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Abundance: A Novel of Marie Antoinette: A Novel of Marie Antoinette Audiobook
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Marie Antoinette was a child of fourteen when her mother, the Empress of Austria, arranged for her to leave her family and her country to become the wife of the fifteen-year-old Dauphin, the future King of France. Coming of age in the most public of arenas, she warmly embraces her adopted nation and its citizens. She shows her new husband nothing but love and encouragement, though he repeatedly fails to consummate their marriage and in so doing is unable to give her a child and an heir to the throne. Deeply disappointed and isolated in her own intimate circle, and apart from the social life of the court, she allows herself to remain ignorant of the country’s growing economic and political crises, even as poor harvests, bitter winters, war debts, and poverty precipitate rebellion and revenge. The young queen, once beloved by the common folk, becomes a target of scorn, cruelty, and hatred as she, the court’s nobles, and the rest of the royal family are caught up in the nightmarish violence of a murderous time called “the Terror.”
Sena Jeter Naslund offers a dramatic reimagining of this truly compelling woman that goes far beyond the popular myth.Download and start listening now!
"Told in memoir form, Marie Antoinette describes her life in the Court of Versailles. Beginning in May 1770 Austrian Archduchess Maria Antonia enters the French Court as the wife of the Dauphin, the future King Louis XVI. Having toured Versailles it was easy for me to be transported back in time thanks to the author's meticulous research and vivid depictions of court protocols. I was surprised to have empathy for the Queen who was blissfully unaware that a revolution was happening until it was too late. Great read for historical fiction fans."
— Melinda (4 out of 5 stars)
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“If you read one book about Marie Antoinette, let it be Sena Jeter Naslund’s gripping, gabby, and beautifully poignant novel. Naslund’s writing is sumptuous and personal, and she manages to make that most remote of subjects—an eighteenth-century queen—relatable to modern times. You know how her story ends. But the journey is so abundant with joy, grief, and all those ordinary events that make up our lives, you’ll lose your head reading about it.”
— USA Today -
“Exceptional…A richly detailed portrait of an opulent, turbulent time, revealing the queen’s journey from frivolity to responsibility, and from palace to prison cell, to be one of striking beauty and terrible loss.”
— People (four stars) -
“A lavish, richly dressed epic…Naslund’s writing is opulent and fabulous, as encrusted with detail as one of Marie’s shimmering dresses, and the story itself is a complete page-turner.”
— Entertainment Weekly -
“Abundance is intelligent, beautifully written, and uncomfortably relevant, and Naslund makes her heroine convincing and even sympathetic.”
— Boston Globe -
“Hypnotically intimate…With vivid detail and exquisite narrative technique, Naslund exemplifies the best of historical fiction, finding the woman beneath the pose, a queen facing history as it rises up against her.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Awards
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A Christian Science Monitor Book of the Year
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A Seattle Times Best Book
Abundance: A Novel of Marie Antoinette Listener Reviews
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" It was ALRIGHT- wasn't the best book, and wasn't the worst. "
— Alissa, 2/17/2014 -
" She died. Obviously. "
— Faith, 2/4/2014 -
" i had a hard time with this book - it engaged me at first, but then i felt bored and disinterested in the story and in the main character. the overly stylized writing style irritated me, and i just couldnt trudge through the last 100 pages. "
— Marisa, 2/1/2014 -
" I really liked this book. This is the first book I've read that seems to be fair to the real person behind the crown. She was neither a saint, or a demon. She was a beautiful girl with faults, but also with positives. People rarely remember the positives. We all know how the story is going to end. But I liked this journey most of all. "
— Shannon, 1/14/2014 -
" I enjoyed the story of the queen. The only thing hard about this kind of book is trying to distinguish between what might have really been said and happened, vs what the author is imagining and making up based on historical context. But I enjoyed this book. Great perspective and writing. "
— Jill, 12/25/2013 -
" Very interesting story of her life, but reads slowly, until near the end. "
