The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette - Paperback

The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette

Imagine that, on the night before she is to die under the blade of the guillotine, Marie Antoinette leaves behind in her prison cell a diary telling the story of her life--from her privileged childhood as Austrian Archduchess to her years as glamorous mistress of Versailles to the heartbreak of imprisonment and humiliation during the French Revolution.

Carolly Erickson takes the reader deep into the psyche of France's doomed queen: her love affair with handsome Swedish diplomat Count Axel Fersen, who risked his life to save her; her fears on the terrifying night the Parisian mob broke into her palace bedroom intent on murdering her and her family; her harrowing attempted flight from France in disguise; her recapture and the grim months of harsh captivity; her agony when her beloved husband was guillotined and her young son was torn from her arms, never to be seen again.

Erickson brilliantly captures the queen's voice, her hopes, her dreads, and her suffering. We follow, mesmerized, as she reveals every detail of her remarkable, eventful life--from her teenage years when she began keeping a diary to her final days when she awaited her own bloody appointment with the guillotine.

Historical Fiction That Brings History to Life

This biographical novel offers an intimate portrait of one of history's most fascinating figures. Through the diary format, readers experience Marie Antoinette's journey from teenage archduchess to Queen of France, witnessing the opulence of Versailles and the terror of the French Revolution through her eyes.

The narrative captures pivotal moments including her relationship with Count Axel Fersen, the mob's invasion of her palace, her family's attempted escape, and the tragic separation from her son. Erickson's meticulous research and compelling storytelling create an authentic voice for the doomed queen.