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Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerie
This compelling book begins on the 2nd of August 1793, the day Marie Antoinette was torn from her family s arms and escorted from the Temple to the Conciergerie, a thick-walled fortress turnedprison. It was also known as the waiting room for the guillotine because prisoners only spent a day or two here before their conviction and subsequent execution. The ex-queen surely knew her days were numbered, but she could never have known that two and a half months would pass before she would finally stand trial and be convicted of the most ungodly charges. Will Bashor traces the final days of the prisoner registered only as Widow Capet, No. 280, a time that was a cruel mixture of grandeur, humiliation, and terror. Marie Antoinette s reign amidst the splendors of the court of Versailles is a familiar story, but her final imprisonment in a fetid, dank dungeon is a little-known coda to a once-charmed life. Her seventy-six days in this terrifying prison can only be described as the darkest and most horrific of the fallen queen s life, vividly recaptured in this richly researched history. "
392 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2016
About the author
Will Bashor
10books199followersFrom Columbus, Ohio, Will earned his Ph.D. from the American Graduate School of Paris. In his spare time, he reads memoirs and researches the lives of royals and their courtiers. He hopes to share his fascination with the Bourbon dynasty and its quirky inhabitants and, at the same time, weave the historical record with creative fiction. He has written articles for the Huffington Post, Age of Revolutions, BBC History Magazine, France Today, and Carine Roitfeld’s CR Fashion Book.
His new novel, The Bastard Prince of Versailles, received a 5-Star Review from Readers' Favorites (by K.C. Finn):
Author Will Bashor portrays the intrigues of the 17th-century French court with fantastic detail and a passion for atmosphere, filling every page with rivalries, betrayals, and political maneuvering. The character of Louis is sensitively drawn, and readers witness his struggles with identity, love, and the demands of royal life. The Chevalier de Lorraine's manipulation and the gay society subplot add depth to the narrative, highlighting the complexities of sexual identity and society's prejudices of the time. As Louis is exiled and later given a chance at redemption through military service, the novel delves into themes of heroism and self-sacrifice with some deeply compelling emotional scenes that tug at the heartstrings and help us relate to human beings from centuries ago on a modern personal level. Overall, The Bastard Prince of Versailles is a compelling historical novel that not only entertains but also educates about a lesser-known aspect of French history, and I would not hesitate to recommend it.
Visit him atwww.willbashor.com.
His new novel, The Bastard Prince of Versailles, received a 5-Star Review from Readers' Favorites (by K.C. Finn):
Author Will Bashor portrays the intrigues of the 17th-century French court with fantastic detail and a passion for atmosphere, filling every page with rivalries, betrayals, and political maneuvering. The character of Louis is sensitively drawn, and readers witness his struggles with identity, love, and the demands of royal life. The Chevalier de Lorraine's manipulation and the gay society subplot add depth to the narrative, highlighting the complexities of sexual identity and society's prejudices of the time. As Louis is exiled and later given a chance at redemption through military service, the novel delves into themes of heroism and self-sacrifice with some deeply compelling emotional scenes that tug at the heartstrings and help us relate to human beings from centuries ago on a modern personal level. Overall, The Bastard Prince of Versailles is a compelling historical novel that not only entertains but also educates about a lesser-known aspect of French history, and I would not hesitate to recommend it.
Visit him atwww.willbashor.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
October 18, 2018
*3.5 STARS*
Thank you to Netgalley & Rowman & Littlefield for my ARC in exchange for a fair & honest review*
This is a moving and comprehensive account of Prisoner No 280's final days, leading to her fate with the guillotine. Now known as widow Capet she was formerly known as Marie Antoinette, Queen of France.
Austrian by birth, Marie Antoinette was seen by the French people as a rather cold and thoughtless person, who continued to live a particularly lavish lifestyle whilst they were were left without even the most staple of foods - bread, leaving many starving.
It's naturally a distressing account, given that we know there's to be no happy ending. Her husband King Louis XV1 was sent to the guillotine, and then she herself was taken away from her two children, a fact which almost certainly broke her heart. The dungeon in which she was held was partly below the River Seine and was constantly cold and damp, though surprisingly, given her previous lavish lifestyle, she appears to have borne her captivity with grace and humility, and appeared to be kind to those with whom she had contact.
She was not without her admirers and followers, and there were plots by various royal sympathisers to secure her release, but without success.
When it came to her trial, she was, to all intents and purposes, guilty before it even began. Many charges were brought against her but much of the evidence given was just hearsay. At the end of the trial she was executed within hours. By this point she was just a shadow of her former self, and had various illnesses. On the 16th October 1793, she was taken by wooden cart on her final journey, and wasn't even given the courtesy of the straw to sit on, to soften the pain she was suffering, something that others would have been granted. It's clear that they wanted her to suffer as much as possible.
The crowds who lined the route were encouraged to shout abuse and obscenities as she passed by, and accounts differ as to how brave she was on reaching journey's end, but most agree that she bore it with great fortitude.
The author Will Bashor, must have carried out an extraordinary amount of research to produce this comprehensive account of the last days of Marie Antoinette. He covered every aspect of this dark and depressing time in history so well. A moving yet fascinating read.
Thank you to Netgalley & Rowman & Littlefield for my ARC in exchange for a fair & honest review*
This is a moving and comprehensive account of Prisoner No 280's final days, leading to her fate with the guillotine. Now known as widow Capet she was formerly known as Marie Antoinette, Queen of France.
Austrian by birth, Marie Antoinette was seen by the French people as a rather cold and thoughtless person, who continued to live a particularly lavish lifestyle whilst they were were left without even the most staple of foods - bread, leaving many starving.
It's naturally a distressing account, given that we know there's to be no happy ending. Her husband King Louis XV1 was sent to the guillotine, and then she herself was taken away from her two children, a fact which almost certainly broke her heart. The dungeon in which she was held was partly below the River Seine and was constantly cold and damp, though surprisingly, given her previous lavish lifestyle, she appears to have borne her captivity with grace and humility, and appeared to be kind to those with whom she had contact.
She was not without her admirers and followers, and there were plots by various royal sympathisers to secure her release, but without success.
When it came to her trial, she was, to all intents and purposes, guilty before it even began. Many charges were brought against her but much of the evidence given was just hearsay. At the end of the trial she was executed within hours. By this point she was just a shadow of her former self, and had various illnesses. On the 16th October 1793, she was taken by wooden cart on her final journey, and wasn't even given the courtesy of the straw to sit on, to soften the pain she was suffering, something that others would have been granted. It's clear that they wanted her to suffer as much as possible.
The crowds who lined the route were encouraged to shout abuse and obscenities as she passed by, and accounts differ as to how brave she was on reaching journey's end, but most agree that she bore it with great fortitude.
The author Will Bashor, must have carried out an extraordinary amount of research to produce this comprehensive account of the last days of Marie Antoinette. He covered every aspect of this dark and depressing time in history so well. A moving yet fascinating read.
November 1, 2016
Marie Antoinette, also known as Widow Capet, No. 280, was imprisoned in the dungeons of the Conciergerie prison for two and half months until the guillotine took her life and finally ended her suffering; mentally and physically. The Revolutionary press did not help her situation by printing false stories which went too far with their hatred of the Queen who wanted her head at any cost. Not all Parisians were so viciously against her as many attempted to rescue Marie and her young son who was kept in a separate cell far away from his Mother.
Others would do their best to supply her with better food and clothing as her gowns were literally rotting off her body from the damp within her cell. It was without a doubt, a very horrifying and shocking period for France.
With access to archives Will Bashor has presented a well researched account of Marie’s final days. Although tedious at times, the author writes an in depth account of this dreadful time in history of the despised Queen who was caught in a web during the Reign of Terror, and all the people determined to destroy her and everything she stood for.
** Thank you to Publisher Rowman & Littlefield and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. **
Others would do their best to supply her with better food and clothing as her gowns were literally rotting off her body from the damp within her cell. It was without a doubt, a very horrifying and shocking period for France.
With access to archives Will Bashor has presented a well researched account of Marie’s final days. Although tedious at times, the author writes an in depth account of this dreadful time in history of the despised Queen who was caught in a web during the Reign of Terror, and all the people determined to destroy her and everything she stood for.
