title: The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions for Marie-Antoinette
author:  Carolyn Meyer 
description: Grade 6-9 This novel about the ill-fated queen covers her life from age 13 when, as an Austrian princess, she prepares to marry the French dauphin to her death by guillotine in 1793. The final section is told by her daughter Marie-Therese, the only family member to survive the Revolution. Meyer writes in a lighthearted, casual style, vividly portraying the historical era and aptly defining unfamiliar vocabulary. However, Marie-Antoinette's occasional sympathy for the poor and interest in politics is inconsistent with her flighty, self-indulgent character as presented in most of the book. (Frankly, she comes across as a total airhead.) In addition, after the first 100 pages, <I>The Bad Queen</I> turns into a speedy recitation of events, skipping through years at a time with little insight or development and little spark or personality from the narrators. Kimberley Brubaker Bradley's fascinating novel <I>The Lacemaker and the Princess</I> (S &amp S, 2007) features Marie-Therese and does an excellent job of integrating events leading up to the French Revolution with life at the palace of Versailles. Although it doesn't have as much material on Marie-Antoinette, it's more interesting and better written. <I>Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY</I> <BR>Copyright &copy; Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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  ![image](../Images/cover.png)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # The Sisters Who Would Be Queen
  
  
  
  
  
  ### The Tragedy of Mary, Katherine & Lady Jane Grey
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Leanda de Lisle  
  
  
    
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  ![publisher logo](../Images/logo.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # [Dedication](../Text/005-toc.html#dedication)
  
  
  
  
  
  For Peter, Rupert, Christian and Dominic, with love
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # [Epigraph](../Text/005-toc.html#epigraph)
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘Such as ruled and were queens were for the most part wicked, ungodly,
  superstitious, and given to idolatry and to all filthy abominations as we may
  see in the histories of Queen Jezebel’
  
  
  
  
  
  THOMAS BECON 1554
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Contents
  
  
  
  
  
  >
  
  
  [Title Page](../Text/002-titlepage.html)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Dedication](../Text/003-dedication.html)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Epigraph](../Text/004-epigraph.html)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Family Trees](../Text/006-familytrees.html)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Prologue](../Text/007-prologue.html)  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [PART ONE _Educating Jan