Wordy Wednesday giveaway results and this week's words

Lucy and I were able to get 2 more used copies of The Queen's Confession and so we've randomly picked (random.org) 3 winners!

1st - Carmela (the version advertised)
2nd - Dar
3rd - Susie Tudor Daughter

Ladies, please send your mailing info to Arleigh at arleighjohnson@gmail.com and I will try to get those mailed ASAP!

Now, on to this weeks words, which are all from The Queen of Diamonds, also about Marie Antoinette...

Subversive - tending to subvert or advocating subversion, esp. in an attempt to overthrow or cause the destruction of an established or legally constituted government.

Berline - an automobile with the front and rear compartments separated by a glass partition, as some limousines.

Modiste - a female maker of or dealer in women's fashionable attire.

Flunkeys - a male servant in livery.

Coquette - a woman who flirts lightheartedly with men to win their admiration and affection; flirt.

Capering - to leap or skip about in a sprightly manner; prance; frisk; gambol.

Perforce - of necessity; necessarily; by force of circumstance: The story must perforce be true.

Transmute - to change from one nature, substance, form, or condition into another; transform.

Postilion - a person who rides the left horse of the leading or only pair of horses drawing a carriage.

Superimposed - to impose, place, or set over, above, or on something else.

INCIDENTAL PLAIDY LADY: Augusta Caroline Frederika Louise of Brunswick

Duchess Augusta Caroline Frederika Louise of Brunswick – Wolfenbüttel (Dec. 3, 1764- Sept. 27, 1788)

What a short tragic life this German princess led…Seems like the Brunswick sisters had the worse of luck when it came to marriage.

Augusta, Caroline of Brunswick's eldest sister ( often called ‘Zelmira’ by her family), is mentioned early on in ‘Indiscretions of the Queen’. Her upcoming marriage to Prince Frederick Wilhelm Karl of Würtenburg and the exciting notion of having a husband was a thrilling event. Caroline especially aspired to this and couldn’t wait to be the next one in line for marriage. Little did she know that her sister’s marriage would be doomed right from the start.

And, if you think Caroline had it bad- Augusta’s fairytale, (if one can even call it that) was a horrible nightmare. Prince charming turned out to be a brutal man who was repeatedly violent towards her. He made her life so unbearable that she escaped to find refuge within the realm of Empress Catherine II. To rid herself of the rogue, Augusta seeked help from the Empress because going to her family was useless. Her father could not understand her situation and refused her from getting a divorce.

The desolate Princess confined herself to the estates where she was placed in the custody of Wilhelm von Pohlman. Compare one brute to the other, this man was no different. Taking advantage of his position, he apparently forced himself upon her repeatedly- she soon became pregnant with his child.

Poor Augusta went into premature labor and suffered severe complications…The coward, for fear of letting out his secret of having fathered and illegitimate child, left her to die without providing her with medical care. She hemorrhaged to death. Her family was notified of her death and told that she died from a bursting blood vessel. The truth only came out later when her eldest son had the whole mystery investigated.

Here ends the tragic life of another ‘injured’ princess of Brunswick.

-

review: The Queen of Diamonds

The Queen of Diamonds

By Jean Plaidy

The affair of the diamond necklace rocked the monarchy of France and precipitated the French Revolution. The insanely gaudy and expensive diamond necklace was originally intended for Madame du Barry, mistress of Louis XV, but his death came before the completion of the necklace. At almost 2,000,000 livres, the cost was more than anyone could afford -- apart from royalty. The jewelers Boehmer and Bassenge had hoped the new Queen, Marie Antoinette, would buy it and save them from bankruptcy, but she refused stating that the money was better used to equip the military.

Cagliostro, a charlatan working for a secret society, finds himself traveling to Paris on a mission. On the way he meets the Cardinal de Rohan who, out of favor at court, dreams of being a political power behind the throne as well as a favorite of the Queen, for whom he harbors tender feelings. In a series of events that seem to come together almost as if there was divine intervention, a couple joins the party of conspirators, and each participant has his or her own intentions of advancement.

Jeanne de la Mott-Valois is descended from an illegitimate son of Henri Deux, and this she flaunts to any who will listen. As a result she earns a small pension from the crown, but she craves much more. She is a very clever con artist who dominates her soldier husband and schemes to turn their existence from poor plebeians to high society. She becomes the Cardinal’s mistress with extortion in mind, and soon a seed is planted in her mind by Cagliostro: Why shouldn’t she become friends with the Queen, or appear as though she has? Together, with the jewelers who are near ruin because of the diamond necklace, they could convince the Queen to buy the necklace.

