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Juliet Grey

Becoming Marie Antoinette: A Novel

by Juliet Grey (Author) Format: Paperback

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Book 1 of 3: Marie Antoinette

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This enthralling confection of a novel, the first in a new trilogy, follows the transformation of a coddled Austrian archduchess into the reckless, powerful, beautiful queen Marie Antoinette.

Why must it be me? I wondered. When I am so clearly inadequate to my destiny?

Raised alongside her numerous brothers and sisters by the formidable empress of Austria, ten-year-old Maria Antonia knew that her idyllic existence would one day be sacrificed to her mother’s political ambitions. What she never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon.

Before she can journey from sunlit picnics with her sisters in Vienna to the glitter, glamour, and gossip of Versailles, Antonia must change everything about herself in order to be accepted as dauphine of France and the wife of the awkward teenage boy who will one day be Louis XVI. Yet nothing can prepare her for the ingenuity and influence it will take to become queen.

Filled with smart history, treacherous rivalries, lavish clothes, and sparkling jewels, Becoming Marie Antoinette will utterly captivate fiction and history lovers alike.

Praise for Becoming Marie Antoinette

“A thoroughly enjoyable novel, brimming with delightful details. Grey writes eloquently and with charming humor, bringing ‘Toinette’ vividly to life as she is schooled and groomed—molded, quite literally—for a future as Queen of France, an innocent pawn in a deadly political game.”—Sandra Gulland, bestselling author of Mistress of the Sun and the Josephine Bonaparte trilogy

“In her richly imagined novel, Juliet Grey meticulously recreates the sumptuous court of France's most tragic queen. Beautifully written, with attention paid to even the smallest detail, Becoming Marie Antoinette will leave readers wanting more!"—Michelle Moran, bestselling author of Madame Tussaud

“A lively and sensitive portrait of a young princess in a hostile court, and one of the most sympathetic portrayals of the doomed queen.”—Lauren Willig, bestselling author of the Pink Carnation series

“Wonderfully delectable and lusciously rich, an elegant novel to truly savor. Juliet Grey’s Marie Antoinette is completely absorbing.”—Diane Haeger, author of The Queen’s Rival

“[A] sympathetic take on the fascinating and doomed Marie Antoinette.”—Publishers Weekly

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Book 1 of 3

Marie Antoinette
Print length

466 pages
Language

English
Publication date

August 9, 2011
Dimensions

5.19 x 1.2 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0345523865
ISBN-13

978-0345523860

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From the Publisher

An enthralling trilogy about an Austrian archduchess's transformation into queen Marie Antoinette.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A thoroughly enjoyable novel, brimming with delightful details. Grey writes eloquently and with charming humor, bringing ‘Toinette’ vividly to life as she is schooled and groomed—molded, quite literally—for a future as Queen of France, an innocent pawn in a deadly political game.”—Sandra Gulland, bestselling author of Mistress of the Sun and the Josephine Bonaparte trilogy

“In her richly imagined novel, Juliet Grey meticulously recreates the sumptuous court of France's most tragic queen. Beautifully written, with attention paid to even the smallest detail, Becoming Marie Antoinette will leave readers wanting more!"—Michelle Moran, bestselling author of Madame Tussaud

“A lively and sensitive portrait of a young princess in a hostile court, and one of the most sympathetic portrayals of the doomed queen.”—Lauren Willig, bestselling author of the Pink Carnation series

“Wonderfully delectable and lusciously rich, an elegant novel to truly savor. Juliet Grey’s Marie Antoinette is completely absorbing.”—Diane Haeger, author of The Queen’s Rival

“[A] sympathetic take on the fascinating and doomed Marie Antoinette.”—Publishers Weekly

“An extremely compelling read. The author blends very intricately detailed research with a narrative that is stunning in its poignancy.”—The Elliott Review

“Readers will see Marie Antoinette in a whole new light...A sympathetic and engaging read that presents the French queen in a manner seldom found in other novels...Anyone interested in French history will savor every page of this novel.”—BookLoons

“Juliet Grey’s writing is exquisitely detailed and I enjoyed her lush descriptions of the clothing and decor of the time period. Grey possesses the rare ability to transform readers to a past only accessible by imagination. Becoming Marie Antoinette is sure to appeal to lovers of quality historical fiction as well as those who are simply fascinated by Marie Antoinette.”—The Well Read Wife

“Fans of historical fiction will eat this one up. It's engaging, smart and authentic. Grey has done her homework.”—January Magazine

