Loss of Innocence by Anne Newton Walther Search Amazon for other books by or about Anne Newton Walther. Rating: Reviewed by: Maurice Williams

Anne Newton Walther's second novel Loss of Innocence features some of the same characters as her first historical-fiction novel A Time of Treason. The real historical character Lafayette features in both novels as does the fictional characters Eugenie Devereux, Randolph Whittington, and Bridger Goodrich who is married to someone else but is Eugenie's long-term lover.

The historical settings for the first novel are the real life events leading to the American Revolution of 1776. The historical settings for the present novel are the events leading to the execution of Marie Antoinette in 1793. The main theme in the book is the little-known fact that French colonists in America, who fled the political upheaval in France, built a settlement named Azilum in Bradford County, PA, in hopes that Marie Antoinette and her husband King Louis XVI might escape France and find safe harbor in America. Walther takes the reader into the life and times of the fictional Eugenie Devereux as she interacts with both fictional and historical characters in the storyline to rescue Marie Antoinette.

Loss of Innocence is an interesting story that adds some little-known historical facts about the French Revolution. Walther lends a French flavor to her book by including many short dialog phrases in French. This reviewer, not knowing any French, had a little difficulty with the longer phrases, but context made fairly clear what was being said.

Intrigued with the history, the reviewer found not enough historical detail in the novel to satisfy his interest. After finishing the novel, The Internet clarified what was truly historical from what was purely fictional. If you enjoyed reading Walther's first novel and are curious about Marie Antoinette and are interested in the French Revolution, you will enjoy Loss of Innocence.

Walther is better known for her non-fiction writing counseling people who have experienced divorce. Walters is a trained Psychologist who heads a psychological counseling firm.