** Thank you to Publisher Rowman & Littlefield and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. **
December 6, 2016
I thought that after the King and Queen of France were taken by the Revolutionaries that what happened went like, "You were the monarchs but now we have a Republic. Off with your heads." and boom, it was done. How wrong I was. Did you know, that both Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were given very brief public "trials"? Did you know that Marie Antoinette languished in a prison for weeks after her husband was executed? Did you know that the bodies of both former monarchs were dumped in unmarked graves?Marie Antoinette's Darkest Daystaught me so much about this horrific period of French history. At times, especially during the actual transcripts of the Queen's trial, the story dragged, but for the most part, this was a fascinating study of the last days of a much maligned monarch.
"Generations of authors have reveled in reliving the queen's reign amid the splendors of the court of Versailles and the Petit Trianon, but few have ever found the space (or perhaps the courage) in their voluminous biographies to narrate her final imprisonment in a fetid dungeon cell at the Conciergerie."loc 198, ebook. I am a huge fan of historical fiction and I had never heard a whisper about this. Many thanks to Bashor for filling that gap!
The King promised his family to say goodbye before he was taken to the guillotine but he never went to them. Can you imagine the heartbreak?:"Say to the queen, my dear children, and my sister," he continued, "that I had promised to see them this morning, but that I desired to spare them the agony of such a bitter separation twice over. How much it has cost me to depart without receiving their last embraces!"loc 862 ebook. How like a man to pull a stunt like that. Cruelly, Marie Antoinette was also separated from her children and her sister-in-law and transported to a different prison. As a mother myself, Marie Antoinette's heartbreak about having her children taken from her was the hardest part of the book for me to get through.
Even though her sham 48 hour trial didn't prove definitively that she had done anything wrong, Marie Antoinette was sentenced to death. Here is a passage that gives the gist of the thing:"Herman: You have never ceased for one moment wanting to destroy liberty. You wanted to reign at any price and retake the throne on the cadavers of patriots. Queen: Whether it was necessary to retake the throne or not, we only desired the happiness of France. If France was happy, we were always content."loc 1901, ebook. Back and forth it went. Accusations of wrong doing, her denial, and then more accusations. I can't believe that they killed her after that- it's shocking what a mob mentality can justify.
But the public absolutely hated her."It was also true that Marie Antoinette was" ill-treated "in the French press and elsewhere. An abundant number of provocative and obscene pamphlets were distributed throughout the capital, the provinces of France, and other European capitals. They argued not only that the queen corrupted the morals of her people but that her luxurious habits were the cause of their hunger. She was even said to powder her hair with the precious flour needed for the people's bread."loc 2046. Ugh. The press has always been a powerful tool to sway public opinion, but what sad results when that power is used generate hate rather than inform and educate.
Marie Antoinette was hard core to the end. She refused to take her last rites from priests who had sworn an oath to the Revolutionaries. This is what she said to the priest who demanded to hear her confession before she was led to her execution:"You are guilty," said the priest. "Ah, sometimes careless," said the queen. "Never guilty."loc 3005 ebook. I may have to use that one.
Recommended for anybody who wants to know more about the last days of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette but also for those interested in what happens to a society when hatred and fear are allowed free reign. Some further reading:Abundance(excellent historical fiction about Marie Antoinette).
Thank you to NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield Publishing for a free digital copy of this book!
"Generations of authors have reveled in reliving the queen's reign amid the splendors of the court of Versailles and the Petit Trianon, but few have ever found the space (or perhaps the courage) in their voluminous biographies to narrate her final imprisonment in a fetid dungeon cell at the Conciergerie."loc 198, ebook. I am a huge fan of historical fiction and I had never heard a whisper about this. Many thanks to Bashor for filling that gap!
The King promised his family to say goodbye before he was taken to the guillotine but he never went to them. Can you imagine the heartbreak?:"Say to the queen, my dear children, and my sister," he continued, "that I had promised to see them this morning, but that I desired to spare them the agony of such a bitter separation twice over. How much it has cost me to depart without receiving their last embraces!"loc 862 ebook. How like a man to pull a stunt like that. Cruelly, Marie Antoinette was also separated from her children and her sister-in-law and transported to a different prison. As a mother myself, Marie Antoinette's heartbreak about having her children taken from her was the hardest part of the book for me to get through.
Even though her sham 48 hour trial didn't prove definitively that she had done anything wrong, Marie Antoinette was sentenced to death. Here is a passage that gives the gist of the thing:"Herman: You have never ceased for one moment wanting to destroy liberty. You wanted to reign at any price and retake the throne on the cadavers of patriots. Queen: Whether it was necessary to retake the throne or not, we only desired the happiness of France. If France was happy, we were always content."loc 1901, ebook. Back and forth it went. Accusations of wrong doing, her denial, and then more accusations. I can't believe that they killed her after that- it's shocking what a mob mentality can justify.
But the public absolutely hated her."It was also true that Marie Antoinette was" ill-treated "in the French press and elsewhere. An abundant number of provocative and obscene pamphlets were distributed throughout the capital, the provinces of France, and other European capitals. They argued not only that the queen corrupted the morals of her people but that her luxurious habits were the cause of their hunger. She was even said to powder her hair with the precious flour needed for the people's bread."loc 2046. Ugh. The press has always been a powerful tool to sway public opinion, but what sad results when that power is used generate hate rather than inform and educate.
Marie Antoinette was hard core to the end. She refused to take her last rites from priests who had sworn an oath to the Revolutionaries. This is what she said to the priest who demanded to hear her confession before she was led to her execution:"You are guilty," said the priest. "Ah, sometimes careless," said the queen. "Never guilty."loc 3005 ebook. I may have to use that one.
Recommended for anybody who wants to know more about the last days of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette but also for those interested in what happens to a society when hatred and fear are allowed free reign. Some further reading:Abundance(excellent historical fiction about Marie Antoinette).
Thank you to NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield Publishing for a free digital copy of this book!
October 24, 2016
Informative and Memorable!
MARIE ANTOINETTEwas born November 2, 1755 and died by decapitation on October 16, 1793. She was executed only hours after receiving a guilty verdict, and the horror story of her last 76 days of incarceration is told here.
Will Bashorwrites an enticing and detailed work of non-fiction describing the harsh and frightening prison conditions, the ex-Queen's crude treatment in the cell, her brutally long days of trial interrogation(while in declining health)and the horrific manner of separation from her beloved children.
Putting asidethe ingenious(and failed)escape attempts, disgusting brainwashing methods and final journey toward death, it was a father's last words to his son and a mother's grief stricken final thoughts together with an animal's loyalty to her Queen that changed my opinion of Marie Antoinette and will stay with me.
Enjoyedthe historical portraits, follow-thru on remaining family members, and got a laugh out of the absurd sales tips for dying by guillotine!
(Thank you Rowman & Littlefield and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an impartial review!
November 25, 2016
A sad and harrowing look at the last days of Marie Antoinette's life. Taken away from her children, her husband already guillotined, she is kept form while as a pawn in the political maneuverings of the time, treated kindly by a few, cruelly by many. Plans for her escape doomed time and time again. In ill health and heartbroken her days are a monotonous and repetitive passing of time.
Impeccably researched, maps of the prison included, interesting reading but for me it lacked heart. A recitation of the facts known, including many differing accounts from the beginning of her imprisonment to the end.
ARC from Netgalley.
Impeccably researched, maps of the prison included, interesting reading but for me it lacked heart. A recitation of the facts known, including many differing accounts from the beginning of her imprisonment to the end.
ARC from Netgalley.
June 30, 2016
What an unexpected find! My perceptions of Marie Antoinette were previously influenced by A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Famously, Marie Antoinette was to have cried, "if they have no bread, then let them eat cake". King Louis VII and Marie Antoinette indulged in excesses while the citizenry starved.
Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerie is a thoroughly researched historical masterpiece. Written in a novelistic style, documentation of her seventy-six days in the Conciergerie awaiting trial and eventual death by guillotine are starkly but compassionately presented. No one was safe from the Reign of Terror. Revolutionaries and royalists alike were guillotined.Many citizens, priests and royalty were convicted on trumped up charges, Marie Antoinette among them. Marie Antoinette suffered separation from her children, humiliation at the hands of her jailers, unsanitary food and living conditions yet maintained her dignity and composure. Her strengths rather than her weaknesses are portrayed including dependence upon prayer.
Kudos to Will Bashor for crafting a very informative, meticulously researched book. An excellent tome!
Thank you to Rowan & Littlefield and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerie.
Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerie is a thoroughly researched historical masterpiece. Written in a novelistic style, documentation of her seventy-six days in the Conciergerie awaiting trial and eventual death by guillotine are starkly but compassionately presented. No one was safe from the Reign of Terror. Revolutionaries and royalists alike were guillotined.Many citizens, priests and royalty were convicted on trumped up charges, Marie Antoinette among them. Marie Antoinette suffered separation from her children, humiliation at the hands of her jailers, unsanitary food and living conditions yet maintained her dignity and composure. Her strengths rather than her weaknesses are portrayed including dependence upon prayer.
