided to expand my horizon and read something else that does not relate to the Tudors, my favorite era of royalty.


This book is told form Marie Antoinette's point of view. I did like the diary format. Erickson wrote about her life form a naive girl to a mature woman on her way to her execution. Even though I knew how the book was going to end I kept hoping her rescue would be at hand. The book implied that Marie Antoinette was a scapegoat for the unhappiness of the French people. Her expensive life style and her being from Austria are some of the reasons for the French Revolution.

I did enjoy this book. Erickson reached her goal by creating a sympathetic Marie Antoinette. I now have to go find biographies of Marie Antoinette to see what was truth and what was fiction. I also have to read about the French Revolution so that I can learn more about it. And yes, the Tudors are still my favorite.

Happy Reading

3 comments:

Lezlie said...

I also am a fan of diary-stye writing. I don't know a lot about Marie Antoinette, but like you, I wanted to learn more when I was finished with this book. Have you read "The Last Wife of Henry VIII" by this same author? It is on my extended TBR list. "The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn" by Robin Maxwell was pretty interesting, too.

Lezlie

Pabast said...

Lezlie

I have not read "The Last Wife of Henry VIII" but I plan on it. I will also have to check out "The Secret Diary Of Anne Boleyn". It should be a good read as Anne had an interesting life.

Have You seen the movie "The Other Boylen Girl"? I have not yet. I am hoping to see it when my girls are visiting their grandparents for spring break.

Pabast

Lezlie said...

I have not seen the movie yet, though I would like to. We may end up waiting for the DVD as Peter and I are usually far too lazy to actually make the trip to the movie theatre. :-)

Lezlie