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The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte
Gold Medal Winner, Historical Fiction Personage, 2014 Readers’ Favorite Awards
First Place Winner, Turn of the 19th Century, 2014 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction
Tell the emperor that Madame Bonaparte is ambitious and demands her rights as a member of the imperial family.
As a clever girl in stodgy, mercantile Baltimore, Betsy Patterson dreams of a marriage that will transport her to cultured Europe. When she falls in love with and marries Jerome Bonaparte, she believes her dream has come true—until Jerome’s older brother Napoleon becomes an implacable enemy.
Based on a true story, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte is a historical novel that portrays this woman’s tumultuous life. Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, known to history as Betsy Bonaparte, scandalized Washington with her daring French fashions; visited Niagara Falls when it was an unsettled wilderness; survived a shipwreck and run-ins with British and French warships; dined with presidents and danced with dukes; and lived through the 1814 Battle of Baltimore. Yet through it all, Betsy never lost sight of her primary goal—to win recognition of her marriage.
First Place Winner, Turn of the 19th Century, 2014 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction
Tell the emperor that Madame Bonaparte is ambitious and demands her rights as a member of the imperial family.
As a clever girl in stodgy, mercantile Baltimore, Betsy Patterson dreams of a marriage that will transport her to cultured Europe. When she falls in love with and marries Jerome Bonaparte, she believes her dream has come true—until Jerome’s older brother Napoleon becomes an implacable enemy.
Based on a true story, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte is a historical novel that portrays this woman’s tumultuous life. Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, known to history as Betsy Bonaparte, scandalized Washington with her daring French fashions; visited Niagara Falls when it was an unsettled wilderness; survived a shipwreck and run-ins with British and French warships; dined with presidents and danced with dukes; and lived through the 1814 Battle of Baltimore. Yet through it all, Betsy never lost sight of her primary goal—to win recognition of her marriage.
495 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2013
344 people are currently reading
1490 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Hull Chatlien
6 books113 followersRuth Hull Chatlien has been a writer and editor of educational materials for twenty-five years. Her specialty is U.S. and world history. She is the author of
Modern American Indian Leaders
for middle-grade readers. Her award-winning first novel The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte (Amika Press) tells the story of the tumultuous life of Elizabeth "Betsy" Patterson Bonaparte. Her second novel, Blood Moon: A Captive's Tale (Amika Press), retells Sarah Wakefield's ordeal as a captive during the Dakota War of 1862. Her most recent novel, Katie, Bar the Door (Amika Press), explores a young woman's emotional journey from loss and abuse toward healing.
She lives in northeastern Illinois with her husband, Michael. When she's not writing, she can usually be found gardening, knitting, or spoiling her dog Coco.
Visit her sites here & here.
AWARDS
2014 Reader's Favorite International Book Award Gold Medalist
2014 Chaucer Historical Fiction Contest: First Place in the category Turn of the Nineteenth Century
2018 Reader's Favorite International Book Award Gold Medalist.
2018 Winner of the Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize for Western fiction
She lives in northeastern Illinois with her husband, Michael. When she's not writing, she can usually be found gardening, knitting, or spoiling her dog Coco.
Visit her sites here & here.
AWARDS
2014 Reader's Favorite International Book Award Gold Medalist
2014 Chaucer Historical Fiction Contest: First Place in the category Turn of the Nineteenth Century
2018 Reader's Favorite International Book Award Gold Medalist.
2018 Winner of the Laramie Book Awards Grand Prize for Western fiction
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
April 8, 2014
This novel was much different that I expected. I was expecting something a little more scholarly and academic but this read much easier and lighter but without degrading the actual history of the characters.
Often writing a fictional novel about a real life character can tend to weigh on the scholarly side rather than the entertainment side, but that is not the case in this novel.
There was tons of historic facts mixed into this novel which weren’t just thrown in for substance and background….they were important to the overall story and riveting to say the least.
None of the history or the background info about the very real characters were boring or unnecessary. I devoured the historic facts and reveled in this little known woman in history.
I thought this novel painted a great picture of what was going on, not just in Betsy’s world, but for women in general at this early stage in American history.
See my full review here
Often writing a fictional novel about a real life character can tend to weigh on the scholarly side rather than the entertainment side, but that is not the case in this novel.
