Becoming Marie Antoinette (Marie Antoinette, #1) by Juliet Grey

Oct 12, 2012 M rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, 18th-century

I'd decided not to write any reviews on this site, as English is not my native language, but in this case I feel I should speak my mind, as I do not want other MA fans to fall into this trap. This book is another proof that you should never trust the Goodreads ratings, as they're often deceptively high.

I've yet to find the perfect book about Marie Antoinette and I doubt I ever will. Historians who have decided to try their hand at fiction drown their books in facts and turn them into biographie...more I'd decided not to write any reviews on this site, as English is not my native language, but in this case I feel I should speak my mind, as I do not want other MA fans to fall into this trap. This book is another proof that you should never trust the Goodreads ratings, as they're often deceptively high.

I've yet to find the perfect book about Marie Antoinette and I doubt I ever will. Historians who have decided to try their hand at fiction drown their books in facts and turn them into biographies and everyone else has trouble with accuracy. Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey is, unfortunately, as cheap, historically inaccurate and clumsy as its book trailer and cover art.

Writing about a well-known historical figure is always a challenge, because people have developed their own version of the subject in their minds and it is hard to live up for the readers' expectations, especially if they have a keen interest in the person. Iconic figures, like Marie Antoinette, are also often overused, so it is hard to make the story interesting and fresh.

Grey, as many others before her, has chosen to tell the story in first person and in my experience as a reader, this never works in the case of historical fiction. First-person narrative is tricky and making it sound believable and natural is a Herculean task. It is hard to forget about the authorial figure behind the text when the majority of sentences start with the word "I" and the excessive explanations regarding the historical background feel out of place and unnatural from the point of view of Marie Antoinette. By choosing the first-person narrative, Grey has failed to follow the first rule of good fiction: show, don't tell. If you're completely unfamiliar with the character of Marie Antoinette, you'll probably find Grey's infodumps interesting. Those who have read a few biographies before, will probably cringe and roll their eyes as Grey clumsily explains us the origin of the famous phrase "let them eat cake".

First-person narrative also sets limits to the style, so it stays rather immature throughout the book: the sentence constructions are rather simple, no risks are taken. The voice you hear on the first page is the same on the last page, since Marie Antoinette hasn't developed not one bit during the 400 pages of the book, even though the topics she discusses are gradually more mature. What also bugged me was her infantile crying. Surely it is not regal to burst into tears after every little mishap?

When it comes to the plethora of historical inaccuracies, I just want to say that croissant, as French as it may be, did not exist in its current form until the 19th century and the term 'rococo' was also coined in the 1800s, which excludes it from the vocabulary of Marie Antoinette. Moreover, even though her mother tongue was German, according to Madame Campan, she did not use it in the French court for she desired to be French in every aspect. This makes the occasional German interjections in the text rather ludicrous and out of character.

At the end of the book, Grey claims that she's conducted an extensive research into the life of Marie Antoinette and the history of this particular period and the readers are presented with a list of her sources. I must say that 18 titles is hardly extensive and the lack of books on cultural history on that list explains why there is no life in this novel.

If you're a fan of chick-lit and romance, then you'll probably like this book, but don't buy it. If you really care about Marie Antoinette and the 18th century, avoid it at all costs.

Oh, and the butterfly metaphor was kind of lame.

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Aug 16, 2011 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I received an electronic galley of this novel from the publisher.

This is a straightforward novel about the young Marie Antoinette, covering the period from her preteen years to her becoming Queen of France. I found Marie engaging and sympathetic, and her budding relationship with her husband was presented quite sensitively.

My primary objection to this novel is that it simply isn't the tour de force it's made out to be by the publisher. Marie Antoinette is what's referred to in the publishing ind...more I received an electronic galley of this novel from the publisher.

This is a straightforward novel about the young Marie Antoinette, covering the period from her preteen years to her becoming Queen of France. I found Marie engaging and sympathetic, and her budding relationship with her husband was presented quite sensitively.

My primary objection to this novel is that it simply isn't the tour de force it's made out to be by the publisher. Marie Antoinette is what's referred to in the publishing industry as a "marquee name"--a historical character who can draw in readers through name recognition alone. Some of these historical characters, like Anne Boleyn, have become so popular a subject for historical fiction that it's difficult to come up with anything new to say about them. Grey's novel epitomizes this problem. The novel hits all of the plot points familiar to those who have read other fiction about Marie Antoinette--her relationship with her strict mother, her disgust at the rigid etiquette of the French court, her difficulty consummating her marriage, her correspondence with her disapproving mother, her refusal to acknowledge the king's mistress, the meeting with Fersen at a masked ball, her husband's unpleasant aunts, her husband's difficulties with his more socially adept younger brothers, the king's death by smallpox--and it doesn't do so in a way that makes any of this material fresh or particularly interesting. Even the details about the makeover that Marie had to undergo before making her royal marriage--among other things, she was made to wear braces on her teeth--can be found in other novels about the young Marie, like Melanie Clegg's The Secret Diary of a Princess and Carolyn Meyer's The Bad Queen. There's nothing wrong in itself in an author covering the familiar events of a historical character's life--it's certainly preferable to playing fast and loose with history, in my opinion--but those expecting a fresh perspective on the young Marie won't get it here.

