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Abundance: A Novel of Marie Antoinette | 
 enlarge | Author: Sena Jeter Naslund
Publisher: William Morrow
Category: Book
List Price: $26.95
Buy New: $6.10
You Save: $20.85 (77%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  60 reviews
Sales Rank: 137142
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 560
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6 x 1.9
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
ASIN: B000PGTEVA
Publication Date: October 1, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Marie Antoinette was a child of fourteen when her mother, the Empress of Austria, arranged for her to leave her family and her country to become the wife of the fifteen-year-old Dauphin, the future King of France. Coming of age in the most public of arenas—eager to be a good wife and strong queen—she warmly embraces her adopted nation and its citizens. She shows her new husband nothing but love and encouragement, though he repeatedly fails to consummate their marriage and in so doing is unable to give what she and the people of France desire most: a child and an heir to the throne. Deeply disappointed and isolated in her own intimate circle, and apart from the social life of the court, she allows herself to remain ignorant of the country's growing economic and political crises, even as poor harvests, bitter winters, war debts, and poverty precipitate rebellion and revenge. The young queen, once beloved by the common folk, becomes a target of scorn, cruelty, and hatred as she, the court's nobles, and the rest of the royal family are caught up in the nightmarish violence of a murderous time called "the Terror." With penetrating insight and with wondrous narrative skill, Sena Jeter Naslund offers an intimate, fresh, heartbreaking, and dramatic reimagining of this truly compelling woman that goes far beyond popular myth—and she makes a bygone time of tumultuous change as real to us as the one we are living in now.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 55 more reviews...
 Beautiful Depiction of the Queen in Fiction September 18, 2008
I knew I would love this book when I started it, but when I was finished I loved it a thousand times more. The book accurately depicts the life of Marie Antoinette, all that the public saw and perhaps some intimate moments never yet proved. You really do feel for the queen, the pains she suffered, the neglect of her bashful husband, her mother's hurtful nagging at not consumating her marriage, the resentment of many of the French courtiers, and the eventual hatred of the people of France. I also loved how many chapters were used for the real correspondance between herself and others, particularly her mother. For anyone who knows the history and still despises the queen you must read "Marie Antoinette: The Journey" by Antonia Fraser, then this one. I guarantee your opinion of her will change. READ IT EVERYONE!
A sympathetic novel September 9, 2008
A novel told from the perspective of Marie Antoinette, this sympathetic portrait paints the French queen as a naive but well-meaning young girl who is completely unaware of her responsibilities and the consequences of her innocent actions.
Novels about Marie Antoinette seem to fall into one of two camps: either they portray her as an innocent or a serpent. The truth, as usual, probably lies somewhere in between. It is up to you to read as much as you can and then make up your own mind. This novel, with that in mind, is well worth reading. The court descriptions are rich in detail, but never tedious or detracting from the story. Marie herself comes across as a bit simpering, though, and there are times you want to just give the girl a good shake and tell her to "wake up!." Aside from that, it is an enjoyable read and a nice departure from the swamp of Tudor England novels out there.
Enjoyable, intimate, well-written story August 10, 2008
I enjoy historical fiction, and this was no let down. The author writes such rich passages that you feel you're intimately familiar with the characters - Marie Antoinette and her European royal brethren - and their relationships. In addition, the author does a wonderful job making Marie quite likeable, while simultaneously revealing her traits and excesses that we know will lead to her eventual undoing. Throughout the book, I hoped that things would somehow turn out differently for Marie, which we know isn't possible. This makes the book so much more compelling, because as readers, we become resigned to her fate, just as she was resigned to her own fate amid her steadfast commitment to her family and royal bearing.
 Very Interesting book about a rather self absorbed woman July 28, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is book is well written and takes you back in time. I found that in the first half I considered Marie to be a useless person.. Very frivolous. Her life was nothing but clothes and parties and having hair piled atop her head and she sure did have her picture painted a lot. She was not an admirable queen.. rather self absorbed while her country is starving. However, in the second half she becomes a mother and it all bout the kids and she starts to grow up. I liked the contrast and the way you see both sides of the woman. The woman that died was very different from the woman that showed up in France and I like the way this author shows us that.
This is a thoroughly wonderful book June 20, 2008
After some of the less than favorable reviews I had read, I was afraid to spend any money or time on this book, I am certainly glad that I did take the chance on it anyway.
Have you ever longed to walk Versailles with Marie Antoinette? well this book is your chance. Sena literally channels Toinette for us, as our time and world fall away, and we are in the span of years that Marie Antoinette lived. I have read 542 pages in one and 1/2 days, simply because I could not stand to be away from Antoinette's side until the last horrible moment when there was nothing left. Oh my god, who would not wish to experience this wild ride with the most charming and courageous hostess imaginable?
I read this book with a large art book of Versailles open to the plans and views from the various windows, rooms and fountains to look at as the situation arose. I can only say that I was transported back some 230 years, and spent these past two days with someone I would most want to spend some time with, as apposed to only researching or reading about the great and fascinating Marie Antoinette. Thank-you Sena Jeter Naslund for this truly incredible experience!
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