The paperback edition of
Madame Royale
is now available on Amazon.com. To quote from the Preface:
The period which follows the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte, called by historians "the Bourbon restoration" (1814-1830), was outwardly one of rest and peace for France. Yet beneath the surface, the forces of revolution were engaged in a ruthless duel for power with those of the reaction. The conflict, played out in salons and boudoirs, in newspapers, novels and pamphlets, was nevertheless a fight to the death, from which one party would emerge the conqueror, while the other would sink into the oubliette of exile or imprisonment. The Left had many weapons....As for the reactionaries, they possessed mediocre, frail or aged princes, with followers whose religious convictions were sometimes prone to be superficial or bigoted. They had, however, one weapon, and that weapon was a woman, a woman who embodied in herself the tradition of legitimacy, of a heritage reaching far back into the mists of the early centuries of Christianity. Of cold demeanor with a heart of fire; of bitter aspect, with an unfailing generosity, her undying faith and zealous devotion to God, His Church, and the poor led her to be the heroine and defender of the idea of the Christian state. Daughter of a martyred king and queen, she was Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte of France, the Duchesse d'Angoulême, who from childhood had been called "Madame Royale."
To quote from the back cover:
They say that the greatest story in History is the Truth and in Madame Royale, Elena Maria Vidal certainly proves that’s the case. The sights, sounds and smells of 19th-century Europe are all brilliantly captured in this immaculately researched and exquisite novel, which recalls the great writers and memoirists of the 1800's. It is an unforgettable portrait of a royal life torn between religion, politics, revolution, mystery, heartache and intrigue and Madame Royale is a fantastic tribute to one of Europe’s most tragic, but courageous princesses.
- Gareth Russell, author of The Audacity of Ideas and Popular
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4 comments:
EVERYTIME I read your introduction to Madame Royale and I get to the line," They had, however, one weapon, and that weapon was a woman......I get goosebumps. NO ONE ever introduces Her Royal Highness with such crystal clarity; her faith, her legitimacy back to early Christianity, etc. Congratulations Elena Maria!!!It took how many centuries to finally have books that tell the true story of Their Most Christian Majesties and their beloved daughter Marie Therese.
Thank you, Lara, you are a sweet friend!
I'm sure Madame Royale would be very touched by your sensitive and eloquent portrayal of her.
Imagine, wouldn't you have loved to have met her??
Thank you, Matterhorn. I feel like I have met her!
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