I found the novel lacking somewhat in other respects as well. Grey has written several historical novels under another pen name, but there are problems associated with less experienced writers here. Marie, the narrator, often refers to her lack of learning, yet she tosses out classical allusions and ten-dollar-words with ease. "As you know, Bob" dialogue abounds, as in a scene where Marie's mother and Marie's brother tell each other things each knows perfectly well while Marie listens (of course) through a keyhole. There are "information dumps," as when Marie, having complained that she feels like one of the animals in her father's menagerie, proceeds to enumerate the aforesaid animals, not because it has anything to do with what is happening but obviously because the author has taken the trouble to find out what animals were in the menagerie and wants to make sure the reader appreciates her efforts. These aren't huge problems, but they grated on me.

About a third or so into the novel, letters from other characters to other characters began to appear, without Marie making any reference to them or being aware of their existence. Once I got used to this, it wasn't bothersome, but their presence was jarring at first.

In sum, for readers of historical fiction who are unfamiliar with Marie Antoinette's story, this novel isn't a bad place to start. Those who are, however, are unlikely to find much here to distinguish this novel from the others that have featured Marie Antoinette as the heroine.(less)

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Jul 04, 2011 Barbara Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ten-year-old Maria Antonia has just been told by her mother, the empress of Austria, that she was to become the bride of the dauphine of France, where she will one day become the Queen of France.

By the time she is fourteen years old Marie Antonia has had a complete makeover: she has learned to walk and dance properly, has had her teeth straightened, has learned to be fluent in Frence and learn a little French history. She has several trunks filled with the most glamorous silk dresses she has ev...more Ten-year-old Maria Antonia has just been told by her mother, the empress of Austria, that she was to become the bride of the dauphine of France, where she will one day become the Queen of France.

By the time she is fourteen years old Marie Antonia has had a complete makeover: she has learned to walk and dance properly, has had her teeth straightened, has learned to be fluent in Frence and learn a little French history. She has several trunks filled with the most glamorous silk dresses she has ever seen.

At fourteen she travels to France to marry Louis XVI, a teenage boy she has never met before. He is more interested in anything else besides her. He seems shy, he can’t dance without stepping on her feet. And evidently he would rather eat than talk to her.

I love historical fiction and this book actually provided the back ground information to make it understandable what was happening to young Marie Antoinette. You see the way she had to deal with her day to day life, you see a young teenage girl dealing with something that is so difficult that she has to have a servant assigned to her to make sure she does not break any etiquette rules. You see her trying to get to know her new husband and you see her relationship with the king.

I think this is an outstanding piece of historical fiction and the detail of daily life that the author provides makes it vivid. You can actually see the ladies with their hair done up, you can feel for her when she goofs up.

The whole time I am reading this book I am thinking that Marie Antoinette certainly handled herself much better than I would have. At fifteen she is landed on to a stage where everything she does is seen, reported or gossiped about. And she appears to do it without much whining. She deals with people who do not have her best interest at heart, people who hate her for no particular reason.

I give this book five stars because it provided everything I want in historical fiction: accuracy in facts, attention to detail, a clear picture of the time period, and a great plot. Even though I know how her story ends, I really want to read the next book in the sequel as soon as it comes out. I won this book through Goodreads First Reads Program.

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Jul 23, 2011 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads-books-i-ve-won

I was fortunate enough to be selected to receive an Advance Reader's Edition of Becoming Marie Antoinette: A Novel. I was thrilled to be selected because I have always found Marie Antoinette to be an interesting person in history. Many have portrayed Marie Antoinette as self-absorbed and dimwitted. I was quite intrigued to see how Juliet Grey would present her in this novel.

Maria Antonia grew up in Austria always knowing that one day she would be a "sacrifice to politics". Her mother, Maria Ther...more I was fortunate enough to be selected to receive an Advance Reader's Edition of Becoming Marie Antoinette: A Novel. I was thrilled to be selected because I have always found Marie Antoinette to be an interesting person in history. Many have portrayed Marie Antoinette as self-absorbed and dimwitted. I was quite intrigued to see how Juliet Grey would present her in this novel.

Maria Antonia grew up in Austria always knowing that one day she would be a "sacrifice to politics". Her mother, Maria Theresa, was the Empress of Austria and demanded great things from her daughters. By the age of 10, Antonia had been promised in marriage to Louis Charles, the dauphin of France. A complete intellectual and physical transformation had to be undergone to prepare Antonia to become the dauphine of France and eventually their Queen. Finally, at the age of 14, the marriage was ready to move forward. Antonia had to leave nearly everything behind; her family, her servants whom she loved like family, her homeland, her language, her customs, etc. She had to convince the people of France to love her, despite the fact that many had preconceived notions about Austrian women. One of the people who needed the most convincing was her new husband, Louis.

