Louis XIV, the highly-feted “Sun King”, was renowned for his political and cultural influence and for raising France to a new level of ...
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Feb 28, 2008
Tatiana
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so, definitely not a book i would have picked up on my own. but my roommate was right when she said it was oddly fascinating. basically an in depth look at the french court of louis XIV, concentrating on the women, it's almost like reading us weekly in the 17th century. you get all the affairs and scandals, plus the gossip of the times, who's talking shit about whom, etc. and frasier does an amazing job of keeping every straight and easily accessible. the dramatis personae in the beginning
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Apr 27, 2008
Maren
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I really enjoyed this book alot, though it definitely wanes a bit after the first 1/2 or so. It's basically a straight forward biography of exactly what the title describes: The loves of The Sun King, Louis XIV. Antonia Fraser is definitely informed about her subject and her writing is far more accessible than that of most other historians/biographers; on the flipside, at times it felt too simplistic to remain interesting. She gives some really interesting information about the women in the sun
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Mar 27, 2009
Claire
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Antonia Fraser rarely disappoints and this book is no exception. This is a nice compliment to the letters of Madame Sevigne, because until now I really could not understand quite the "fervor" of Madame' S's letters to her daughter regarding the rising stars and the fading has beens that were gracing or exiting Louis XIV's bed. All is now explained. And yes, we are absolutely indulging in some self-admitted wish fulfillment here, because in the end it is the bookworm, the studious one,
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Aug 09, 2010
Lisa
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This is a charmingly written book which discusses the influence of women on Louis XIV
and dispels many myths about the King who gave us the grand palace of Versailles.
The Church had to engage in a fight for Louis's soul against his liking for mistresses, according to Fraser. Louis was caught between dominating Bishops who gave damning sermons against him, his own rather pious nature, and beautiful women like Athenais. Athenais, a luscious blonde, was his mistress for many yea More...
and dispels many myths about the King who gave us the grand palace of Versailles.
The Church had to engage in a fight for Louis's soul against his liking for mistresses, according to Fraser. Louis was caught between dominating Bishops who gave damning sermons against him, his own rather pious nature, and beautiful women like Athenais. Athenais, a luscious blonde, was his mistress for many yea More...
Sep 11, 2009
Madeline
rated it:
A detailed look at the reign of Louis XIV and the various women in his life. The list begins with his mother, Anne of Austria, who acted as regent when Louis assumed the throne at age four; and then ends with his last mistress, Madame de Maintenon. In between we get details of his first love, a couple other maitresses-en-titres, his wife, daughters, and in-laws. My favorite of the bunch was Mary Beatrice d'Este, who was the wife of the exiled King James II. When the king had to leave his country
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Dec 14, 2011
lia
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Maybe because i expect something more from this book, i finished it with disappointment.
The Sun King's life is so grande and amazing but Antonia Fraser manage to make it tame and dull.
I remember reading page after page and wanting it to end. I just keep reading because i promise myself that i would finish it.
She divide the book into chapters of Louis XIV's life, that is Summer, Spring, Autumn and Winter. And in every chapter, the woman who influenced him the most. Sta More...
The Sun King's life is so grande and amazing but Antonia Fraser manage to make it tame and dull.
I remember reading page after page and wanting it to end. I just keep reading because i promise myself that i would finish it.
She divide the book into chapters of Louis XIV's life, that is Summer, Spring, Autumn and Winter. And in every chapter, the woman who influenced him the most. Sta More...
Jun 08, 2011
linda
rated it:
Reading Antonia Fraser writing on the women that spangled Louis XIV's court makes you incredibly grateful for her scholarship and fluid prose, especially if you've read a locus of writing on the subject. Fraser's survey of Louis the XIV's female influences is fascinatingly comprehensive, interestingly salacious, and curiously journalistic. Most historians tend to take a point of view and set up camp there, and not many have the conviction or steady hand for their thesis to be, "it's complic
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Mar 20, 2011
Jill
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This book is exactly what the title say.....mini-biographies of the women in the life of Louis XIV, from his mother through his various dalliances to his mistresses (official and otherwise). There is enough history to keep it from being gossipy but Lady Antonia doesn't skimp on the personal details.
The life at the court of the Sun King was so bound by court etiquette that one misstep could evoke the displeasure of the King, and result in banishment or in the case of women, being sent to a More...
The life at the court of the Sun King was so bound by court etiquette that one misstep could evoke the displeasure of the King, and result in banishment or in the case of women, being sent to a More...