Kudos to Will Bashor for crafting a very informative, meticulously researched book. An excellent tome!
Thank you to Rowan & Littlefield and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerie.
June 20, 2019
Excellent account of Marie Antoinette's last days. Details given of her daily life and the people who were around her abound. Also a very good account of her trial. Highly recommend.
March 6, 2017
Overall, enjoyed the book. I might have given this book a higher rating, except for two main reasons. First, there are various spelling errors and awkward grammatical passages in the book. More importantly, though, are some puzzling omissions. For example, the author provides us almost minute-by-minute coverage of Marie Antoinette's trial. However, he jumps almost immediately from the conclusion of the trial to the sentence handed down to her... entirely skipping the jury's actual pronouncement of MA's conviction!!! (Bashor does tell us that they deliberated for only an hour, but that's not the same thing.)
Another omission of sorts has to do with the various witnesses' testimony. Bashor tells us that only some of them gave "damaging testimony," and breaks the chapter down to "first witness giving damaging testimony." (It might have been "damning testimony"; not quite remembering right now.) However, Bashor doesn't always explain how damaging/damning some of the testimony was.
Long story short, I would recommend the book for someone interested in the subject, and I give a lot of credit for the author giving us a window, albeit flawed, into a topic not previously written about in great detail.
Another omission of sorts has to do with the various witnesses' testimony. Bashor tells us that only some of them gave "damaging testimony," and breaks the chapter down to "first witness giving damaging testimony." (It might have been "damning testimony"; not quite remembering right now.) However, Bashor doesn't always explain how damaging/damning some of the testimony was.
Long story short, I would recommend the book for someone interested in the subject, and I give a lot of credit for the author giving us a window, albeit flawed, into a topic not previously written about in great detail.
August 5, 2016
Thanks to publisherRowman & LittlefieldandNetgalleyfor a free egalley copy for review.
This book is a gateway drug. It could lure impressionable young people into history. People associate history with men, but statistics show it often affects women. Know the warning signs. You can pretend not to notice she's doing Doris Kearns Goodwin and tell yourself it's only a phase. But by the time you find the Margaret MacMillan hidden in her mattress, it'll probably be too late – she'll already be experimenting with Eric Hobsbawm. Talk to your loved ones today about… history.
I don't know what it says about our age that Marie Antoinette seems to be getting a rehabilitation. The things she did that outraged her age (draining the treasury, nightmare home renovations, dallying with others after rejection by her spoiled/goofy husband) don't seem as outrageous now, just dumb. Maybe the message is: If people are going to get terrorized by thugs for acts of stupidity, who among us are safe?
Also, her most well-known act of callous disregard turns out to bean urban myth,making her arguably the earliest woman to be unfairly victimized by mostly male trolls (or, as they called them then, “historians” ) on (ancient paper-based) social media.
So perhaps Marie Antoinette is ripe for a re-assessment, based on what she was instead of what she symbolized. Since this is largely about a woman rotting away in a hellish prison, I guess it can't be called a “fun read”, but it is a good read, bringing alive the period and the person without departing from the facts.
However, this book has some habits that give serious historians the vapors, like liberal use of qualifiers like “probably”, “perhaps”, and “maybe”, esp. when characterizing people's states of mind. I have a few other quibbles with the book, for example the book's end has an unnecessary (in my sight) recap of the actions and fates of the characters we've just finished reading about. Finally, at location 3380: “It has since been discovered that [Marie-Antoinette] actually was guilty of treason...”, which I think could have been fleshed out with an asterisk or footnote, at least. Speaking of notes….
For publishers, if they ever actually read this: The galley copy had footnotes, endnotes, and pictures. It would be great if the ebook version that eventually went out for sale had functioning hyperlinks that made navigation between these elements and the main text easy.
This book is a gateway drug. It could lure impressionable young people into history. People associate history with men, but statistics show it often affects women. Know the warning signs. You can pretend not to notice she's doing Doris Kearns Goodwin and tell yourself it's only a phase. But by the time you find the Margaret MacMillan hidden in her mattress, it'll probably be too late – she'll already be experimenting with Eric Hobsbawm. Talk to your loved ones today about… history.
I don't know what it says about our age that Marie Antoinette seems to be getting a rehabilitation. The things she did that outraged her age (draining the treasury, nightmare home renovations, dallying with others after rejection by her spoiled/goofy husband) don't seem as outrageous now, just dumb. Maybe the message is: If people are going to get terrorized by thugs for acts of stupidity, who among us are safe?
Also, her most well-known act of callous disregard turns out to bean urban myth,making her arguably the earliest woman to be unfairly victimized by mostly male trolls (or, as they called them then, “historians” ) on (ancient paper-based) social media.
So perhaps Marie Antoinette is ripe for a re-assessment, based on what she was instead of what she symbolized. Since this is largely about a woman rotting away in a hellish prison, I guess it can't be called a “fun read”, but it is a good read, bringing alive the period and the person without departing from the facts.
However, this book has some habits that give serious historians the vapors, like liberal use of qualifiers like “probably”, “perhaps”, and “maybe”, esp. when characterizing people's states of mind. I have a few other quibbles with the book, for example the book's end has an unnecessary (in my sight) recap of the actions and fates of the characters we've just finished reading about. Finally, at location 3380: “It has since been discovered that [Marie-Antoinette] actually was guilty of treason...”, which I think could have been fleshed out with an asterisk or footnote, at least. Speaking of notes….
For publishers, if they ever actually read this: The galley copy had footnotes, endnotes, and pictures. It would be great if the ebook version that eventually went out for sale had functioning hyperlinks that made navigation between these elements and the main text easy.
December 18, 2016
Book received from NetGalley.
Oh my, poor Marie Antoinette. I have read a few books on this French Queen, but they mostly focus on her childhood and time as co-ruler of France. I had some idea that her captivity leading up to her execution was horrifying, but I never knew exactly how bad. This book's research was phenomenal, looking into a part of French history most know of but know little about. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys the history of that era or area.
Oh my, poor Marie Antoinette. I have read a few books on this French Queen, but they mostly focus on her childhood and time as co-ruler of France. I had some idea that her captivity leading up to her execution was horrifying, but I never knew exactly how bad. This book's research was phenomenal, looking into a part of French history most know of but know little about. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys the history of that era or area.
April 5, 2017
I received a free copy via Netgalley.
Although I doubted for a while that there'll be a non-fiction book that will get a 5-star rating from me I finally found one that I truly enjoyed.
Starting 'Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days' I knew hardly anything about her last months in the Conciergerie. I've been to Paris recently and saw the building but apart from knowing that it used to be a prison there was no other connection.
When I start to read a non-fiction book I want to learn something new and expect to stumble across aspects that I want to dive further into. My knowledge on the French Revolution is a little rusted since the last time I came into contact with it was at school. Nevertheless, it was one of the few important French historical moments that we actually paid attention to which is why I knew something at last.
The author spends enough time to delivery the background story without overshadowing those last two and a half months. Finishing the book I felt like having a cohesive picture that brought me closer to Marie Antoinette. As in most historical books there were many people involved but I never lost track of who is who. Another applause to the author for introducing them in a way that stuck with me.
I also liked each chapter ending with a 'nice to know' area which provided additional information. I'm pretty sure the author collected more data than that presented in a 400-page book but he managed to pack the important facts together. I came across a lot of new information as well as things I already knew but didn't remember. The book certainly makes me willing to spend more time with the history of Marie Antoinette and her family.
In my opinion, the book is also very fast-paced (which is a thing I rarely come across in non-fiction literature) and the pictures used to illustrate the story were well-chosen. I'm glad that I came across this book and that I had the chance to read it. I would recommend it to those interested in this very specific part of French history as you'll probably enjoy it more if you're already familiar with the French Revolution.
Although I doubted for a while that there'll be a non-fiction book that will get a 5-star rating from me I finally found one that I truly enjoyed.
Starting 'Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days' I knew hardly anything about her last months in the Conciergerie. I've been to Paris recently and saw the building but apart from knowing that it used to be a prison there was no other connection.
When I start to read a non-fiction book I want to learn something new and expect to stumble across aspects that I want to dive further into. My knowledge on the French Revolution is a little rusted since the last time I came into contact with it was at school. Nevertheless, it was one of the few important French historical moments that we actually paid attention to which is why I knew something at last.