Through the pages of this book, Juliet Grey shows us what a strong and compassionate person Marie Antoinette was. Despite constant criticism from her mother, she constantly strove to make her happy. Within the corrupt world of Versailles, Antoinette worked hard to keep her morals. Antoinette struggled to learn who she could trust and who she could not and it becomes clear in this book how lonely of a life it must have truly been.

Thoroughly researched and well-written, I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. This is the first book in a trilogy and will be released on 8/9/11. The second book in the trilogy, Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow, will be released in the summer of 2012. The third and final book will be released in 2013. I look forward to reading the next two books in the trilogy.

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Apr 11, 2012 Eileen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, own, read-2012

This is the first book of a trilogy in which we can read the detailed and entertaining story of a young Austrian princess who's trying to survive in the hostile Bourbon court. The book is well written, easy to read and historically accurate. It's obvious that the author did a lot of research and knows what she is talking about. Over all the pacing was good, but there were some parts I felt a little bit bored.

At a very young age Marie Antoinette is prepared for her departure to the French court a...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Wicked ♥ (Wickedly Bookish Reviews) aka Bat-Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, cultural, favorites, first-in-series, historical-fiction, series-historical-fiction, series-up-to-pub, summer-reads, pre-release-review

Reviewed For Wickedly Bookish
http://wickedlybookish.blogspot.com/

Marie Antoinette gets a revival and a more flattering coat of paint in this first installment of the new Marie Antoinette series by Juliet Grey.

What can I say? I have always been fascinated with a handful of historical leading ladies and Marie is one of the top 5. When I thought of her before this book, I pictured lush, scrumptious desserts and wispy cotton candy hair piled high on an overly pampered and exceedingly empty head. Th...more

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Jun 20, 2011 Anna Gibson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: marie-antoinette-and-family-fiction, owned-books

*This review is for an ARE edition*

I can still remember when Becoming Marie Antoinette first popped up on Amazon.com search results, with no cover, no summary, and nothing but the title and the author. Then, as more details emerged, it was revealed to be the first in an upcoming trilogy about the (in)famous French queen. The cover was revealed, a book trailer released, and now the AREs are making the rounds. I received my copy in the mail with a mixture of excitement and, to be honest, nervousne...more *This review is for an ARE edition*

I can still remember when Becoming Marie Antoinette first popped up on Amazon.com search results, with no cover, no summary, and nothing but the title and the author. Then, as more details emerged, it was revealed to be the first in an upcoming trilogy about the (in)famous French queen. The cover was revealed, a book trailer released, and now the AREs are making the rounds. I received my copy in the mail with a mixture of excitement and, to be honest, nervousness! Because Marie Antoinette is probably my deepest historical interest, I'm always antsy when reading a new book about her, especially a novel.

Before beginning to read, I decided that I wanted to get through 50 pages a day and finish the book in little over a week. The book arrived on June 17th - and I couldn't help but eat up the entire novel as swiftly as I could manage, and finished it on June 20th!

The length of this book allows for a much greater development of character than, in my opinion, any previous novel about the queen. In a typical Marie Antoinette narrative, she's in Versailles by page 20 - it's close to 200 pages before Marie Antoinette steps foot on French soil, and the connection to her character is all the stronger for it. The story enjoys a slower pace but a much better sense of personality, setting, and overall story. It feels like a historical fiction novel, not a biography with some dialogue and flowery phrases tacked on.

I've heard Becoming Marie Antoinette described as a 'confection' of a novel, and the term is a pretty apt description for Juliet Grey's writing. The colorful descriptions of faces, palaces, dresses, and odors both pleasant and horrid are vivid and imaginative, without sounding like the same tired cliches commonly found in historical fiction.

Speaking of historical fiction... those of us who tend to (and I'll admit I'm terribly guilty of this) nitpick novels that involve history we are interested in will be excited to know that the novel is well researched without coming across as "stuffy" or too biographical. Any changes or tweaks on history are done for the smoothness of the narrative, and nothing that really detracts from the characters of Marie Antoinette or her family.

To sum up, I loved this book. It's uncommon that I will literally say: "I am loving this book" when I take a break during a book, but it's what I found myself saying over and over! If the rest of the trilogy lives up to this first installment, I think Juliet Grey's "Marie Antoinette" trilogy will be a treasured set on many bookshelves. (less)

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Jun 23, 2011 Amanda J rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Amanda J by: Goodreads Giveaway

Shelves: first-reads, historical-fiction

Rating: 3.5 Stars
Set during the early years of Maria Antonia's life, this novel is a quick read and well-paced. It has a light and charming quality about it, much like the young protagonist herself. The bad thing about this book is that you really grow to like Marie Antoinette and in the back of your mind you are always aware of her inevitable fate. I look forward to reading the other books when they come out.

In compliance with FTC guidelines, I am required to disclose that I received this book...more

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Jun 21, 2011 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: gr-giveaways

I won a copy of this through Goodreads first reads and I'm grateful because it's a book out of my normal realm of reading. The story was interesting and enchanting. It was eye opening to see what life was like back when Marie Antoinette lived! The language was difficult at times switching from Austrian to French to English and back again. Strangely enough stumbling through the language didn't make me toss this book aside. In fact I was left wanting more!
Thank you, Juliet and Goodreads - it was m...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Kathy Rudolph rated it 3 of 5 stars

Totally not my pick of genres, but 5 chapters in and I'm thinking it's not the worst thing I've ever read. How's that for a glowing endorsement?!?!