“A lusciously detailed novel of Marie Antoinette's rise to power and the decadent, extravagant lifestyles of 18th-century Versailles.”—Shelf Awareness

“This is historical fiction at its finest.”—A Library of My Own

“A fascinating ride and I'm looking forward to the next book.”—Endless Reading

“Well-researched and lovingly written with sparkling details--this new trilogy is not one to be missed by any lover of historical fiction or Marie Antoinette centered works. This book leaves you wanting more.”—Stiletto Storyline

“Becoming Marie Antoinette is a well researched and interesting novel. For me, it's a fine example of what good historical fiction should be--it sticks to the facts and just uses the fiction genre to fill in emotions and conversations.”—Tiny Library

About the Author

Juliet Grey is the author of Becoming Marie Antoinette and Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow. She has extensively researched European royalty and is a particular devotee of Marie Antoinette, as well as a classically trained professional actress with numerous portrayals of virgins, vixens, and villainesses to her credit. She and her husband divide their time between New York City and Washington, D.C.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

One

Is This the End of Childhood?

Schonbrunn, May 1766

My mother liked to boast that her numerous daughters were "sacrifices to politics." I never dared admit to Maman, who was Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, that the phrase terrified me more than she could know. Every time she said it, my imagination painted a violent tableau of Abraham and Isaac.

Unflinchingly pragmatic, Maman prepared us to accept our destinies not only with grace and equanimity but with a minimal amount of fuss. Thus, I had been schooled to expect, as sure as summer follows spring, that one day my carefree life as the youngest archduchess of Austria would forever change. What I never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon.

In the company of my beloved sister, Charlotte, I was enjoying an idyllic afternoon on the verdant hillside above the palace of Schonbrunn, indulging in one of our favorite pastimes--avoiding our lessons by distracting our governess, the Countess von Brandeiss.

A bumblebee hummed lazily about our heads, mistaking our pomaded and powdered hair for dulcet blossoms. Charlotte had kicked off her blue brocaded slippers and was wiggling her stockinged feet in the freshly cut grass. So I did the same, delighting in the coolness of the lawn, slightly damp against the soles of my feet, although we'd surely merit a scolding for staining our white hose. Affecting a grim expression and pressing my chin to my chest until I achieved our mother's jowly appearance, in a dreadfully stern voice I said, "At your age, Charlott-ah, you should know better than to lead the little one into childish games."

My sister laughed. "Mein Gott, you sound just like her!"

Countess von Brandeiss suppressed a smile, hiding her little yellow teeth. "And you should know better than to mock your mother, Madame Antonia.

"Ouf!" Startled by the bee, which now appeared to be inspecting with some curiosity the ruffles of her bonnet, our governess began to bat the air about her head. Nearly tripping over her voluminous skirts as she leapt to her feet in fright, Madame von Brandeiss began to hop about in such a comical fashion that it was impossible for us to feel even the slightest bit chastised.

Maman's scoldings were so easy to duplicate because they came with far more regularity than her compliments. From middle spring through the warm, waning days of September, she was a familiar presence in our lives, tending to affairs of state from the outskirts of Vienna in our summer palace of Schonbrunn, a grand edifice of ocher and white that resembled a giant tea loaf piped with Schlag, whipped cream. With scrubbed faces we were presented to her in the Breakfast Room, its walls, the color of fresh milk, partitioned into symmetrical panels by gilded moldings and scrollwork. Charlotte, Ferdinand, Maxl, and I looked forward to the day when we would be old enough to merit an invitation to join her, along with our older siblings, for a steaming pot of fragrant coffee and terribly adult conversation about places like Poland and Silesia, places I remained unable to locate on the map of Europe that hung on the wall of our schoolroom.

For the remainder of the year, when the prodigious Hapsburg family resided at the gray and labyrinthine Hofburg palace in the heart of Vienna, we, the youngest of the empress's brood, scarcely saw Maman more than once every ten days. We even attended daily Mass without her, a line of ducklings, dressed in our finest clothes, kneeling on velvet cushions that bore our initials embroidered in silver thread. Charlotte and I remained side by side as our pastel-colored skirts, widened by the basketlike panniers beneath them, nudged each other; our heads swam with the pungent aroma of incense while our ears rang with ritual--the resonance of the grand pipe organ and the bishop's solemn intonations in Latin.