There was tons of historic facts mixed into this novel which weren’t just thrown in for substance and background….they were important to the overall story and riveting to say the least.
None of the history or the background info about the very real characters were boring or unnecessary. I devoured the historic facts and reveled in this little known woman in history.
I thought this novel painted a great picture of what was going on, not just in Betsy’s world, but for women in general at this early stage in American history.
See my full review here
September 13, 2016
Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
I was fairly optimistic when I first opened Ruth Hull Chatlien's The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte. My friends were recommending it left and right and though I possessed a passing familiarity with the material, I couldn't help wondering over the enthusiasm I was seeing from my peers. Curiosity got the better of me and the rest, as they say, is history.
Like all biographical fiction, the events highlighted in Chatlien's debut were set before the author ever put pen to paper so I don't give much credit for the direction of the novel. If I wanted an authentically detailed look at Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, I'd have been looking to Charlene M. Boyer Lewis, Helen J. Burn, Claude Bourguignon-Frassetto, or Carol Berkin but factual exposition wasn't on my agenda.
No. I wanted something engaging, something fun. Something I could indulge in and Chatlien's work seemed to fit the bill. I may be wrong, but the book appears to be the only fictional account of Elizabeth on the market and while I understood her story to be intriguing in its own right, I was eager to see what Chatlien would do with the material, what she would say through Elizabeth's romance with Jérôme Bonaparte, and how she'd reimagine their personalities and the world they inhabited. Unfortunately for me, the answers to those questions weren't entirely satisfying.
Like Jennifer Chiaverini, Chatlien is prone to fact dumping which is well and good in nonfiction, but not something I particularly appreciate when working my way through a novel. I know and love this period of history and had great difficulty being subjected to a history lesson every few pages. Had these details been worked into the story I might feel differently, but more often than not these passages felt clumsy, inappropriate and forced.
To make matters worse, Chatlien's heroine proved thoroughly unconvincing. One minute Betsy is telling Jerome he must restrain himself, be patient and approach her father before pursuing her and the next she is demanding a hasty marriage. She is scandalized by the impropriety of her father's philandering but is possessed of a sexual appetite that is shockingly unseemly in an unwed debutante. She balks when presented with Jerome's perception of feminine fashion and is at the same time insulted when her peers are offended by the lack of modesty exhibited in her dress. Is she a traditionalist or impetuous? A prude or a temptress? Conventional or a radical? I have no bloody clue...
This lack of clarity extended to every member of the cast and made it impossible for me to understand the themes of this piece. Atmospherically, I was also disappointed as I never felt the period come to life under Chatlien's pen.
When all is said and done, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte wasn't what I expected and though I can see certain appeal for those taking in the story for the first time, I can't see myself recommending it forward in future.
I was fairly optimistic when I first opened Ruth Hull Chatlien's The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte. My friends were recommending it left and right and though I possessed a passing familiarity with the material, I couldn't help wondering over the enthusiasm I was seeing from my peers. Curiosity got the better of me and the rest, as they say, is history.
Like all biographical fiction, the events highlighted in Chatlien's debut were set before the author ever put pen to paper so I don't give much credit for the direction of the novel. If I wanted an authentically detailed look at Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, I'd have been looking to Charlene M. Boyer Lewis, Helen J. Burn, Claude Bourguignon-Frassetto, or Carol Berkin but factual exposition wasn't on my agenda.
No. I wanted something engaging, something fun. Something I could indulge in and Chatlien's work seemed to fit the bill. I may be wrong, but the book appears to be the only fictional account of Elizabeth on the market and while I understood her story to be intriguing in its own right, I was eager to see what Chatlien would do with the material, what she would say through Elizabeth's romance with Jérôme Bonaparte, and how she'd reimagine their personalities and the world they inhabited. Unfortunately for me, the answers to those questions weren't entirely satisfying.
Like Jennifer Chiaverini, Chatlien is prone to fact dumping which is well and good in nonfiction, but not something I particularly appreciate when working my way through a novel. I know and love this period of history and had great difficulty being subjected to a history lesson every few pages. Had these details been worked into the story I might feel differently, but more often than not these passages felt clumsy, inappropriate and forced.