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Sep 27, 2011 Rachel added it · review of another edition

I'm a bit of a sucker for history. I particularly love learning about the women of history. They fascinate me. These women are more than pawns to be married off or bear children. They are intelligent and witty and far more important than some people would like to portray them.

I tend to gravitate towards English history. I particularly enjoy Tudor history (because, who doesn't?!?). So, my knowledge of Marie Antoinette is sadly lacking. She's always just been a poor girl who likes cake and got her...more

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Sep 25, 2011 Michelle added it

In Juliet Grey’s Becoming Marie Antoinette, it is easy for a reader to forget the tragic fate that awaits Marie and her husband. Under Ms. Grey’s skilled pen, she steps away from being the frivolous creature who worries more about the latest fashions than the people and becomes a person placed into an unfortunate set of circumstances, about which she had neither the education or support to make any changes. Meticulously researched, Marie Antoinette comes to life in this first in a trilogy about...more In Juliet Grey’s Becoming Marie Antoinette, it is easy for a reader to forget the tragic fate that awaits Marie and her husband. Under Ms. Grey’s skilled pen, she steps away from being the frivolous creature who worries more about the latest fashions than the people and becomes a person placed into an unfortunate set of circumstances, about which she had neither the education or support to make any changes. Meticulously researched, Marie Antoinette comes to life in this first in a trilogy about her life. The reader will never look at the French Revolution in the same way again.

The story starts out with Maria Antonia as the youngest daughter of the Hapsburg dynasty. Born among royalty, she has lead a sheltered and stable life, adored by servants, sisters, and governesses, and with access to more material wealth than most of her subjects will ever see in a lifetime. Her parents married for love, a rarity among royalty, and it is by this standard that Maria Antonia grades all other marriages, even as she knows full well that she will not be as lucky. For she has been raised knowing that her sole asset lies in her ability to unite the Hapsburgs to other royal families through marriage. Her worth is only as high as the marriage contract that can be written on her behalf. To know this at the age of ten is both disheartening and exceptionally pragmatic. Maria has no qualms about her duty and understands the political implications behind such arrangements. While she can still hope and dream like most normal little girls, she realizes that she will be lucky if only one or two of those dreams comes true. For her, happily ever after is as much a fairy tale ending as it is for the rest of her subjects.

The story showcases Maria Antonia’s transformation from gawky pre-teen to charming queen. Once the negotiations to become the future queen of France are underway, the Hapsburgs stop at nothing to prepare her for her future role, including elocution and diction training, a personal hairdresser, a bevy of tutors to get her up to speed on French history, and even 18th century braces. She succumbs to all of it quietly, as it is made more than clear that the fate of her family dynasty rides on this marriage. It is a rather heavy burden to allow someone so young to bear, but it was also the norm for 18th century royalty.

Through the extensive research provided by Ms. Grey, the reader gets a clear understanding of the changes required before Maria Antonia was considered acceptable enough to become Marie Antoinette. The reader also gets a detailed image of life in both royal Vienna and in Versailles during the waning years of Louis the Fifteenth’s life. If anyone considered the French court to be the epitome of royal life, the one is quickly disabused of that opinion within minutes of Marie Antoinette setting foot on the grounds of Versailles. Ms. Grey does not mince words at the more indelicate aspects of life near the royals, which only highlights the hypocrisy of some of the more eye-raising protocol young Marie faces as a new bride.

In Ms. Grey’s eyes, Marie Antoinette is as much a victim to her circumstances as is the poverty-stricken she tries so hard to help in any way possible. While the story ends just as Louis the Sixteenth becomes king, there is still hope that Marie and Louis will be the queen and king they hope to be -compassionate, understanding, and available to their subjects. There are hints, however, that neither is very politically savvy, and the ease with which they are both manipulated after their marriage is disturbing and saddening. In spite of it all though, Marie remains sympathetic in her fight to remain true to her family, while carving out her own place among the French royals. Being thrown into a veritable lions’ den at such a young age would be enough to undo most young women. Marie Antoinette more than survives the gauntlet; she overcomes and rises to the top. It will be interesting to see how much that becomes her undoing in the next two novels.

Acknowledgements: Thank you to Ballantine Publishing and NetGalley for my e-galley!(less)

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Aug 17, 2012 Cecilee Linke rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who likes historical fiction

My husband got me this book for Christmas because he knows I love any and all things having to do with French history. In the last few years, I've become very interested in Marie Antoinette and her life, perhaps because she seems so misunderstood. Most people I know still think she said "let them eat cake" and even some of my friends think it's strange that I'd be so fascinated with someone who's still seen in some ways as a spendthift bimbo.

