It's a fun read, but if given to a child, the inaccuracies should be explained. Both her and Louis were naive children who had no idea what the real world was and were naturally unfit to be King and Queen of France. I do like some things Lasky has done, though, by making Marie Antoinette just a very sheltered young girl who has no idea what's going on in the world around her. However, it gives children an inaccurate view of history, and I remember being eleven years old and huffy with my father for pointing out that some things were wrong with the story. It makes children more likely to read it, and more interested in history. In some ways, this could be a good thing. There's a heap of historical inaccuracies, and Lasky even admits she added fictional aspects to the story. Looking back, I'm glad my childhood self didn't enjoy the whole 'story' so much. I don't remember much about the actual story, but I loved the end of it. I remember reading that to my dad, and him being quite unimpressed. And I went bonkers with the whole 'Pardon me, Monsieur, I did not mean to do it' line. I thought it was wonderful, and I loved the cover art (okay, so I still do- look at the detail on the back of the gown! Ahh!), and the golden pages and the historical details at the end. and a revolution.Īha, I loved this book when I was ten or eleven when it came out.

Through the pages of her diary, Marie captures the isolation, the lavish parties and gowns, her struggle to find her place, and the years leading up her ascendance of the throne. But as she lives a luxurious life inside the palace gates, out on the streets the people of France face hunger and poverty. The future of Austria and France falls upon her shoulders.

Opinionated and headstrong Marie Antoinette must find a way to fit in at the royal court, and get along with her fiancé. Things become more difficult for her when she is separated from her family and sent to the court of Versailles to meet her future husband. To prepare her for this awesome responsibility, she must be trained to write, read, speak French, dress, act. To forge an incredibly powerful political alliance, thirteen-year-old Marie Antoinette of Austria is betrothed to Dauphin Louis Auguste, who will one day be the king of France. Newbery Honor author Kathryn Lasky's MARIE ANTOINETTE is back in print with a gorgeous new package!

Marie Antoinette by Kathryn Lasky