To make matters worse, Chatlien's heroine proved thoroughly unconvincing. One minute Betsy is telling Jerome he must restrain himself, be patient and approach her father before pursuing her and the next she is demanding a hasty marriage. She is scandalized by the impropriety of her father's philandering but is possessed of a sexual appetite that is shockingly unseemly in an unwed debutante. She balks when presented with Jerome's perception of feminine fashion and is at the same time insulted when her peers are offended by the lack of modesty exhibited in her dress. Is she a traditionalist or impetuous? A prude or a temptress? Conventional or a radical? I have no bloody clue...
This lack of clarity extended to every member of the cast and made it impossible for me to understand the themes of this piece. Atmospherically, I was also disappointed as I never felt the period come to life under Chatlien's pen.
When all is said and done, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte wasn't what I expected and though I can see certain appeal for those taking in the story for the first time, I can't see myself recommending it forward in future.
April 13, 2014
Historical fiction has done it again! Because of reading this novel, I have once again learned about an enigmatic historical figure. How did I not know of this strong and industrious woman?!
Elizabeth Patterson decided early on, after a strange foretelling by an African slave woman, that she would marry a man from Europe, perhaps even marry into royalty. She did just that. She met and married Jerome Bonaparte. Yes, the brother of the one and only Napoleon. As can be imagined, the marriage did not go over well. Napoleon's concern was to have his family make influential marriages that would benefit him politically. What follows is a lot of turmoil and upheaval in Elizabeth's life. However, not one to take things lying down, she perseveres.
I am absolutely delighted to have discovered this new author. Ruth Hull Chatlien has written a fantastic and meticulously researched historical novel about an American historical figure--a woman-- who should be known to all. Her life and experiences living as a strong and independent woman, during a time when very few women did so, are a credit to all women. I have already been looking around online for more information about Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte. I just can't wait to read more about her!
Elizabeth Patterson decided early on, after a strange foretelling by an African slave woman, that she would marry a man from Europe, perhaps even marry into royalty. She did just that. She met and married Jerome Bonaparte. Yes, the brother of the one and only Napoleon. As can be imagined, the marriage did not go over well. Napoleon's concern was to have his family make influential marriages that would benefit him politically. What follows is a lot of turmoil and upheaval in Elizabeth's life. However, not one to take things lying down, she perseveres.
I am absolutely delighted to have discovered this new author. Ruth Hull Chatlien has written a fantastic and meticulously researched historical novel about an American historical figure--a woman-- who should be known to all. Her life and experiences living as a strong and independent woman, during a time when very few women did so, are a credit to all women. I have already been looking around online for more information about Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte. I just can't wait to read more about her!
April 11, 2014
The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte by Ruth Hall Chatlien is a suberbly written very throughly researched, richly detailed psychologically acute historical novel. It is the very much fact based account of a tumultuous passionate relationship of Elizabeth Patterson Bonapatre, born into a large, affluent Baltimore merchcantile family dominated by her father with Jerome Bonaparte, the younger brother of Napolean.
The story line begins shortly after the USA has won its independence from England. The biggest concern as the story opens is the impact a slave rebellion in the French Caribbean has had on the planter caste. Elizabeth's mother is sickly, worn down by too many back to back pregnancies, and at eighteen Elizabeth, the oldest girl, (the "ate" in Filipino culture) is more less in charge of her siblings. It was a time when educating daughters beyond the very basics was considered a waste of time and money. Her father also did not want any rebellious thoughts put in her head. Sadly for him, Elizabeth has read and been greatly influenced by The Vindication of the Rights of Women (1793) by Mary Wollstonecraft.
Elizabeth finds life in Baltimore very boring, there is no culture and she knows her father is going to try to marry her to a wealthy Baltimore man, only twice her age if she is lucky. She wants no part of having a dozen children, many to die young, and running a house, being mistress over slaves. She has long dreamed of marrying into European royalty, becoming a princess. There are dark undertones in the family. In one chilling scene, she discovers her father in adultery, he never sees her. On a quick side note I thought Chatlien's treatment of the father was really brilliant. I went from hating him as a brutal tyrant to seeing him evolve into a much more balanced human personage. Chatlien is very good at letting us see multiple sides to her characters. One day Jerome Bonaparte, the younger brother of Napolean, then the dominant force in European politics, arrives on a ship and he and his officers are guests at a party that Elizabeth, 18, is attending. It is love, with a bit of lust, at first sight for her when she meets the movie star handsome magnificently uniformed young Bonaparte. He is thunderstruck by the angelic beauty of her countenance and her designed to drive any sailor, even a royal one, crazy body. It was a time of breast fixation and Elizabeth was amply provided to shine in this area.
