Marie-Therese, Child of Terror: The Fate of Marie Antoinette's DaughterSusan Nagel
Much attention has been given to the two most famous victims of the French Revolution, Louis XVI and his ill-fated wife, Marie Antoinette; however, their eldest daughter, Marie-Therese, is little known. Susan Nagel aims to shed more light on the girl known as Madame Royale, once described by Napoleon as "the only man in the family," with her book Marie-Therese, Child of Terror: The Fate of Marie Antoinette's Daughter.
Nagel has meticulously researched this biography, and we follow Marie-Therese from her birth (including the circumstances leading up to it), through the first rumblings of revolution and the family's imprisonment (and near-total execution), all the way into exile and mystery. There are those who wondered if Marie-Therese was not switched with her half-sister, allowing she who had endured so much in the public eye a little privacy.
While the circumstances of a violent revolution coupled with an unsolved mystery might suggest a page-turning read, this was unfortunately not always so. Some sections seem to drag on interminably, and at this time it becomes clearer than ever just how well Nagel knows her topic. Nevertheless, I was intrigued -- and a little surprised -- by how interested I became in someone I'd previously never paid any attention to at all.
One major drawback to Marie-Therese was its lack of illustrations. True, some illustrations are provided, but many of them are not helpful (like a photo of the bed where Marie Antoinette gave birth) while several personages central to much of Marie-Therese's life are left visually undocumented. I know they're out there (I googled them myself), so why not include them in the book? A minor point, perhaps, but one I feel has merit.
In a nutshell: Some sections lagged and more illustrations of the people central to M-T's life would have been nice, but Nagel still delivers an in-depth look into the life of a commonly ignored historical figure.
Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars
Nagel has meticulously researched this biography, and we follow Marie-Therese from her birth (including the circumstances leading up to it), through the first rumblings of revolution and the family's imprisonment (and near-total execution), all the way into exile and mystery. There are those who wondered if Marie-Therese was not switched with her half-sister, allowing she who had endured so much in the public eye a little privacy.
While the circumstances of a violent revolution coupled with an unsolved mystery might suggest a page-turning read, this was unfortunately not always so. Some sections seem to drag on interminably, and at this time it becomes clearer than ever just how well Nagel knows her topic. Nevertheless, I was intrigued -- and a little surprised -- by how interested I became in someone I'd previously never paid any attention to at all.One major drawback to Marie-Therese was its lack of illustrations. True, some illustrations are provided, but many of them are not helpful (like a photo of the bed where Marie Antoinette gave birth) while several personages central to much of Marie-Therese's life are left visually undocumented. I know they're out there (I googled them myself), so why not include them in the book? A minor point, perhaps, but one I feel has merit.
In a nutshell: Some sections lagged and more illustrations of the people central to M-T's life would have been nice, but Nagel still delivers an in-depth look into the life of a commonly ignored historical figure.
Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars
1 comment:
I found your blog through RabbitReader who you nominated as an Excellent book blog. Glad I did -- your blog is very good1
This book in particular appeals to me. I've been reading (and reviewing) more non-fiction lately. I will have to add it to my TBR shelf. Thanks for the review!
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