Book review: The Secret Diary of a Princess

The Secret Diary of a Princess: a novel of Marie Antoinette by Melanie Clegg

What really makes this book stand out is the fact it is about Marie Antoinette BEFORE she arrives in France to become Queen, and unfortunately we know how that ends 🙁

This rarely documented part of her upbringing explains her love for fashion, romance and her family. It also explains how her privileged lifestyle as a small girl in the beautiful palaces of Vienna might have shaped who she was when she became Queen of France. As Maria Antonia, she was the youngest daughter (and potentially the least important) of the all powerful Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. Her carefree childhood means she can walk with giraffes in the garden, pull pranks of her governess and can ignore her studies. This means when she is selected to be Queen of France, she was young and unprepared for the biggest role of her life.

As the title suggests it’s written in a diary format from Maria Antonia’s own voice. This means the book plays on her love of ribbons and puppies so there is a playfulness of the writing style. I really enjoyed reading about her sisters and close family bond, it was pacy and fun to read.