Customer Reviews

The Untold Love Story: Marie Antoinette & Count Fersen

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

 

 

brush strokes. Never before have I read such conjecture...truly, I am appalled by the liberties Farr takes in construing the facts to suit her case. Indeed, I too am of the opinion that Marie Antoinette and Fersen were lovers; however nothing concrete has ever surfaced in any correspondence before and after the Queen's death to concusively determine the exact nature of the relationship. According to the publisher, Farr makes use of previously unpublished documents...really? Which ones? Did I miss something? This message is less a review to benefit other readers than a severe admonition to Farr: you have given the public nothing with this tissue of loosely woven fantasy...seemingly your fantasy. Stanley Loomis wrote the definitive book on this subject with The Fatal Friendship. Don't flatter yourself, Farr, the "story" has been told often enough (and more accurately) before you.

The best thing this book has going for it is the Bibliography - because if you read that you will be enlightened as to some other books which you would be far better off investing in. Apart from that the book has a 'pretty' cover - so if you want to waste your money on a 'pretty' picture & a good Bibliography then go ahead & buy this book. Do yourself a favour - skip this one & invest in something like Joan Haslip's 'Marie Antoinette' or 'The Fatal Friendship' by Stanley Loomis, or even 'Louis and Antoinette' by Vincent Cronin.

I agree with the sentiments of reviewer who wishes that publishers would take a vacation from publishing M.A. books for awhile...sadly I am sure we will see more...

They will push authors in their stable to crank out yet another rehash...

This book is also indicative of another lamentable trend...editors are spell checkers not fact checkers...while this is not as bad as Schom's book on Napoleon which lists both dates Josepine died in the index (both are wrong) it would be nice if they could have people who know the subject give it a fact read.

I agree with the sentiment that the Fatal Friendship by Stanley Loomis is a good book, however I suggest Le Notre's biography of M.A. as a more balanced and better researched book than some of those mention...what gives Loomis balance is that he has written some "essays" (I can't say he is a biographer)in his book Paris in the Terror. It is also what gives Le Notre balance. He has done excellent biographies of Robespierre and a misnamed biography of M. F-Tinville which goes into great detail on the trial of M.A.

Castelot and Cronin are journeymen who certainly do an adequete retelling...but they were written for the popular market...as were their other biographies of Napoleon, Louis XVI, etc.

Le Notre is definately the person you want to discover...no really good library is complete unless you have a complete collection of the Le Notre books of time period...I also suggest his books on the September Massacres and the Noyades of Nantes.

Michael La Vean
Fellow, International Napoleonic Society

It's about time an author focuses on the relationship between Marie Antoinette and Count Fersen. Their relationship is as important and historic as that between Marie and the King, yet most biographies leave it to footnotes. Farr's story moves with exciting and horrifying pace. The emotional (and mortal!) costs born by those closest to Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI are conveyed to a point of agony. Count Fersen's character is most romantic, almost as good as Sidney Carton, but better because it's true.

But it's the nature of this story to be passionate. I was looking for more substantiation of their romance. I felt some of the connections were lost in Farr's story and some of the character names were confusing. Thank you for the biography in the back - indispensible. I was also disappointed by some of the assuptions made. Lost documents and correspondance incryption muddle the facts and Farr does not fully convince me that the assumptions made are true.

Even with these limitations I completely enjoyed this book (from the library) and am upset that it is not available to purchase for my library.

Dose it have pictuers? does the book speeks about her death? is the book intersting? if you read this book well you feel that you live the events? do you think when i read the book i will fell that i'm living with marie antoinette? Do you think i will like this book? please answer me back soon I'm waiting for your answer.