The release date for the English version of 'Marie Antoinette: The Journey' by
Antonia Fraser is Sep 2006. If you enjoy this novel, it is available for buy as a paperback from Barnes & Noble or Indigo, as an ebook on the Amazon Kindle store, or as an audiobook on Audible.
The tragic life tale of Marie Antoinette never fails to evoke strong emotions. 'La reine méchante', whose luxury and frivolity contributed to the fall of the French monarchy, remains iconic to many; her callous disregard for the suffering of the people is summed up in the (fictitious) phrase 'let them eat cake'. Others who support her with equal fervor believe she is a victim of sexism.
In her analysis, Antonia Fraser looks at her power over Louis XVI, the accusations and derogatory remarks directed at her, her support of the arts that improved French culture, her imprisonment, the threats of death directed at her, the rumors of her having affairs with other women, her trial—during which her young son was coerced into testifying about her mistreatment of him sexually—and her eventual guillotine execution in 1793.