In one very good scene later in the book, Jerome has her done by the famous American artist Stuart Gilbert and we get to see his irascible personality in action. Showing Chatlien's very detailed research, in this brief passage we learn a good bit about the economics and psychology behind portrait painting.
After a lot of interesting cliff hanging drama, Elizabeth's father gives her permission to marry. He is very worried Jerome just wants to have his fling with her and then abandon her for European Royalty. He has his attorney investigate French marriage laws and finds that once you are twenty one, a Frenchman can marry as he likes. Before that ends, he has to have parental permission and in his case as any child of his will be in succession to rule France, that of his older brother. There is a deception of grave consequences at this point in the story. I will not reveal it, or much more of the compulsively readable plot, as it is really devasting and opens up a whole new world of adventure for us and Elizabeth.
As the story proceeds Elizabeth crosses the ocean, spends some time in the American wilderness on the road to Niagra falls (there are numerous sex scenes in The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte, I thought the most erotic one took place with the sound of the mighty falls in the background, we saunter through Paris (of course Paris represents the height of culture to a girl from Baltimore) and we run from the French.
There are lots of things to like about this novel. In the case of Elizabeth you wonder how should we see her seeming great passion for Jerome. Is she just in love with getting out of Baltimore, is it just the fancy uniform, a way of getting back at daddy, teenage lust or does she really love him for himself. We know if he were just a pretty midshipman he would not have inspired any passion so we have to ponder the character of Elizabeth, devoted wife, mother, or fortune hunting woman turned on sexually by what Jerome represents. In the case of Jerome, not quite an unconflcted youth of pure character, we have to wonder how to take his love at first sight routine. It was a lot of fun to see Elizabeth wear the shocking to backwards Baltimore French fashions of the time. Jerome had a lot of issues, mother issues, brother issues, financial and others.
The story line begins shortly after the USA has won its independence from England. The biggest concern as the story opens is the impact a slave rebellion in the French Caribbean has had on the planter caste. Elizabeth's mother is sickly, worn down by too many back to back pregnancies, and at eighteen Elizabeth, the oldest girl, (the "ate" in Filipino culture) is more less in charge of her siblings. It was a time when educating daughters beyond the very basics was considered a waste of time and money. Her father also did not want any rebellious thoughts put in her head. Sadly for him, Elizabeth has read and been greatly influenced by The Vindication of the Rights of Women (1793) by Mary Wollstonecraft.
Elizabeth finds life in Baltimore very boring, there is no culture and she knows her father is going to try to marry her to a wealthy Baltimore man, only twice her age if she is lucky. She wants no part of having a dozen children, many to die young, and running a house, being mistress over slaves. She has long dreamed of marrying into European royalty, becoming a princess. There are dark undertones in the family. In one chilling scene, she discovers her father in adultery, he never sees her. On a quick side note I thought Chatlien's treatment of the father was really brilliant. I went from hating him as a brutal tyrant to seeing him evolve into a much more balanced human personage. Chatlien is very good at letting us see multiple sides to her characters. One day Jerome Bonaparte, the younger brother of Napolean, then the dominant force in European politics, arrives on a ship and he and his officers are guests at a party that Elizabeth, 18, is attending. It is love, with a bit of lust, at first sight for her when she meets the movie star handsome magnificently uniformed young Bonaparte. He is thunderstruck by the angelic beauty of her countenance and her designed to drive any sailor, even a royal one, crazy body. It was a time of breast fixation and Elizabeth was amply provided to shine in this area.
In one very good scene later in the book, Jerome has her done by the famous American artist Stuart Gilbert and we get to see his irascible personality in action. Showing Chatlien's very detailed research, in this brief passage we learn a good bit about the economics and psychology behind portrait painting.
After a lot of interesting cliff hanging drama, Elizabeth's father gives her permission to marry. He is very worried Jerome just wants to have his fling with her and then abandon her for European Royalty. He has his attorney investigate French marriage laws and finds that once you are twenty one, a Frenchman can marry as he likes. Before that ends, he has to have parental permission and in his case as any child of his will be in succession to rule France, that of his older brother. There is a deception of grave consequences at this point in the story. I will not reveal it, or much more of the compulsively readable plot, as it is really devasting and opens up a whole new world of adventure for us and Elizabeth.