And as the days grew shorter we began to forget the woman who had almost dared to have fun during those departed sunlit months. Mother became matriarch: a forbidding figure clad all in black, her skirts making her appear nearly as wide as she was tall. Marched into her study for inspection, we would stand still as statues--no fidgeting allowed--while she peered at us through a gilt-edged magnifying glass and inquired of our governess whether we were learning our lessons, eating healthy meals, using tooth powder, and scrubbing our necks and behind our ears. The royal physician, Dr. Wansvietten, was put through the same paces with questions about our general health. The answers were invariably in the affirmative, since no one would dare to admit any act of negligence or weakness, and so she dismissed us from her presence, satisfied that we were dutiful children.

I slid across the grass on my bottom, nestling beside our governess, adjusting my body so that I could whisper in her ear, "May I tell you a secret, Madame?"

"Of course, Liebchen." Madame von Brandeiss smiled indulgently.

"Sometimes . . . sometimes I wish you were my mother." The pomade in her hair, scented to disguise its origin as animal fat, smelled of lavender. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. The fragrance was so pleasant, it nearly made me sleepy.

"Why, Madame Antonia!" The countess managed to appear both touched and alarmed, her cheeks coloring prettily as her gray eyes stole a reflexive glance to see who might be listening. "How can you say such a thing, little one--especially when your maman is the empress of Austria!"

Madame von Brandeiss tenderly stroked my hair. I could not remember whether my mother had ever done so, nor could I summon the memory of any similar display of warmth or affection. It was enough to convince me that they had never taken place. I felt my governess's lips press against the top of my head. Somehow she knew, without my breathing a word, that the empress's demeanor rather frightened me. "I'm sure your maman loves you, little one," she murmured. "But you must remember, it is the duty of a sovereign to attend to great and serious affairs of state, while it is a governess's responsibility to look after the children."

I wriggled a bit. My leg had become entangled in my underskirts and had fallen asleep. "Are you ever sorry you didn't have any of your own?" I asked the countess. Inside my white stockings I wiggled my toes until the tingling was gone.

"Antonia, you're being impertinent!" Charlotte said reproachfully. "What did Maman tell you about blurting out whatever comes into your head?" I loved and admired my next oldest sister more than anyone in the world, but she had the makings of quite a little autocrat--Maman in miniature in many ways. Already her adolescent features had begun to resemble our mother, especially about the mouth.

Ignoring my sister, I tilted my chin and gazed earnestly into our governess's eyes. "If you could have, would you have had sixteen children, like Maman?" There were only thirteen of us now, owing to the ravages of smallpox. I'd contracted the disease when I was only two years old and by the grace of God recovered fully. Only a tiny scar by the side of my nose remained as a reminder of what I had survived. When I grew older I would be permitted to hide it with powder and paint, or perhaps even a patch, although Maman thought that women who covered their pox scars with mouches had no morals. "If you had a little girl, Madame, what would you want her to be like?"

Countess von Brandeiss swallowed hard and fingered the engraved locket about her neck. She was perhaps nearly as old as Maman; the brown hair that peeked out from beneath her straw bonnet and white linen cap was threaded with a few strands of silver. She tenderly kissed the top of my head. "If I had had a little girl, I would have wanted her to be just like you. With strawberry blond curls and enormous dark blue eyes, and a generous heart as big as the Austrian Empire." Tugging me toward her, she readjusted the gray woolen band that smoothed my unruly tendrils off my forehead. It wasn't terribly pretty but it served its turn, and was ordinarily masked by my hair ribbon. But that afternoon I had removed the length of rose-colored silk and used it to tie a bouquet I plucked from the parterres--tulips and pinks and puffy white snapdragons.

"Yes, Liebchen," sighed my governess, "she would be exactly like you, except in one respect." I looked at her inquiringly. "If I had had a little girl, she would be more attentive to her lessons!" Madame von Brandeiss gently clasped my wrists and disengaged my arms from her neck. Her eyes twinkled. "She would not be clever enough to invent so many distractions, and she would pay more attention to her studies. And, she would not ask so many"--she glanced at Charlotte, who was feigning interest in splitting a blade of grass with her pale, slender fingers--"impertinent questions.

"Now," she said, urging me off her lap and onto the lawn. "Enough games. Like it or not, ma petite, it is time for your French grammar lesson. You too, Charlotte." The countess clapped her hands with brisk efficiency. "Allons, mes enfants."

In the blink of an eye, a liveried footman handed Charlotte our copybooks.

Before I could stop myself, I pursed my lips into a petulant little moue. Our governess stuck out her lower lip, playfully mocking my expression. "You mustn't pout, Antonia. It was you, little madame, who convinced me to move your lessons out of doors today."