The author spends enough time to delivery the background story without overshadowing those last two and a half months. Finishing the book I felt like having a cohesive picture that brought me closer to Marie Antoinette. As in most historical books there were many people involved but I never lost track of who is who. Another applause to the author for introducing them in a way that stuck with me.
I also liked each chapter ending with a 'nice to know' area which provided additional information. I'm pretty sure the author collected more data than that presented in a 400-page book but he managed to pack the important facts together. I came across a lot of new information as well as things I already knew but didn't remember. The book certainly makes me willing to spend more time with the history of Marie Antoinette and her family.
In my opinion, the book is also very fast-paced (which is a thing I rarely come across in non-fiction literature) and the pictures used to illustrate the story were well-chosen. I'm glad that I came across this book and that I had the chance to read it. I would recommend it to those interested in this very specific part of French history as you'll probably enjoy it more if you're already familiar with the French Revolution.
May 20, 2017
Well researched and a nice take on the famous story of Marie Antoinette. While most stories on the subject end when Antoinette was arrested, this one starts there. The combination of easy to read writing and interesting images makes this a great one for non-fiction beginners, but will also keep non-fiction pros engaged. If you are interested in the subject, I say pick this one up.
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
November 24, 2016
Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerie
This unique account of an intriguing period of history is meticulously researched to give us the most accurate version of the events and is so cleverly crafted it manages to read like a novel. Drawing from records Mr. Basher has captured what Marie-Antoinette may have endured during the two and half month imprisonment prior to her execution.
The book begins on the 2nd of august 1793 the Marie- Antoinette was escorted from the temple to the Conciergerie, known as the “waiting room for the guillotine”. The depiction of this horrible place is felt throughout the Queen’s ordeal: worm infested straw mattress, acrid and musty smell, filthy environment where rats loved to nibble on you (just to name some discomfort). The perilous situation Marie-Antoinette found herself is brilliantly and vividly captured with images, drawing and supportive footnotes. There were failed plans to rescue her with terrible consequences for those who attempted. Even kindness towards her was a death warrant.
The Reign of Terror is a fascinating period in history. Mr. Bashor relates in details the Queen’s daily life of confinement from her elongated stay in the infamous waiting room of the guillotine, to her trial and the fatal tumbril ride through the streets that ended on the scaffold. She was well surrounded with thousands of people some innocent and some not too much facing the public executioner and the “National Razor”.
Thank you to Rowan & Littlefield and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This unique account of an intriguing period of history is meticulously researched to give us the most accurate version of the events and is so cleverly crafted it manages to read like a novel. Drawing from records Mr. Basher has captured what Marie-Antoinette may have endured during the two and half month imprisonment prior to her execution.
The book begins on the 2nd of august 1793 the Marie- Antoinette was escorted from the temple to the Conciergerie, known as the “waiting room for the guillotine”. The depiction of this horrible place is felt throughout the Queen’s ordeal: worm infested straw mattress, acrid and musty smell, filthy environment where rats loved to nibble on you (just to name some discomfort). The perilous situation Marie-Antoinette found herself is brilliantly and vividly captured with images, drawing and supportive footnotes. There were failed plans to rescue her with terrible consequences for those who attempted. Even kindness towards her was a death warrant.
The Reign of Terror is a fascinating period in history. Mr. Bashor relates in details the Queen’s daily life of confinement from her elongated stay in the infamous waiting room of the guillotine, to her trial and the fatal tumbril ride through the streets that ended on the scaffold. She was well surrounded with thousands of people some innocent and some not too much facing the public executioner and the “National Razor”.
Thank you to Rowan & Littlefield and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
October 20, 2016
While there are plenty of Marie Antoinette biographies, this one sets itself apart by focusing only on her time at the Conciergerie. The reader won't get any glittering court intrigues, just a dark, damp, horrid prison cell after another.
While seemingly well researched, I found the book in a strange niche. For the casual reader who might not be intimately acquainted with all the comings and goings of the French Revolution, it will seem almost suspended in time, with very little information about the greater context outside the prison. While an interesting literary device, it can also be confusing. However, for the reader with more in-depth knowledge, I miss a more detailed presentation of the sources and contradictions presented (I am a footnote junky, I admit).
Because of the narrow focus, I found the book quickly became repetitive: too many descriptions of dungeons, clothing being mended and food (bad food). The author's sympathy are clearly with the deposed queen, too much so at times, specially when dealing with the people sympathetic to her or her accusers.
Overall, this book will fill a very particular space in the shelf of someone with a deep interest in the French Revolution. For the casual reader, I would recommend a book with a broader scope and with more care in contextualizing the period.
I received a review copy from the publisher in return for an unbiased review.
While seemingly well researched, I found the book in a strange niche. For the casual reader who might not be intimately acquainted with all the comings and goings of the French Revolution, it will seem almost suspended in time, with very little information about the greater context outside the prison. While an interesting literary device, it can also be confusing. However, for the reader with more in-depth knowledge, I miss a more detailed presentation of the sources and contradictions presented (I am a footnote junky, I admit).
Because of the narrow focus, I found the book quickly became repetitive: too many descriptions of dungeons, clothing being mended and food (bad food). The author's sympathy are clearly with the deposed queen, too much so at times, specially when dealing with the people sympathetic to her or her accusers.
Overall, this book will fill a very particular space in the shelf of someone with a deep interest in the French Revolution. For the casual reader, I would recommend a book with a broader scope and with more care in contextualizing the period.
I received a review copy from the publisher in return for an unbiased review.
March 29, 2017
In a follow-up to his award winning "Marie Antoinette's Head: The Royal Hairdresser, The Queen, and the Revolution" Will Bashor continues Marie Antoinette's story with an equally well researched "Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerie". I did know about the unsuccessful attempt to save the French Royal family by Swedish Count Hans Axel von Fersen. But Will Bashor tells about various other attempts to free Marie Antoinette, all equally unsuccessful. We learn of the terrible conditions in the cell, where she was kept, the cold, the damp and the vermin, how her health was deteriorating from quite probably cancer of the uterus, how the jailer and his wife took pity on her and tried to improve her health with special food, even fruits and vegetables donated by market vendors, who were sympathetic to the Royal family.
What I found especially interesting was his research into the backgrounds of all members of the jury, who convicted her and the trial transcripts themselves. Since we often see portraits of this doomed queen, when she was dressed in white wigs, we tend to forget, that she was only 37, when her life was ended by the guillotine. Even Napoleon considered her death to be more terrible than regicide.
This book is a must have for those interested in the French Royal family and the Revolution. For a chance to win a copy see:
https://francebooktours.com/2017/01/1...
What I found especially interesting was his research into the backgrounds of all members of the jury, who convicted her and the trial transcripts themselves. Since we often see portraits of this doomed queen, when she was dressed in white wigs, we tend to forget, that she was only 37, when her life was ended by the guillotine. Even Napoleon considered her death to be more terrible than regicide.
This book is a must have for those interested in the French Royal family and the Revolution. For a chance to win a copy see:
https://francebooktours.com/2017/01/1...
February 12, 2017
A sad recounting of Marie Antoinette's final months in prison, her trial, and her execution. Bashor draws from several sources to present details of her life (the sections about her incarceration are fascinating if you've not read about it in depth) and how she was viewed at the time, but ultimately leaves it up to the reader to ponder the extent of her guilt and the justice of her punishment.
May 20, 2017
Painstakingly researched to the point of tedium sometimes (names, dates, "did you know about this", "no, I've never seen that person" ) but a moving account of the final days of Marie Antoinette. I had no idea that she was so closely guarded during the entire time, to the point of being observed while changing clothes!
March 30, 2017
Will Bashor offers the reader a gripping narrative history, unremitting in its gaze on the horrors of imprisonment and the mockery of justice that was the Revolutionary tribunal in the years of the Reign of Terror, principally 1793-1794. This is a book about the revenge exacted by the winners against the losers, a phenomenon which, in Marie Antoinette’s case, magnified and distorted her acknowledged faults, laying the whole burden of the nation’s anger upon her shoulders. She carried this burden with a dignity that would have surprised and confounded her detractors. Bashor’s clearly stated objective is to be nonjudgmental, but his moving account of the facts of the former queen’s 76 days in the Conciergerie, along with the extracts from her interrogations and trial, cannot help but draw the reader in, exciting compassion for the “Widow Capet” and her unfortunate children.
