Customer Reviews

The Affair of the Necklace

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not a bad book, if it had been completely fiction. But the glaring errors distracted from my enjoyment. As for the "script-like" quality, the book was written from a script.

First - Jeanne did not have a happy childhood with loving Mommy and Daddy. She was NOT raised on the Valois estate. (Her father had sold off the land long ago.) Daddy was a drunk, not a nobleman brought down because he spoke out against injustice. Her parents did not have a happy marriage (they may not have been married at all). Her mother was a peasant and sometimes a prostitute. Jeanne was sent out to beg for money and beaten if she didn't bring enough home.

With this childhood, it is little wonder she turned out to be a grifter and conwoman. But that is what she was. I don't know why the film-makers had to sanitize her character.

She slept with both Rohan and Reteaux at the same time. She used anyone who could benefit HER. Her motive was money, not getting back her family's estate and rescuing the innocent peasantry. When she got that money, she spent it on HERSELF.

And for the record, she died BEFORE Marie Antoinette.

As for Marie Antoinette, she had THREE children at the time of the Scandal, and was pregnant with her fourth. They were not permitted to be spoiled, and would never have acted to others the way they were portrayed.

This book is well written and tells a most interesting tale. I don't give this book highest marks because both it and the movie make a scoundrel into a hero. Nonetheless, it is a memorable tale to be told, however told. It is the tale of the infamous Diamond Necklace Affair, that rocked the 18th century French monarchy and its king and queen, every bit as much as the Watergate Scandal rocked the 20th century American Republic, driving the U.S. President from office.

[...]

This book gives its focus not to the real victim, Marie Antoinette, but squarely to the perpetrator - the swindler Madame Jeanne Lamotte - and her supposed motivations to restore her claimed titles and property. Unlike other books on this affair, this book glosses over Lamotte's affair with Cardinal Rohan, her efforts to show herself likewise a physical intimate of the Queen and fails to mention Lamotte's lies at trial and after.

I would give the book and movie a 5 for bringing forth the Scandal itself and for the telling of this most interesting tale that gripped a nation. I would give the book/movie a 5 also for its originality. It is daring to create for Lamotte a purpose in life beyond shere avarice, her consuming desire for riches she was not born to. However, I give the book a 1 for the liberty it takes in making this culprit / con artist into a heroine who somehow deserves sympathy. Lamotte wanted money. Lamotte had incredible nerve to tell her lies and to stick to them. But to make Lamotte into a sympathetic heroine who only wanted truth and justice - NO WAY

The plot is interesting, but the writing is more scriptlike than good literature. I wish that I had just waited to see the movie rather than taken the time to read this book.

I wanted to know more about this scandel but this book didn't go into the details I would have wanted. It's a movie book, and those as a rule are boring.

This book is well written and tells a most interesting tale. I don't give this book highest marks because both it and the movie make a scoundrel into a hero. Nonetheless, it is a memorable tale to be told, however told. It is the tale of the infamous Diamond Necklace Affair that rocked the 18th century French monarchy and its king and queen, every bit as much as the Watergate Scandal rocked the 20th century American Republic driving its President from office.

In this tale, the risque, frivolous and extravagant private lifestyle of French Queen Marie Antoinette take center stage in the glaring spotlight of public scrutiny as the Queen's name is used by plotters to steal a fabulously expensive diamond necklace, worth millions when the plot succeeds. To gain the necklace, Madame Lamotte (Hillary Swank in movie) uses the common rumor that Marie Antoinette (Joely Richardson in movie) is bi-sexual and plays upon an out of favor nobleman's lust and desire to gain intimacy and favor with the pretty Queen. Thus, Madame Lamotte convinces famous nobleman Cardinal Rohan that she Lamotte sleeps with the Queen, that the Queen desires the fabulous necklace and that the Cardinal too might enjoy lovely Marie Antoinette's sexual favors if he advanced the funds for the necklace that the Queen would later repay (...)

This book gives its focus not to the real victim, Marie Antoinette, but squarely to the perpetrator - swindler Jeanne Lamotte - and her supposed motivations to restore her claimed titles. Unlike other books on this affair, this book glosses over Lamotte's affair with Cardinal Rohan, her efforts to show herself likewise a physical intimate of the Queen and fails to mention Lamotte's lies at trial and after.

I would give the book and movie a 5 for bringing forth the Scandal itself and for the telling of this most interesting tale that gripped a nation. I would give the book/movie a 5 also for its originality and daring in giving Lamotte a purpose in life beyond shere avarice, her consuming desire for riches she was not born to. However, I give the book a 1 for the liberty it takes in making this culprit / con artist into a heroine who somehow deserves sympathy. Lamotte wanted money, Lamotte had incredible nerve to tell her lies and to stick to then, but a sympathetic heroine who only wanted truth and justice - no way!

This book is so amazing. I can't wait to see the movie. The book is amazing. Read it!