The Lacemaker and the Princess by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

5 stars
JF

So not what I was expecting-- but oh so fabulous.

I honestly only picked this up because the cover is gorgeous. I mean, look at it. How pretty is that? (You might have to click the link to see it bigger. That's bad grammar, though, isn't it?)

I was expecting a kind of light, fairy tale-ish read. (Clearly I didn't pay that much attention... it says "revolution" right on the cover.)

Instead I got a rich, beautiful tale of a girl thrown into the world of the French court while still having to live as a poor lacemaker. As the revolution draws closer and Isabella sees more and more of life, what will she choose? Can she remain faithful to the young princess and the beautiful queen?

I loved the story. I loved Isabella's journey. And really, I think Marie-Therese and Marie Antoinette were far more innocent than anyone in France wanted to believe.

Yes, they lived in almost freakish finery, but they knew nothing else. The belief in the divine right of kings was so ingrained.... what else could they have done?

This book makes you think. It was a lot deeper than I expected a JF to be. It's a quick read, though.

I would recommend this for kids (especially girls) in the 8-13 range learning about the French Revolution, or just generally interested in history. I think it would be a great Mother/Daughter read also. Lots of discussion opportunities. Makes me wish Boo was old enough for it. Ah well, we'll have to read it again then!