This is the first book in a trilogy about the Austrian...more My husband got me this book for Christmas because he knows I love any and all things having to do with French history. In the last few years, I've become very interested in Marie Antoinette and her life, perhaps because she seems so misunderstood. Most people I know still think she said "let them eat cake" and even some of my friends think it's strange that I'd be so fascinated with someone who's still seen in some ways as a spendthift bimbo.

This is the first book in a trilogy about the Austrian princess' life and focuses on the months leading up to her leaving for France to marry Louis XVI, the French king's grandson and heir to the French throne. The first half of the book shows us a young (no more than twelve years old) Marie Antoinette taking part in her private lessons, playing with her many siblings (she was the 15th of 16 children (!!)), and generally being a little girl. However, her mother, the Austrian empress Maria Theresa, has other plans. It becomes obvious early on that her mother, while certainly a powerful individual, sees her children more as pawns in a complex political game. Many of Marie's siblings are married off to various kings and queens to ensure alliances and keep the peace. Marrying for love? Not done. For example, in the first half of the story, Maria Theresa married off Marie's older sister and closest friend Maria Carolina, affectionately called Charlotte, to the king of Naples and Sicily, and Charlotte is anything but happy about the arrangement but goes along with it since it's her duty.

Then came Marie's turn. For years, Austria and France had been on shaky ground, so to strengthen the alliance between their two countries, Maria Theresa makes an arrangement with the French king Louis XV for her youngest daughter to marry the Dauphin and future king of France Louis XVI. In order to prepare her for the long journey she will have to travel in a year to France, Maria Theresa hires private tutors to teach her daughter the basics of geography, politics, and the French language, along with French court etiquette, much to Marie's chagrin. All she wants to do is play outside and not do her work. And who can blame her? She's a little girl after all!

The rest of the book goes into her long journey between Austria and France, including having to hand over all of her Austrian clothes and other possessions at the French border, and what happens once she arrives in France. She learns very quickly that the French court is much different from home, that her new husband is not even remotely interested in sex, and that every little move she makes is scrutinized and the subject of vicious gossip. On the morning after their wedding night, the sheets are examined carefully for any drop of blood, and instead the court is shocked when it is apparent that they did not consummate their marriage like they were supposed to do. It is only the first of many times that Marie is frustrated at her new surroundings. The story ends as Marie and her husband prepare to take the throne after the death of the king.

Since this is the first in a trilogy, we only get a little taste of what's to come. We all know what became of Marie in the end, but the book is fascinating to read nonetheless. The writing style immediately drew me into the story. I immediately felt like I was right there in 16th century France. I actually would've made the voice used for Marie a little more naive, but that's just me.

If you're interested in historical fiction, I would recommend this book!(less)

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Mar 28, 2012 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars

My BEST Read of the Year! Plus GIVEAWAY!!
2011 is soon coming to an end and here I am looking over some of the wonderful books I read this year…It’s been awhile though- or maybe years since I’ve actually picked a ‘favourite’ of the year. As you know I only review that which I love to read. And so, this past year I’ve read quite a bunch- but I let you in only on the very best books that I enjoyed very much.

Today though is different. I want to highlight my very FAVOURITE book for 2011! An absolute...more

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Dec 09, 2011 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

This was one of those novels where I began the book with doubts and ended it as a fan. That's always a pleasant experience, and I was glad to find out that this was the first book in a series.

I thought that at the outset, Becoming Marie Antoinette is a little heavy on the historical detail. I felt a little as if I were reading a history book dressed up as a novel, but not enough that I wanted to stop reading. Marie Antoinette is an interesting historical figure, and I was fascinated by the detai...more

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Oct 21, 2011 Judith Starkston rated it 3 of 5 stars

This first of three projected novels about Marie Antoinette is getting a good deal of buzz among readers and reviewers of historical fiction for its detailed portrayal of the period and its in-depth characterization of the future French Queen. In interviews Juliet Grey has pointed out that with this series she is interested in redeeming a much maligned historical figure, who, while usually portrayed as “heedless to headless” was, in fact, a much more sympathetic character. As Grey points out, th...more This first of three projected novels about Marie Antoinette is getting a good deal of buzz among readers and reviewers of historical fiction for its detailed portrayal of the period and its in-depth characterization of the future French Queen. In interviews Juliet Grey has pointed out that with this series she is interested in redeeming a much maligned historical figure, who, while usually portrayed as “heedless to headless” was, in fact, a much more sympathetic character. As Grey points out, the history of Marie Antoinette was written by her enemies, the victors of the French Revolution. Now there’s a new version, and it’s worth reading.

Grey begins with the ten-year-old Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria on the day her mother, the Empress of Austria, began negotiations for the marriage of her youngest daughter to the Dauphin of France. She opens with a charming scene outdoors between “Toinette” (her family nickname), Charlotte (her favorite sister) and their governess, who is attempting to teach them French, but the girls are more interested in chasing butterflies and painting their governess’s face with their watercolors when she falls asleep in the sun. The scene has the difficult job of connecting us to a child enough so that we care about what happens to her and will read on. In this, Grey succeeds. She makes an excellent beginning in her opening sentence, “My mother liked to boast that her numerous daughters were ‘sacrices to politics.’” Other chilling details about the girls’ future roles and their mother’s demanding and distant treatment of them create a sharp contrast to the two mischievous girls whom we get to know quite intimately. They seem ordinary in their desire to distract their teacher and in the carefree way they get mud and grass stains on their silk gowns. That Toinette is clearly terrible at her lessons and can’t learn much of anything is another detail that hooks us in. How on earth is this little girl going to become a queen? Grey succeeds both in making us like this child and in causing us to worry about her.

