Tea at Trianon: The Blog Tour Begins

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Saturday, October 4, 2014

The Blog Tour Begins

The Paradise Tree Blog Tour arranged by Amy Bruno of Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours begins today with a marvelous review from Peeking Between the Pages:

The novel opens in 1887 in Leeds County, Ontario and finds the O’Connor family mourning the loss of the family patriarch Daniel O’Connor. Although the story opens here as remembered by Daniel’s grandson Fergus the real story started many years before when Daniel immigrated to Canada to make a better life for himself. He does just that and even though it’s a struggle he eventually prospers and builds a good life for his family. It is in those years he meets his wife Brigit and they build a family but these years are not without struggles and hardships. The family deals with many illnesses, new love, marriages, and grandchildren. What always stayed constant was the faith and beliefs that held the O’Connor family together and it is these values that both Daniel and Brigit made sure to pass down to all of their children. Daniel was such a strong man with a wealth of determination and despite a rocky start with Brigit she proved herself to be the perfect wife for him. They were a family that valued their faith and education. They worked hard and continued to prosper and gained the respect of those around them. As we journey through the years of the O’Connor family the author brings alive the joys, triumphs, struggles, and sorrows in such a vivid way that often you feel as though you are experiencing them yourself.

I love stories that tell of the Irish immigrating to Canada because I get to look back into the history of my own country. The Paradise Tree is rich in historical detail and beautifully written and I enjoyed the trip back in time. I think it’s wonderful that the author has family papers, letters, etc. that enabled her to create this richly told story of how her ancestor’s lives may have unfolded. Recommended for fans of historical fiction and for those who love stories of people who have immigrated to new countries as much as I do! (Read more.)

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