Becoming Marie Antoinette par Juliet Grey

Mes chers amis, je suis actuellement en train de lire le roman Devenir Marie-Antoinette, Becoming Marie Antoinette par Juliet Grey et je dois dire qu'il est exceptionnel. Très précis et bien écrit. Il va dans les détails sur l'enfance de Marie-Antoinette. Je suis profondément émue par la plupart des scènes tels que son adieu à Caroline. Il est le premier volume d'une trilogie sur la reine. L'auteur est une de mes amis et a pris grand soin dans sa recherche. Je vais écrire une revue prochainement.

Mais...l'auteur m'a confié qu'elle veut montrer le comte de Fersen comme l'amant de Marie-Antoinette , dans les prochains volumes, ce qui me déçoit, et nous continuons à en discuter....

Cela ne me surprend pas....ni ne me déçoit...après tout ça vend des livres et c'est probablement la réalité.

Je trouve cela inconvenant par contre que l'auteur projette trois volumes pour cette oeuvre....cela coute plus cher pour le consommateur et est-ce vraiment nécessaire? Ces séries sont un mal Anglo-saxon, et ne servent qu'à faire plus d'argent.

On le lira sans doute ici, mais j'attendrai pas mal d'avis avant de me lancer. Ce qui m'intéresse plus particulièrement est si l'auteur a trouvé des détails inédits sur l'enfance peu documentée de la Reine.

Yes, Monsieur le Baron, there is always the financial consideration. Sex sells. Nevertheless, the author is sincere in her fondness for the Queen. It comes through in the text of the novel. I encourage you not to be too harsh on the until you have read it yourself. I think you might like it very much.

As for the details of Marie-Antoinette's childhood, there is great deal of information about how she would have learned the Versailles glide, how her teeth were fixed (an excruciating process), about how her hair was dressed, as well as many detailed descriptions about the palace of Schonbrunn, the gardens, the decorations, the paintings and the life of the court. Information on such things are in existence but not always included in novels about Marie-Antoinette. Of course, it is a novel, and so there is more than a touch of imagination but it is based upon pretty solid research.

I really do think it is extremely hard to write a "novel" about Marie Antoinette, because for someone that has been slandered in so many different ways about so many different subjects, hard facts become a necessity and le genre romancé becomes almost a potential "élement à charge"....

Her life calls out for cold lucid archive driven biography.

Thank you for the information elena maria vidal

Chou d'amour a écrit:

Thank you for the information elena maria vidal

You are most welcome, Chou!

elena maria vidal a écrit:

Yes, Monsieur le Baron, there is always the financial consideration. Sex sells. Nevertheless, the author is sincere in her fondness for the Queen. It comes through in the text of the novel. I encourage you not to be too harsh on the until you have read it yourself. I think you might like it very much.

As for the details of Marie-Antoinette's childhood, there is great deal of information about how she would have learned the Versailles glide, how her teeth were fixed (an excruciating process), about how her hair was dressed, as well as many detailed descriptions about the palace of Schonbrunn, the gardens, the decorations, the paintings and the life of the court. Information on such things are in existence but not always included in novels about Marie-Antoinette. Of course, it is a novel, and so there is more than a touch of imagination but it is based upon pretty solid research.

I am really interested, especially in this first part you describe here. Maybe I will only buy this one...
(Je suis vraiment intéressée, surtout par cette première partie que vous décrivez ici. Peut-être n'achèterai-je que celle-là...)

pimprenelle a écrit:

I am really interested, especially in this first part you describe here. Maybe I will only buy this one...
(Je suis vraiment intéressée, surtout par cette première partie que vous décrivez ici. Peut-être n'achèterai-je que celle-là...)

Oui, moi aussi. As I read on, it appears that the marriage problems are attributed to Louis having a phimosis. I thought we had moved beyond that theory so I am a little disappointed. However, Louis is otherwise well portrayed. He is shown as being strong, silent, intelligent, with difficulty showing his deeper feelings.

elena maria vidal a écrit:

Oui, moi aussi. As I read on, it appears that the marriage problems are attributed to Louis having a phimosis. I thought we had moved beyond that theory so I am a little disappointed. However, Louis is otherwise well portrayed. He is shown as being strong, silent, intelligent, with difficulty showing his deeper feelings.

Oh no ?! Not this phimosis story again ?! As you say, at least, he is not portrayed as small, fat, ugly and stupid.

(- En continuant ma lecture, il apparaît que les problèmes du mariage sont attribué à Louis et son phimosis. Je pensais que nous avions écarté cette théorie, aussi suis-je un peu désappointée. Cependant, Louis est pour le reste bien rendu. On le montre fort, silencieux, intelligent, avec des difficultés à montrer ses sentiments profonds
- Oh non ?! Pas encore cette histoire de phimosis ?! Comme vous dites, du moins n'est-il pas décrit petit, gros, affreux et stupide).