Marie Antointette’s journey to the French throne turns out to be complicated and full of pitfalls. While this is a work of fiction, Grey has based her characterization in history while allowing herself the liberty to imagine what went on both behind closed doors and within the minds of her characters. She has written nonfiction about this period and queen, and listening to her discuss her research, I’m willing to trust that she’s constructed a legitimate “read” of this famous woman, although I’m sure the debate will continue in scholarly and historical fiction circles. Certainly Grey’s version of Marie Antoinette is engaging.

For me the strength of this book lies in Marie Antoinette’s richly developed inner world—how hard she tried to fulfill her mother’s demands, how vulnerable and unprepared she was for the gossipy, infighting French court, how much she yearned to be loved but mostly wasn’t, the bizarre but sweet relationship she shared eventually with her husband. For many people the elaborate detail about clothing, hairstyles, etiquette and court customs will be among the most delightful aspects. I have to confess that sometimes I got bogged down in the repeated dressing and hair-do scenes. Part of the point of them was to show that the young woman herself found them too much, so they served a purpose within the novel, but I sometimes wished for more plot less fashion. Marie Antoinette’s training in the Austrian court to prepare her to be an acceptable bride for the Dauphin was particularly detailed: dance steps, parlor games, walking styles, even, most astonishingly to me, braces made of gold to straighten her teeth. The reader does feel for this poor girl whose every moment seems calculated to point out her deficiencies and improve them.

We are left with a vivid portrayal of a young woman who had no control over the path her life took, having been the pawn of her mother and many French and Austrian men as they tightened and manipulated ties between the two countries. Her efforts to define her own place and role are all the more interesting against this backdrop. That she succeeds at all in “becoming Marie Antoinette” is quite remarkable, and it’s worth going along on the journey. (less)

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Oct 07, 2011 Viviane Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Marie Antoinette's life began as the youngest archduchess of Austria, her mother, Maria Teresa, the Empress of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria. Madam Antonia, as she is known until her marriage, is expected to excel in all academic subjects as well as social skills. For her mother is planning to unite the fortunes of Austria and France by wedding her daughter to the Dauphin, the son of King Louis XV. But Madame Antonia is just beginning her teen years when she discovers how she is to be remade...more Marie Antoinette's life began as the youngest archduchess of Austria, her mother, Maria Teresa, the Empress of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria. Madam Antonia, as she is known until her marriage, is expected to excel in all academic subjects as well as social skills. For her mother is planning to unite the fortunes of Austria and France by wedding her daughter to the Dauphin, the son of King Louis XV. But Madame Antonia is just beginning her teen years when she discovers how she is to be remade in her mother's image of what a French Queen should be! Juliet Grey does a fine, fine job of conveying the stark and boring quality of this life by combining it with Marie's vivacious and humorous nature. If she keeps her spunk, a fine Queen she will be!

The novel proceeds with the reader receiving descriptions of wondrous clothing, meals, and landscapes in Marie's childhood world, broken by the devastating death of one sibling and departure of another to be Queen in another land. Slowly but surely, Marie realizes and desires her role in life is to obey her mother and satisfy every demand for the sake of Austria. It's a heavy burden and one that prevents rebellion, given the alternative destiny of a break with France and more wars that accomplish nothing but death and destruction.

An amazing ceremony occurs when Marie is finally wed by proxy and travels through Austria into France. There she discovers a dauphin who is phenomenally shy and totally uninterested in touching Marie, let alone consummating their marriage. In the light of the King's flagrant flaunting of his mistress and other "loose" behavior occurring in the King's court, this quandary is irksome but then soon changes to sympathy and actual liking of the Dauphin. For he is a "man of the people" in his heart and mind and totally uninterested in the boring, garish world of the elite, a fascinating characterization given what was the norm of royal behavior at the time, completely and elaborately described in these pages. Lovers of fashion and style can immerse themselves in pages of French couture and cuisine of Marie's 18th Century French court.

Marie and her husband evolve into sympathetic characters but not without their detractors, as Marie begins to spurn court etiquette, threatening a way of luxury and splendor for the entire French court but endearing the young couple to the reader and common people.