Bashor’s book provides a clear Chronology to accompany his narrative, which helps to orient the reader toward the complex sequence of events that engulfed Marie Antoinette. After the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, which marked the beginning of the French Revolution, the royal family continued to live at Versailles until October when revolutionary forces brought them back to Paris. King Louis XVI, his wife Marie Antoinette, their children Louis Charles and Marie-Thérèse, and the king’s sister Élisabeth were among those who attempted to escape the country in June 1791 with help from supporters who arranged their transport and disguises as bourgeois citizens. This “flight to Varennes” ended the next day when the royal family was arrested at Varennes (near Verdun) near the border of France with the Austrian Netherlands (present day Belgium).
They were brought back to Paris and kept under guard at the Tuileries palace. By August 1792, all concessions and attempts to stay in power having failed, the king was overthrown, ending the monarchy, and the family fled to the Assembly building but they were apprehended and imprisoned in the Temple, where their daily existence, though not lavish, was relatively comfortable. By December, however, Louis XVI was tried for treason, and a month later, he was convicted and guillotined on January 21, 1793.
In a state of profound grief and anxiety, Louis’s family remained at the Temple prison. It was said that they treated 8-year-old Louis Charles as if he were now Louis XVII, placing him at the head of the table during their meals, and deferring to him in other ways. This aroused anger and fear of the monarchy returning. In July 1793 the child was taken from his mother and confined to a separate cell in the Temple, in solitary confinement for the greater part of the next two years until his death in June of 1795 (age 10 years) of disease and deliberate neglect. I found this the most horrifying passage in the book, as it detailed what he endured.
But I am getting ahead of the story. It is difficult not to view the suspenseful tale of imprisonment and trial, which Bashor deftly spins out in historical order, from the hindsight perspective, as we all know that Marie Antoinette will be guillotined. Yet, while the book gains impetus and drama from this knowledge, the fascinating detail and sureness of the narrative carried me along with page-turning rapidity.
Shortly after being separated from her son, Marie Antoinette herself was moved to the Conciergerie prison, where she would spend two and a half months. Her time there is the meat of Bashor’s account, since it is less well known and much less written about than other aspects of her life. While her confinement at the Conciergerie cannot compare in brutality to what her son suffered (unbeknownst to her), the conditions of this prison were certainly much worse for her than at the Temple. Her cells (she was moved once) were damp and dungeonlike, cold, dirty, and lacking in privacy or comfort. She was ill and weak most of the time and hemorrhaged from the uterus. Her wardens attempted to bring her palatable food and water, and they would ultimately suffer for this considerate behavior toward her.
In fact, chapter 4, “Kindhearted Souls,” was one of the most interesting to me, for the specific incidents of compassion it described. There was a servant named Rosalie who agreed to attend the queen at considerable sacrifice to her own comfort. Another woman, a Mademoiselle Fouché, visited Marie, attempting to console her. At first, Marie was wary of her, unsure of whether she could be trusted, but when the lady offered to find her an “unsworn” priest–that is, a priest who had not sworn an oath of allegiance to the Republic–her reaction “was immediate and profound. The queen threw herself into Mademoiselle Fouché’s arms and embraced her tenderly” (p. 56). Such a priest would have to hear Marie’s confession and offer her the sacraments secretly. The lady was as good as her word and returned with a priest on several occasions. The warden’s acquiescence to these visits also showed his mercy toward the former queen.
One visitor caused Marie Antoinette great trouble, which became known as the “Carnation Plot.” The chevalier de Rougeville visited her on August 28, 1793 and dropped a carnation containing a small folded note between its petals suggesting that there were those who were ready and able to effect her escape. Her efforts to reply to this note would be a recurring bone of contention. At first she denied noticing the carnation or even recognizing Rougeville as someone known to her from the royal court. Eventually, she would acknowledge some of the facts but never any part in a plot. Moreover, after her husband’s execution, she had vigorously declined any efforts to free her personally, since she refused to leave her children. However, the Carnation Plot angered her captors and swayed public opinion against her.
At this point, one must ask: Why did the Revolutionary leaders keep her alive for so long? Why wasn’t she executed along with her husband? Surrounding countries had declared war on France once the Revolution began. As Bashor explains, she was treated as a hostage, an important foreign captive who could perhaps be exchanged with the belligerent Austrian government in exchange for peace. Recall that she came to France at age 14 as an Austrian princess, the daughter of Empress Maria Theresa, and it was a dynastic marriage. Her acceptance as a foreign queen had long been tenuous. During the Terror, her foreign connections easily lent themselves to charges of disloyalty and outright conspiracy. Bashor gives an intriguing account of the evidence for any conspiracy with foreign powers, most of which did not come to light until centuries later, and could not have served as material evidence in her trial.
Bashor reproduces the back-and-forth testimony of witnesses and Marie herself with the prosecutors in excerpts that read like a steady march toward injustice. Her two appointed counsels were themselves arrested after the trial, but later released. They defended her bravely, but didn’t dare speak out against her sentence.
This book is a fine achievement indeed, enhanced with a large number of period illustrations, many of them original lithographs fromLa dernière année de Marie-Antoinettepublished in 1907. Marie Antoinette’s time in the Conciergerie, her interrogations and trial, her last hours, the way she went to the guillotine, and the story of her final resting place all make for indispensable reading for anyone curious about the true end of this remarkably controversial woman, who has left an indelible stamp on the history of France.
*Note: I received this book free of charge from the publisher.
For my full review, please visitThe Fictional 100.
Bashor’s book provides a clear Chronology to accompany his narrative, which helps to orient the reader toward the complex sequence of events that engulfed Marie Antoinette. After the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, which marked the beginning of the French Revolution, the royal family continued to live at Versailles until October when revolutionary forces brought them back to Paris. King Louis XVI, his wife Marie Antoinette, their children Louis Charles and Marie-Thérèse, and the king’s sister Élisabeth were among those who attempted to escape the country in June 1791 with help from supporters who arranged their transport and disguises as bourgeois citizens. This “flight to Varennes” ended the next day when the royal family was arrested at Varennes (near Verdun) near the border of France with the Austrian Netherlands (present day Belgium).
They were brought back to Paris and kept under guard at the Tuileries palace. By August 1792, all concessions and attempts to stay in power having failed, the king was overthrown, ending the monarchy, and the family fled to the Assembly building but they were apprehended and imprisoned in the Temple, where their daily existence, though not lavish, was relatively comfortable. By December, however, Louis XVI was tried for treason, and a month later, he was convicted and guillotined on January 21, 1793.
In a state of profound grief and anxiety, Louis’s family remained at the Temple prison. It was said that they treated 8-year-old Louis Charles as if he were now Louis XVII, placing him at the head of the table during their meals, and deferring to him in other ways. This aroused anger and fear of the monarchy returning. In July 1793 the child was taken from his mother and confined to a separate cell in the Temple, in solitary confinement for the greater part of the next two years until his death in June of 1795 (age 10 years) of disease and deliberate neglect. I found this the most horrifying passage in the book, as it detailed what he endured.
But I am getting ahead of the story. It is difficult not to view the suspenseful tale of imprisonment and trial, which Bashor deftly spins out in historical order, from the hindsight perspective, as we all know that Marie Antoinette will be guillotined. Yet, while the book gains impetus and drama from this knowledge, the fascinating detail and sureness of the narrative carried me along with page-turning rapidity.
Shortly after being separated from her son, Marie Antoinette herself was moved to the Conciergerie prison, where she would spend two and a half months. Her time there is the meat of Bashor’s account, since it is less well known and much less written about than other aspects of her life. While her confinement at the Conciergerie cannot compare in brutality to what her son suffered (unbeknownst to her), the conditions of this prison were certainly much worse for her than at the Temple. Her cells (she was moved once) were damp and dungeonlike, cold, dirty, and lacking in privacy or comfort. She was ill and weak most of the time and hemorrhaged from the uterus. Her wardens attempted to bring her palatable food and water, and they would ultimately suffer for this considerate behavior toward her.
In fact, chapter 4, “Kindhearted Souls,” was one of the most interesting to me, for the specific incidents of compassion it described. There was a servant named Rosalie who agreed to attend the queen at considerable sacrifice to her own comfort. Another woman, a Mademoiselle Fouché, visited Marie, attempting to console her. At first, Marie was wary of her, unsure of whether she could be trusted, but when the lady offered to find her an “unsworn” priest–that is, a priest who had not sworn an oath of allegiance to the Republic–her reaction “was immediate and profound. The queen threw herself into Mademoiselle Fouché’s arms and embraced her tenderly” (p. 56). Such a priest would have to hear Marie’s confession and offer her the sacraments secretly. The lady was as good as her word and returned with a priest on several occasions. The warden’s acquiescence to these visits also showed his mercy toward the former queen.
