Goodreads Summary: 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.
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.
Goodreads Ratings: 3.83 stars with over 2,100 ratings
Genre Listing: Historical Fiction, French Revolution, Romance
Other reviews on the series: Becoming Marie Antoinette
Goodreads Challenge: 17/36 (Wait, what? I'll explain below.)
2022 Reading Challenge: #12 Free Space, Pick any book!
Book Review:
Hello, readers! If you celebrated the Fourth of July, I hope you had a lovely and safe time. As of last night, some neighbors have still been setting fireworks off. If they keep it up, I will assume it is to celebrate my upcoming birthday. Speaking of which, Tress, the lovely co-conspirator of this challenge, will be here so we can celebrate our birthdays together. Stay tuned for bookworm shenanigans.
Okay, so if you are really detailed oriented, you may notice that previous posts for this year stated my Goodreads Challenge goal was 48 books for 2022, but it is now 36. I was eight books behind, and there is a 0 percent chance I will catch up. I'm starting my Doctorate in September (Yes, Tress. I know. I'm a Masochist.) Also, the number is arbitrary, and I don't want to stress about it.
Anyways, on to the book Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow by Juliet Grey. I picked this up immediately after finishing Becoming Marie Antoinette. Honestly, I wish I had just stopped at the first book. I liked this second book, but after a while, I was bored and tired of reading about Marie Antoinette. I think the last 100 or so pages I just skimmed through it.
While she was still young and trying to be what everyone wanted her to be as a Queen, it was interesting, but then she just got really materialistic due to boredom. This second novel covered so much of her life, and it just felt like it boiled down to clothes, visitors, who hated her, pregnancy, and all of France blaming her for their troubles. Which, admittedly, is probably pretty historically accurate but rather dull to read in a fiction book.
While she was still young and trying to be what everyone wanted her to be as a Queen, it was interesting, but then she just got really materialistic due to boredom. This second novel covered so much of her life, and it just felt like it boiled down to clothes, visitors, who hated her, pregnancy, and all of France blaming her for their troubles. Which, admittedly, is probably pretty historically accurate but rather dull to read in a fiction book.
If I read the third book, it probably won't be for a while. I didn't dislike Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow by Juliet Grey. It was okay, and I'm sure that some Historical Romance fans would really enjoy it, but in my mind, it fell short of the first book in the series. I don't have much to say on this one. The middle-of-the-road books are always hard to find things to discuss.
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