The novel ends on a hopeful note, where the Dauphin becomes King Louis XVI and Marie becomes the Queen of France. Each have a vision full of charity and benefit for the French people, the fulfillment of which will be presented in two forthcoming novels about their life. Juliet Grey's initial novel about the cursed Queen is quite innocent yet revealing. A young girl is forced to grow up fast and become the perfect "Queen," a sacrifice to politics as her mother would admit frequently. Her training is her childhood, one that terrorizes her more with fearful anticipation of failure than actual events that will someday be her nemesis. Etiquette is all and impression is everything! The machinations of a French court full of fawning and deception creates an atmosphere of distrust that is the norm rather than the exception. Congratulations, Ms. Grey, on your fine fictional account of this very real, audacious world and the transformation of a naive, unsure girl into a formidable worldly leader! Superbly done! (less)

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Aug 28, 2011 Molly rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Molly by: TLC

Shelves: book-review

Historical fiction. That is a genre of writing that I fell in love with when I started blogging. All kinds of historical fiction make their way to my shelves and Nook. So, it was without hesitation that I signed up to be a reviewer for this new novel by Juliet Grey. Both the novel, and the author are new to me, and I couldn't wait to crack the spine on this one. I was not disappointed in any way with this amazingly written, richly detailed, history filled novel.

Juliet Grey did a fascinating job...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Margo Tanenbaum rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 18th-century, france, historical-fiction, adult

I am a bit obsessed with the tragic tale of Marie Antoinette, the epitome of the doomed Queen, and I'm clearly not the only one; her fascinating life continues to inspire novels, movies, and more. The newest novel about her is the first in a planned trilogy by debut novelist Juliet Grey. The first novel begins in 1766 at the court of Maria Theresa of Austria, the Hapsburg empress who was Marie Antoinette's mother, and ends in 1774 with the ascension to the throne of France of two teenagers, Mari...more I am a bit obsessed with the tragic tale of Marie Antoinette, the epitome of the doomed Queen, and I'm clearly not the only one; her fascinating life continues to inspire novels, movies, and more. The newest novel about her is the first in a planned trilogy by debut novelist Juliet Grey. The first novel begins in 1766 at the court of Maria Theresa of Austria, the Hapsburg empress who was Marie Antoinette's mother, and ends in 1774 with the ascension to the throne of France of two teenagers, Marie Antoinette and her husband, Louis Auguste. The next book, "Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow," is due out in 2012, with the third part appearing in 2013.

The book is narrated in the first person by Marie Antoinette herself, much like Carolyn Meyer's recent Young Royals treatment of Marie Antoinette, The Bad Queen. Grey establishes then Maria Antonia's happy childhood, frolicking with her many siblings at the Austrian court, which was much less formal than the etiquette-dominated splendors of Versailles. When Marie Antoinette is matched up with Louis XV's grandson, her life changes even before her marriage; she is expected to be completely transformed in order to be suitable as the Dauphine and future queen of France, from her education to her hairline to her teeth (she was even given braces, which in the 18th century sounds like some kind of torture!).

Grey paints a very sympathetic portrait of the young Marie Antoinette, totally naive and unprepared for the intrigue of the French court, where she soon becomes a pawn in a game played by the king's maiden daughters (the "aunts") who conspire against the king's low-born mistress, Madame Du Barry. With no real friends, no privacy, and little support from her awkward husband, Marie Antoinette is expected to dominate the intricate court life, guided by conflicting advice from her mother in Austria and the "aunts." We can't help but feel sorry for this pampered princess, who enters France on her wedding voyage from Austria to the cheers and love of the French people but who later becomes the target of their hatred and vitriol. How this transformation occurred with undoubtedly be covered in the next two volumes of this trilogy.

Although published for adults, this engaging book is suitable for teens as well, especially those with a strong interest in history. There is some frank discussion of sexual intercourse (or lack thereof, since Marie Antoinette's husband was unable to consummate their marriage for many years, much to the dismay of not only Marie Antoinette, but everyone at court, where everyone knew of the lack of activity in the marital bed).
Grey includes a detailed bibliography of sources she consulted.
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Aug 09, 2011 Patty rated it 4 of 5 stars

So many "facts" have come down through history about Marie Antoinette. But as her life is researched by contemporary authors much of what is known about her has been proven to be false. This first book of a trilogy starts with a young Austrian archduchess, before she became Marie Antoinette. It tells the tale of all the political machinations that went on to secure an alliance between France and Austria through the marriage of two young people - regardless of their feelings.

But don't think that...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Renae M. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, historical-fiction, france

Juliet Grey’s debut novel, Becoming Marie Antoinette, is well-written and detailed, providing readers with a glimpse into the dauphine’s formative years and early days at Versailles. While the content of this novel is not particularly ground-breaking, I still enjoyed this book.

The style with which this book is written is very informative and detail-oriented, which I personally enjoyed, because that’s how I like my novels—with lots of material. The pace and plot, as a result, are by necessity slo...more Juliet Grey’s debut novel, Becoming Marie Antoinette, is well-written and detailed, providing readers with a glimpse into the dauphine’s formative years and early days at Versailles. While the content of this novel is not particularly ground-breaking, I still enjoyed this book.

The style with which this book is written is very informative and detail-oriented, which I personally enjoyed, because that’s how I like my novels—with lots of material. The pace and plot, as a result, are by necessity slow and dragging. I didn’t mind, because in this kind of historical fiction, one hardly expects driving action sequences.

