From the Publisher
A captivating novel of rich spectacle and royal scandal,
Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow spans fifteen years in
the fateful reign of Marie Antoinette, France's most legendary and
notorious queen.
Paris, 1774. At the tender age of eighteen, Marie Antoinette
ascends to the French throne alongside her husband, Louis XVI. But
behind the extravagance of the young queen's elaborate silk gowns
and dizzyingly high coiffures, she harbors deeper fears for her
future and that of the Bourbon dynasty.
From the early growing pains of marriage to the joy of conceiving a
child, from her passion for Swedish military attaché Axel von
Fersen to the devastating Affair of the Diamond Necklace, Marie
Antoinette tries to rise above the gossip and rivalries that
encircle her. But as revolution blossoms in America, a much larger
threat looms beyond the gilded gates of Versailles-one that could
sweep away the French monarchy forever.
About the Author
Juliet Grey is the author of Becoming Marie
Antoinette. She has extensively researched European royalty
and is a particular devotee of Marie Antoinette, as well as a
classically trained professional actress with numerous portrayals
of virgins, vixens, and villainesses to her credit. She and her
husband divide their time between New York City and southern
Vermont.
Bookclub Guide
Juliet Grey is the author of
Becoming Marie
Antoinette. She has extensively researched European royalty
and is a particular devotee of Marie Antoinette, as well as a
classically trained professional actress with numerous portrayals
of virgins, vixens, and villainesses to her credit. She and her
husband divide their time between New York City and southern
Vermont.
1. France and Austria had been at odds for more than 950 years
by the time Marie Antoinette married Louis. This was a huge weight
to bear at the age of fourteen. In what other ways was her marriage
to Louis troubled before she even moved to France?
2. "I am terrified of being bored" and "I felt so useless." These
statements seem to be at the root of Marie Antoinette's struggles.
Do you think that if she'd been able to have children earlier in
her marriage this general sense of ennui would have been as
prevalent? In what ways do you imagine things in the royal world
would have been different if she had been able sooner to fulfill
her dream of becoming a mother?
3. Marie Antoinette comments that she felt pressure to keep up
with the fashion and luxury of Paris. Do you think that she ever
felt truly guilty about her overspending and debt-accruing ways?
Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? What parallels
do you see between the financial troubles in France and those of
the United States and other countries today? What about the
political climate?
4. Do you think that Marie Antoinette's interest in getting
involved in the politics of the monarchy was a direct result of the
problems that she and Louis had in their marriage? Was Marie
Antoinette too strong-willed for Louis? Was Louis threatened by
her? How did you interpret the dynamics of their
relationship?
5. In what ways was le Petit Trianon a symbol of who Marie
Antoinette was? If she had been more open to interacting with the
public, do you think she would she have ended up so alienated from
her people?
6. Were you cheering for Marie Antoinette's kiss with Count Axel
von Fersen or did you feel that she should have been loyal to her
husband regardless of their problems? Days of Splendor, Days of
Sorrow takes a controversial approach in positing, based on
circumstance and some of Axel's letters to his sister, that Marie
Antoinette and Axel consummated their affaire de coeur.
What do you think really happened?
7. At the zoo, Marie Antoinette says that the tiger is her
favorite animal there because it reminded her of her mother. If her
mother is a tiger, what kind of animal would Marie Antoinette be?
What kind of animal do you think that she herself would identify
with?
8. In what ways were Marie Antoinette and Louis alike? In what
ways were they different?
9. Do you think the punishments meted out to Jeanne de
Lamotte-Valois, her husband, and Cardinal de Rohan following the
Affair of the Diamond Necklace were just? Were you surprised by how
easy it was for Marie Antoinette's detractors to convince the
public that she was at fault?
10. "I will not believe that Frenchmen would rebel against the
Crown," Louis says. How do you think he was able to remain so naïve
about what would happen to France?
11. Do you think the French Revolution was inevitable? If there
was any one moment at which Louis and his advisors could have
turned the tide of public opinion, what was it? After reading
Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow, how much responsibility
for the revolution do you attribute to Marie Antoinette's
actions?
12. What scene in Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow
surprised you most? Do you feel more sympathetic toward Marie
Antoinette than you did before reading this novel? Why or why
not?
About the Book
A captivating Parisian novel of rich spectacle and royal scandal that spans 15 years in the fateful reign of Marie Antoinette, France's most legendary and notorious queen.
