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Young Royals #6
The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions for Marie-Antoinette
History paints her as a shallow party girl, a spoiled fashionista, a callous ruler. Perhaps no other royal has been so maligned— and so misunderstood— as Marie-Antoinette.
From the moment she was betrothed to the dauphin of France at age fourteen, perfection was demanded of Marie-Antoinette. She tried to please everyone: courtiers, her young husband, the king, the French people, but often fell short of their expectations. Desperate for affection and subjected to constant scrutiny, this spirited young woman can't help but want to let loose with elaborate parties, scandalous fashions, and unimaginable luxuries. But as Marie-Antoinette's lifestyle gets ever-more recklessly extravagant, the peasants of France are suffering from increasing poverty, and becoming outraged. They want to make the queen pay.
In this latest installment of her acclaimed Young Royals series, Carolyn Meyer reveals the dizzying rise and horrific downfall of the last queen of France. Includes historical notes, an author’s note, and a bibliography.
420 pages, Hardcover
First published April 12, 2010
66 people are currently reading
3562 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Meyer
112 books1,090 followersCarolyn Meyer is as versatile a writer as you will find. Along with historical fiction and realistic novels for young adults she has written nonfiction for young adults and books for younger readers on topics as diverse as the Amish, the Irish, Japanese, Yup'ik Eskimos, a rock band, rock tumbling, bread baking, and coconuts. And ten of her books have been chosen as Best Books for Young Adults by the American Library Association. In her most recent historical novels she has dealt with the young lives of Mary Tudor, Princess Elizabeth, Anastasia, and Isabel of Castilla, Spain.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
March 5, 2012
I learned a lot from this book. About history, about the personal life of Marie-Antoinette, about human nature. There were so many facts, so many interesting ideas and concepts. So many statements that could have been true, so many affairs that might not have been true. Marie-Antoinette and her story are one big puzzle - one that will always be difficult to solve and sort through. (And one that will always be worth it in the end.) No one can know which facts are true and which are not; many have been deemed false. The most famous of Marie-Antoinette’s quotes – “Let them eat cake!” – has been studied by many historians over time and most agree that is was one of the (many) lies told about her.
Marie-Antoinette was raised in Austria until she was fifteen years old, where she grew up the youngest of fifteen children. Most had been married long before, and now was time to watch the last few sisters and brothers leave and marry the man or woman who would best protect the Austrian throne. Antonia, as she was called in Austria, is to be married off to the dauphin of France – the next in line to the French throne. With all the work to do to get Antonia presentable to her future husband, Antonia has no time – nor the desire - to think about what lies ahead.
When she is ready to be married, Marie-Antoinette is sent to France, where she begins her life as the dauphine of France. But what she finds there is not what she was expecting. At first life is rocky - adjusting to the new rules, such as wearing stays and no riding horses, and learning who it “looks good” to talk to and who it doesn’t. Then it is smooth – as soon as she gets a hang of French life, no matter how much she dislikes it, Marie-Antoinette begins to live life like she believed she was entitled to as queen of France. She builds theaters, designs lavish gardens, makes beautiful dresses and order the most expensive of jewels. She commits herself to gambling, wasting her husband’s money away for the sake of a desire that could not be quelled.
This is only the beginning – the beginning of her downfall. While she trying to build herself up, Marie-Antoinette only paves the way for a major failure. After falling in love with Count Axel von Fersen but staying faithful to her husband (or so this book claims), the country begins to decline. The people of France are poor, they have no bread, and they blame it on the gambling, wasteful queen, Marie-Antoinette. The rumor on the streets is that when asked what to do with the poor, starving French men and women at the gates of Verseilles, the bad queen answered, “Let them eat cake!” The people are furious, enraged, and they are going to have vengeance.
The story does not end happily. If you are looking for sappy romance with an ending that makes everyone warm and fuzzy inside, please…do not read this book. However, I highly recommend it. For those of you who like historical novels, this is a treat. And for those of you who dislike historical novels but like romance, adventure, and intrigue, this is a treat. The only thing that I would say against this book is that it is probably not a young man’s first pick…but that’s ok. Not every book is. And this book, while being excellently written and planned out, is not for young readers. Marie-Antoinette’s life is very PG-13…from the things she did to the things that people said she did to the things that happened to her. Not only is this book fairly violent (more than I was expecting, that’s for sure), but it holds some mild sexual comments and issues that should be considered. Marie-Antoinette’s married life and court life mostly revolved around the fact that her husband would not visit her bed, and how she didn’t become pregnant until she’d been married for around seven years. Her husband’s lack of desire and actual fear of “the act” (as it is called) is often discussed; and Marie-Antoinette’s almost-affair with Count Fersen is touched up on a bit. Menstrual cycles and other couples’ happiness in marriage (or unhappiness, for that matter) are alluded to. These topics are crucial to the story and the facts of Marie-Antoinette’s life, and Meyers handles them with great care. However, because they are more mature topics, I think this book is geared toward teens fifteen and older.
If I could sum up this entire book in one word, I’d choose the word chilling. It was excellent, but it made my heart race and goosebumps form on my arms. Especially the end. I couldn’t believe the incredible ability with which Carolyn Meyers relates the last few years of Marie-Antoinette’s life. It was cold, depressing, and full of sorrow. It really happened. The life of this bad queen was not meant to end happy, and the way Carolyn Meyers portrays it is so realistic that I cannot help but believe that this is almost exactly how the queen of France and her family must have felt as she and her husband faced their deaths at the dreaded Madame la Guillotine.
Marie-Antoinette was raised in Austria until she was fifteen years old, where she grew up the youngest of fifteen children. Most had been married long before, and now was time to watch the last few sisters and brothers leave and marry the man or woman who would best protect the Austrian throne. Antonia, as she was called in Austria, is to be married off to the dauphin of France – the next in line to the French throne. With all the work to do to get Antonia presentable to her future husband, Antonia has no time – nor the desire - to think about what lies ahead.
When she is ready to be married, Marie-Antoinette is sent to France, where she begins her life as the dauphine of France. But what she finds there is not what she was expecting. At first life is rocky - adjusting to the new rules, such as wearing stays and no riding horses, and learning who it “looks good” to talk to and who it doesn’t. Then it is smooth – as soon as she gets a hang of French life, no matter how much she dislikes it, Marie-Antoinette begins to live life like she believed she was entitled to as queen of France. She builds theaters, designs lavish gardens, makes beautiful dresses and order the most expensive of jewels. She commits herself to gambling, wasting her husband’s money away for the sake of a desire that could not be quelled.
This is only the beginning – the beginning of her downfall. While she trying to build herself up, Marie-Antoinette only paves the way for a major failure. After falling in love with Count Axel von Fersen but staying faithful to her husband (or so this book claims), the country begins to decline. The people of France are poor, they have no bread, and they blame it on the gambling, wasteful queen, Marie-Antoinette. The rumor on the streets is that when asked what to do with the poor, starving French men and women at the gates of Verseilles, the bad queen answered, “Let them eat cake!” The people are furious, enraged, and they are going to have vengeance.
The story does not end happily. If you are looking for sappy romance with an ending that makes everyone warm and fuzzy inside, please…do not read this book. However, I highly recommend it. For those of you who like historical novels, this is a treat. And for those of you who dislike historical novels but like romance, adventure, and intrigue, this is a treat. The only thing that I would say against this book is that it is probably not a young man’s first pick…but that’s ok. Not every book is. And this book, while being excellently written and planned out, is not for young readers. Marie-Antoinette’s life is very PG-13…from the things she did to the things that people said she did to the things that happened to her. Not only is this book fairly violent (more than I was expecting, that’s for sure), but it holds some mild sexual comments and issues that should be considered. Marie-Antoinette’s married life and court life mostly revolved around the fact that her husband would not visit her bed, and how she didn’t become pregnant until she’d been married for around seven years. Her husband’s lack of desire and actual fear of “the act” (as it is called) is often discussed; and Marie-Antoinette’s almost-affair with Count Fersen is touched up on a bit. Menstrual cycles and other couples’ happiness in marriage (or unhappiness, for that matter) are alluded to. These topics are crucial to the story and the facts of Marie-Antoinette’s life, and Meyers handles them with great care. However, because they are more mature topics, I think this book is geared toward teens fifteen and older.
