Three Queens
What if Abigail Adams, Marie Antoinette, and England’s Queen Charlotte struck up a friendship? This is the premise behind Three Queens (Abigail being counted as sort of an honorary queen), a novel bookended by the aftermath of the American Revolution and the dark days of the French Revolution. Although Connolly takes some historical liberties (as she notes), the premise isn’t an implausible one: While abroad with her husband, the future First Lady met both queens in person at their respective courts, and Charlotte and Antoinette are said by some to have corresponded.
Connolly writes well, and her heroines, the outspoken Abigail, the prickly Charlotte, and the well-meaning Antoinette, are vividly drawn. There are some truly moving set pieces, mostly involving Antoinette, and Charlotte and Abigail manage some bon mots.
But the novel didn’t quite work for me. First, and most importantly, as events heat up in France, the story becomes decidedly lopsided: even Charlotte’s intermittently mad husband and plotting son can’t hold a candle to the Reign of Terror, and Abigail’s life seems positively quotidian in contrast. Midway through, I began to think I was reading yet another historical novel focused on Antoinette, with the other women demoted to supporting characters. Second, even in Antoinette’s case, Connolly tends to skim the surface; the reader who isn’t familiar with Antoinette’s story will know what is happening but not necessarily why. Events surrounding Charlotte and Abigail also are on the blurry side: we hear of troublesome children and politicians, but only fleetingly. Finally, although the novel is intended to celebrate the women’s friendship, I found it hard to believe in its depth, especially in Abigail’s case once she returns to Massachusetts. Still, this novel is well worth reading, especially for those who enjoy portrayals of strong historical women.
