From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10–This serviceable biography covers the famous French queen's life from birth to execution. There are numerous engravings and fine-art reproductions, minus David's famous drawing of Marie Antoinette on her way to the guillotine. There are no maps of Europe and of Paris and its environs or genealogical charts of the Austrian and French royal families. The writing is pedestrian and often awkward; a number of unfamiliar terms aren't defined. There are some errors, typos, and a number of unexplained or confusing references–such as how many children Maria Theresa had and why there was so much contention among French royals. Not outstanding in any way.–Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist
Gr. 9-12. YAs who associate Marie Antoinette with frivolous excess may be surprised by the positive portrayal in this biography. Divided at age 14 from her Austrian homeland and forced to marry the "awkward, lumbering" heir to the French throne, the young dauphine faced indisputably tough circumstances. Unfortunately, the authors present the queen as the innocent target of a restive public's ire without consistently offering supporting evidence. Though the more sympathetic view is widely accepted by modern historians (many of whose own analyses are listed in the concluding bibliography), neglecting to support one's conclusions and acknowledge surmise where it occurs does a disservice to young readers. Despite imperfections, though, this entry in the new European Queens series provides an engaging point of entry into the history of the French Revolution. Moreover, for YA appeal, it's hard to beat a historical figure whose story features a controversial diamond necklace, public speculation about the royals' troubled sex life, and, of course, a tragic, bloody conclusion. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Of all the daughters of the formidable Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, Archduchess Maria Antonia was the least prepared to become queen of France. Sweet and kind, she did not like school and showed no interest in politics. Nevertheless, at age fourteen she was sent to the opulent palace at Versailles, outside Paris, to marry the future King Louis XVI. Marie Antoinette's new husband, intelligent but shy and indecisive, was not a strong king. His days were filled with hunting, and hers with games and socializing. Neither seemed aware of the tension building in France because of high taxes, scarce food, and political injustice. The queen's spending habits and foreign birth caused the people of France to turn their anger on her. When the French Revolution erupted in 1789, Louis was unable to maintain control. He was arrested, imprisoned, then beheaded; Marie Antoinette followed him to the guillotine nine months later.

Marie Antoinette and the Decline of French Monarchy brings to life the tragic story of the lovely but naive queen who paid with her life for the mistakes of the entire ruling class

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Valerie O. Patterson

Born the fifteenth child to the powerful Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, Maria Antonia (or Marie Antoinette as she would be called) is destined to be a political pawn on the European chessboard. Married off to the heir to the French throne at fourteen in order to seal an alliance between Austria and its traditional rival, France, Marie Antoinette leaves the sheltered life in Vienna for the opulent, treacherous palace at Versailles. There she faces numerous obstacles, some of which she overcomes, some of which she does not, and some of which are beyond her control. For example, Marie Antoinette is blamed for failing to have children during the first seven years of her marriage to the dauphin Louis Auguste; yet the marriage had not been consummated during that time. Before she and Louis Auguste turn twenty, King Louis XV dies and the two are thrust into leadership. Increasingly, the royal couple becomes the visible symbol of frustration and anger over profligate spending and huge deficits. When the revolution begins, the royal family is arrested. On October 16, 1793, Marie Antoinette is beheaded, less than ten months after her husband's execution. Well-written and easy to read, the biography flows like a good novel—with strong characters, an engaging plot with intriguing subplots, and a vivid sense of place of the Versailles Palace before and during the French Revolution. Part of a series on European queens, this admittedly sympathetic biography of the doomed French queen deserves a following. A glossary, timeline, index and detailed sourcing and bibliography are included. 2004, Morgan Reynolds Publishing, Ages 12 up.

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