If I could sum up this entire book in one word, I’d choose the word chilling. It was excellent, but it made my heart race and goosebumps form on my arms. Especially the end. I couldn’t believe the incredible ability with which Carolyn Meyers relates the last few years of Marie-Antoinette’s life. It was cold, depressing, and full of sorrow. It really happened. The life of this bad queen was not meant to end happy, and the way Carolyn Meyers portrays it is so realistic that I cannot help but believe that this is almost exactly how the queen of France and her family must have felt as she and her husband faced their deaths at the dreaded Madame la Guillotine.
December 26, 2025
The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions for Marie‑Antoinette by Carolyn Meyer is a historical fiction retelling of the life of Marie‑Antoinette, tracking her journey from a sheltered Austrian archduchess forced into marriage at fourteen to the dauphine and later queen of France, through to the dramatic and tragic days of the French Revolution. The narrative is structured around a clever device: each chapter begins with a “rule” Marie is expected to follow as she navigates court etiquette, diplomacy, and her own sense of self in a world where every choice has weighty consequence. Meyer’s version of Marie paints a picture of a spirited, often overwhelmed young woman struggling to reconcile who she is with what is demanded of her position and stereotype.
Stepping into this story felt like walking beside someone who has been relentlessly misunderstood by history, thrust into a dazzling palace where frivolity and decay exist side by side. Marie’s attempts to adapt to Versailles, her fascination with fashion, her awkward, strained marriage to Louis XVI, and her futile efforts to balance duty with personal freedom made her sharply human to me: she is at once naïve, earnest, and painfully aware of how little control she has over her reputation or her destiny. The novel spans a daunting arc, from the dizzying splendor of court life through the growing unrest in France and toward her eventual downfall, with the final chapters narrated by her daughter, Marie‑Thérèse, offering a poignant and sobering close.
What stayed with me most was how this book reminded me that behind legend and scandal there is a real person shaped by pressures no young woman should bear, yet it also does not shy away from showing the consequences of her choices in times of turmoil. Because Meyer’s writing made Marie’s struggles and contradictions feel vivid and emotionally resonant, even when her actions frustrated me, I would give The Bad Queen 3 out of 5 stars: an engaging, thoughtful historical portrait that introduces a familiar figure in a fresh, empathetic way while still honoring the complexity and tragedy of her life.
Stepping into this story felt like walking beside someone who has been relentlessly misunderstood by history, thrust into a dazzling palace where frivolity and decay exist side by side. Marie’s attempts to adapt to Versailles, her fascination with fashion, her awkward, strained marriage to Louis XVI, and her futile efforts to balance duty with personal freedom made her sharply human to me: she is at once naïve, earnest, and painfully aware of how little control she has over her reputation or her destiny. The novel spans a daunting arc, from the dizzying splendor of court life through the growing unrest in France and toward her eventual downfall, with the final chapters narrated by her daughter, Marie‑Thérèse, offering a poignant and sobering close.
What stayed with me most was how this book reminded me that behind legend and scandal there is a real person shaped by pressures no young woman should bear, yet it also does not shy away from showing the consequences of her choices in times of turmoil. Because Meyer’s writing made Marie’s struggles and contradictions feel vivid and emotionally resonant, even when her actions frustrated me, I would give The Bad Queen 3 out of 5 stars: an engaging, thoughtful historical portrait that introduces a familiar figure in a fresh, empathetic way while still honoring the complexity and tragedy of her life.
March 4, 2010
Meyer imagines the life of Marie-Antoinette as a young girl through her death giving us a Queen who was not entirely rotten but self absorbed, shallow, and inept at public relations. All of the chapters begin from a rule that was likely given to the monarch, and the bulk of the rules refer to her rampant unchecked spending. Which Meyer details and then lets the young monarch rationalize. Meyer clearly went out of her way to give an impartial view if the notorious Queen. She does play to Antoinette's spoiled and thoughtless reputation, but balances those fatal flaws with the struggles of young girl trying to fit in amongst the anti-Austrian climate and furthermore portrays Antoinette a loving mother her mother and a dutiful wife. My only complaint is that Meyer shifts the narration from Maire to her daughter, Maire Therese, over the last hundred pages, and I am not sure why. I can only guess that she wanted to keep the narration flowing from a youthful perspective. It only serves to alienate the reader from our narrator during the most critical events of her life. Otherwise, though much of the historical details are fashion and court custom based, readers are also given insights into the American and French Revolutions. Plus the author gives a historical note and a bibliography which many of my "adult" fictionalized novels of actual historical figures do not even bother with. The story is an instantly engrossing choice with a tragic appeal that young ladies should devour like cake.
January 19, 2020
I forgot how much I enjoyed this.
Not necessarily historically accurate but well done.
Fully appropriate for tweens.
Not necessarily historically accurate but well done.
Fully appropriate for tweens.
January 5, 2012
So, despite loads of Historical Revisionist and Fifth-Wave-Feminist theory as well as tons of new research, an author trying to make Marie-Antoinette sound sympathetic, and an “I” point of view where Marie-Antoinette herself is trying to explain and justify her actions and emotions, I still was right there with the mob screaming for her blood to run in the gutter.
You could argue that signing the marriage contract between the future last king and queen of France was the signature on Marie-Antoinette death warrant – the court of France was a rotted tree that had been gilded – it might have looked pretty on the outside, but it was rotten to the core inside and beyond saving.
But on the other hand, you could argue that Marie-Antoinette made every mistake in the book as well as inventing new mistakes when it came to being queen. She doesn’t order anyone’s execution, orders no massacres against any ethnicities or religions, doesn’t beat servants or rape peasants or make gladiators fight to the death for her amusement – and yet her endless spending made my blood boil. Her blindness to the rest of the world made me want to shake her, to drag her by the hand and plop her down in a real peasant cottage, and make her join the rest of the 99% in struggling to make ends meet.
The book itself is well written and very well researched, but the main character is just not someone I care too spend too much time with. Also, structurally, the book took a weird turn at the end. About 4/5’s through the book the queen turns to her daughter and tells she’s been keeping a diary all her life, and known she wants her daughter to keep it going.
Um, what?
I get why – the author had stuff she wanted to write about that would take place after Marie Antoinette would tell the reader: “and then I climbed the scaffold steps,” but 1.) the switch happens more than a year before the queen and her daughter are separated, which would have made more sense as the break point, and 2.) it was jarring to have the main character switched like that when the book was almost done. Suddenly Marie Antoinette is a secondary character, which rather seems to defeat the purpose of this novel.
Also, the “I” point of view used throughout was just that - a point of view; nothing about the prior chapters suggested in any way shape or form that this book was supposed to be an ongoing diary the queen was keeping. Good lord, the queen yammers on and on for most of the book about how much she hates reading and writing!
I must say, though, the book does a very good job showing the insanity of extremes – both the beyond-over-the-top excessiveness of the French court and then the bloody madness of the Terror. Never underestimates humans’ capacity for insanity, in any direction.
So, recommended for fans of Marie-Antoinette and that time period in general. Also, a good introduction to the middle school set of that point in history.
You could argue that signing the marriage contract between the future last king and queen of France was the signature on Marie-Antoinette death warrant – the court of France was a rotted tree that had been gilded – it might have looked pretty on the outside, but it was rotten to the core inside and beyond saving.
But on the other hand, you could argue that Marie-Antoinette made every mistake in the book as well as inventing new mistakes when it came to being queen. She doesn’t order anyone’s execution, orders no massacres against any ethnicities or religions, doesn’t beat servants or rape peasants or make gladiators fight to the death for her amusement – and yet her endless spending made my blood boil. Her blindness to the rest of the world made me want to shake her, to drag her by the hand and plop her down in a real peasant cottage, and make her join the rest of the 99% in struggling to make ends meet.
