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The self-proclaimed Sun King, Louis XIV ruled over the most glorious and extravagant court in seventeenth-century Europe. Now, Antonia Fraser goes behind the well-known tales of Louis's accomplishments and follies, exploring in detail his intimate relationships with women. The king's mother, Anne of Austria, had been in a childless marriage for 22 years before she gave birth to Louis XIV. A devout Catholic, she instilled in her son a strong sense of piety and fought successfully for his right to absolute power. In 1660, Louis married his first cousin, Marie-Thérèse, in a political arrangement. While unfailingly kind to the official "Queen of Versailles," Louis sought others to satisfy his romantic and sexual desires. Fraser weaves insights into the nature of women's religious lives--as well as such practical matters as contraception--into her sweeping portrait of the king, his court, and his ladies.--From publisher description.… (more)
User reviews
By keeping such a tight focus on the women in his life, Fraser creates a structure that is easy to follow and highly detailed. You can see how Louis changed through his life and paint a picture of who he was through the people he chose to keep closest to him. I thought the whole book was very well done and also thought the reader of the audiobook I listened to, Rosalyn Landor, was excellent.
Eyre delivers an impeccable French read (at least to my ears) but at times her inflections, pauses and pronunciations tend towards snobbery. Even if that was the point, I found her unlikable. And though Eyre’s performance did not curb my enjoyment of the book, she didn’t bring anything special to the material either.
I can’t get enough details on the scandalous courts and love lives of European Monarchic figures, so of course I did really enjoy the book. However it may not suit more discriminating listeners.
It begins well, with a focus on Louis XIV's mother and
There was a real lack of quotes or letters in this book. After reading the whole thing, I had as little understanding of Louis's character as at the start. The women do not shine through either. I was confused by the many titles and the incredibly similar names (Marie-Jeanne, Marie-Anne, Anne-Marie...ugh!), a situation made worse when a character would be named on pg 100 and then reappear, with no explanation, on pg 300. Overall, a frustrating book about a fascinating period.
Very easy to read and recommended for those looking for something that goes beyond the political life of the court of the Sun King.