Antoinette’s Sister
Charlotte, born Maria Carolina to Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa, tells her story in this biographical novel. Her sister, Marie Antoinette, was the most famous of sixteen siblings, but Charlotte has her own fascinating life. The Empress arranged politically advantageous marriages for many of her children. Charlotte is married to King Ferdinand IV and sent to Naples. At fifteen, she has difficulty accepting her fate and finds her new husband to be childish, irresponsible, and uninterested in ruling. Instead, he spends his time hunting and playing make-believe games with the common people such as a fishmonger or an innkeeper. This endears him to his subjects, but is detrimental to Naples under the rule of his regent, Tenucci.
The Empress wisely included a clause in the marriage contract giving Charlotte the right to take a place on the governing council once she has produced an heir. The first third of the novel is lackluster through Charlotte’s childhood and early years of her marriage. When she finally provides an heir, the narrative picks up and interest builds when Charlotte, who has been observing and learning, challenges Tenucci to take her rightful place in the governance of Naples, upsetting the status quo.
She matures into an intelligent, formidable leader able to match wits with deceitful, power-hungry men. As Ferdinand ages, he still has no interest in ruling, but he changes from a buffoon into a tender, loving father to his seventeen children. Each chapter ends with a letter from people in her circle, primarily Marie Antoinette. These are unconvincing as personal letters, but read as news items to provide a view of events outside of Naples. They do add interesting context as we follow what is taking place in revolutionary France through Marie Antoinette’s missives. This novel is enjoyable for its family drama and political power plays.