The book itself is well written and very well researched, but the main character is just not someone I care too spend too much time with. Also, structurally, the book took a weird turn at the end. About 4/5’s through the book the queen turns to her daughter and tells she’s been keeping a diary all her life, and known she wants her daughter to keep it going.
Um, what?
I get why – the author had stuff she wanted to write about that would take place after Marie Antoinette would tell the reader: “and then I climbed the scaffold steps,” but 1.) the switch happens more than a year before the queen and her daughter are separated, which would have made more sense as the break point, and 2.) it was jarring to have the main character switched like that when the book was almost done. Suddenly Marie Antoinette is a secondary character, which rather seems to defeat the purpose of this novel.
Also, the “I” point of view used throughout was just that - a point of view; nothing about the prior chapters suggested in any way shape or form that this book was supposed to be an ongoing diary the queen was keeping. Good lord, the queen yammers on and on for most of the book about how much she hates reading and writing!
I must say, though, the book does a very good job showing the insanity of extremes – both the beyond-over-the-top excessiveness of the French court and then the bloody madness of the Terror. Never underestimates humans’ capacity for insanity, in any direction.
So, recommended for fans of Marie-Antoinette and that time period in general. Also, a good introduction to the middle school set of that point in history.
February 28, 2010
Marie-Antoinette, known as Antonia as a child, grew up as the youngest daughter of Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria, a mother who demanded no less than perfection and dedicated herself to making politically advantageous marriages for her many children. In 1768, the year Antonia turns thirteen, her mother determines to marry her off to Louis-Auguste, the heir to the throne of France, who is one year older than Antonia. From that day forward, everything changes for her. Everything must be perfect - she must look perfect, learn to speak French perfectly, and perfectly memorize the many tedious rules of etiquette practiced at the French court. Now more than ever, her life is no longer her own.
After much tedious education and perfection of her looks, Antonia finally sets off to marry Louis-Auguste in 1770. She must leave behind everything of her former life and give up her Austrian identity, including her name - she is now to be known by her new French name, Marie-Antoinette. At the court of Versailles, she is miserable. She feels unwelcome by many who do not want their future queen to be Austrian, and the many rules that govern her every action at court are stifling. In addition, her marriage is unhappy and she fears she might not produce an heir to the throne and be sent home in disgrace. Determined to at least be happy in some way, she throws caution to the wind, disregards the rules of court life, and decides to live a life of luxury, parties, and entertainments - angering the people of France, who suffer from increasing poverty.
The Bad Queen is a fascinating look at the life of Marie-Antoinette beginning, from the time when she is a young teenager, through the French Revolution, when her own daughter, Marie-Therese, concludes her tragic story. It paints a sympathetic portrait of Marie-Antoinette, and shows how she was not truly a bad or evil person, but simply a girl who at far too young an age was married to a boy who had not been prepared to be a king, leading to poor choices that ultimately caused their downfall. I highly recommend this book, and the other Young Royals books, to readers who enjoy young adult historical fiction.
Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.
After much tedious education and perfection of her looks, Antonia finally sets off to marry Louis-Auguste in 1770. She must leave behind everything of her former life and give up her Austrian identity, including her name - she is now to be known by her new French name, Marie-Antoinette. At the court of Versailles, she is miserable. She feels unwelcome by many who do not want their future queen to be Austrian, and the many rules that govern her every action at court are stifling. In addition, her marriage is unhappy and she fears she might not produce an heir to the throne and be sent home in disgrace. Determined to at least be happy in some way, she throws caution to the wind, disregards the rules of court life, and decides to live a life of luxury, parties, and entertainments - angering the people of France, who suffer from increasing poverty.
The Bad Queen is a fascinating look at the life of Marie-Antoinette beginning, from the time when she is a young teenager, through the French Revolution, when her own daughter, Marie-Therese, concludes her tragic story. It paints a sympathetic portrait of Marie-Antoinette, and shows how she was not truly a bad or evil person, but simply a girl who at far too young an age was married to a boy who had not been prepared to be a king, leading to poor choices that ultimately caused their downfall. I highly recommend this book, and the other Young Royals books, to readers who enjoy young adult historical fiction.
Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.
May 3, 2010
Carolyn Meyer does not disappoint in her newest addition to her Young Royals series, young adult novels on various historical princesses and queens in European history. She tries to present a balanced portrait of the much-maligned queen, whose life is told through a series of diary entries beginning when she was 12 years old and ending near the end of her life, when the author chooses to change the narrator to the Queen's 12-year old daughter, Marie Therese, who narrates the final few years of the Queen's short life and the tragic ending at the guillotine. Meyer writes in an afterword that she was inspired by the recent Coppola film about Marie Antoinette to examine this monarch, and we see Marie Antoinette evolve from a young teenager overwhelmed by the elaborate court etiquette and gossip of the Versailles court to a queen who makes her own simple world in the gardens of Versailles to escape with her children and friends from the formality of court life. The author explores the early years of Marie Antoinette's marriage, in which her husband, the Dauphin, was unable to consummate their marriage, with particular sensitivity. I highly recommend this novel to any teens or even adults who are enjoy French history and this endlessly fascinating monarch. The only thing that bothered me about the book was the title "The Bad Queen," which I felt perpetuated the many stereotypes about Marie Antoinette that the author tries to address with a balanced point of view in the novel. However, perhaps the author thought that the "bad girl" title and the coquettish look of the cover model would help sell books!
December 10, 2012
If you have daughters with princess-obsession, this is definitely a book to read with them for a cure! It was shortly after reading this that Ula (my five year old) traded in her tiara for a Viking helmet. Okay, okay, I'll admit that this probably doesn't seem like an ideal choice for a five-year-old and her eight-year-old sister, but I chose it because we were going to France for a homeschool adventure, and I wanted to give the girls some historical grounding before we got there, and the literature in their age bracket was pretty thin. I actually read a lot of beyond-age-level books with my kids for this reason, but I read WITH them, so we can talk about what is happening, and so I can scan ahead to remove questionable content. And this book was a fabulous mother-daughter read. It opened my mind to the skimpiness of my own education about the French revolution, it brought history alive for Saoirse and Ula, and when we took them to Versailles, they knew the palace better than any of the guides. I should note that we did choose to stop reading the book once Marie-Antoinette was captured after her attempted escape. Since the girls and I had a pretty clear idea of how things turned out in the end, we all agreed to put it aside for happier books. To this day, they are still conversant about the French revolution, they were able to observe its effects all over France, and they are quite savvy about sidestepping the glamourous aspirations of fairy tale princessing. This is a fabulous read for homeschooling families, or for families who wish to enhance their kids' history education.
August 4, 2024
The Bad Queen is a YA historical fiction story about Marie Antoinette that was hard to put down.
The book does a great job of painting the lavish world of Marie Antoinette; I loved reading all the details about her dresses.
Marie Antoinette is a very likable character, though she’s a bit of a brat at the beginning of the book, but the story really does make you feel bad for her.
The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the last few chapters were written in her daughter, Marie Thérèse’s POV. It was a bit distracting since the rest of the book was written in Marie Antoinette’s POV.
The book does a great job of painting the lavish world of Marie Antoinette; I loved reading all the details about her dresses.
Marie Antoinette is a very likable character, though she’s a bit of a brat at the beginning of the book, but the story really does make you feel bad for her.
The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the last few chapters were written in her daughter, Marie Thérèse’s POV. It was a bit distracting since the rest of the book was written in Marie Antoinette’s POV.
December 5, 2020
Bad or misunderstood?
February 11, 2019
just like the other ones. Based off of real facts. Also according to Carolyn Meyer, Marie Antoinette never said "let them eat cake". She says it's not in any historical records.