One visitor caused Marie Antoinette great trouble, which became known as the “Carnation Plot.” The chevalier de Rougeville visited her on August 28, 1793 and dropped a carnation containing a small folded note between its petals suggesting that there were those who were ready and able to effect her escape. Her efforts to reply to this note would be a recurring bone of contention. At first she denied noticing the carnation or even recognizing Rougeville as someone known to her from the royal court. Eventually, she would acknowledge some of the facts but never any part in a plot. Moreover, after her husband’s execution, she had vigorously declined any efforts to free her personally, since she refused to leave her children. However, the Carnation Plot angered her captors and swayed public opinion against her.
At this point, one must ask: Why did the Revolutionary leaders keep her alive for so long? Why wasn’t she executed along with her husband? Surrounding countries had declared war on France once the Revolution began. As Bashor explains, she was treated as a hostage, an important foreign captive who could perhaps be exchanged with the belligerent Austrian government in exchange for peace. Recall that she came to France at age 14 as an Austrian princess, the daughter of Empress Maria Theresa, and it was a dynastic marriage. Her acceptance as a foreign queen had long been tenuous. During the Terror, her foreign connections easily lent themselves to charges of disloyalty and outright conspiracy. Bashor gives an intriguing account of the evidence for any conspiracy with foreign powers, most of which did not come to light until centuries later, and could not have served as material evidence in her trial.
Bashor reproduces the back-and-forth testimony of witnesses and Marie herself with the prosecutors in excerpts that read like a steady march toward injustice. Her two appointed counsels were themselves arrested after the trial, but later released. They defended her bravely, but didn’t dare speak out against her sentence.
This book is a fine achievement indeed, enhanced with a large number of period illustrations, many of them original lithographs fromLa dernière année de Marie-Antoinettepublished in 1907. Marie Antoinette’s time in the Conciergerie, her interrogations and trial, her last hours, the way she went to the guillotine, and the story of her final resting place all make for indispensable reading for anyone curious about the true end of this remarkably controversial woman, who has left an indelible stamp on the history of France.
*Note: I received this book free of charge from the publisher.
For my full review, please visitThe Fictional 100.
December 15, 2016
It’s entirely a coincidence that I read about Marie Antoinette in
Trainwreck
just prior to picking upMarie Antoinette’s Darkest Days.That being said, it was nice to have a little primer from Sady Doyle about why Antoinette is such a fascinating character from a feminist perspective. Here, Will Bashor pieces together Antoinette’s experiences while imprisoned in the Conciergerie prior to her trial and execution. He draws upon a wealth of primary sources in an attempt to fill a gap in his reading of histories and biographies of this queen. While he doesn’t always succeed at holding my interest, it’s undeniable that he has produced a work of detail and an elegantly structured resource for anyone trying to learn about the French Revolution.
Thanks to NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield for providing an ARC of this book. My Kindle version wasn’t formatted very well. This book has lots of pictures that were just sort of haphazardly tossed in here, and the footnotes were scattered throughout the paragraphs (in red), like they had just scanned in the print edition and run OCR on it. There are also many extended quotations that are neither in quotation marks nor offset from the author’s text, so it can be hard to tell when they end. I say none of this to knock the book, for I’m sure the final editions will be professionally formatted—but I wanted to provide context for why I found this book difficult to read at times.
My main issue withMarie Antoinette’s Darkest Daysarises from Bashor’s tone and decisions to convey so much of the primary source material directly to the reader. He warns in the Author’s Note:
OK, unpopular opinion time:If you want to write a novel, write a novel. If you want to write a non-fiction history, write a non-fiction history.
Consider Alison Weir, whose fiction and non-fiction both I have enjoyed in the past. I know Weir’s non-fiction is a bit more pop than Bashor might be going for here. The point, however, is that she recognized when she wanted to make use of the conceits and freedom provided by a novel to explore a historical person and place. If Bashor wanted to write extended scenes of mostly dialogue, whether in transcript form or no, and plumb the depths of his characters’ minds… perhaps he should have written an actual novel, instead of writing a non-fiction book and then offering up the excuse that it “reads like a novel”.
I recognize that this is a stylistic quibble and that other readers can probably get over this hurdle just fine. Indeed, most of my criticism here is stylistic in nature.Marie Antoinette’s Darkest Daysis far from a poor book in either structure or execution (uh, pardon the pun—and that one). It’s quite accessible to people like me, who only have a general knowledge of the French Revolution, despite Bashor offering little in the way of generalized exposition (there is a “prelude” at the front and a chronology, though, both of which are helpful). I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this as the very first book anyone reads about the Revolution, but you don’t need extensive background knowledge to follow what happens here.
By the same token, Bashor sticks to his topic. Any time he deviates from discussing Antoinette directly is only to discuss the key players in those last months of her life or the investigations surrounding plots to free her. He mentions the concurrent developments in France and political squabbles between Jacobins and Girondins only insofar as they are germane to Antoinette’s situation. I applaud this focus and ability to keep on track. Each chapter follows in a logical progression from the previous one, beginning with Antoinette’s transport to and imprisonment in the Conciergerie and ending with her trial and execution. (The trial chapters were a little boring. Again, lots of transcript and minute recounting every detail.) There’s even an epilogue that traces the decades following her death and the fates of those who survived her.
Marie Antoinette’s Darkest Daysis at times too thorough, and this is the comment that both praises and damns the book. I can see this being a valuable resource for astudentof French history, if only because Bashor has already done so much work for them in terms of finding primary and secondary sources and translating it into English. For more general audiences like myself, your reaction is likely to be far more mixed. If you’re really keen on learning about Antoinette, you will learn a little from here—though maybe not as much in her own words as you might expect.
Thanks to NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield for providing an ARC of this book. My Kindle version wasn’t formatted very well. This book has lots of pictures that were just sort of haphazardly tossed in here, and the footnotes were scattered throughout the paragraphs (in red), like they had just scanned in the print edition and run OCR on it. There are also many extended quotations that are neither in quotation marks nor offset from the author’s text, so it can be hard to tell when they end. I say none of this to knock the book, for I’m sure the final editions will be professionally formatted—but I wanted to provide context for why I found this book difficult to read at times.
My main issue withMarie Antoinette’s Darkest Daysarises from Bashor’s tone and decisions to convey so much of the primary source material directly to the reader. He warns in the Author’s Note:
Considering the efforts to reconstruct these scenes, readers may find thatMarie Antoinette’s Darkest Daysat times reads like a novel. However, with vigorous research and study of archived documents and secondary material from mostly eighteenth- and nineteenth-century sources, I have made every effort to retell this incredible story as accurately as possible.
OK, unpopular opinion time:If you want to write a novel, write a novel. If you want to write a non-fiction history, write a non-fiction history.
Consider Alison Weir, whose fiction and non-fiction both I have enjoyed in the past. I know Weir’s non-fiction is a bit more pop than Bashor might be going for here. The point, however, is that she recognized when she wanted to make use of the conceits and freedom provided by a novel to explore a historical person and place. If Bashor wanted to write extended scenes of mostly dialogue, whether in transcript form or no, and plumb the depths of his characters’ minds… perhaps he should have written an actual novel, instead of writing a non-fiction book and then offering up the excuse that it “reads like a novel”.
I recognize that this is a stylistic quibble and that other readers can probably get over this hurdle just fine. Indeed, most of my criticism here is stylistic in nature.Marie Antoinette’s Darkest Daysis far from a poor book in either structure or execution (uh, pardon the pun—and that one). It’s quite accessible to people like me, who only have a general knowledge of the French Revolution, despite Bashor offering little in the way of generalized exposition (there is a “prelude” at the front and a chronology, though, both of which are helpful). I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this as the very first book anyone reads about the Revolution, but you don’t need extensive background knowledge to follow what happens here.
By the same token, Bashor sticks to his topic. Any time he deviates from discussing Antoinette directly is only to discuss the key players in those last months of her life or the investigations surrounding plots to free her. He mentions the concurrent developments in France and political squabbles between Jacobins and Girondins only insofar as they are germane to Antoinette’s situation. I applaud this focus and ability to keep on track. Each chapter follows in a logical progression from the previous one, beginning with Antoinette’s transport to and imprisonment in the Conciergerie and ending with her trial and execution. (The trial chapters were a little boring. Again, lots of transcript and minute recounting every detail.) There’s even an epilogue that traces the decades following her death and the fates of those who survived her.
Marie Antoinette’s Darkest Daysis at times too thorough, and this is the comment that both praises and damns the book. I can see this being a valuable resource for astudentof French history, if only because Bashor has already done so much work for them in terms of finding primary and secondary sources and translating it into English. For more general audiences like myself, your reaction is likely to be far more mixed. If you’re really keen on learning about Antoinette, you will learn a little from here—though maybe not as much in her own words as you might expect.
September 23, 2016
"My blood alone remains: take it, but do not make me suffer long.”
From the moment I read the opening poignant words voiced by Marie Antoinette in her last hours and the author’s explained notable intentions for writing about the doomed woman’s darkest days, I had this unexpected positive feeling I may have found something special. I was right, not only didMarie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerieend as an impressive nonjudgmental toned narrative that encouraged final reflections about many events (including daring plots of escape and damaging scandals) and presented names from history but it also reminded me of the first non-fiction title I was ever handed many years ago. I didn’t think I would ever find a work about the renowned historic personality that could allow me that special smile of interest I remember experiencing when reading inviting history for the first time. It’s good to be wrong about certain things and through a distinctive delivery of facts and meticulous gathering of historic recorded eye witness accounts, memoirs, letters of importance and various documents- Mr. Bashor definitely allowed Marie Antoinette to come alive before this reader’s eyes once more.
However amusing and highly informative,Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerieasks for a little patience to get to the solid timeline of actions. Its slower pace in certain parts were thankfully few though and interestingly enough, the way this book is fashioned it reads as a novel and its slow reveal of events can easily be imagined to be the personal memories of the condemned. These “memories and observations” are described with vivid details but are pulled from true facts (very few particulars are held back with the somber views of prison life or the violence of the French Revolution). That may sound negative but let me assure those concerned the author offers a delicate respectable approach with certain topics and sections of translated dialogue. Finally I must mention the fascinating trove of drawn maps and photographs of paintings throughout this book which can be honestly hard not to stop and stare at (especially the portraits done by Kucharski) and it may be only me, but I can never turn away from little known fascinating legends (ex: “the queen’s dog”, final quotes, burial sites, the "Lost Dauphin" etc.) with scholarly looks at possibilities if there is any truth behind the colorful stories. Yes it’s all in here and for me this is how history is remembered: with a narrative you can’t put down until you turn that final page.
*I would like to thank Rowman & Littlefield and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerie
*For more reviews seehttp://asthefinalpageturns.blogspot.com
From the moment I read the opening poignant words voiced by Marie Antoinette in her last hours and the author’s explained notable intentions for writing about the doomed woman’s darkest days, I had this unexpected positive feeling I may have found something special. I was right, not only didMarie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerieend as an impressive nonjudgmental toned narrative that encouraged final reflections about many events (including daring plots of escape and damaging scandals) and presented names from history but it also reminded me of the first non-fiction title I was ever handed many years ago. I didn’t think I would ever find a work about the renowned historic personality that could allow me that special smile of interest I remember experiencing when reading inviting history for the first time. It’s good to be wrong about certain things and through a distinctive delivery of facts and meticulous gathering of historic recorded eye witness accounts, memoirs, letters of importance and various documents- Mr. Bashor definitely allowed Marie Antoinette to come alive before this reader’s eyes once more.
However amusing and highly informative,Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerieasks for a little patience to get to the solid timeline of actions. Its slower pace in certain parts were thankfully few though and interestingly enough, the way this book is fashioned it reads as a novel and its slow reveal of events can easily be imagined to be the personal memories of the condemned. These “memories and observations” are described with vivid details but are pulled from true facts (very few particulars are held back with the somber views of prison life or the violence of the French Revolution). That may sound negative but let me assure those concerned the author offers a delicate respectable approach with certain topics and sections of translated dialogue. Finally I must mention the fascinating trove of drawn maps and photographs of paintings throughout this book which can be honestly hard not to stop and stare at (especially the portraits done by Kucharski) and it may be only me, but I can never turn away from little known fascinating legends (ex: “the queen’s dog”, final quotes, burial sites, the "Lost Dauphin" etc.) with scholarly looks at possibilities if there is any truth behind the colorful stories. Yes it’s all in here and for me this is how history is remembered: with a narrative you can’t put down until you turn that final page.
*I would like to thank Rowman & Littlefield and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy Marie Antoinette's Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerie
*For more reviews seehttp://asthefinalpageturns.blogspot.com
September 22, 2016
All my reviews are on my site:www.jessicasreadingroom.com
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I will admit I do not know much at all about Marie Antoinette. I read a fiction book with an alternate history about her that piqued my curiosity in regard to her life(Insatiable: A Macabre History of France
by Ginger Myrick). Darkest Days does not deal with her whole life, it focuses on the last few months of her life, specifically her 76 days of life in the Conciergerie.
Will Bashor obviously did his homework! He researched this topic very well and was able to provide specific details of Marie Antoinette’s “life” in the Conciergerie. It wasn’t much of a life. Her husband was executed, her children taken away from her, and subpar living quarters with no privacy. Her health went downhill during her time in the Conciergerie. Regardless of your opinion of Marie Antoinette, her last days her horrible. As she left the Conciergerie for the guillotine, she was mistreated even then. It was a horrible way to end a life. I felt sorry and sad for her. You also learn about plans to rescue her that failed.
Will Bashor writes the book in form of a novel which made it easy to read. Some historical books can be dry and flat, but at times this book was hard to put down. I also enjoyed seeing the pictures and maps provided in the book: that made some things in the book seem more real as the book was being read.
Reasons the book could not be given 5 stars:
The book doesn’t seem meant to be read in e-reader form:
-It was hard to read on a kindle as I wasn’t easily able to go back and forth to look at the map then read the description of places in the map.
-Footnotes in the book were in the middle of paragraphs which broke the flow of reading.
-There were several paragraphs where the paragraph was one sentence. The sentences were not necessarily run on sentences, but those long sentences make it hard to read the book. I had to read some paragraphs multiple times because of this.
(Please note: My copy was an electronic ARC- so maybe these will be corrected by the publication date).
If you are a fan of French history or even Marie Antoinette, check this book out. Despite the issues mentioned above, I do recommend the book.
**I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I will admit I do not know much at all about Marie Antoinette. I read a fiction book with an alternate history about her that piqued my curiosity in regard to her life(Insatiable: A Macabre History of France
by Ginger Myrick). Darkest Days does not deal with her whole life, it focuses on the last few months of her life, specifically her 76 days of life in the Conciergerie.
Will Bashor obviously did his homework! He researched this topic very well and was able to provide specific details of Marie Antoinette’s “life” in the Conciergerie. It wasn’t much of a life. Her husband was executed, her children taken away from her, and subpar living quarters with no privacy. Her health went downhill during her time in the Conciergerie. Regardless of your opinion of Marie Antoinette, her last days her horrible. As she left the Conciergerie for the guillotine, she was mistreated even then. It was a horrible way to end a life. I felt sorry and sad for her. You also learn about plans to rescue her that failed.
Will Bashor writes the book in form of a novel which made it easy to read. Some historical books can be dry and flat, but at times this book was hard to put down. I also enjoyed seeing the pictures and maps provided in the book: that made some things in the book seem more real as the book was being read.
Reasons the book could not be given 5 stars:
The book doesn’t seem meant to be read in e-reader form:
-It was hard to read on a kindle as I wasn’t easily able to go back and forth to look at the map then read the description of places in the map.
-Footnotes in the book were in the middle of paragraphs which broke the flow of reading.
-There were several paragraphs where the paragraph was one sentence. The sentences were not necessarily run on sentences, but those long sentences make it hard to read the book. I had to read some paragraphs multiple times because of this.
(Please note: My copy was an electronic ARC- so maybe these will be corrected by the publication date).
If you are a fan of French history or even Marie Antoinette, check this book out. Despite the issues mentioned above, I do recommend the book.
**I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2017
Another great book that tackles a really specific and under explored aspect of Marie Antoinette's life. This one tackles her time in the Consierege prison including her trial and excecution. This book was obviously well researched and well written.
September 2, 2016
I’ve read a few novels over the years about Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution, both fiction and nonfiction. I find this period of history fascinating. The story of the end of the French monarchy and the Reign of Terror is both interesting, compelling, and to me, unfinished. People have their opinions of what led up to the Revolution, who was to blame, how it could’ve been avoided, who was right, who was wrong, but as with most major historical events, there is no end all, be all definitive answer to any of this. That might be what keeps my interest and why I continue to seek out books about this time in France’s history.