As the story proceeds Elizabeth crosses the ocean, spends some time in the American wilderness on the road to Niagra falls (there are numerous sex scenes in The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte, I thought the most erotic one took place with the sound of the mighty falls in the background, we saunter through Paris (of course Paris represents the height of culture to a girl from Baltimore) and we run from the French.
There are lots of things to like about this novel. In the case of Elizabeth you wonder how should we see her seeming great passion for Jerome. Is she just in love with getting out of Baltimore, is it just the fancy uniform, a way of getting back at daddy, teenage lust or does she really love him for himself. We know if he were just a pretty midshipman he would not have inspired any passion so we have to ponder the character of Elizabeth, devoted wife, mother, or fortune hunting woman turned on sexually by what Jerome represents. In the case of Jerome, not quite an unconflcted youth of pure character, we have to wonder how to take his love at first sight routine. It was a lot of fun to see Elizabeth wear the shocking to backwards Baltimore French fashions of the time. Jerome had a lot of issues, mother issues, brother issues, financial and others.
March 31, 2014
3.5 stars. "The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte" is the story of Betsy, a young woman from a well off family who lives just outside of Baltimore (score one for my fellow Marylanders). She meets Jerome, a man who just happens to be the brother of the infamous Napoleon Bonaparte. They woo and then they marry but things are not quite as they seem at first. Betsy must fight for legitimacy and it is a fight that will take her across oceans and places that she never imagined going.
Betsy is a really interesting character. She is incredibly driven and in a time when she didn't really have a lot of control over her own destiny, it was fascinating to see everything that she went through in this book. I really enjoyed reading about her. I never really knew that Napoleon had a brother so the story of him and Betsy was totally new for me and I love learning something new when I read!
I have to say that I also really enjoyed the historical detail about Maryland in this book. It was cool to see all of these different places that I've known of and have spent time in get the historical fiction treatment. These details really brought the setting to life for me!
For the most part, the writing was good. The pacing was also pretty good but got bogged down in a few spots. There were also some parts in the beginning that felt stiff because there was so much detail crammed into the passages that the book felt stiff. As the story goes on, things do even out. This book is a good pick for historical fiction lovers!
Betsy is a really interesting character. She is incredibly driven and in a time when she didn't really have a lot of control over her own destiny, it was fascinating to see everything that she went through in this book. I really enjoyed reading about her. I never really knew that Napoleon had a brother so the story of him and Betsy was totally new for me and I love learning something new when I read!
I have to say that I also really enjoyed the historical detail about Maryland in this book. It was cool to see all of these different places that I've known of and have spent time in get the historical fiction treatment. These details really brought the setting to life for me!
For the most part, the writing was good. The pacing was also pretty good but got bogged down in a few spots. There were also some parts in the beginning that felt stiff because there was so much detail crammed into the passages that the book felt stiff. As the story goes on, things do even out. This book is a good pick for historical fiction lovers!
March 2, 2015
Author Interview + Giveaway @Let Them Read Books!
I wanted to read this novel the moment I saw it. I'm a sucker for American historical fiction, and I had no idea Napoleon's baby brother had spent time in the states and had even married an American girl, Betsy Patterson, "the Belle of Baltimore." The story follows Betsy from her childhood in the large family of a wealthy Baltimore shipping merchant to her meeting and whirlwind courtship with French naval officer Jerome Bonaparte, her father's futile attempts to thwart their marriage, and their adventurous honeymoon trip, and then through the fight of her life as she and her young husband, who wed without his family's permission, become subject to the ire of the Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte, who refuses to recognize the validity of their marriage and makes them pawns in his war with England and the rest of Europe.
The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte is a great debut novel. It's a little heavy at times on precise description, but other than that, it's very well written. It's a story that encompasses many years and many characters, and Ms. Chatlien did a fantastic job of constructing the narrative arc, knowing when to narrow in on the important details and when to pull back to offer a broader view. The research seems to have been very thorough, and I love that the author used snippets of real letters surviving to this day to help carry the story along. The pacing suffered just a tad--I really enjoyed the beginning and I was well hooked on the story, but as the middle of the novel approached, I began to weary of the constant push and pull, back and forth--were they or weren't they going to get married, were they or weren't they going to France. It began to drag for me. But once Betsy and Jerome arrived in Europe and faced Napoleon's wrath, the pace picked back up again, and I was burning through the pages to see how everything would shake out and how Betsy would pick up the pieces of her life.
