Marie Antoinette (Hardback)
Teen Queen to Guillotine
Imprint: Pen & Sword History
Pages: 192
Illustrations: 32 mono illustrations
ISBN: 9781399041362
Published: 30th September 2025
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A seemingly endless parade of books, films and television shows have kept Marie Antoinette in the spotlight for over two centuries since her execution in October 1793. For many, she is the ignorant embodiment of foolish, careless, decadent excess, and a deserving example of the terrible fate that on occasion befalls members of the mega-wealthy ruling class who exploit and ignore the needs of those less fortunate than themselves. Meanwhile, for others, she is a source of endless fascination thanks to the flamboyant fashions of her era, the pastel-hued beauty of her surviving residences and, above all, the extraordinary drama of her almost unbelievable riches-to-rags life. She was a complex woman who lived in a remarkable time, and yet she was also a very simple one whose main desire in life was to love and be loved in return.
This engaging and intimate biography of Marie Antoinette takes a fresh look at the story of this most fascinating and misunderstood of queens, exploring her personal tribulations such as her emotionally unfulfilling marriage, rocky friendships and the loss of her children, as well as the series of scandals, mistakes and disasters that took her from the gilded splendour of Versailles to the guillotine.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
NetGalley, Rebecca Stewart
This is a wonderful biography of Marie Antionette for those interested in learning more about her. She was only 14 years old when she was married to King Louis XVI of France, Not only did she have to leave Austria at that young age, but she had to leave every single thing behind, including all of her clothes. Totally ridiculous. She would get lectured for going out with friends and spending money. Note we remember the women in history who 'waste' money far more than we do the men, even though the men were spending far more. And the women almost always had to ask the men for that money, just to be berated for spending it.
If you ever wanted to know about her sex life, you can read about it here. Her brother, Joseph, wrote extensively about it.
Anyway . . . even if you don't feel a need to know about the royals' sex life (you can always skip that part lol), I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for their next non-fiction book!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
NetGalley, Kathryn McLeer
Melanie Burrows does an amazing job in writing this book about Marie Antoinette, it had that research element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. It brought the real Marie Antoinette to life and enjoyed how good the information was. I thought Melanie Burrows wrote this well and left me wanting to read more.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
NetGalley, Jessica Smith
Marie Antoinette by Melanie Burrows is an engaging and insightful biography that offers a fresh perspective on one of history’s most misunderstood queens. I enjoyed how the book balanced her personal struggles with the dramatic events of her time, making her story both human and captivating. It was a fascinating read that I truly enjoyed and I give it five stars.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
NetGalley, Ellen Ross
Despite watching movies and reading a light amount about Marie Antoinette, I’ve always wanted to learn more and this book was amazing. It covered her entire life and everything was so well explained. This is not just a bland history, but a vivid and colorful literary education on who she was, what she did, and how she met the end that she did. I truly enjoyed this book and have retained so much from it.
About Melanie Burrows
Author and historian Melanie Burrows has written several books about history, most recently biographies of Marie de Guise, Henrietta Anne of England, Margaret Tudor, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia and Marie Antoinette for Pen and Sword Books. She lives in Bristol with the writer and comedian Marc Burrows, a weirdo teenager and two of the worst cats in the world.
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