Feb 05, 2009
Antonia Fraser (Mary Queen of Scots, Royal Charles, Marie Antoinette) departs somewhat from her usual scholarly style with this book, though her research is as rigorous as ever. The gusto with which she describes Louis XIV's philandering strikes some reviewers as reminiscent of tabloid papers' obsessions with the love lives of celebrities; others note her distance from the people she describes, with little analysis offered as to their thoughts or motivations as they participate in the king's jou
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Feb 11, 2011
Carol
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I have always been fascinated by this monarch. When I was a teenager, I was hooked on a romantic series called "Angelique" by Sergeanne Golon, which took place during the time of Louis XIV. Many of the characters in the book, including all Louis' mistresses and wives, were real personages. It's great to re-encounter them in a true historical narrative.
This book is full of information about how people lived in Louis XIV's court, and what women had to go through to survive. F More...
This book is full of information about how people lived in Louis XIV's court, and what women had to go through to survive. F More...
Dec 27, 2008
Mark
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I just finished this book. I am fairly well-read on this Louis' maitresse-en-titres, but I found this book to be a bit messy, although it is a good book some ways and one I would recommend. The author establishes a remarkable portrayal of the the king's relationship with his mother and manages to draw parallels and connections from that maternal relationship that throughout Louis' other relationships that are covered in the book. At some point, though, the author seems to have decided to cove
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Jul 23, 2011
Caitlin
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An elegantly written history of the court of Louis XIV, primarily examining the women who most influenced Louis's life, including his mother, Anne of Austria, his most significant mistresses, and others. Fraser, as always, is skilled at writing quality histories that draw you into another era, and has shown once again that she is one of the foremost popular historians of European aristocratic women. The book tracks Louis from his birth to his death, and skillfully draws in all of the women surro
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Feb 28, 2010
Sara
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Antonia Fraser briefly profiles dozens and dozens of those women who however briefly captured the attention of Louis XIV. And there are A LOT of ladies. Which makes keeping all the of these ladies straight difficult, and the material would be better suited by several charts to establish the hierarchy and family tree of the French Court for reference. The print edition may have included such resources, but the audio book did not. Had Fraser focused her scope somewhat that may have not been nec
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Mar 02, 2009
Lynne-marie
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Dec 08, 2010
E
rated it:
I have read so much about the English royal families through history, but didn't know much
about the French kings. It seems they were very much like the English royalty of the time. I
guess all the royal families of Europe were related due to the political matches that were
made. Anyway, Louis XIV indulged himself with many mistresses, spending exorbitant amounts of
money on his gardens , palaces and waging wars. I listened to this on tape and I got c More...
May 15, 2009
Erin
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Fraser has written a brilliant and well-researched book about Louis XIV and the women in his life, Marie Mancini, his queen Maria Teresa, sister-in-law Henriette-Anne, Louise de La Vallière, Athénaïs, Françoise Scarron, and his granddaughter-in-law Adélaïde among them.
The book contains really fascinating depiction not only of Louis XIV and the people in his life, but the gender politics of the time. The queens, mistresses and confidantes that surrounded Louis XIV were some very compel More...
The book contains really fascinating depiction not only of Louis XIV and the people in his life, but the gender politics of the time. The queens, mistresses and confidantes that surrounded Louis XIV were some very compel More...
Jun 09, 2011
Kristen
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I usually love historical biographies specifically about this time period. I have a bunch of Antonia Fraser books, this is the second I've read but this is probably my least favorite. It's not that Fraser doesn't know her topic (I had no idea that Louis XIV was such a player) but the prose just read as very dry and boring. Yes Louis had issues juggling women but all the women start to blend and it doesn't help that all the names go together and Fraser does little to differentiate between them
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Nov 08, 2010
Phyllis
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Really fascinating. It's impossible to really understand just how such a great (not saying he was right about much, just that he was hugely important) man thought, but taking it from the perspective of his relationships with women makes him more human. It's about his pious (hypocritically?) mother, his first sex (mentioned briefly), his first, probably chaste love, and his complicated relationship with his wife, a succession of official and unofficial mistresses, and his illegitimate children.
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Dec 20, 2011
gina
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Not the best book to listen to. You need a seriously well drawn out family chart to keep track of all the names. I bet the physical book has one. I often had no freaking idea who they were talking about because I was listening and you can't pause, turn to page with a family chart, trace down to who it is, and then flip back to keep reading...
No, you have to just trudge through listening and hoping the author throws you a clue to help remember who the bloody hell they are all talking More...
No, you have to just trudge through listening and hoping the author throws you a clue to help remember who the bloody hell they are all talking More...
Oct 29, 2008
Elizabeth
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I am a sucker for history and historical fiction. Antonia Fraser is a wonderful writer -- I highly recommend ANYTHING she has written. This book read like an amazing story, though it's not a historical fiction work. This is one of the best non-fiction pieces I have ever read and I can't wait to get my hands on another one of her books. With all of his excentricities, I found myself a fan of King Louis in the end. For the time period in which he lived, for what he was taught and believed, he
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Oct 18, 2008
Wealhtheow
rated it:
Lady Antonia Fraser is an accomplished historian; her Tudor books have enthralled me for years. I chose her to introduce me to the French court--sadly, a disappointment. This book is focused on King Louis XIV and the women he loved in his life.