As I said, Grey’s writing is servicable, and effective. At times, though, things veered a little toward the purple prose end of the spectrum, which is something I really didn’t like. For example, in a single paragraph, Marie Antoinette informs readers that: “I was the embodiement of loveliness and fecundity” and “the illusion of womanly pulchritude”. I will admit that section made me laugh, not in a good way, as did the scene where Madame du Barry’s breasts are described as “pulchritudinous”.

So, Becoming Marie Antoinette is well-written, but might be a little over the top in spots.

I think, also, that when one reads books about controversial historical figures, there is the silent expectation that the author will bring something new to the table, something that will adjust the reader’s view of such a well-known personage. I, sadly, did not get that from this book.

My own previous exposure to Marie Antointte is very limited. I’ve read Kathryn Lasky’s Marie Antoinette novel, which is geared towards children, and I’ve seen the Sofia Coppola directed film. In Becoming Marie Antoinette, Juliet Grey delivered no information that I had not already learned (and we can all agree that neither the children’s novel nor the film are exemplary sources), nor did I gain new insight on Marie Antoinette the human being.

Essentially, Becoming Marie Antoinette was a good novel that I found interesting but was not particularly impressed with, as it rehashed everything I already knew.

Read more reviews at Respiring Thoughts.(less)

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Jul 02, 2011 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, own

My rating is actually 3.5, but as we know, that's not possible within the parameters of this rating system. Even as a preteen, around ten or so, I remember going to the library and ferreting out books about Marie Antoinette, she fascinated me even then, so how cool that someone has finally "changed" the story and made her seem the sympathetic character I've always thought she was! (rather like Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon portraying Morgaine of Camelot fame as a heroine) At the sa...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Mary Elizabeth Victory rated it 4 of 5 stars

I like very much Marie Antoinette so when I saw this novel I had to buy it; plus I love historical novels and I was happy when I noticed that in this book Marie Antoinette was the heroine and not the opponent.

I've liked this novel because it doesn't tell the story that everyone already knows: the great Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, the selfish and spoilt woman. Before all that she was just a child, grown up to be sacrificed to her mother’s political ambitions.

Daughter of the empress o...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Andrea Guy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, historical-fiction, netgalley, ebook, royals

This is the second novel about Marie Antoinette that I've read this year. I have to say, of the two, I liked this one better, though it only focused on her young life, up until the time she became Queen of France. There will be 2 more books that will continue her life story.

This book really makes Marie human, rather than the flighty woman who says "let them eat cake." It is true that she wasn't a very intelligent girl, but she wasn't evil or really a bad queen. For the most part, she was a young...more

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Aug 14, 2011 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

I loved this book! What drew me in the most was the character of Marie... Marie Antoinette was such a likable character; a very charming child that grew into a young wife determined to please her indifferent husband. She had grace, humor, generosity, and style. She didn't want to offend anyone and was acutely aware that she had it better than the commoners.

And when I read what happened to her immediately following her marriage, what her husband would not do, I couldn't help but have sympathy for...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Dundee Library added it

Shelves: staff-favs-audrey, historical-fiction-famous-women

I really enjoyed this book and got a peek into what Marie Antionette's life was like. I never thought about how hard it must have been for a girl of twelve to become engaged to a foreign king and have to adjust herself to fit the role of France's future queen. The Austrian youth was at first deemed unsuitable and unintelligent, and therefore had to have multiple tutors, her teeth adjusted, her hair restyled, her walk altered, and more to prepare her for the French court. How unfair it seems when...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Michele rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, french-revolution, historical-fiction

This is the first novel I've read by this author (who has written books under different names) and I was really excited about the subject since I'm an admittedly huge fan of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. They have always had my sympathy for being caught in a horrible situation not really of their making and I think this novel does justice to them.

The first of a proposed trilogy, Becoming Marie Antoinette follows the young archduchess of Austria through her childhood as the youngest daughter of...more

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Jul 01, 2011 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

For me, this book was a great beginning to a trilogy of Marie Antoinette's life. I think Juliet Gray really captured the feelings of a fourteen year old girl who gets taken from her home and expected to do fully grasp the murky and dangerous waters of a sophisticated court.

Poor Marie Antoinette was saddled with husband who cannot make love to her, depriving her of achieving the one thing that she was told she had to do at all costs - provide an heir to the throne. But the grow to love each othe...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Audrey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, e-book

This is an absolutely amazing and gripping book!
I've always been interested a lot in the history of the French monarchy and also learned a lot about Louis XVI at school (as the French are really fond of teaching their own history :)... ) BUT this book showed gave me an absoluetly new insight in the early lives of Marie Antoinette and Louis Auguste who was to become Louis XVI.
Most films, book and even what is thought at school portray Marie Antoinette as an emptyheaded and thriftless person but...more

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Feb 04, 2012 LemonLinda rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have read a number of books either focusing on Marie Antoinette or featuring her as a minor character. In some she comes across as a silly, self-indulgent Queen of France. But this one really focuses in on the child who becomes a queen. It begins when she is an archduchess of Austria in Vienna at age 10. She finds out that she is to be the dauphine of France married to the dauphin and spends much of the time of the next three years grooming and transforming herself physically, mentally, emotio...more

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