2007-06-01 Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Isabelle and her family make lace in the town of Versailles. They're behind on their rent and work to keep up with the bills. If only they could get someone from the royal household wearing their lace, then they might stand a chance.

When Isabelle delivers some lace to the palace, she purposely takes a wrong turn to view more of the castle. She bumps into Marie Antoinette, who introduces the young girl to her daughter. The princess and Isabelle become friends and Isabelle changes from the lacemaker to a member of the royal household each day she visits, only to return to reality when she leaves for the day. Problems at home force Isabelle to take over the family business and to live the life she's come to despise.

Then she hears grumbling from the townsfolk and even her brother. There's talk of a revolution of change for the common people. Isabelle defends her friend without question, but soon she hears and sees things that make her mind whirl. Can friendship conquer family?

This story addresses the question of loyalty and what happens when you're torn between two sides. An alternative look at the court of Marie Antoinette is also entertaining. THE LACEMAKER AND THE PRINCESS is a historical novel that fans of the new movie Marie Antoinette will enjoy.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel