Author: Susan Nagel
I have to say, I was extremely excited to read this book. I am almost literally obsessed with Marie Antoinette and I've read quite a few biographies about her and I always wondered, what happened to her daughter, Marie-Therese, the only survivor of the Temple Prison? This is the first book that I've heard of (that's in English) about the "Orphan of the Temple", besides her actual memoirs. So, major kudos for Professor Nagel.
I thought she did a wonderful job telling Marie-Therese's story, and I found it extremely interesting. I can't believe there aren't more biographies about her. She lived through so much history and impacted it incredibly. Nagel showed perfectly how the emotional state of Marie-Therese was constantly changing. She was born to loving parents and had an almost idyllic childhood. Then the revolution set in and Marie-Therese, as the oldest child, was at the age where she mostly understood the horrible things happening and her parents' unhappiness, and the loss of her little sister, Sophie, and her little brother, the first Dauphin, Louis-Joseph. Then they witnessed the deaths and escapes of many loyal servants as they were moved to the Tuilleries Palace in Paris, and then they were transferred to the Temple Prison, where her family was eventually taken away from her one-by-one. First her father was taken to solitary confinement, and then sent to the guillotine. Next, her brother, Louis-Charles, the second Dauphin, was removed from his family, into his father's old apartments, where his remaining family could hear his cries as he was tortured. Then, Marie Antoinette was taken to the Conciergerie, put on trial, and sentenced to death, although Marie-Therese was not told of this. And lastly, her aunt, Madame Elisabeth, the former king's sister, was taken away, and also sentenced to death, but again, Marie-Therese was not aware. She was kept all alone, in ignorance, since her jailers were forbidden to tell her the fate of her family, for years, until on her seventeenth birthday, she left the Prison. The new French government transferred her into the care of her Austrian relatives, where she lived until she married the Duc d'Angouleme, her first cousin. She continued her life in exiled court of Louis XVIII, where she had to constantly be accustomed to change. She lived through the Bourbon Restoration, then through their continued exile until she passed away in 1851.
Susan Nagel also showed the major political influence that Marie-Therese had. After her escape from the Temple Prison, the French people were fascinated in her and many began to sympathize with her and all the ordeals she lived through. Therefore, her opinion was very important to the French people. When the Bourbons were restored the throne of France, her uncle, Louis XVIII, relied heavily on her and also encouraged her to go visit all parts of France. Due to this public relations scheme and also to her forgiving, virtuous nature, the French people were enchanted by Marie-Therese.
Professor Nagel also talked about the "Dark Countess" legend, which says that the real Marie-Therese was switched with her half-sister, Ernestine, who lived for the rest of her life as the very public figure that was the Orphan of the Temple, while the real Marie-Therese lived in extreme secrecy with a single companion, and the protection of some members of royalty. Nagel tried to put the theory to rest by doing DNA testing like the ones done on Louis-Charles's heart, in order to prove that he had actually died in the Temple at age seven, but due to disintegrated DNA and not having permission to exhume the corpse of the Dark Countess, she was unable to do the tests. Instead, she compared several handwriting samples, and convincingly proved (to me, at least), that there had never been a switch, and that the daughter of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, was indeed the Marie-Therese that was known all over Europe.
However, in order to talk about this, Nagel had to make the assumption that Louis XVI had had, not one, but two affairs, which, if you read ANY other biography regarding Marie Antoinette, is completely ridiculous! Louis XVI was way to pious to ever commit adultery, and is famous for refusing mistresses that his ministers wanted him to take. While everyone has heard of Marie Antoinette's supposed affairs (of which, there is absolutely NO proof), no one has ever, as far as I and many other people who love Marie Antoinette, heard of Louis XVI being unfaithful, especially with a servant (who Nagel says is the mother of Ernestine), and his wife's best friend, the Duchesse de Polignac. These accusations made me have doubts about the truth of the rest of the facts in the book.
I also think that the biography needed a better proofreader. I saw some simple mistakes, and a few footnote markings that lead nowhere. I'd also like to add that I wish the notes had been on bottom of the pages, instead of in the back of the book, because I had to constantly go back and shuffle through the pages to find the note that went with page.
However, besides these few things, I really liked the book, and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning a little more about the life of a very interesting woman, who doesn't get much mention in other history books.
Anyways, I hope that you'll give it a try and, as always, feel free to talk to me at Kristi_Reads@yahoo.com or leave a comment if you want to discuss this book, or any others, or give opinions, etc. The next thing I'm reading is A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks, because my best friend lent it to me (and it's also my favorite movie!), so I'll make sure to get a review up as soon as possible.
So, thanks for reading!!
Love,
Kristi
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