Rolling onto my belly and propping myself on my elbows, I lifted my face to the breeze and filled my nostrils with the scents of summer. The boning in my bodice pressed against my midriff and my skirts belled out above my rump like a pink soufflé. "But I'm not pouting, Madame. It's how God made me," I said brightly. In truth, what Maman calls "the Hapsburg lower lip" gives the impression of a permanent pout, even when I'm not sulking. Our entire family looks the same way; with fair hair, a pale complexion, and a distinctly receding chin, I resembled every one of my siblings and ancestors.

And yet, if I'd had a glass I would have appraised my appearance. Was I pretty? Maman thought I was a perfect porcelain doll, but I'd overheard whispers among the servants . . . something about the way I carried my head. Or perhaps it was my physiognomy. Then again, I was a Hapsburg archduchess. I had every reason to delight in my lineage. Still--I wanted everyone to love me. If there were a way to please them, I wished to learn it. "Do you think my chin makes me look haughty?" I asked Madame von Brandeiss.

"People who have nothing better to do will indulge in idle gossip," our governess replied. Charlotte placed her hand over her mouth to hide a smile. "Your chin makes you look proud. And you have every reason to be proud because you are a daughter of Austria and your family has a long and illustrious history. And," Madame von Brandeiss continued, beginning to laugh, "you are doing it again."

"Doing what?" I asked innocently.

"Doing everything you can think of to avoid your books. Don't think you can fool me, little madame."

She clapped her hands again. "Come now, you minxes, you've dawdled enough. Vite, vite! It's time for your French lesson." She shook Charlotte gently by the shoulder.

Charlotte rolled onto her back and sat up; she was diligent by nature, but if I began to dally, she could become as indolent as I when it came to our schoolwork. Our moods affected each other as if we had been born twins. Her grumble became a delighted squeal as something caught our eyes at exactly the same moment. "Toinette, look! A butterfly!" My sister shut her copybook with a resonant snap. Joining hands, we pulled each other to our feet and began to give chase. Without breaking her stride Charlotte swept up her net from where it lay in the soft grass with a single graceful motion.

"Ach! Nein! Girls, your shoes!" Madame von Brandeiss exclaimed, rising and smoothing her skirts. Her boned corset prevented her from bending with ease; she knelt as if to curtsy and scooped up one of my backless ivory satin slippers.

"No time!" I shouted, clutching fistfuls of watered silk as I hitched up my skirts and raced past Charlotte. The butterfly became a blur of vivid blue as it flitted in an irregular serpentine across the manicured hillside, its delicate form silhouetted against the cerulean sky. It finally settled on a hedge at the perimeter of the slope. Charlotte and I had nearly run out of wind; our chests heaved with exertion, straining against the stiff boning of our stomachers. My sister began to lower her net. I raised my hand to stay her. "No," I insisted, panting. "You'll scare her off."

I held my breath. Gingerly reaching toward the foliage, I cupped my hands over our exquisite quarry. The butterfly's iridescent wings fluttered energetically, tickling my palms. "Let's show Madame," I whispered.

With Charlotte a pace or two behind me, limping a bit because she'd put her foot wrong on an unseen twig, I cautiously tiptoed back across the lawn, fearful of tripping and losing the delicate treasure cocooned within my hands. The rapid trembling of the butterfly's wings gradually slowed until there was only an occasional beat against my palms.

Finally, we reached the countess. "Look what I've got!" I crowed, slowly uncurling my fingers. The three of us peered at the motionless insect. Charlotte's face turned grave.

Catching the troubled expression in her pale blue eyes, "Maybe she's sleeping," I said softly, hopefully, stroking one of the fragile wings with my index finger. My hands were smudged with yellow dust.

"She's not sleeping, Toinette. She's . . ." Charlotte's words trailed off as she looked at me, her usually flushed cheeks now ashen with awareness.

My lips quivered, but the sobs became strangled in my throat. Drawing me to her, Charlotte endeavored to still the heaving in my shoulders, but I shrugged her off. I didn't deserve to be comforted. An enormous tear rolled down my cheek and landed on my chest, marring the silk with an irregular stain. Another warm tear plopped onto my wrist. I closed my hands again as if to shelter the butterfly in the sepulcher made by my palms, while the full weight of my crime settled on my narrow shoulders.

