La Reine Margot

by Alexandre Dumas and E Lampsonius

Book Overview

La Reine Margot (1845) is a novel of suspense and drama which recreates the violent world of intrigue, murder and duplicity of the French Renaissance. Dumas fills his canvas with a gallery of unforgettable characters, unremitting action and the engaging generosity of spirit which has made him one of the world's greatest and best-loved story-tellers. This revised edition of the classic translation of 1846 is richly annotated. An introduction sets Dumas...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 019283844X
• ISBN13: 9780192838445
• Release Date: December 1999
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 560 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.7" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

fun, great novel on court intrigue

This is a lesser known Dumas novel than, say, the Count of Monte Christo. But it is just as good as the others he did: vivid personalities, attention to detail, and fabulously intricate plots. It tells the story of Margot and her marriage to the King of Navarre, an ambitious Hugenot in constant danger of assassination. With the backdrop of the religious wars, she finds love in a knight that she attempts to cloister from the dangers of court intrigue. It ends in tragedy, hope, and the promise of further adventure.Based on available historical sources at the time and embellished with Dumas' unique sense of drama, it is a spectacular read, full of danger, sudden developments, and psychological depth. While it may not be as deep as Stendhal's best works, it is absolutely first rate as a historical novel, a genre that Dumas helped to develop. It stimulates the reader's desire to plung more deeply into French history as well.High recommendation.

Tres, tres bien!

I adore this book; but then, I adore most of the work of Alexandre Dumas. This is a fabulous work of historical fiction; Dumas' roots as an actual historian are displayed here. The history is not quite accurate-- romance and drama were obviously the author's priorities this time-- but is close enough to help high school students nail European history exams. Trust me on this one.The characters are vibrant (especially Margot, which is something of a surprise because Dumas' female characters are not as often sympathetic as are his male characters); the plot is intricate; and the adventure and emotion run high. Margot is daughter, sister, and wife to kings of France, so you know that a great deal of intrigue will be present as well.I have a small complaint about the translation. Sometimes the translator's decision to leave a word in French or translate it seems arbitrary. Additionally, sometimes a badly chosen English word interrupts the flow of the story. However, this minor annoyance should not dissuade anyone from reading a truly thrilling five-star book.

A true classic

Alexandre Dumas pere was a master of story telling. If he was still living today he would definitely write some of the most popular television series. This is how this novel reads, as a TV series, and this is also how it was written, since it was first released in 2 page instalements in 19th century french daily newspapers. Every page ends in some sort of dillema or with an item a suspense. There is never a boring moment. Of course, even if this book is based on actual historical events, it cannot be considered a true rendition of what really happened. Nevertheless, Dumas succeeds in making his characters so alive, that you feel you are living through the intrigues with them. You feel what they feel. A true masterpiece of literature, in any language; and by the way, the book is a thousand times better than the movie.

Great book

When I started reading this book I thought it would be classic, boring, long story about some french queen - I was wrong. I could not stop reading it before I finishad. In my opinion every one who likes interesting books should read it. I am sure he will not regret it.

The saddest book ever!

I certainly would have given this book a 10 if it had not been for the horribly depressing ending. But besides that, this is a wonderful book. It's got everything a book could contain packed into it : love, murder, suspense, humor, mystery, horror, and tragedy. I doubt Alexandre Dumas has ever written a happy ending in his life!