It begins well, with a focus on Louis XIV's mother and regent Anne of Austria. Anne was a pious and effective ruler, and she left her son with a profound belief in the Catholic Church. Partly through her influence, Louis abandoned his love affa More...
It begins well, with a focus on Louis XIV's mother and regent Anne of Austria. Anne was a pious and effective ruler, and she left her son with a profound belief in the Catholic Church. Partly through her influence, Louis abandoned his love affa More...
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Aug 05, 2010
Rebecca
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A very enjoyable read for me, and another addition to my keeper shelves. Besides the more famous mistresses of Louis XIV, there's also a look at the lesser known ones, and the women that adored Louis, but were unlikely to have shared his bed, such as his two sisters-in-law, Henriette-Anne and Liselotte, the Duchesses of Orleans.
For the complete review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Book_Love...
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For the complete review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Book_Love...
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Sep 29, 2008
Marina
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· This book is not a biography of Louis XIV. Instead it is a montage of biographies on the royal and aristocratic women who dominated his life and the life of the court during France’s golden age.
· In that sense be warned that its subject is not the military conquests of Louis XIV or anything like that. Rather, the narrator/author sometimes steps back to examine how well treated were the women of European royal courts.
· It’s a fresh take on the life of the legendary Sun King. We More...
· In that sense be warned that its subject is not the military conquests of Louis XIV or anything like that. Rather, the narrator/author sometimes steps back to examine how well treated were the women of European royal courts.
· It’s a fresh take on the life of the legendary Sun King. We More...
Feb 05, 2010
Lisa
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This book is about exactly what it says it's about: Louis XIV and the women in his lives. If you are looking for a book with broader information about his reign, this is not it, but it is a very interesting look at his private and emotional life.
I especially appreciated the author's note, the chronological political summary, the genealogical charts (although they were necessarily truncated), and the list of principal characters. The color plates were nice, but I missed having a map More...
I especially appreciated the author's note, the chronological political summary, the genealogical charts (although they were necessarily truncated), and the list of principal characters. The color plates were nice, but I missed having a map More...
Dec 26, 2011
Gary
rated it:
A frustrating book. Interesting details about the wives and mistresses of Louis XIV but the focus is so narrow. Little information on the King himself or the actions he took to warrant being called the Sun King (unless dancing in a Court ballet counts). Did these women contribute anything to the decisions he made or were they merely ornaments. The answer seems to be the latter and that makes the content of the book rather trivial.
Dec 27, 2010
Mary
rated it:
From 
about of Louis XIV first mistress seemed to be a fantasy novel with little fact. While looking for the truth concerning Louis and Louisa, I met more fantastic figures and not fictional, from grandmothers to great grand daughters, Fraser writes a lively history of France's The Sun King.
about of Louis XIV first mistress seemed to be a fantasy novel with little fact. While looking for the truth concerning Louis and Louisa, I met more fantastic figures and not fictional, from grandmothers to great grand daughters, Fraser writes a lively history of France's The Sun King.
Apr 26, 2009
Monica
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I've read about Louis XIV's love life in other books, both fictional and non-fictional accounts and I truly enjoyed this book for its reach and depth. I particularly found the information about Louise de la Valliere the most interesting as some other writers have painted her as manipulative but, of course, the true manipulator in all of this is Louis himself who used these women and them moved on the next one after he got bored.
Jul 06, 2010
Kate
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I love Antonia Fraser's biographies. They are always such a pleasure to read, being clearly and beautifully written, and never weighted down with too much information. She has a knack for reminding the reader who everyone is and for bringing their characters to life. This particular biography is of the Sun King and the women in his life, and has brought that period of history to life for me.
Oct 09, 2008
Shawna
rated it:
I am fascinated with French culture, especially Versailles, so that alone drew me to this book. Though I did not enjoy it nearly as much as "The Journey - Marie Antoinette", I did like it and relished everything I learned. The information did start to get a bit boggling and I did get a bit confused at times but it was still worth reading. I found Louis XIV a very likeable character. I believe the fact his mother, Anne of Austria, who was such a powerful figure in his life in which
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Feb 09, 2011
Dina
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this is the first book of Antonia Fraser that i read. i picked it up because i am so interested in the history of France, and Louis xiv in particular, and i wasn't disappointed. the author does fantastic job describing the life in the 17th century in all its fascinating details. pretty great. entertaining read. for the history lovers recommended.
