Ari Reviews: In the Shadow of the Empress: The Defiant Lives of Maria Theresa, Mother of Marie Antoinette, and Her Daughters – Nancy Goldstone

I highly recommend this nonfiction book and it was an interesting read to learn about the life of Empress Maria Theresa and her three daughters that includes Marie Antoinette, queen of France. Nancy Goldstone did an amazing job in how she wrote the book and laid out each chapter relating to a particular topic about Maria Theresa’s life and sage along with her daughters’ lives which made it a very easy read to follow to digest the historical material being discussed in the book and chapters. I am a big fan of the 18th century and this book gave me a deep understanding of how royalty lived and ruled and the many social and political factors that were involved in the royals lives during this time period. It was interesting how Maria Theresa and her daughters were strong rulers and how they played a big impact in the royal court and in their lives and those around them.  It was interesting to read more about the siblings of Marie Antoinette as well. This book reflected hope, coming of age, hardships, love, leadership, and family. This nonfiction book would be a great read for history lovers and those who enjoy reading about different royal families. It was a fast read and I could not put it down. I learned so much about the Empress and her daughters’ lives and 18th century Europe during their rulings.

Reserve a copy of In the Shadow of the Empress.