May 27, 2010
Marie Antoinette, the ill-fated French Queen, is famous for purportedly responding to the starvation and poverty of her subjects "Let them eat Cake!" However, this line is apparently myth and Marie Antoinette was subject to a smear campaign, which this novel seeks to rectify. The Bad Queen begins in Austria with young Marie Antoinette - the fifteenth daughter of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa - learning that she will marry Louis Auguste, Dauphin of France. Each chapter is short, organized according to a rule that Antoniette must learn in order to embark on her new life as Dauphine and later as Queen of France. This set up is clever in the beginning, as it makes clear that young Antoinette has a lot to learn. The Hapsburg court is much more informal and much less decadent than the Bourbon court, with rigid rules set up a century earlier by Louis XIV. The young Antoinette is a charming girl. She's no great brain, no intellectual. She is largely interested in dancing, music, dolls, and gowns, not reading, writing, or politics. Once Antoinette arrives in France, things don't go as smoothly as she had hoped. Antoinette struggles to balance the approval of her overbearing mother (who is kept well apprised of Antoinette's antics by her ambassador as well as Antoinette herself), the French aristocracy, the French populace (who is suspicious of Austrians), and her shy husband. Most disappointingly, Louis Auguste has little interest in his young bride and the novel really shows Antoinette's dispair in being unable to conceive an heir - her prime duty as Dauphine - through no fault of her own.
Ultimately, the novel shows how Marie Antoniette sought to fill her empty life with merry-making, parties, and gambling. Once she becomes Queen, she frivolously spends millions on her pleasure, refashioning the Comtesse Du Barry's Petit Trianon as a private escape from the rigorous rules of Versailles. She becomes more and more out of touch with reality, failing to understand the impact of her spending habits on her reputation (both among the aristocrats she excludes from her lavish parties at Petit Trianon as well as the population in general). Her mother warns her repeatedly, but Marie Antoinette, who never ventures further from Versailles than the Paris Opera, doesn't quite comprehend France's declining economic situation and the public perception of her lifestyle. Even after she has her long-awaited children, Antoinette does not curb her spending, instead building the very expensive Le Hameau, where she pretends to be a common woman.
The novel is like watching a train wreck. Everyone knows that Louis and Antoinette ultimately meet their ends at the Guillotine. Antoinette, despite her lack of passion for Louis stays by Louis' side in the face of danger, never fully comprehending how the French Revolution came to be or why the people despise her so much. The last hundred pages are written from the perspective of Antoinette and Louis' daughter Marie-Therese, as she is the only one who survives the reign of terror.
The novel is told in the first person. The benefit of this perspective is that the reader comprehends what might have been going through Antoinette's mind and why she behaved as she did. However, because it was in the first person, the view of French politics and Louis' reign is very limited. I really enjoyed the novel, but found that I would have preferred it from a third person narrative in order to better incorporate politics and to better understand how Louis himself understood the socio-politico climate at the time he called the Estates General. Clearly, Louis miscalculated the climate, but why was he so out of touch? The Bad Queen is certainly an incomplete look at the French Revolution. It is great, though, for what it is - a look at Marie Antoinette. She certainly was not evil, at least as portrayed in the novel (which is heavily fact based and well researched). She was, however, frivolous, out of touch, and lonely. Neither she nor Louis deserved to lose their heads.
As a final comment, this novel is classified as Young Adult. I would say that the appeal is much broader than that. As an adult, I enjoyed the novel very much. There are also some mature themes - for example adultery as well as Louis' failure to consummate his marriage to Antoinette for 7 years. The author leaves a lot to the imagination - there are no love scenes and it is unclear whether Marie Antoinette actually has a physical relationship (as opposed to a largely emotional one) with Axel von Fersen, the Swedish count who was possibly her lover. I think the novel is appropriate for ages 14+. 4.5 stars.
Reviewed for Amazon VINE
Ultimately, the novel shows how Marie Antoniette sought to fill her empty life with merry-making, parties, and gambling. Once she becomes Queen, she frivolously spends millions on her pleasure, refashioning the Comtesse Du Barry's Petit Trianon as a private escape from the rigorous rules of Versailles. She becomes more and more out of touch with reality, failing to understand the impact of her spending habits on her reputation (both among the aristocrats she excludes from her lavish parties at Petit Trianon as well as the population in general). Her mother warns her repeatedly, but Marie Antoinette, who never ventures further from Versailles than the Paris Opera, doesn't quite comprehend France's declining economic situation and the public perception of her lifestyle. Even after she has her long-awaited children, Antoinette does not curb her spending, instead building the very expensive Le Hameau, where she pretends to be a common woman.
The novel is like watching a train wreck. Everyone knows that Louis and Antoinette ultimately meet their ends at the Guillotine. Antoinette, despite her lack of passion for Louis stays by Louis' side in the face of danger, never fully comprehending how the French Revolution came to be or why the people despise her so much. The last hundred pages are written from the perspective of Antoinette and Louis' daughter Marie-Therese, as she is the only one who survives the reign of terror.
The novel is told in the first person. The benefit of this perspective is that the reader comprehends what might have been going through Antoinette's mind and why she behaved as she did. However, because it was in the first person, the view of French politics and Louis' reign is very limited. I really enjoyed the novel, but found that I would have preferred it from a third person narrative in order to better incorporate politics and to better understand how Louis himself understood the socio-politico climate at the time he called the Estates General. Clearly, Louis miscalculated the climate, but why was he so out of touch? The Bad Queen is certainly an incomplete look at the French Revolution. It is great, though, for what it is - a look at Marie Antoinette. She certainly was not evil, at least as portrayed in the novel (which is heavily fact based and well researched). She was, however, frivolous, out of touch, and lonely. Neither she nor Louis deserved to lose their heads.
As a final comment, this novel is classified as Young Adult. I would say that the appeal is much broader than that. As an adult, I enjoyed the novel very much. There are also some mature themes - for example adultery as well as Louis' failure to consummate his marriage to Antoinette for 7 years. The author leaves a lot to the imagination - there are no love scenes and it is unclear whether Marie Antoinette actually has a physical relationship (as opposed to a largely emotional one) with Axel von Fersen, the Swedish count who was possibly her lover. I think the novel is appropriate for ages 14+. 4.5 stars.
Reviewed for Amazon VINE
October 22, 2014
Cover Blurb: It leers! Ahhh! Other than that fact, I like it. The colors and obvious attention to historical dress, and the pretty gold lettering for the title.
What I Liked: Here was a Marie Antoinette that I could sympathize with - and then later shake my head at, but still understand her reasons. It could not have been easy having to leave her entire life behind - indeed, her very identity - at such a young age, and move to a foreign country and court, marry someone she’d never met, and have everything about her criticized simply because she was Austrian. Having never been required to think about money, and being lonely, it is easy to see how Marie Antoinette fell into such extravagant spending habits - especially when her husband didn’t stop her. It doesn’t make what Marie Antoinette did right, but it’s an explanation, and clearly what she was most guilty of was ignorance. Marie Antoinette’s undoubted spoiledness is also well illustrated without making her unlikable.
What I Disliked: Honestly, nothing.
Believability: Carolyn Meyer is an Author who does her research, and it shows. She also did a splendid job of filling in the blanks and presenting a believable explanation of what really went on at the French court and with Antoinette’s extravagances. It makes sense that she turned to luxury and parties to fill whatever hole leaving Austria created. It makes sense that the French people chose her as a scapegoat because she was Austrian, she did not follow every French social rule, she hadn’t produced an heir, and all in all had (in the eyes of an unhappy public) failed in every respect. It’s all believable, and all makes sense. In writing all of this, the Author doesn’t try to justify Marie Antoinette’s spending or how King Louis paid less attention to the people than he ought to have; she just presents a “this is probably what was really going on” scenario and leaves it at that.
Writing Style: It’s pleasing. The Author interjects a lot of French into the dialogue, but it’s used in a way that makes it easy to understand what it means. And sometimes the character repeats the sentence in English. It’s done very smoothly. When the story switches narrators, from Marie Antoinette to Marie-Therese, I thought I wouldn’t like it, but it, too, is done very smoothly, and there’s no confusion. I also liked how each chapter began with an etiquette "rule," which gave an indication of what would happen in the chapter.
Content: Marie Antoinette often wonders about what she’s supposed to do on her wedding night - she wants people to explain to her in full what will happen. And Marie’s inability to become pregnant quite often comes up. Louis visits her bedchamber quite often, and performs “the act.” Thankfully, no character enlightens Marie in detail about her bedchamber duties, and Louis’s visits are never detailed, either. The Author never goes beyond phrases like, “He made love to me,” or “He caressed me and we did it.” Still, this sort of thing is talked about quite a bit - Louis’s lack of pleasure in it and such, and it seems to me that the Author really didn’t need to mention every time that Louis slept with Marie.
Conclusion: Unsurprisingly, the book ends with Marie Antoinette dying. That’s why the Author switches narrators. The book does, however, still end on a somewhat hopeful note, though the Epilogue quickly crushes that when the Author explains what happened to Marie-Therese. If you don’t want to hear that dismal story, don’t read the Epilogue.
Recommended Audience: Because of the sexual hints, even if they are not in detail, I would recommend this to an older teen audience. Otherwise, parents will have their kids asking them uncomfortable questions. This is a girl-read, and historical fiction fans would like it a lot.
What I Liked: Here was a Marie Antoinette that I could sympathize with - and then later shake my head at, but still understand her reasons. It could not have been easy having to leave her entire life behind - indeed, her very identity - at such a young age, and move to a foreign country and court, marry someone she’d never met, and have everything about her criticized simply because she was Austrian. Having never been required to think about money, and being lonely, it is easy to see how Marie Antoinette fell into such extravagant spending habits - especially when her husband didn’t stop her. It doesn’t make what Marie Antoinette did right, but it’s an explanation, and clearly what she was most guilty of was ignorance. Marie Antoinette’s undoubted spoiledness is also well illustrated without making her unlikable.
What I Disliked: Honestly, nothing.
Believability: Carolyn Meyer is an Author who does her research, and it shows. She also did a splendid job of filling in the blanks and presenting a believable explanation of what really went on at the French court and with Antoinette’s extravagances. It makes sense that she turned to luxury and parties to fill whatever hole leaving Austria created. It makes sense that the French people chose her as a scapegoat because she was Austrian, she did not follow every French social rule, she hadn’t produced an heir, and all in all had (in the eyes of an unhappy public) failed in every respect. It’s all believable, and all makes sense. In writing all of this, the Author doesn’t try to justify Marie Antoinette’s spending or how King Louis paid less attention to the people than he ought to have; she just presents a “this is probably what was really going on” scenario and leaves it at that.
Writing Style: It’s pleasing. The Author interjects a lot of French into the dialogue, but it’s used in a way that makes it easy to understand what it means. And sometimes the character repeats the sentence in English. It’s done very smoothly. When the story switches narrators, from Marie Antoinette to Marie-Therese, I thought I wouldn’t like it, but it, too, is done very smoothly, and there’s no confusion. I also liked how each chapter began with an etiquette "rule," which gave an indication of what would happen in the chapter.
Content: Marie Antoinette often wonders about what she’s supposed to do on her wedding night - she wants people to explain to her in full what will happen. And Marie’s inability to become pregnant quite often comes up. Louis visits her bedchamber quite often, and performs “the act.” Thankfully, no character enlightens Marie in detail about her bedchamber duties, and Louis’s visits are never detailed, either. The Author never goes beyond phrases like, “He made love to me,” or “He caressed me and we did it.” Still, this sort of thing is talked about quite a bit - Louis’s lack of pleasure in it and such, and it seems to me that the Author really didn’t need to mention every time that Louis slept with Marie.
Conclusion: Unsurprisingly, the book ends with Marie Antoinette dying. That’s why the Author switches narrators. The book does, however, still end on a somewhat hopeful note, though the Epilogue quickly crushes that when the Author explains what happened to Marie-Therese. If you don’t want to hear that dismal story, don’t read the Epilogue.
Recommended Audience: Because of the sexual hints, even if they are not in detail, I would recommend this to an older teen audience. Otherwise, parents will have their kids asking them uncomfortable questions. This is a girl-read, and historical fiction fans would like it a lot.
February 17, 2011
Reviewed by Andrea at RexRobotReviews.com
The Bad Queen is the most recent book in Carolyn Meyer’s Young Royals series. It tells the story of Marie Antoinette, one of the most hated and misunderstood queens in all of history. She’s painted as what most of us would call a party girl. She loves lavish entertainments and fancy gowns. The more elaborate the better. She can pretty much be credited with creating big hair. One of her updos stood more than a foot above her head!
It was interesting that Ms Meyer chose to tell Marie’s story in the first person, in a sort of journal format, for most of the story. It changes about ¾ of the way through to Marie-Therese’s point of view, the first born daughter of Louis and Marie Antoinette. The transition is a little abrupt, but it does make sense. Marie still comes across as flighty, and it would be hard to expect her to be able to write about her last days.
Even though Meyer tries to paint Marie in a more favorable light, she still comes across as flighty and not all that intelligent. In her younger days, when she was still in Austria, she laments having to read or do any form of studying. As Queen of France she hasn’t a care for anyone but herself, buying gowns and renovating any palace she can, and even having a village built for her!
Her mother and many people give her rules she should follow to be a good queen, and she seems determined to break each and every one. It really isn’t hard to believe that the people of France hated her.
The character that you really sympathize with is her husband Louis XVI. He comes across as a king that isn’t quite ready to rule, and he probably wasn’t. Louis was in his early twenties when he took the throne. He really expects the people to love him, and for the most part they seem too. It makes it hard to grasp why he was suddenly so hated. Meyer doesn’t really go into details about the reasons for The Revolution, but then again, this book is about Marie and not her husband.
Carolyn touches on some of the scandals that were associated with the Queen. I think it was probably difficult for her to really go deep into some of them. Marie Antoinette was accused of many things, from outrageous spending to affairs and orgies. As this is a novel written for young adults, much of the accusations were just touched on.
The one thing this book really shows is how much Marie loved her children and how she wanted children. It almost seems out of character for her. Yet you really feel her pain when the dauphin Louis Joseph dies at age seven and then her daughter Princess Sophie. She was also fiercely loyal to her husband, even though she was “in love” with a Swedish officer, Hans Axel Von Fersen, whom she met when she was still dauphine.
There’s a lot to be learned about Marie Antoinette in The Bad Queen. It probably isn’t the best book for people looking for a more serious account of her life, but if you are looking to touch just a little bit on the character of this Queen, The Bad Queen is a pretty good place to start.
The Bad Queen is the most recent book in Carolyn Meyer’s Young Royals series. It tells the story of Marie Antoinette, one of the most hated and misunderstood queens in all of history. She’s painted as what most of us would call a party girl. She loves lavish entertainments and fancy gowns. The more elaborate the better. She can pretty much be credited with creating big hair. One of her updos stood more than a foot above her head!
It was interesting that Ms Meyer chose to tell Marie’s story in the first person, in a sort of journal format, for most of the story. It changes about ¾ of the way through to Marie-Therese’s point of view, the first born daughter of Louis and Marie Antoinette. The transition is a little abrupt, but it does make sense. Marie still comes across as flighty, and it would be hard to expect her to be able to write about her last days.
Even though Meyer tries to paint Marie in a more favorable light, she still comes across as flighty and not all that intelligent. In her younger days, when she was still in Austria, she laments having to read or do any form of studying. As Queen of France she hasn’t a care for anyone but herself, buying gowns and renovating any palace she can, and even having a village built for her!
Her mother and many people give her rules she should follow to be a good queen, and she seems determined to break each and every one. It really isn’t hard to believe that the people of France hated her.
The character that you really sympathize with is her husband Louis XVI. He comes across as a king that isn’t quite ready to rule, and he probably wasn’t. Louis was in his early twenties when he took the throne. He really expects the people to love him, and for the most part they seem too. It makes it hard to grasp why he was suddenly so hated. Meyer doesn’t really go into details about the reasons for The Revolution, but then again, this book is about Marie and not her husband.
