Customer Reviews

The Knight of Maison-Rouge: A Novel of Marie Antoinette (Modern Library Classics)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This book is an exciting conclusion to Dumas' "Revolutionary" book cycle. The first four books in the series are also well worth your time...but they may be a little difficult to track down. They are (in order): "Memoirs of a Physician", "The Queen's Necklace", "Ange Pitou", "Countess De Charny" and finally "The Knight of Maison-Rouge." Read together they tell a story every bit as thrilling as the Musketeer cycle. Pick this one up in hardcover while you can (I think the last US edition of this title was published in 1906, and this translation if much superior). Vive Dumas!

I had been reading the rather quick type of books of late. I decided I needed something with a great plot, good character development-overall something I would not want to put down-a classic. I loved every word of this book, as well as the French Revolution history. This book had real and fictitious characters wonderfully portrayed. The story actually had a beginning, a middle and an end. I could not put it down and cannot wait to read more Dumas again (I always loved Camille, The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Christo). I highly recommend this book, if you like facts interwoven with fiction well defined characters, believable dialogue and a great plot. I felt as though I was in the gallery in every scene. I wanted to yell to the characters-do this do that, don't do that-NO. Great book even so many years later. Enough with the fast read-bring on the classics.

Having read most of what Dumas has written, I can only say that this is one of his best novels. It is adventurous, fast paced and written in a superb manner.

This book is a true delight and it is very hard to put down. It is one of Dumas' lesser known pieces, and has not been published anywhere in quite a few years so it was not easy to find before this new hardback edition.

It is conceivable to see how this book could get a negative review. It is not an easy read on any level. Semantically it can be difficult due to its translation and many of the principal events require some limited knowledge of French history to be fully understood. Its subject, the French Revolution, is not a simple topic to broach. Nevertheless, Dumas manages to convey the gravity and despair of this time period in a brilliant manner. This book certainly does not leave the reader with a warmhearted feeling after completion. It is instead an accurate, and at times brutal, reflection of a cruel and turbulent world. The scenes with Marie Antoinette are particularly well done. For anyone who has an interest in her, you will find this book very fulfilling.

Overall this was a good read, well worth the time.

The fruits of revolution oft take long to ripen. After our American Revolution, we instituted the Articles of Confederation, which if the British were aware, imminent conquest would follow. The French Revolutions we inspired were no different but their lots before renewing themselves were harsh lessons in learning how to construct effective government.

Set in the aptly named Terror, The Knight of Maison-Rouge takes place in this paranoid and xenophobic France. The French patriots are fanatical in destroying anything deemed evil by Robespierre's regime and the hills of heads prove his cruelty isn't for show. The same citizens who cower beneath this horrid regime will not hesitate to out each other on accusations backed by the flimsiest of bonds, viewed by the bureaucracy as solid diamond, for glory and spite ensuring societal bonds are broken washing France in blood. As Marie-Antoinette lives her last days in prison, disenfranchised aristocrats and royalists under the Knight of Maison-Rouge conspire to release her.

Enter soldier Maurice Lindey, who comes upon a strange woman being accosted by a rampaging mob of unruly soldiers. Upon saving her, he requests to take her for questioning, but from her refusals to do so, it is clear she is anything but innocent. The smitten Maurice is indifferent to this lawbreaking however and with his womanizing friend Lorin, whose constant recitations of bad poetry with dashing courage make him quite the companion, they quell the mob and ensure the woman gets home safely but not before she kisses Maurice goodbye and gives him the gift of a beautiful ring.

But this betrayal of the law served isn't a trait reserved solely for the young womanizers. The populace is required to address each other as, "Citizen," instead of, "Monsieur," and God is eventually dethroned in favor of the Supreme Being. Speaking anything else is fair game for the bloodthirsty courts and the judges ignore these social mores oft as the deluded populace. An abusive cobblers' repute transcends that of soldiers who have served the country well and vice is virtue where all is well as long as people praise Robespierre while gutting each other.

The book consistently cycles through two plots for the story's duration: Rescuing Marie-Antoinette and Maurice's pursuit of Genevieve, the woman he saved that night. Both are consistently repeated through the storyline since there are always mishaps to thwart them but fortunately the characters and the discovery of these situations are good enough to make the situations refreshing even when it's obvious that Marie-Antoinette is going to be arrested yet again.

But while the story is enjoyable, make no mistake that it is dark. It doesn't take long for the story to go from Lorin spouting bad poetry over not getting any to Lorin spouting bad poetry because his lover was beheaded.

