The Queen's Necklace


Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

(4.3 stars; 30 reviews)

The Queen's Necklace is historical fiction based on an actual scandal in the court of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI during 1784-85, "The Diamond Necklace Affair". The Diamond Necklace Affair contributed to the discrediting of the Marie Antoinette and the monarchy of Louis XVI prior to the French Revolution. The backdrop is the rebellious state of the French people due in part to adverse weather and crop failures affecting the food supply and price of bread during the 1780s, contrasted to the extravagance of the French monarchy. The Queen's Necklace is the 3rd novel in the Marie Antoinette series by Alexandre Dumas. (summary by Gail Timmerman-Vaughan) (0 hr 20 min)

Chapters

PROLOGUE, Part I. THE PREDICTIONS 13:05 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
PROLOGUE, Part II. M. DE LA PEROUSE 47:19 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
I. TWO UNKNOWN LADIES 12:09 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
II. AN INTERIOR 8:04 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
III. JEANNE DE LA MOTTE VALOIS 15:50 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
IV. BELUS 8:16 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
V. THE ROAD TO VERSAILLES 10:38 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
VI. LAURENT 14:25 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
VII. THE QUEEN'S BED-CHAMBER 17:22 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
VIII. THE QUEEN'S PETITE LEVEE 12:01 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
IX. THE SWISS LAKE 6:33 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
X. THE TEMPTER 8:22 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XI. M. DE SUFFREN 9:18 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XII. M. DE CHARNY 7:39 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XIII. THE ONE HUNDRED LOUIS OF THE QUEEN 4:03 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XIV. M. FINGRET 6:52 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XV. THE CARDINAL DE ROHAN 14:37 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XVI. MESMER AND ST. MARTIN 5:58 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XVII. THE BUCKET 9:37 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XVIII. MADEMOISELLE OLIVIA 7:49 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XIX. MONSIEUR BEAUSIRE 4:39 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XX. GOLD 5:58 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXI. LA PETITE MAISON 15:47 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXII. SOME WORDS ABOUT THE OPERA 3:07 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXIII. THE BALL AT THE OPERA 20:54 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXIV. THE EXAMINATION 3:54 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXV. THE ACADEMY OF M. BEAUSIRE 13:18 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXVI. THE AMBASSADOR 6:22 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXVII. MESSRS. BOEHMER AND BOSSANGE 5:19 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXVIII. THE AMBASSADOR'S HOTEL 7:18 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXIX. THE BARGAIN 6:53 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXX. THE JOURNALIST'S HOUSE 10:31 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXXI. HOW TWO FRIENDS BECAME ENEMIES 8:34 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXXII. THE HOUSE IN THE RUE ST. GILLES 12:07 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXXIII. THE HEAD OF THE TAVERNEY FAMILY 5:45 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXXIV. THE STANZAS OF M. DE PROVENCE 6:51 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXXV. THE PRINCESS DE LAMBALLE 8:31 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXXVI. THE QUEEN 13:22 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXXVII. AN ALIBI 10:51 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXXVIII. M. DE CROSNE 7:03 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XXXIX. THE TEMPTRESS 5:30 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XL. TWO AMBITIONS THAT WISH TO PASS FOR TWO LOVES 3:35 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XLI. FACES UNDER THEIR MASKS 11:32 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XLII. IN WHICH M. DUCORNEAU UNDERSTANDS NOTHING OF WHAT IS PASSING 8:32 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XLIII. ILLUSIONS AND REALITY 3:46 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XLIV. OLIVA BEGINS TO ASK WHAT THEY WANT OF HER 4:23 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XLV. THE DESERTED HOUSE 2:39 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XLVI. JEANNE THE PROTECTRESS 5:44 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XLVII. JEANNE PROTECTED 7:11 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XLVIII. THE QUEEN'S PORTFOLIO 3:59 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XLIX. IN WHICH WE FIND DR. LOUIS 5:11 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
L. AEGRI SOMNIA 5:08 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LI. ANDREE 6:16 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LII. DELIRIUM 4:13 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LIII. CONVALESCENCE 6:43 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LIV. TWO BLEEDING HEARTS 8:16 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LV. THE MINISTER OF FINANCE 5:08 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LVI. THE CARDINAL DE ROHAN 8:30 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LVII. DEBTOR AND CREDITOR 6:05 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LVIII. FAMILY ACCOUNTS 5:23 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LIX. MARIE ANTOINETTE AS QUEEN AND MADAME DE LA MOTTE AS WOMAN 5:33 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LX. THE RECEIPT OF MM. BOEHMER AND BOSSANGE, AND THE GRATITUDE OF THE QUEEN 5:00 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXI. THE PRISONER 7:14 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXII. THE LOOK OUT 3:09 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXIII. THE TWO NEIGHBORS 5:49 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXIV. THE RENDEZVOUS 4:40 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXV. THE QUEEN'S HAND 3:08 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXVI. WOMAN AND QUEEN 8:10 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXVII. WOMAN AND DEMON 6:57 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXVIII. THE NIGHT 6:13 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXIX. THE CONGE 6:13 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXX. THE JEALOUSY OF THE CARDINAL 11:02 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXI. THE FLIGHT 6:30 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXII. THE LETTER AND THE RECEIPT 5:03 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXIII. ''Roi ne puis, prince ne daigne, Rohan je suis'' 7:21 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXIV. LOVE AND DIPLOMACY 5:41 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXV. CHARNY, CARDINAL AND QUEEN 6:03 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXVI. EXPLANATIONS 7:45 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXVII. THE ARREST 7:25 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXVIII. THE PROCES-VERBAL 5:11 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXIX. THE LAST ACCUSATION 6:40 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXX. THE PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE 5:56 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXXI. ST DENIS 2:18 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXXII. A DEAD HEART 5:25 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXXIII. IN WHICH IT IS EXPLAINED WHY THE BARON DE TAVERNEY GREW FAT 4:00 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXXIV. THE FATHER AND THE FIANCEE 5:42 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXXV. AFTER THE DRAGON, THE VIPER 5:01 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXXVI. HOW IT CAME TO PASS THAT M. BEAUSIRE WAS TRACKED BY THE AGENTS OF M. CR… 4:02 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXXVII. THE TURTLES ARE CAGED 17:44 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXXVIII. THE LAST HOPE LOST 3:15 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
LXXXIX. THE BAPTISM OF THE LITTLE BEAUSIRE 1:51 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XC. THE TRIAL 6:49 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XCI. THE EXECUTION 8:36 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan
XCII. THE MARRIAGE 4:35 Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Reviews

interesting but a somewhat weak ending


(3.5 stars)

well i suppose most of the blame for the ending comes from the actual outcome of the trial of the necklace thief, but i also didn’t much enjoy the sacrificial lamb style epilogue. it felt miserable to everyone for no particular reason - it might have been concluded earlier and the book ending might have flowed better. i found all the characters quite compelling, particularly our main villainess - she was so sympathetic at first! i really enjoyed watching her plot. dumas has a recurring habit of making the young men who are in love with [insert woman here] total brainless simps, and this strikes again in the form of not one but two (!) young men who actually come to blows at one point. i’m somewhat sick of this but i guess in 19th century romances you take what you’re given. all in all, this was quite an interesting book and towards the end i was absolutely gripped and intrigued, but somewhat let down by the fact dumas doesn’t even invent an ending for the necklace