Carolyn touches on some of the scandals that were associated with the Queen. I think it was probably difficult for her to really go deep into some of them. Marie Antoinette was accused of many things, from outrageous spending to affairs and orgies. As this is a novel written for young adults, much of the accusations were just touched on.
The one thing this book really shows is how much Marie loved her children and how she wanted children. It almost seems out of character for her. Yet you really feel her pain when the dauphin Louis Joseph dies at age seven and then her daughter Princess Sophie. She was also fiercely loyal to her husband, even though she was “in love” with a Swedish officer, Hans Axel Von Fersen, whom she met when she was still dauphine.
There’s a lot to be learned about Marie Antoinette in The Bad Queen. It probably isn’t the best book for people looking for a more serious account of her life, but if you are looking to touch just a little bit on the character of this Queen, The Bad Queen is a pretty good place to start.
November 18, 2010
I've only read one other book about Marie Antoinette, so when this one came up I thought I would give it a shot. Since, it seemed more of a young adult book, I thought maybe I might enjoy it more. While, I'm sure plenty of people (teens especially) might enjoy this book, I was surprised to find it didn't differ that much from the book I already read.
I'm having a hard time understanding Marie Antoinette as a person and this book doesn't help me much. I think this book focuses more on her youth which makes sense since it is a young adult novel. Being the youngest girl of 16 children, I get the feeling she didn't get much attention in her household. That is until her mother married her to the Dauphin of France. All of a sudden she's very much in the public eye. But, I don't think she was adequately taught on what the means. She tries to please too many people at first and doesn't know how to balance it all. And then she decides to focus on herself, with very little regard for the consequences. It's almost like she thought, "I'm royalty and I desire all of these things no matter what the cost."
Yet, I wonder if it didn't matter what she did. I wonder what might have happened had she listened to the advice her mother was constantly giving her. But, I think the French people were already disenchanted with royalty long before she was there. She could have lived like the rest of the people and the commoners probably would have still seen her as an outsider. It's heartbreaking to watch the people target her and the rest of the nobility. I think it would have be a terrifying to time to live in France.
I think you would enjoy this book if you haven't read anything else about Marie Antoinette. For me, it didn't add anything new to what I've already read. I would like a book that focuses more on her adult life. I've read that she cut household expenses and tried to do other things to ease the people's suffering. But neither of the books I've read touch on those things. I just feel like I'm missing something about her life.
I'm having a hard time understanding Marie Antoinette as a person and this book doesn't help me much. I think this book focuses more on her youth which makes sense since it is a young adult novel. Being the youngest girl of 16 children, I get the feeling she didn't get much attention in her household. That is until her mother married her to the Dauphin of France. All of a sudden she's very much in the public eye. But, I don't think she was adequately taught on what the means. She tries to please too many people at first and doesn't know how to balance it all. And then she decides to focus on herself, with very little regard for the consequences. It's almost like she thought, "I'm royalty and I desire all of these things no matter what the cost."
Yet, I wonder if it didn't matter what she did. I wonder what might have happened had she listened to the advice her mother was constantly giving her. But, I think the French people were already disenchanted with royalty long before she was there. She could have lived like the rest of the people and the commoners probably would have still seen her as an outsider. It's heartbreaking to watch the people target her and the rest of the nobility. I think it would have be a terrifying to time to live in France.
I think you would enjoy this book if you haven't read anything else about Marie Antoinette. For me, it didn't add anything new to what I've already read. I would like a book that focuses more on her adult life. I've read that she cut household expenses and tried to do other things to ease the people's suffering. But neither of the books I've read touch on those things. I just feel like I'm missing something about her life.
November 17, 2012
Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com
Marie-Antoinette leaves her country and everything behind at a young age to marry the dauphin of France. While excited at the prospect of making such an important match, she doens't realize what it will entail.
She soon learns there are numerous rules and protocols to follow - whether she believes them to be right or not. There are plenty of people who want her to fail, and not many wishing to become her friend. Marie-Antoinette fumbles through trying to please everyone, but makes waves in the process, often unintentionally.
Besides problems with the court rules, she finds she can't relate to her husband. They have nothing in common. While she attempts small talk, even that can't go very far. Even though he is of a similar age, he wants nothing to do with her. Their martial problems fuel gossip at court. According to the French people and her mother, it is her job to make the marriage work and her fault if no heirs are produced.
After the king's death, Marie-Antoinette lives more freely. She gravitates towards a younger crowd, inviting them to fancy parties held away from court. She fixes up a property given to the former king's mistress, and then begins work on a small village for her comfort. In these places, she feels free, away from the pressures of court and from prying eyes.
However, the construction and the parties cost a fortune. The French people are not amused, as many began to go hungry. They want justice for their troubles. Marie-Antoinette becomes their target, and soon no one is safe.
THE BAD QUEEN provides an in-depth look at one of the most famous royals often portrayed as a villain. In actuality, Marie-Antoinette was a young girl with enormous power who enjoyed entertaining. Meyer portrays her as a girl who doesn't notice the situation around her, who is loyal to her husband in times of trouble, and who doesn't understand the French, but one who will live on in history.
Marie-Antoinette leaves her country and everything behind at a young age to marry the dauphin of France. While excited at the prospect of making such an important match, she doens't realize what it will entail.
She soon learns there are numerous rules and protocols to follow - whether she believes them to be right or not. There are plenty of people who want her to fail, and not many wishing to become her friend. Marie-Antoinette fumbles through trying to please everyone, but makes waves in the process, often unintentionally.
Besides problems with the court rules, she finds she can't relate to her husband. They have nothing in common. While she attempts small talk, even that can't go very far. Even though he is of a similar age, he wants nothing to do with her. Their martial problems fuel gossip at court. According to the French people and her mother, it is her job to make the marriage work and her fault if no heirs are produced.
After the king's death, Marie-Antoinette lives more freely. She gravitates towards a younger crowd, inviting them to fancy parties held away from court. She fixes up a property given to the former king's mistress, and then begins work on a small village for her comfort. In these places, she feels free, away from the pressures of court and from prying eyes.
However, the construction and the parties cost a fortune. The French people are not amused, as many began to go hungry. They want justice for their troubles. Marie-Antoinette becomes their target, and soon no one is safe.
THE BAD QUEEN provides an in-depth look at one of the most famous royals often portrayed as a villain. In actuality, Marie-Antoinette was a young girl with enormous power who enjoyed entertaining. Meyer portrays her as a girl who doesn't notice the situation around her, who is loyal to her husband in times of trouble, and who doesn't understand the French, but one who will live on in history.
December 28, 2010
I have read almost all of Carolyn Meyer’s books and loved every one of them. She writes such great novels about females in history and presents their stories in an intriguing and enjoyable way. The Bad Queen was no exception.
I’ve read quite a bit about Marie-Antoinette, but never a whole novel about her. The Bad Queen spanned over the course of her whole life. From the time she was a young child to her death; in which case her daughter takes up the tale. My heart went out to Marie-Antoinette because she really wasn’t a bad person. Her life was just difficult. She was married off at a young age to a boy who didn’t understand marriage and ruling at all. King Louis XVI was another character in the novel I had never read about. Meyer wrote an intriguing look at the life of one of history’s most famous couples and opened readers eyes to how difficult things were for them, especially in their final days.
Marie-Antoinette was a controversial character. Her excessive spending and arrangement of extravagant balls was obviously not a good choice, but readers can still sympathize with her because she was so oblivious to what was really going on and was dealing with a lot. Carolyn Meyer presented both sides of Marie-Antoinette and I got really attached to her by the end of the story.
The historical facts included in the story were especially interesting. Reading about the fashions and rules of the court and the different people that Marie-Antoinette encountered throughout her life was one of my favorite aspects of the book. Each chapter began with a new rule Marie-Antoinette had to follow at the French Court and some of them were so extreme!