"Nothing ever turns out as we desire. But thus it has ever been, and I must adapt to my fate or be broken by it."
It was very easy to like Betsy and get swept up in her life in the beginning. I liked her so much and was getting so wrapped up in her dreams, in fact, that I did something I rarely do: I looked her up. I thought back on the little I knew of Jerome from reading other Napoleonic fiction--and it wasn't good--so I needed to prepare myself for what was going to happen. I understood how a girl like Betsy could yearn for something more and how she might see the dashing young Bonaparte as her ticket to that something more, but as the story progressed, I began to get annoyed with her single-minded focus on becoming royalty. Even at the end, she was still holding on to a dream that never materialized. I was disappointed that she continued to grasp and reach (in the name of her son, though one gets the feeling she sought to live vicariously through him) rather than make a life for herself with what she had, and what she could have had. I admired the grace and poise with which she conducted herself in the face of so much adversity, but ultimately, I was sorry that she could not see past her ambition to attain the personal happiness that should have been hers.
But Betsy was a real person with real flaws, and I cannot hold her life choices against the novel. Not only does this story shed light on a little-known woman who stood up to one of the most powerful men the world has ever seen, it's also a great portrait of family life in a burgeoning American port city. Baltimore and nearby Washington D.C. take center stage and make fine backdrops for a novel rife with political, economical, and emotional turmoil. And it's nice to get to see the War of 1812 depicted on such a personal level. I'm very glad I took this book on and learned about the life and times of Betsy Patterson Bonaparte, and I can highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys American historical fiction or who is looking for something outside the realm of European royals.
I wanted to read this novel the moment I saw it. I'm a sucker for American historical fiction, and I had no idea Napoleon's baby brother had spent time in the states and had even married an American girl, Betsy Patterson, "the Belle of Baltimore." The story follows Betsy from her childhood in the large family of a wealthy Baltimore shipping merchant to her meeting and whirlwind courtship with French naval officer Jerome Bonaparte, her father's futile attempts to thwart their marriage, and their adventurous honeymoon trip, and then through the fight of her life as she and her young husband, who wed without his family's permission, become subject to the ire of the Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte, who refuses to recognize the validity of their marriage and makes them pawns in his war with England and the rest of Europe.
The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte is a great debut novel. It's a little heavy at times on precise description, but other than that, it's very well written. It's a story that encompasses many years and many characters, and Ms. Chatlien did a fantastic job of constructing the narrative arc, knowing when to narrow in on the important details and when to pull back to offer a broader view. The research seems to have been very thorough, and I love that the author used snippets of real letters surviving to this day to help carry the story along. The pacing suffered just a tad--I really enjoyed the beginning and I was well hooked on the story, but as the middle of the novel approached, I began to weary of the constant push and pull, back and forth--were they or weren't they going to get married, were they or weren't they going to France. It began to drag for me. But once Betsy and Jerome arrived in Europe and faced Napoleon's wrath, the pace picked back up again, and I was burning through the pages to see how everything would shake out and how Betsy would pick up the pieces of her life.
"Nothing ever turns out as we desire. But thus it has ever been, and I must adapt to my fate or be broken by it."
It was very easy to like Betsy and get swept up in her life in the beginning. I liked her so much and was getting so wrapped up in her dreams, in fact, that I did something I rarely do: I looked her up. I thought back on the little I knew of Jerome from reading other Napoleonic fiction--and it wasn't good--so I needed to prepare myself for what was going to happen. I understood how a girl like Betsy could yearn for something more and how she might see the dashing young Bonaparte as her ticket to that something more, but as the story progressed, I began to get annoyed with her single-minded focus on becoming royalty. Even at the end, she was still holding on to a dream that never materialized. I was disappointed that she continued to grasp and reach (in the name of her son, though one gets the feeling she sought to live vicariously through him) rather than make a life for herself with what she had, and what she could have had. I admired the grace and poise with which she conducted herself in the face of so much adversity, but ultimately, I was sorry that she could not see past her ambition to attain the personal happiness that should have been hers.
