Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette Before the Revolution

A very accurate book :



'Nesta Webster's two volume work on the much maligned Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI is something I consider to be a must-read for anyone interested in their lives. Webster examines contemporary sources with great insight, clearing away much of the "myth" that has been passed down about both Marie Antoinette and her husband. Webster is particularly critical of the Freudian interpretation of Marie Antoinette's behavior, the unfortunate portrayals of Louis XVI as a fat oaf and Marie Antoinette as a war-mongering Austrian, and the alleged Axel Fersen affair.

For the most part, her writing is very accessible to those with a general knowledge of the time period. However, she occasionally uses French quotes without offering a translation, and also occasionally footnotes with her her own work or makes reference to her previous books instead of explaining a situation to its fullest.

It should be noted that Webster was a conspiracy theorist. I haven't read her books that are solely on the French Revolution, however her theories crop up in both volumes... personally I don't agree with them, but her analysis of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette is well worth the occasional quirky theory.

The first volume deals with the lives of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette until just after the diamond necklace scandal. The second volume examines their behavior during the revolution and of course, continues until their deaths.'

Anna Gibson