Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund (reading guide here) is the story of Marie Antionette who, barely a teenager, was sent to the French court and married to the King's grandson. Her role was confusing even to her. She became a fashion icon of France and amused herself in a fairytale village, Petit Trianon. Located within the palace gardens, Marie Antoinette's Village had thatched roofed stone cottages, a dairy farm, a mill, and dovecot. Marie Antoinette liked to dress as a milkmaid and spend time in what was known as the Queen's Hamlet. Even after becoming Queen of France, Marie Antionette indulged herself with gambling and buying clothes and jewelry while the French people struggled to provide food for their families. One of the stories touched upon in the book is the diamond necklace affair which was the plot in the Hillary Swank movie The Affair of the Necklace. The event has been considered as the start of the French Revolution.