Will Bashor takes a unique look at Marie Antoinette’s life. In all the books I’ve read thus far, and I’m by no means saying I’ve read a significant amount, they’ve always started in her childhood and what led her to becoming France’s final queen. Bashor takes his readers directly to Marie’s imprisonment, the final days of her life.
One might wonder how interesting a book could be when the entire thing takes place in prison, but a lot occurred during those days of confinement. There was the famous Carnation Plot and the heart-wrenching separation of Marie Antoinette from her children and her sister-in-law just to touch on a couple highlights. Bashor relates, in detail, what Marie’s daily life was like in prison and how it evolved during her somewhat elongated stay in the infamous waiting room of the guillotine, to the end and her trial and execution.
While this book is a work of nonfiction, Bashor writes like a novelist and the book reads as such. It’s moving, frightening, and edge-of-your seat writing, despite knowing Marie’s fate.
Every time I read a book about Marie Antoinette, I always hope that something will happen to change her fate, lol. Maybe one of the numerous plots to rescue her will finally succeed!! Maybe her milksop of a husband will finally grow a backbone and they will all escape their fate. I’m always sad when the book ends with the guillotine’s blade and Marie Antoinette’s Darkest Days was no exception.
Will Bashor takes a unique look at Marie Antoinette’s life. In all the books I’ve read thus far, and I’m by no means saying I’ve read a significant amount, they’ve always started in her childhood and what led her to becoming France’s final queen. Bashor takes his readers directly to Marie’s imprisonment, the final days of her life.
One might wonder how interesting a book could be when the entire thing takes place in prison, but a lot occurred during those days of confinement. There was the famous Carnation Plot and the heart-wrenching separation of Marie Antoinette from her children and her sister-in-law just to touch on a couple highlights. Bashor relates, in detail, what Marie’s daily life was like in prison and how it evolved during her somewhat elongated stay in the infamous waiting room of the guillotine, to the end and her trial and execution.
While this book is a work of nonfiction, Bashor writes like a novelist and the book reads as such. It’s moving, frightening, and edge-of-your seat writing, despite knowing Marie’s fate.
Every time I read a book about Marie Antoinette, I always hope that something will happen to change her fate, lol. Maybe one of the numerous plots to rescue her will finally succeed!! Maybe her milksop of a husband will finally grow a backbone and they will all escape their fate. I’m always sad when the book ends with the guillotine’s blade and Marie Antoinette’s Darkest Days was no exception.
July 10, 2016
This has got to be the quintesential book on the imprisonment and death of Marie Antoinette...as the author Will Bashor states...” I was astonished to find that very little had been written about the queen’s frightful incarceration in the Conciergerie. From this discovery came the idea to reanimate the dungeons of the ancient prison where the queen was kept in a state of terror and apprehension for over two months”. This period was actually 76 days, and the entire time I was reading, I could not believe the reprehensible evil that she lived with. For 76 horrible days, she lived in the worst possible way, a cold, moldy room, in a dungeon, with only a screen to keep her away from the eyes of her jailers.
And yet, she remained queenly. Her son’s death still lives fresh in my mind...you’ll have to read the book to find out how that happened..no spoilers, here. Horrible! Shocking, and senseless!!!
The author writes... "But did Marie Antoinette deserve her misfortune: months of slow anguish in the gloomy Conciergerie; a horrific and gruesome ride on the back of an open cart amid a howling mob; and the plank at the place de la Revolution.....”
I came away with new thoughts of Queen Marie Antoinette, mostly sadness and pity..Why was she so hated?
Thank you to Publisher’s Rowman & Littlefield’s for the perusal of this galley on Netgalley.com.. An amazing read..certainly one for the history books. Will Bashor did an intense and amazing job of researching his subject!!
And yet, she remained queenly. Her son’s death still lives fresh in my mind...you’ll have to read the book to find out how that happened..no spoilers, here. Horrible! Shocking, and senseless!!!
The author writes... "But did Marie Antoinette deserve her misfortune: months of slow anguish in the gloomy Conciergerie; a horrific and gruesome ride on the back of an open cart amid a howling mob; and the plank at the place de la Revolution.....”
I came away with new thoughts of Queen Marie Antoinette, mostly sadness and pity..Why was she so hated?
Thank you to Publisher’s Rowman & Littlefield’s for the perusal of this galley on Netgalley.com.. An amazing read..certainly one for the history books. Will Bashor did an intense and amazing job of researching his subject!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2016
Thank you netgalley for providing a free galley in exchange for a fair review.
I think the very first biography I ever read was of Marie Antoinette. I've read a few books about her since then. I've always wondered what happened when she was imprisoned and before she met her final fate at the guillotine. Everything I've read about her previous to this book stopped at her imprisonment.
I was excited to find a book that focused on the time between the monarch's incarceration and her death. I was a little afraid that I would be disappointed and bored with a detailed account of what I had been curious about for so long. I'm happy to say that this book almost read like a novel and was very thorough and outlined every theory and all the conflicting information about what happened to the queen in this time.
It is fascinating to learn how many people were sympathetic to the queen's plight and all the escape plots that were hatched. It is sad and shocking to learn how Marie Antoinette's son was forced to testify against her.
The queen was dignified while the revolutionaries were not. I hope that she did receive the blessing from her church at the end of her life and is resting in eternal peace.
I think the very first biography I ever read was of Marie Antoinette. I've read a few books about her since then. I've always wondered what happened when she was imprisoned and before she met her final fate at the guillotine. Everything I've read about her previous to this book stopped at her imprisonment.
I was excited to find a book that focused on the time between the monarch's incarceration and her death. I was a little afraid that I would be disappointed and bored with a detailed account of what I had been curious about for so long. I'm happy to say that this book almost read like a novel and was very thorough and outlined every theory and all the conflicting information about what happened to the queen in this time.
It is fascinating to learn how many people were sympathetic to the queen's plight and all the escape plots that were hatched. It is sad and shocking to learn how Marie Antoinette's son was forced to testify against her.
The queen was dignified while the revolutionaries were not. I hope that she did receive the blessing from her church at the end of her life and is resting in eternal peace.
June 2, 2016
I personally felt Marie Antoinette was given a raw deal. She may have been frivolous and a bit of an airhead. But did she deserve to die? No! In my opinion, she could have been sent back to Austria. The French never liked her from the beginning. That much was easy to see. Was she trying to rule France with own evil machinations? I doubt it. The trial was clearly set against her and the court was looking for nothing less than death. Reading this book made feel pity for this beleaguered queen. From the death of Louis XVI to separating her from her children and her sister in law. Her last days were indeed dark. This book certainly takes you through last days of Marie Antionette. Quite a compelling read! I really enjoyed reading about this tidbit of history.
July 15, 2016
Thank you NetGalley and Roman and Littlefield for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I've never read a biography of Marie Antoinette before, and I was happy to receive this one. It read like a novel, and I learned things I hadn't known. She comes off as, perhaps being out of touch, but not the horrible person I'd always envisioned. This book was a good account, fair in it's treatment/discussion of this period of her life, and death. If you enjoy historical reads, this one is a great choice.
Read
July 1, 2016Marie Antoinette is taken from family, home, and a life of splendor. She is taken to the most heinous, notorious prison at that time. Everything negative you can possibly imagine, rats, bugs, the noxious smells and that's only the beginning. The horror of the prison and the length of time she is there, does not even compare to the horrendous crimes she's charged with. Very well written, interesting, entertaining. 5 Stars
Shelved as 'couldn-t-finish'
February 14, 2018Very interesting read. Couldn’t finish because it dragged a bit and I have more to read.
March 29, 2017
I’m more of a casual reader of history than a serious student, so I can’t comment on Will Bashor’s scholarship here, but he’s certainly created a very informative, very readable piece of work with “Marie Antoinette’s Darkest Days.” The book was clearly well researched – there are extensive footnotes and explorations of varying accounts/theories – and it was very accessible for those of us with less of a background in the minutiae of French history.
The court transcripts toward the middle of the book dragged a bit and I would have appreciated a little more background on the structure of the French courts/tribunals of the day,but for the most part, Bashor provides good context and explanation of each excerpt.
Reading this book definitely gave me a new perspective on Marie Antoinette, the French Revolution, and the human cost of the struggle toward a more equitable society.
The court transcripts toward the middle of the book dragged a bit and I would have appreciated a little more background on the structure of the French courts/tribunals of the day,but for the most part, Bashor provides good context and explanation of each excerpt.
Reading this book definitely gave me a new perspective on Marie Antoinette, the French Revolution, and the human cost of the struggle toward a more equitable society.
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