The Bad Queen was another great novel by Carolyn Meyer. It presented the famous French Queen in a new light and the facts were impressive and thorough. I highly recommend this to historical fiction fans!
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
I’ve read quite a bit about Marie-Antoinette, but never a whole novel about her. The Bad Queen spanned over the course of her whole life. From the time she was a young child to her death; in which case her daughter takes up the tale. My heart went out to Marie-Antoinette because she really wasn’t a bad person. Her life was just difficult. She was married off at a young age to a boy who didn’t understand marriage and ruling at all. King Louis XVI was another character in the novel I had never read about. Meyer wrote an intriguing look at the life of one of history’s most famous couples and opened readers eyes to how difficult things were for them, especially in their final days.
Marie-Antoinette was a controversial character. Her excessive spending and arrangement of extravagant balls was obviously not a good choice, but readers can still sympathize with her because she was so oblivious to what was really going on and was dealing with a lot. Carolyn Meyer presented both sides of Marie-Antoinette and I got really attached to her by the end of the story.
The historical facts included in the story were especially interesting. Reading about the fashions and rules of the court and the different people that Marie-Antoinette encountered throughout her life was one of my favorite aspects of the book. Each chapter began with a new rule Marie-Antoinette had to follow at the French Court and some of them were so extreme!
The Bad Queen was another great novel by Carolyn Meyer. It presented the famous French Queen in a new light and the facts were impressive and thorough. I highly recommend this to historical fiction fans!
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
July 6, 2010
If the author was trying to make Marie Antoinette into a likable, sympathetic character, I think she failed. I found Marie Antoinette to be very annoying, in fact - whiny, frivolous, and ignorant. She had no use for schooling, refused to pay attention to current events in her own country, and even though she was warned by lots of different people that the peasants were starving and had no money and that she needed to curtail her spending, she kept on demanding bigger and more elaborate stuff be made for her. And perhaps that is exactly what she was like, in which case it is hard to feel sorry for her when she finally gets her head chopped off.
Product Description
History paints her as a shallow party girl, a spoiled fashionista, a callous ruler. Perhaps no other royal has been so maligned — and so misunderstood — as Marie-Antoinette.
From the moment she was betrothed to the dauphin of France at age fourteen, perfection was demanded of Marie-Antoinette. She tried to please everyone — courtiers, her young husband, the king, the French people — but often fell short of their expectations. Desperate for affection and subjected to constant scrutiny, this spirited young woman can’t help but want to let loose with elaborate parties, scandalous fashions, and unimaginable luxuries. But as Marie-Antoinette’s lifestyle gets ever-more recklessly extravagant, the peasants of France are suffering from increasing poverty — and becoming outraged. They want to make the queen pay.
In this latest installment of her acclaimed Young Royals series, Carolyn Meyer reveals the dizzying rise and horrific downfall of the last queen of France. Includes historical notes, an author’s note, and a bibliography.
Product Description
History paints her as a shallow party girl, a spoiled fashionista, a callous ruler. Perhaps no other royal has been so maligned — and so misunderstood — as Marie-Antoinette.
From the moment she was betrothed to the dauphin of France at age fourteen, perfection was demanded of Marie-Antoinette. She tried to please everyone — courtiers, her young husband, the king, the French people — but often fell short of their expectations. Desperate for affection and subjected to constant scrutiny, this spirited young woman can’t help but want to let loose with elaborate parties, scandalous fashions, and unimaginable luxuries. But as Marie-Antoinette’s lifestyle gets ever-more recklessly extravagant, the peasants of France are suffering from increasing poverty — and becoming outraged. They want to make the queen pay.
In this latest installment of her acclaimed Young Royals series, Carolyn Meyer reveals the dizzying rise and horrific downfall of the last queen of France. Includes historical notes, an author’s note, and a bibliography.
September 9, 2010
Likes:
The author did not add any fictional characters and tried to stay true to Marie Antoinette.
There is no huge romance between Axel and Marie... there is no proof that it happened and the story let the Queen keep her virtue.
This is truely a Young Adult book, it is not inappropriate for teen readers but we still get the feel of the story.
The Rules listed at the front of each chapter where a nice touch.
The descriptions of some of M.A.'s properties sounded so beautiful.
The Ending when the daughter, Madame Royale takes over the diary. (I almost wish we could have heard a little more from her)
Dislikes:
The wording in the story seems to get a little watered down-like reading fluff.
There is not much vernancular from the time period, so it feels non-authentic.
It was hard to get to know our main character, she always seemed aloof and dim-witted.... or snobby.
It feels like we know barely anything of the King-we know the Queen love's him (like a brother), but there is minimal written about their actual relationship.
It is in diary format; that in itself is fine, but when compared to The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette it doesn't even hold a candle.
I would recommend this to YA Readers who are interested in time-period pieces... that maybe haven't read many, just trying to get a fresh read on something they don't have much knowledge about.
The author did not add any fictional characters and tried to stay true to Marie Antoinette.
There is no huge romance between Axel and Marie... there is no proof that it happened and the story let the Queen keep her virtue.
This is truely a Young Adult book, it is not inappropriate for teen readers but we still get the feel of the story.
The Rules listed at the front of each chapter where a nice touch.
The descriptions of some of M.A.'s properties sounded so beautiful.
The Ending when the daughter, Madame Royale takes over the diary. (I almost wish we could have heard a little more from her)
Dislikes:
The wording in the story seems to get a little watered down-like reading fluff.
There is not much vernancular from the time period, so it feels non-authentic.
It was hard to get to know our main character, she always seemed aloof and dim-witted.... or snobby.
It feels like we know barely anything of the King-we know the Queen love's him (like a brother), but there is minimal written about their actual relationship.
It is in diary format; that in itself is fine, but when compared to The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette it doesn't even hold a candle.
I would recommend this to YA Readers who are interested in time-period pieces... that maybe haven't read many, just trying to get a fresh read on something they don't have much knowledge about.
August 31, 2010
At first, I felt bad for Antoinia (Marie-Antoinette). Really, I did, just like I would with any woman being married off without knowing her betrothed. Her mother was always nagging her, as was everyone. And you know what? Sometimes they were right. Sometimes you just need to sit down, shut up, and listen to what your elders have to say, especially when they have experience, you know? They might actually have some knowledge. I do believe Marie and her husband weren't all at fault when it came to the disastrous state of the French people and economy. However, I don't believe they simply were just Scapegoats. Marie-Antoinette wasn't accustomed to French living, and I believe that dealing with wanting to impress every one make life difficult. The adults in both Marie and Louis' life didn't prepare either of them for ruling, and it caught up with them. But I do believe that after a certain point, Louis should have stepped up and acted like a King rather than shying away from everything. Marie-Antoinette should have stopped all that ridiculous spending when she was repeatedly told what it would lead too; and that makes me even more shocked. She wanted to be loved by the people, right? Then why only appeal to nobility when she obviously knew they weren't her only subjects? Ugh. Anyways, I enjoyed this a lot less than all the other historical fiction novels I've read. I honestly don't think it was the writing, just more the subject.
July 21, 2012
I love what Carolyn Meyer does for historical fiction. To me, she is the Phillipa Gregory of Y.A. authors and her work inspired my love of historical fiction. This is the first of her non-Tudor novels that I've read, but I hate to say I didn't like this one as much. Maybe it's just because I've read so much other stuff about Marie-Antoinette, or that this version was very...tame...but it took a lot longer to get through than Meyer's other books. In the last ten years or so, there's been a big surge in lit/media that tries to victimize rather than villainize Marie-Antoinette. And don't get me wrong-I'm all for that. I love looking into alternate views that murk up what we know as history, but this story just seems to make excuses for everything Marie Antoinette's been blamed for. It doesn't feel like Marie-Antoinette is a real person whose head the reader can really get inside of.
On a more technical note, this book is too long. The entire last section hands off the first-person narration to Marie-Antoinette's daughter Marie-Therese, but it doesn't succeed in giving a happy ending to a tragic story (if that was Meyer's objective). Instead, it just prolongs the walk to the scaffold that we all know is coming.
