Ever since I visited Versailles in 2009, I've been interested to learn more about it and the "Louis's" who built it and lived there. (It's taken me far too long to actually pick up a book about it...) This book did a great job telling the story not just of the building itself, but also of the royalty and the court and some of the crazy social customs. It seems it would have been impossible to memorize which tiny gesture means what, but it could mean life or death (socially, that is).
Like so many, I got sucked into the intrigue and mystery involved in the life of Marie Antoinette. The book was constantly referring to her love of informality and how she completely got rid of such customs as constantly trailing a retinue of servants. I can't say I blame her; being queen must have been so difficult and complicated, and maybe even empty. I'm still not sure where her "Let them eat cake"-esque reputation came from; the book didn't mention it, unfortunately. Although she was extravagant in some ways, it didn't amount to a fraction of the extravagance of the Louis's XIV, XV, and XVI. Like I said, she actually toned down some of the ridiculously formal customs of the court.