— Jeanne, 12/22/2013 -
" Not as richly textured or as deep as "Ahab's Wife", but the novel still held my attention and gave me some new insights on the life of Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution from a new, not-really-political perspective. "
— Jz, 12/19/2013 -
" I did have a bit of trouble settling into the writing style for some reason. But once I did I thoroughly enjoyed this version which was from Marie Antoinette's perspective. I felt and feel a fondness and understanding. I loved this insightful telling. "
— Belinda, 12/15/2013 -
" A decent read, Abundance held my interest long enough to finish it but didn't really do much beyond that. It kind of reminded me of the Sofia Coppola film about Marie Antoinette in that it had spectacle but not much substance. "
— Kerry, 12/12/2013 -
" Beautifully written and definitely evokes the spirit of that time. An interesting lesson in history and Marie's life. I was at times bothered that it was part fiction yet written from Marie's perspective. "
— Lena, 11/16/2013 -
" This book was a slow start... the language was true to the time period.. which made it a bit difficult to read if you don't have the time to concentrate. The book picked up mid way through... and it was a good ending. "
— Aimee, 11/11/2013 -
" Amazing story, with fantastic storytelling done by Sena Jeter Naslund. I didn't know much about Marie Antoinette so the brief history in the beginning of the book helped and also explained where the author got the historical facts. A great read for a history buff like myself!! "
— Christy, 9/14/2013 -
" This book was a very readable, engrossing look at the life of Marie Antoinette from the time of her arrival in France at age 14 until her death. I've always been intrigued by M.A., and this book offered a look at her that I don't think history often provides. Historical fiction at its best. "
— Kristi, 8/21/2013 -
" Interesting historical perspective. "
— Lisa, 8/25/2012 -
" Rich and beautiful "
— Selena, 8/23/2012 -
" I couldn't get past the first few chapters on multiple tries at reading this book. It's poorly written and utterly boring. "
— Lisa, 8/23/2012 -
" I tried. It is really beautifully written. It's like looking at a really beautiful painting. But nothing happens and nothing compels me to read the next page. I really wanted to like it. "
— Jennifer, 6/15/2012 -
" Not as amazing as Ahab's Wife, but I still got sucked in. Once I embraced the sometimes frivolous and shallow lifestyle of 1700s France the story came alive. "
— Kristen, 12/9/2011 -
" I really liked this. Hard to not cheer for her - come on, Marie, you can run with your children and escape the guillotine! ;-) "
— Kristin, 12/4/2011 -
" I wish I could say 3.5. Starts out trite but she is 14 and breaks my heart at the end. Wish I had time to read a bunch of nonfiction accounts. So glad I live in this time as a woman! "
— Dayna, 5/7/2011 -
" Another book where you get to see things from the "villain's" point of view. Love to read about the intrigue in the life of the royal families. "
— Ana, 4/28/2011 -
" "They love me" <br/>Oh Geez! Chop her head off already! <br/>I'm amazed I finished this book.. really boring. I had many eye rolling moments. "
— Nfljennifer, 4/26/2011 -
" I loved this book from my favorite era in history! "
— Pam, 4/26/2011 -
" Gave it a try, not really my kind of book. "
— Jean, 3/20/2011 -
" A pleasing novel about Marie Antoinette. If the Kirsten Dunst movie looked like something you would like, you will like this. If not, probably not. "
— Suzyn, 3/18/2011 -
" Very similar to Antonia Fraser's biography of Marie Antoinette, just embellished a little more. Very enjoyable read. "
— Melissa, 3/16/2011 -
" One of the best books ever. "
— Nick17, 3/14/2011
About Sena Jeter Naslund
Sena Jeter Naslund has enjoyed a rich literary career as an award-winning author, professor, and editor. Her books have received critical acclaim including the prestigious Harper Lee Award. In addition to numerous novels and two collections of short stories, her fiction has appeared in several publications. A professor since 1972, she was awarded the first ever Distinguished Teaching Professor honor from the University of Louisville as well as endowments from multiple art councils.
About Susanna Burney
Susanna Burney has appeared in a wide range of plays on stages in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Minneapolis, and Seattle. Her favorite roles include Hamlet, Olga in Three Sisters, Mrs. Wilcox in a stage adaptation of Howard’s End, and as the solo performer in Man to Man, for which she was named best actress of the year in the Seattle weekly, the Stranger. She received her BFA in acting from Boston University.