All that aside, I still really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to more from Meyer's Young Royals series!
On a more technical note, this book is too long. The entire last section hands off the first-person narration to Marie-Antoinette's daughter Marie-Therese, but it doesn't succeed in giving a happy ending to a tragic story (if that was Meyer's objective). Instead, it just prolongs the walk to the scaffold that we all know is coming.
All that aside, I still really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to more from Meyer's Young Royals series!
May 20, 2010
A look into the life of the notorious queen Marie Antoinette. The story, told in a journal format, begins when Marie is very young and still living in Austria. It follows her life as she prepares to marry and become the dauphine of France...eventually becoming the Queen. The story follows her blunders and misconceptions, her disappointments and her few joys. We follow her through the end of her life at the guillotine.
This fictional account of what Marie Antoinette's life may have been like gives a new look into the infamous queen. It portrays her in different light, a confused child forced into the world of adults in a culture she not only doesn't understand, but one she wants to change for the better. The story was engaging and captivating. My heart went out to her and the entire royal family and the rebellion overtook their lives. While their decisions may have led to their downfall, we see how they may have known no better.
This fictional account of what Marie Antoinette's life may have been like gives a new look into the infamous queen. It portrays her in different light, a confused child forced into the world of adults in a culture she not only doesn't understand, but one she wants to change for the better. The story was engaging and captivating. My heart went out to her and the entire royal family and the rebellion overtook their lives. While their decisions may have led to their downfall, we see how they may have known no better.
March 30, 2010
Very enjoyable read, it really gave a window into what living in the culture of 18th century France must have been like, and reminded me that all these historical figures were real people. Since it is a yong adult novel, it didn't go into the kind of detail I would have liked, especially with secondary characters, and rushed through certain events, but was still a great introduction into fiction about this time period. As part of the Young Royals series, it was really nice to see another entry that didn't have to do with the Tudors (so overdone!). Wil definitely be reading the next book in this series, and more about pre-Revolutionary France.
June 1, 2012
I read this while eating a piece of cake. I thought the writing sounded sincere and close to what Marie-Antoinette most likely experienced in France. Even though, she wasn't the nicest character the story never got boring for me to stop reading until the end.
June 29, 2012
I really enjoyed this book a lot. I loved how it was still a story but history was also involved so you learned something while reading a fun story. I did feel bad for Marie as I was reading. I love that the author is from here and do want to read the rest of her books.
March 2, 2015
LOVED IT! I loved the way the author integrated what we know (historically) with what we don't.
One of the VERY few books I've read non-stop (on lunch breaks only) and from A-Z. Did not want it to end. So, time to explore Carolyn Meyer's other books. :)
One of the VERY few books I've read non-stop (on lunch breaks only) and from A-Z. Did not want it to end. So, time to explore Carolyn Meyer's other books. :)
February 18, 2012
I absolutely loved this book. Great detail told in a great way! I would definitely read this again and I also recommend it completely! :)
February 25, 2010
If I were 15, I would have given this a 5.
October 27, 2022
This book felt like historical fiction that was trying really hard to both be emotional and emotive while also being an accurate account of history and it kind of failed. I would much rather read an actual biography of Marie Antoinette than read the facts in a novel format that doesn't really make me feel much. That being said, this is not necessarily a bad book. I still learnt some stuff, but now I'm more interested in, like I said, reading a purely factual account of her life. Also, the author did not use many references. There are like, 5 books in the bibliography. (I don't know, that doesn't feel like a lot to me).
I think one of the problems with this book is that the whole pitch is showing that Marie Antoinette wasn't that bad, that she was misunderstood, etc., etc. This book didn't do that. It pretty much just said, "okay, she wanted all these things and patience is a virtue she didn't have, also she was forced in marriage, so it's alright". That's not really how it works. You need to explore her motivations at the very least, and maybe include some character growth though I'm guessing that doesn't fit with what history tells us? It kind of felt like the author expected readers to equate the difficulties of Marie Antoinette's life into it being alright for her to do whatever she liked.
Anyway, sadly, Marie Antoinette's life is kind of perfect to be translated into story-form (whether that be movies or books), so that helps with creating a good book. The French Revolution is a complicated subject to cover and there are lots of intricacies that need to be discussed, but this book was quite a shallow account of Marie Antoinette's perspective.
I think one of the problems with this book is that the whole pitch is showing that Marie Antoinette wasn't that bad, that she was misunderstood, etc., etc. This book didn't do that. It pretty much just said, "okay, she wanted all these things and patience is a virtue she didn't have, also she was forced in marriage, so it's alright". That's not really how it works. You need to explore her motivations at the very least, and maybe include some character growth though I'm guessing that doesn't fit with what history tells us? It kind of felt like the author expected readers to equate the difficulties of Marie Antoinette's life into it being alright for her to do whatever she liked.
Anyway, sadly, Marie Antoinette's life is kind of perfect to be translated into story-form (whether that be movies or books), so that helps with creating a good book. The French Revolution is a complicated subject to cover and there are lots of intricacies that need to be discussed, but this book was quite a shallow account of Marie Antoinette's perspective.
March 14, 2019
I did not enjoy it. Historically, it was interesting. As a story...
My main problems with "The Wild Queen" by this author are the same issues I have with this book. Horrendous leadership, sex, and the writing is not my favorite.
Leadership/character: It feels like Marie and Louis did not even try to be good rulers. Louis did not like politics (even though that is basically his job description), and Marie believes she has no role in leading the country aside from providing an heir. Louis avoids his responsibility to France; Marie is entitled and unwise.
Sex: Massive part of the story. So many instances. There is NO WAY this book should be considered YA. Just get the facts from an article instead of experiencing it in a story. Extremely inappropriate. As a sidenote, there are multiple references to homosexuality. It is not necessarily portrayed in a negative or positive light.
Writing: The writing was acceptable, except for the fact that the chapter titles seemed forced. It was a clever idea that after fifteen chapters ish just did not quite pan out. I was also not a fan of the way the transition to Marie-Therese was written. Marie-Antoinette talks about becoming a different person, and then Marie-Therese picks up the narrative. There is not a clear description of how exactly Marie-Antoinette was changed as a person and how that led her to pass the diary on to her daughter.
Violence/gore: Part of this IS set in the French Revolution, so there is talk of severed heads and a few quite graphic descriptions. There is also a gruesome, bloody dental operation in the first few chapters that I thoroughly did not appreciate.
In conclusion, if you want a steamy historical fiction with main characters that have poor character qualities and a tragic ending, give it a go. If you are just interested in the information, go read some articles online.
My main problems with "The Wild Queen" by this author are the same issues I have with this book. Horrendous leadership, sex, and the writing is not my favorite.
Leadership/character: It feels like Marie and Louis did not even try to be good rulers. Louis did not like politics (even though that is basically his job description), and Marie believes she has no role in leading the country aside from providing an heir. Louis avoids his responsibility to France; Marie is entitled and unwise.
Sex: Massive part of the story. So many instances. There is NO WAY this book should be considered YA. Just get the facts from an article instead of experiencing it in a story. Extremely inappropriate. As a sidenote, there are multiple references to homosexuality. It is not necessarily portrayed in a negative or positive light.
Writing: The writing was acceptable, except for the fact that the chapter titles seemed forced. It was a clever idea that after fifteen chapters ish just did not quite pan out. I was also not a fan of the way the transition to Marie-Therese was written. Marie-Antoinette talks about becoming a different person, and then Marie-Therese picks up the narrative. There is not a clear description of how exactly Marie-Antoinette was changed as a person and how that led her to pass the diary on to her daughter.
Violence/gore: Part of this IS set in the French Revolution, so there is talk of severed heads and a few quite graphic descriptions. There is also a gruesome, bloody dental operation in the first few chapters that I thoroughly did not appreciate.
In conclusion, if you want a steamy historical fiction with main characters that have poor character qualities and a tragic ending, give it a go. If you are just interested in the information, go read some articles online.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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