As in all Dumas, there is gallant heroism throughout. Yet it comes at tremendous sacrifice and even though I was moved at the final scenes, I wanted more. It's not that I was disappointed at the final turn of events given the setting is an era called the Terror and the other tragedies that occur throughout. But the final scenes contain such climactic fury and moving declarations that I would have liked to have seen this earlier. Much of the book is spent developing relationships that it's only at the end we see the fruits of this labor and they are promptly snatched from us after taking the slightest nibble.

Alexandre Dumas pere earned his spurs as the King of romance fiction. He is well known for the Three Musketeers saga as well as The Count of Monte Cristo. Yet Dumas was the author of over 300 novels, plays and travel literature. Much of this material is not well known to most general readers. I include myself in this wide category. I had never heard of the Knight of Maison Rouge but am glad it has been published by the Modern Library in a handsome edition The novel was originally published in Paris in 1846. The book is shorter than most Dumas novels being 398 pages in this translation. The novel includes a fine introduction, notes on the historical characters and several pages of useful footnotes Dumas is a past mastere and combining historical and fictional characters into a story. The tale being told more than straight history always was Dumas prime concern.
The Plot: Maurice is a young Republican soldier. He rescues Genevieve a young married woman who is being persecuted by a mob in the dark streets of Paris in March, 1793. Maurice falls in love with Genevieve. She, her husband and the Knight of the Maison Rouge (in disguise as a tanner) seek to rescue Marie Antoinette and her family from the blade. The plotters are unsuccessful. Genevieve's evil husband discovers her adultery with Maurice. He plots her downfall. She was seeking to exchange clothes with Marie Antoinette allowing the Queen of France to escape but the plot is foiled.
In this exciting novel there is sword play; intrigue; betrayal; love and loyalty all on display in lavish doses. The execution of Marie Antoinette is a huge set piece which Dumas was adroit at handling in his lavish richly romantic and tragic style. The book moves to an inexorable and memorable conclusion. I will never forget the Queen's son the Dauphin held in captivity by the cruel Simon and the Revolutionary government.
The Knight of the Maison-Rouge bears an affinity to The Scarlet Pimpernel and A Tale of Two Cities. All three of these classics deal with the French Revolution and the rescue of aristocrats from the blade of La Guillotine. This is a neglected novel which will whet the taste of readers for more books produced by the prolix genius Alexandre Dumas.

Readers familiar with The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo will recognize the swashbuckling style in this story of the Knight of Maison-Rouge. However, with this book Dumas would not have become a household name. It is a very different type of story and left me dissatisfied. Its value lies in its unflinching portrayal of the Terror that followed the French Revolution. Undoubtedly unpopular in times and places where the French Revolution was esteemed as a model for the overthrow of tyrannies, it is now available in a new edition. The story revolves around various, obviously unsuccessful, attempts to rescue Marie Antoinette after the execution of Louis XVI. The book is extensively annotated. The notes are distracting, but also very useful to anyone without an extensive knowledge of the French Revolution. I certainly learnt a lot of history. The book is recommended to anyone interested in the French Revolution. It is instructive in the workings of totalitarian regimes in general so that its lessons are relevant to our own times.

I love Dumas. There, I admit it. I've been bred on Dumas. (And those who think this book is atypical Dumas, simply haven't read much Dumas :) ). Sadly, much of Dumas' works get burried under poor and inaccessible translations where the translator apparently thought "This takes place 300 years ago - let's make it sound that way!" Luckily, this new translation is true to the Dumas style - it feels contemporay and speeds you through the action with ease and fun (as much fun as you can have reading about the bloodbath that was the French Revolution).

This is classic Dumas - the adventure, the intrigue, the history, the fascinating characterizations, and in this new edition it feels vibrant and fresh!

Definately not my favorite Dumas novel. I had a real problem with the translation--it felt like I was reading a dumbed down version. "Heck!" "For crying out loud." "You'd be one of her hottest followers..." You get the idea. It felt like the "terror" of 18th century France was being played out in suburbia 21st century America. What a shame.

The story itself was fairly entertaining although it lacked the intrigue and intricacy of other Dumas novels.

Having read most of what Dumas has written, I can only say that this is one of his best novels. It is adventurous, fast paced and written in a superb manner.

This book is a true delight and it is very hard to put down. It is one of Dumas' lesser known pieces, and has not been published anywhere in quite a few years so it was not easy to find before this new hardcover edition.

Trust me on this one. It's really worth it.