The Lost King of France: How DNA Solved the Mystery of the Murdered Son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette (Paperback)

~ (Author) "On Saturday, April 21, 1770, the Austrian archduchess, Maria-Antonia, left her home, the imperial palace of Hofburg in Vienna, forever and embarked on the long..." (more)
Key Phrases: real dauphin, lost dauphin, crystal urn, Madame Simon, Madame Campan, Princesse de Lamballe (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for The Lost King of France

"Absolutely stupendous . . . This is history as it should be. I can't praise it highly enough. It is stunningly written; I could not put it down. This is the best account of the French Revolution I have ever read."
---Alison Weir, author of Henry VII: The King and His Court

"A wonderful book . . . Deborah Cadbury's fascinating account of a child victim of revolutionary brutality is a masterly synthesis of science and narrative history that provides a definitive solution to a celebrated mystery. Authoritative, lucid, and utterly absorbing."
---Anne Somerset, author of Elizabeth I

"A first-class read---informative, entertaining, and a great, grand adventure. Most noteworthy."
---Margaret George, author of The Autobiography of Henry VIII

"Unputdownable. Deborah Cadbury succeeds in conveying the human tragedy of this story more emotively than any other writer. Added to that, her book has the gripping pace of a thriller. I cannot recommend this too highly."
---Maureen Waller, author of 1700: Scenes from London Life

"The Lost King of France is a fascinating and well-told story that reads with great interest and pleasure. My congratulations on a well researched work."
---Ian Dunlop, author of Louis XIV

"An absorbing tale, combining sound history and modern science. The restrained description of the sufferings of the little prince from the officious sadism of the revolutionary officials serves only to add poignancy to his story."
---John Hardman, author of Louis XVI: The Silent King
-- Review

Review

Praise for The Lost King of France

"Absolutely stupendous . . . This is history as it should be. I can't praise it highly enough. It is stunningly written; I could not put it down. This is the best account of the French Revolution I have ever read."
---Alison Weir, author of Henry VII: The King and His Court

"A wonderful book . . . Deborah Cadbury's fascinating account of a child victim of revolutionary brutality is a masterly synthesis of science and narrative history that provides a definitive solution to a celebrated mystery. Authoritative, lucid, and utterly absorbing."
---Anne Somerset, author of Elizabeth I

"A first-class read---informative, entertaining, and a great, grand adventure. Most noteworthy."
---Margaret George, author of The Autobiography of Henry VIII

"Unputdownable. Deborah Cadbury succeeds in conveying the human tragedy of this story more emotively than any other writer. Added to that, her book has the gripping pace of a thriller. I cannot recommend this too highly."
---Maureen Waller, author of 1700: Scenes from London Life

"The Lost King of France is a fascinating and well-told story that reads with great interest and pleasure. My congratulations on a well researched work."
---Ian Dunlop, author of Louis XIV

"An absorbing tale, combining sound history and modern science. The restrained description of the sufferings of the little prince from the officious sadism of the revolutionary officials serves only to add poignancy to his story."
---John Hardman, author of Louis XVI: The Silent King

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (October 23, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312320299
• ISBN-13: 978-0312320294
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #353,863 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #17 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( A ) > Antoinette, Marie
  #95 in	Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Political Science > Systems Of Government > Monarchy

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic popular history, December 5, 2003

By	E. A. Montgomery (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is as readable as any historical novel and far more interesting. Cadbury brings the shadowy image of Marie Antoinette's children fully to life with detail and emotional depth. Unlike most books on this topic, the parents are moved firmly to the background, coming forward only to illustrate their influence on the children and their lives. I learned more in this fast paced enjoyable read than I have in half a dozen 'scholarly' books on the period. The Lost King's resolution may not surprise you, but it's a rewarding read that immerses you as fully as an epic film. One of the finest histories I've read on any subject and more emotionally affecting than most fiction. You will not be able to forget this family or view them in the same fashion again. A true must read.

43 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Injustice of the French Revoluton, January 2, 2006

By	A. Carrozza "Rev. Andrew P. Carrozza" (Yonkers, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Whenever I hear people speaking of the "triumph" or "glory" of the French Revolution I want to scream! There was nothing wonderful about these horrible years that ruined France. The greatest proof is in how cruelly they treated the Royal Family. I have read numerous books on the French Revolution, but this one seems to give the most personal insight into what the conditions in the Temple prison were like for Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Princess Marie-Therese, but most especially, the horribly inhuman indignities inflicted upon the poor dauphin, Louis-Charles, King Louis XVII. It is sad to see how people could be so cruel, and to see what injustices were inflicted on a seven-year-old boy in the name of justice. Far more than finally solving the mystery of Louis XVII, it also gives a vividly clear insight into where the revolution went wrong, and of how evil will eventually destroy itself. A history and a "whodunit" rolled into one - I couldn't put it down! Marvelous - and sad - reading!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If it were longer and the same it would be 5 stars for me, January 20, 2004

By A Customer

This book provides what Antonia Frazer's biography of Marie Antoinette does not -- more about the children, more about the aftermath of Marie Antoinette's death. I thought this book would repeat much of Frazer's but, in fact, it enriches Frazer's work. And, except for some melodramatic flourishes, I think it is better written. Though I usually read 2 or 3 books at a time and can easily jump from one to the other, I could not put this book down until I finished it.

I wish there had been more to this volume. The DNA passages sometimes feel 'padded' and the 'mystery' element seems somewhat contrived. Who cares! It was so engrossing that I neglected everything this afternoon so that I could finish this book.