The hidden diary of Marie Antoinette : a novel

In her powerful new book, Carolly Erickson brilliantly captures the queen’s voice, her hopes and her suffering. We follow, mesmerised, as she reveals every detail of a remarkable, eventful life – from her teenage years when she began keeping a diary to her final days when she awaited her bloody appointment with the guillotine. An historical entertainment that elaborates imaginatively and whimsically on the actual lives of Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI, Axel Fersen, and their peers. The Hidden Diary gives the reader the carthartic, visceral experience of reliving Marie Antoinette’s life – as fictionally elaborated. Erickson creates a memorable, sympathetic, vivid image of this Queen that she hopes will stay in the mind and heart of the reader after the book is closed. ‘Writers of historical fiction must tread a fine line between loving one’s protagonists while telling the truth about them. arolly Erickson has executed this balancing act with the same scorching wit and great-heartedness that has always illuminated her biographies.’ – Robin Maxwell, author of The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn. Carolly Erickson holds a Ph.D. in medieval history from Colombia University and was a college professor before becoming a writer. She has written many historical biographies, including The First Elizabeth, Her Little Majesty, and Alexandra.