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

Author: Nancy Goldstone

Narrator: Emma Newman

Unabridged: 23 hr 8 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/21/2021

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included

Synopsis

The vibrant, sprawling saga of Empress Maria Theresa—one of the most renowned women rulers in history—and three of her extraordinary daughters, including Marie Antoinette, the doomed queen of France.

Out of the thrilling and tempestuous eighteenth century comes the sweeping family saga of beautiful Maria Theresa, a sovereign of uncommon strength and vision, the only woman ever to inherit and rule the vast Habsburg Empire in her own name, and three of her remarkable daughters: lovely, talented Maria Christina, governor-general of the Austrian Netherlands; spirited Maria Carolina, the resolute queen of Naples; and the youngest, Marie Antoinette, the glamorous, tragic queen of France, and perhaps the most famous princess in history.
 
Unfolding against an irresistible backdrop of brilliant courts from Vienna to Versailles, embracing the exotic lure of Naples and Sicily, this epic history of Maria Theresa and her daughters is a tour de force of desire, adventure, ambition, treachery, sorrow, and glory.
 
Each of these women’s lives was packed with passion and heart-stopping suspense. Maria Theresa inherited her father’s thrones at the age of twenty-three and was immediately attacked on all sides by foreign powers confident that a woman would to be too weak to defend herself. Maria Christina, a gifted artist who alone among her sisters succeeded in marrying for love, would face the same dangers that destroyed the monarchy in France. Resourceful Maria Carolina would usher in the golden age of Naples only to face the deadly whirlwind of Napoleon. And, finally, Marie Antoinette, the doomed queen whose stylish excesses and captivating notoriety have masked the truth about her husband and herself for two hundred and fifty years.
 
Vividly written and deeply researched, In the Shadow of the Empress is the riveting story of four exceptional women who changed the course of history.

About Nancy Goldstone

Nancy Goldstone is coauthor, with her husband, Lawrence, of five books, including Out of the Flames, The Friar and the Cipher, and Warmly Inscribed. She lives in Westport, Connecticut.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship on January 11, 2022

When it comes to fiction, I tire of authors quickly—four or so books will usually have me thoroughly sick of someone’s patterns and quirks even if I loved the first one—and judging by my experience with Goldstone’s work, the same seems true with nonfiction. I loved Daughters of the Winter Queen, and......more

Goodreads review by Joseph on October 04, 2021

I wanted to like this book. I really really did. It has the hallmarks to be an amazing story with so much drama set in a magnificent time period. To an extent this book achieves that, it's entertaining, fun, and easy to read. Unfortunately, this book has a fatal flaw. It's mainly its speculative nat......more

Goodreads review by Derek on November 18, 2022

It was relatively interesting to realize how Maria Theresa’s children played such large historical parts in modern European history. Well, I knew about Marie Antoinette. However, I think the book would have been better if it had focused on only one of the four women. Moving between four subjects is......more

Goodreads review by Ally on October 22, 2021

2 Stars Snarky but baseless and inaccurate Previous Nancy Goldstone books I've quite enjoyed for several reasons: easy-to-understand writing, enthralling subjects, and I love her witty notes (she's right - there's no originality in royal names). However, while I appreciated the humor and side comments......more

Goodreads review by Bookreporter.com on October 11, 2021

IN THE SHADOW OF THE EMPRESS is an impressive and entertaining book that traverses time and the map of Europe, following the lives of four extraordinary women: Empress Maria Theresa and her three daughters: Maria Christina, Maria Carolina and Marie Antoinette. Nancy Goldstone covers large swaths of......more

Quotes

“Rich storytelling… humane and balanced portraits… In the Shadow of the Empress is elegantly written, in a brisk style that plays to Ms. Goldstone’s strengths in portraiture and the theatrical set-piece. The author deftly interweaves the ups and downs of Maria Theresa’s running contest with Frederick with the vicissitudes of her life as Europe’s most prolific procreator.”—A. Wess Mitchell, Wall Street Journal

“A vivid exploration of four female royals who altered the course of history.”—People

“Entertaining and thoroughly researched… you’ll get a new perspective on these women who changed the course of history.”—Nina Garin, San Diego Union Tribune

“A virtuoso performance, Goldstone at the peak of her creative abilities… The interlocking lives of these formidable women are played out against a turbulent century of social unrest, revolution and war… the depth of her research and the acuity of her insights are outstanding.”—Gerard DeGroot, The Times (UK)

“If you like biography, if you like history, this wonderful tome is for you. Deeply researched, In the Shadow of the Empress is written with a light hand and occasional humor.”—Ana Daniel, East Hampton Star

"A fascinating saga... Adding wry humor to her lucid narrative, Goldstone clarifies the era’s complex politics and pinpoints how these commanding women helped give shape to modern Europe. This mesmerizing history isn’t to be missed.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A panoramic history of 1700s Europe… Goldstone vividly depicts a resplendent, glittering milieu. Her fast-paced, populous narrative teems with gossip, court intrigue, and head-spinning political machinations… A colorful collection of dynamic, prodigiously researched portraits.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Compelling and redefining… [An] expert account of the lives of the extraordinary Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa and three of her most illustrious daughters, Maria Christina, Maria Carolina, and Marie Antoinette. Goldstone employs colorful secondary-source accounts and strong, character-driven narration to present fresh insights into the personalities, attitudes, gifts, and fatal flaws of this family of powerful, now legendary women.”—Jasmine Liu, Booklist

“Meticulously researched… A dizzying and dazzling foray into the intricacies of 18th-century European history… A masterful look at a long-gone era.”—Marie M. Mullaney, Library Journal

“Nancy Goldstone has the amazing ability of taking on huge subjects and turning very complicated stories into a thrilling and coherent narrative. Her deep knowledge of the period, her clear-eyed empathy for her subjects, and her effortless style make for a riveting, entertaining, and enlightening book.”—Anka Muhlstein, author of The Pen and the Brush: How Passion for Art Shaped Nineteenth-Century French Novels

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