Marie Antoinette, archduchess of Austria, is the daughter of Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria. She is the youngest of the family and the last to married. Her ambitious mother plans to create an alliance with France through marriage and Marie Antoinette knows she is destined to become the wife of Louis-Auguste, the dauphin of France. But, the requirements to be the dauphine of France are high and Marie Antoinette must excel at them all is order to be betrothed. Marie Antoinette must not only look French and follow the French fashions, she must also learn to speak and comprehend French fluently, complete French dances with gracefulness, and play the popular French gambling games with skill. Guided by her strict, but loving mother Marie Antoinette must be transformed into a dauphin and a future queen of France. When the king sends an ambassador to asses Marie Antoinette, success and failure rests in her hands. Will she become the future queen of France? And, if so, at what cost?
The Bad Queen by Carolyn Meyers is written in Marie Antoinette's point of view and tells of her trials trying to become queen and then of the price she must pay afterwards.