"I. Didn't. Mean. To. Kill. Her. I've. Never. Killed. Anything. I. Would. Never. Hurt . . ." My sobs finally came in big loud gulps, bursts of hysterical sound punctuated by apologies. With a look of sheer helplessness I threw myself into my governess's open arms.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House Publishing Group
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 9, 2011
Edition ‏ : ‎ Original
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 466 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0345523865
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0345523860
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.19 x 1.2 x 8 inches
Book 1 of 3 ‏ : ‎ Marie Antoinette
Best Sellers Rank: #590,001 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,535 in Biographical Historical Fiction
- #1,689 in Biographical & Autofiction
- #23,257 in Literary Fiction (Books)
Customer Reviews:
(642)

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Customers say

Customers find this historical novel a fun and educational read, particularly appreciating their interest in Marie Antoinette's childhood. The book is well-written and carefully researched, with well-developed characters and a story that brings history to life. Customers disagree on the pacing, with some noting it moves at a slow but consuming pace.

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53 customers mention readability, 49 positive, 4 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and engaging, describing it as a fun and educational read that keeps their interest throughout.

Great read.Read more

Easy read in a “first person” account of Marie Antoinette’s preparation to become Queen of France. Enjoyable, pace felt slow....Read more

very interesting but a slow read. almost more detail than I wanted.Read more

Easy to read. The book is from Marie's point of view which gives the book an interesting perspective. A good look of the Court in France.Read more

45 customers mention content, 42 positive, 3 negative

Customers find the book delightful, particularly enjoying learning about Marie Antoinette's childhood.

great book! I'm getting the next one .....portraits Marie Antoinette as a real woman and the description of Versailles couldn't be more accurate.Read more

Five StarsRead more

...I found this book and loved it. The author has a great writing style and I was engaged and interested from beginning to end.Read more

Four StarsRead more

16 customers mention writing style, 15 positive, 1 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well-crafted, with one customer particularly noting the author's attention to detail.

This book is an excellent historical fiction novel. It is well written and the characters are well developed....Read more

This novel was very well written and gave insight to Marie Antoinette as a child and young wife....Read more

...I found this book and loved it. The author has a great writing style and I was engaged and interested from beginning to end.Read more

...I loved the author's attention to detail. I really felt like I was right there with Marie, living life with her....Read more

14 customers mention informative, 14 positive, 0 negative

Customers find the book informative and carefully researched, with one customer noting it provides a bibliography at the end.

Thought-provoking and carefully researched, the author shows Marie Antoinette in a different light than what we had been taught....Read more

I was heading for Austria and found this delightful book. It is very well researched and written so that you don't want to put it down....Read more

Easy reading with plenty of facts to keep the reader entertained from beginning to end....Read more

Very interesting and different facts from previous books on Marie Antoinette.Read more

10 customers mention story, 7 positive, 3 negative

Customers enjoy the story of Marie Antoinette, with one customer particularly appreciating its portrayal of her early life.

Nice story. Gives a picture of how and why the young was trained to be a queen. The story moves a little slow.Read more

...She has handled this story well, and I have found it to be quite interesting how she followed through Antoinette years before she became queen.Read more

Entertaining although I didn't like the fact that it didn't complete her story. Another book to buy!Read more

I thought it was a good story about early Marie Antoinette. I'm currently reading book 2 of this series which covers her reign as queen....Read more

8 customers mention character development, 7 positive, 1 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one mentioning feeling like they were right there with Marie.

...Each character was interesting all on their own and the etiquette and attention to detail of the time period made this all the more delicious....Read more

...I loved the author's attention to detail. I really felt like I was right there with Marie, living life with her....Read more

...Marie is a likable character though she is not portrayed as a Disney princess, she is well written and we see her strengths and weaknesses....Read more

...It is well written and the characters are well developed. The second book in the Trilogy was also excellent....Read more

8 customers mention historically accuracy, 7 positive, 1 negative

Customers appreciate how the book brings history to life, with one customer noting its accurate portrayal of Marie Antoinette's childhood.

this book is historically accurate and very readable. it is obvious the author has done extensive research. i look forward to the next book.Read more

It was a fascinating time in history but this book just doesn't convey that at all. Seemed juvenile to me....Read more

...The world of Marie Antoinette comes to life in this relatively historically accurate portrayal of this historical celebrity.Read more

It's rare to find an author whose unafraid to delve into the childhood of historical figures....Read more

8 customers mention pacing, 5 positive, 3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it moves at a slow but consuming pace that really takes them into the time period, while others find it dragging.

...Enjoyable, pace felt slow. Best enjoyed by readers looking for a lighter historical story.Read more

...However, I can't give the book 5 stars because she becomes somewhat long winded....Read more

...Events in the novel move at a slow, but consuming pace that made me not want to put it down....Read more

I read this book in less than three days because I just couldn't put it down....Read more

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Juliet Grey

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