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Reviews and Praise for Becoming Marie Antoinette
“A thoroughly enjoyable novel, brimming with delightful details. Grey writes eloquently and with charming humor, bringing ‘Toinette’ vividly to life as she is schooled and groomed—molded, quite literally—for a future as Queen of France, an innocent pawn in a deadly political game.” —SANDRA GULLAND, bestselling author of Mistress of the Sun and the Josephine Bonaparte trilogy
“In her richly imagined novel, Juliet Grey meticulously recreates the sumptuous court of France’s most tragic queen. Beautifully written, with attention paid to even the smallest detail, Becoming Marie Antoinette will leave readers wanting more!” —MICHELLE MORAN, bestselling author of Madame Tussaud
“A lively and sensitive portrait of a young princess in a hostile court, and one of the most sympathetic portrayals of the doomed queen.” —LAUREN WILLIG, bestselling author of the Pink Carnation series
“Wonderfully delectable and lusciously rich, an elegant novel to truly savor. Juliet Grey’s Marie Antoinette is completely absorbing.”
—DIANE HAEGER, author of The Queen’s Rival
“[A] sympathetic take on the fascinating and doomed Marie Antoinette.”—Publishers Weekly
“An extremely compelling read. The author blends very intricately detailed research with a narrative that is stunning in its poignancy.”—The Elliott Review
“Readers will see Marie Antoinette in a whole new light…A sympathetic and engaging read that presents the French queen in a manner seldom found in other novels…Anyone interested in French history will savor every page of this novel.”—BookLoons
“Juliet Grey’s writing is exquisitely detailed and I enjoyed her lush descriptions of the clothing and decor of the time period. Grey possesses the rare ability to transform readers to a past only accessible by imagination. Becoming Marie Antoinette is sure to appeal to lovers of quality historical fiction as well as those who are simply fascinated by Marie Antoinette.” —The Well Read Wife
Shelf Awareness on Becoming Marie Antoinette
Becoming Marie Antoinette, Juliet Grey’s debut novel, recounts Maria Antonia’s transformation from youngest archduchess of Austria into Marie Antoinette, dauphine of France. Grey tells the story from the perspective of Marie Antoinette herself, capturing the innocent and anxious voice of a young child in Austria, and developing it along with the character into a teenaged girl about to become one of the most powerful women in the world.
Grey’s novel is grounded in the era, and the extensive research shines through on its pages. From interesting tidbits about life at Versailles (nobles relieved themselves in the halls) to rich and vivid descriptions of the court life, clothing and styling of the French royalty in the 18th century, Grey is diligent in representing this rarified world. She also shows us Maria Antonia’s step-by-step makeover into a queenly figure, which included 18th-century orthodontia, careful recording of bodily functions and strict language instruction.
Though certainly not an original subject–histories and novels about the doomed queen abound–Grey has taken a well-known story and breathed life into it. The first in a planned trilogy, Becoming Marie Antoinette sets up both the history and personality of this intriguing figure in a suitably elaborate and extravagant manner. Lovers of this era will delight in the detail to be found here and look forward to more from Grey on the next chapters of Marie Antoinette’s short but captivating life. –Kerry McHugh, blogger at Entomology of a Bookworm
Discover: A lusciously detailed novel of Marie Antoinette’s rise to power and the decadent, extravagant lifestyles of 18th-century Versailles.
Reviews and Praise for Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow
“Charming . . . Juliet Grey creates an unforgettable tapestry of court intrigue, royal scandals, and dangerous romances all set against the spectacular background of Versailles. Grey spoils her readers with her deliciously descriptive details of eighteenth-century fashion.” —Bookloons.com
“It’s a mixture of sober historical fiction and fluff that will appeal to many readers.” —Seven Days
“This engaging voice, coupled with vibrant descriptions of clothing, palaces, masques, and dinners, really thrusts the reader into the story…Exceptionally well done!” —Historical Novel Review
“Grey has the gift of truly bringing Marie Antoinette to life. Many authors have written about the Queen of France, but no one has managed to give her such a voice as Grey.” —Examiner.com
“This is a full and rich look at Marie Antoinette’s life as queen….Grey really does offer the best portrayal of Marie Antoinette in historical fiction.” —Pittsburgh Historical Fiction Examiner
“Juliet Grey is an absolute master at bringing 1700’s Versailles alive.” —Book Drunkard
“Tells a good story, using her imagination to fill in the gaps of the official history. Her story is filled with the pageantry of the times and provides a glimpse of a lavish and intrigue-filled period in history.” —Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star
“Grey’s characterization of Marie Antoinette is complex, making her such a multi-layered and interesting woman.” —Amoxcalli
“Juliet Grey does a wonderful job of crafting the world of this much maligned queen.” —Bippity Boppity Book
“I enjoyed the exceptionally detailed look at Marie’s life as Queen of France.” —The Eclectic Reader
“Grey has put a great deal of research into this book as you can feel the tension, love, and sorrow as if you were there.” —The History Nerd
“Every little detail in this book is delectable, and I savoured it thoroughly. Written in good taste, nothing is amiss, and everything is possible.” —Enchanted by Josephine