With tempers in France running high against the monarchy, the King and Queen cannot afford a fresh assault on their reputations, but this is exactly what happens when it is known that there was a plot involving the Queen. Through no fault of her own, Marie Antoinette loosened the stone that toppled the monarchy of France.

With each character with his or her personal agenda in mind, this is truly a historical mystery and the first I’ve read of Jean Plaidy written in this fashion. Even so it is no less historically accurate and even more verbose than usual.

Friday Fan Question

Q: Are there any historical figures that you wish Jean Plaidy would have written about?

For me it is Lady Godiva. I am writing about her and would love to read her take on the 11th century countess.

It's Touch Base Thursday! Where Are You At?

Hi everyone! How are you enjoying My Enemy the Queen? Personally, I haven’t gotten that far. Here’s where I am:

‘I would, of course, never have dared to bring Lady Dudley to Court. There would be more than a slap on the cheek if I did. I could see myself returning to Rotherfield Greys never to emerge again.’

(I suppose she meant the old tower that’s still there…?)

So far, I’m feeling a lot of anticipation…I want her to really get to the good part. But in a way I’m glad she’s explaining everything in such detail- slowly edging me on to read more…I’m getting hooked though.

What about you- how’s the read going?

-

Wordy Wednesday Giveaway!

This week we are giving you a chance to enhance your vocabulary and your bookshelf! To be entered into a drawing for a (used) copy of The Queen’s Confession by Victoria Holt (Plaidy), you must list 5 words from a Plaidy novel that are uncommon, archaic or otherwise ‘literary’ to us language lovers.

The draw will be announced next week on our Wordy Wednesday post. Open to everyone!
More about The Queen’s Confession:



This is one of my favorite ‘Plaidy’ novels (yes, I know it was written under Holt). I felt it really allowed me to get to know Marie Antoinette as she may have been. It is written as though she is looking back on her life, and she admits that she was naïve and ignorant in a lot of ways, though she did strive to do right by her husband and the people of France. I highly recommend this book for Marie Antoinette and French History fans!

This is not the same cover as the giveaway copy – it is a small (mass market size) hardcover. I’ve never seen another Holt/Plaidy novel like it. It does, of course, have a man and woman embracing. Funny there is nothing of that sort going on in the book!

“The unforgettable story of Marie Antoinette, from her pampered childhood in imperial Vienna, to the luxury and splendor of her days as Queen of France, to her tragic end upon the scaffold in the bloodbath of the Revolution . . .”

review: Indiscretions of the Queen

I began this book slightly biased against Caroline of Brunswick, as I’ve read of her in other books and articles. Leave it to Jean Plaidy to turn one’s opinions around completely, and simply by telling the facts in an amusing and straightforward manner. I had a similar experience with her novel Madame du Barry.

Caroline’s life started in Brunswick, Germany where her father was Duke and mother was King George III of England’s sister. She and her elder sister were not brought up properly, mostly due to her mother’s negligence owing to her own sadness: a home where her husband’s mistress reigned supreme and several of the royal children had disabilities. Caroline grew to be wild, completely extroverted and indiscreet. She did, however, have a very kind heart and was not purposely hurtful toward others.

Once she became betrothed to the Price of Wales, she began to look forward to a new, exciting life in England. It was not to be; the Prince disliked her on sight and showed it in the most humiliating ways possible. As soon as Caroline carried the heir to the throne, he separated from her and tried his best to make her life miserable.

George IV was a despicable character in this book! He was completely selfish, taking and discarding mistresses (and wives) at his whim and thinking of nothing but fashion, etiquette and where he can find money to live his extravagant lifestyle. Marriage with a lady who was not Catholic was a necessity for both his popularity and his pocket, as well as the getting of an heir to the throne. Though he had 12 siblings, none of his brothers had produced legitimate children and his sisters mostly remained unmarried, and so he felt he must do his duty to further his dynasty. Unfortunately for Caroline, George chose his bride blindly.

Even though life had dealt her a bad hand, she made the most of her situation, entertaining friends and endearing herself to the English people through her charity and genuine affection for all children. The old King, George III, was her friend and many political figures flocked to her, as she was the future queen and much more popular than her husband. If only the Prince would have let her alone she would have been content with life.

Caroline’s story is uproariously funny at times and quietly sad at others. Her character is one who can inspire both exasperation and adoration – a strange combination. She was truly an admirable Queen of England.