On a juste à lire la lettre de Joseph II, on voit bien qu`il avait pas de problème de phimosis, il était juste maladroit.
Fleurdelys

fleurdelys a écrit:

On a juste à lire la lettre de Joseph II, on voit bien qu`il avait pas de problème de phimosis, il était juste maladroit.
Fleurdelys

Oui, d'accord.

pimprenelle a écrit:

Oh no ?! Not this phimosis story again ?! As you say, at least, he is not portrayed as small, fat, ugly and stupid.

(- En continuant ma lecture, il apparaît que les problèmes du mariage sont attribué à Louis et son phimosis. Je pensais que nous avions écarté cette théorie, aussi suis-je un peu désappointée. Cependant, Louis est pour le reste bien rendu. On le montre fort, silencieux, intelligent, avec des difficultés à montrer ses sentiments profonds
- Oh non ?! Pas encore cette histoire de phimosis ?! Comme vous dites, du moins n'est-il pas décrit petit, gros, affreux et stupide).

I read more of the novel last night. I wish there was not the phimosis story because otherwise the characterizations are quite well-done. Louis is a very endearing character. He is so good, honest and down-to-earth at a court where all is pretense and lies. It is easy to fall in love with him. Marie-Antoinette is drawn to Louis but at the same time confused and hurt by his seeming indifference towards her. And then, of course, poor Antoinette is being told that it is all her fault! Pauvre petite!

I just wanted to add that in spite of my one or two criticisms mentioned above I am LOVING this book and it is the best full-length novel I have ever read about Marie-Antoinette. I have trouble putting it down and it has me laughing and crying. The entire scene of the remise was extremely moving. I have never seen it described so well. I REALLY could not stand it when they took Mops away from her. She was surrounded by cruel people almost from the first moment she stepped into France. Mesdame Tantes are so well-depicted as their eccentric selves. It is the best portrayal ever of Madame du Barry, very accurate and not stereotypical at all.

C'est un livre à lire donc selon votre avis

What is the scene of the rémise (you mean "remise"?)? The scene where Marie-Antoinette dauphine arrives officially in France not far from Strasbourg?

Do you know why this book is listed like a novel? There are imagined scenes?

Isn't it too Coppola like ? I mean... Mops and the eccentric aunts remind me of Coppola's movie.

How is Madame du Barry ? Refined and delicate ?

Now, we still have to see How Madame de Polignac is depicted.

Chou d'amour a écrit:

C'est un livre à lire donc selon votre avis

What is the scene of the rémise (you mean "remise"?)? The scene where Marie-Antoinette dauphine arrives officially in France not far from Strasbourg?

Do you know why this book is listed like a novel? There are imagined scenes?

Oops, yes, I meant "remise." It is a novel because yes, there are imagined scenes but they are all based on solid research. as in my own novel and in any work of art.

I see what you mean. Even in biographies, some scenes are due to the intuition of the author.

pimprenelle a écrit:

Isn't it too Coppola like ? I mean... Mops and the eccentric aunts remind me of Coppola's movie.

How is Madame du Barry ? Refined and delicate ?

Now, we still have to see How Madame de Polignac is depicted.

I read an interview with the author and you will be glad to know, dear Pim, that she detests the Coppola film. The characters are nothing like the Coppola film but as they are in the memoirs, only brought to life. Yes, Madame du Barry is refined and delicate and has exquisite taste. She is the best dressed lady at court. I have not yet met Madame de Polignac but my hopes are high!

Wonderful ! I am so pleased to see Madame du Barry rehabilitated. Se had so exquisite taste and manners.

pimprenelle a écrit:

Wonderful ! I am so pleased to see Madame du Barry rehabilitated. Se had so exquisite taste and manners.

Yes, it is the best portrayal of her that I have ever seen!

I hope I'll soon find this book here in Belgium.

pimprenelle a écrit:

I hope I'll soon find this book here in Belgium.

It is being released in ten days. I think you will enjoy it, Pim. It is making me love Marie-Antoinette even more, and Louis, too.

Do you know, you've managed to convince me to read this book!!! Although I tend to disapprove of this kind of novels ! I've seen it's going to be released on 9 August (Amazon.uk) ... Paperback edition .

pimprenelle a écrit:

I hope I'll soon find this book here in Belgium

Tu peux le trouver sur Amazon pour 10€48

Thank you for the details elena

Chou d'amour a écrit:

pimprenelle a écrit:

I hope I'll soon find this book here in Belgium

Tu peux le trouver sur Amazon pour 10€48

Thank you for the details elena

De rien!