MARIE ANTOINETTE'S WORLD

A scholar on Marie Antoinette delivers his most detailed vision of the doomed queen yet.

In previous works, such as Marie Antoinette’s Darkest Days(2016), historian Bashor examined how others viewed Marie Antoinette, the queen of France who was executed in 1793, during the French Revolution. Here, he turns his attention to the tragic figure herself. To set the scene, he delves into the history of Versailles between the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XVI. Bashor immerses readers in a contradictory world of rigid social norms, vicious politics, and opulent debauchery. By the time the naïve and sarcastic Marie Antoinette arrives on the scene, many readers won’t be able to help but feel sorry for what awaits her. Bashor recounts the different stages of Marie Antoinette’s life with great detail, painting her as a privileged teenager who was deeply unprepared for her role. Through stories of her supposed lovers and unhappy marriage, Bashor makes her sympathetic, although tales of excessive gambling and her preference for the very young and beautiful confirm well-known stereotypes. Fleshing out this well-rounded portrait are some unexpected features: the texts of pamphlets bashing the monarchy, short chapters that evaluate Marie Antoinette’s handwriting for insight into her state of mind, and a lengthy exploration of her astrological chart. It’s debatable how much insight these latter elements add, although they are entertaining. However, Bashor is reluctant to take a stance on his subject’s infidelities despite the ample evidence he provides. But even if mysteries about Marie Antoinette remain, the author’s lush details make it easy to imagine nearly every bit of her daily life. He turns on a dime from elegant, haughty court behaviors to the era’s ugly realities; when discussing subtler points of fan waving, for instance, he reveals: “They often used the fan to hide their rotting teeth or divert bad breath.” Overall, it’s a glorious and realistic representation of Versailles that history buffs will enjoy.

A full, realistic, and completely engrossing view of Marie Antoinette’s life and times.