But Betsy was a real person with real flaws, and I cannot hold her life choices against the novel. Not only does this story shed light on a little-known woman who stood up to one of the most powerful men the world has ever seen, it's also a great portrait of family life in a burgeoning American port city. Baltimore and nearby Washington D.C. take center stage and make fine backdrops for a novel rife with political, economical, and emotional turmoil. And it's nice to get to see the War of 1812 depicted on such a personal level. I'm very glad I took this book on and learned about the life and times of Betsy Patterson Bonaparte, and I can highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys American historical fiction or who is looking for something outside the realm of European royals.
March 14, 2021
Ruth is a friend, but my opinions are not influenced by that fact. Actually I'd entirely forgotten about this novel until I was looking for something to read about the Bonaparte dynasty and up popped this biofic about Elizabeth "Betsy" Patterson Bonaparte, the first wife of Napoleon's younger brother Jerome.
Betsy is the oldest daughter of a large (and growing) Baltimore family, her father a prosperous but tightfisted merchant. She dreams of living in Europe--in fact, she has been given a "prophecy" vision of entering a glittering room and seeing people bow down to her. Her dreams appear to come true when she attracts the attention of Jerome Bonaparte, but their union--based on physical attraction rather than sense, as her family is quick to point out--is dogged by disaster as they fail to get the approval of Jerome's powerful family.
Oddly enough, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte reminded me quite strongly of the first historical novel I remember reading, Désirée which was about Napoleon's first fiancée. Perhaps that's why I enjoyed it so much; this was good old-fashioned straightforward biographical fiction, informative and entertaining.
It helps that Betsy Patterson Bonaparte had a pretty interesting life after she met Jerome. She had connections (family and friends) that gave her entry into the raw new Washington of the day, and I got a vivid sense of American political society in a country that was still finding its feet and that looked to Europe for sophistication and glamor. Farther afield, Betsy had some genuinely exciting adventures as a young married woman; and later, deserted and lacking in any means of true independence, she nevertheless leveraged every advantage that came her way on behalf of her son.
The author is clearly determined to paint a sympathetic portrait of her subject, but the framing scenes at the beginning and end hint at an entirely different view of Betsy as a woman whose insistence on her son's (and her own) importance, and her relentless pursuit of acknowledgement, must have seemed selfish and grasping to many.
I would knock off half a star for rather too much research detail in places, especially at the beginning, but the wealth of detail would be of interest to readers who read historical fiction to learn. Overall, a very engaging read.
Betsy is the oldest daughter of a large (and growing) Baltimore family, her father a prosperous but tightfisted merchant. She dreams of living in Europe--in fact, she has been given a "prophecy" vision of entering a glittering room and seeing people bow down to her. Her dreams appear to come true when she attracts the attention of Jerome Bonaparte, but their union--based on physical attraction rather than sense, as her family is quick to point out--is dogged by disaster as they fail to get the approval of Jerome's powerful family.
Oddly enough, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte reminded me quite strongly of the first historical novel I remember reading, Désirée which was about Napoleon's first fiancée. Perhaps that's why I enjoyed it so much; this was good old-fashioned straightforward biographical fiction, informative and entertaining.
It helps that Betsy Patterson Bonaparte had a pretty interesting life after she met Jerome. She had connections (family and friends) that gave her entry into the raw new Washington of the day, and I got a vivid sense of American political society in a country that was still finding its feet and that looked to Europe for sophistication and glamor. Farther afield, Betsy had some genuinely exciting adventures as a young married woman; and later, deserted and lacking in any means of true independence, she nevertheless leveraged every advantage that came her way on behalf of her son.
The author is clearly determined to paint a sympathetic portrait of her subject, but the framing scenes at the beginning and end hint at an entirely different view of Betsy as a woman whose insistence on her son's (and her own) importance, and her relentless pursuit of acknowledgement, must have seemed selfish and grasping to many.
I would knock off half a star for rather too much research detail in places, especially at the beginning, but the wealth of detail would be of interest to readers who read historical fiction to learn. Overall, a very engaging read.
July 5, 2018
When I purchased this book, I assumed it was about Josephine Bonaparte. what a pleasure surprise awaited me.
January 28, 2015
It has been a long time since I have read a book where I disliked the main character as much as this one. Madame Bonaparte comes across as a vain, deluded, selfish woman, and her husband, Jerome, was equally awful. As a book of historical fiction, I can only hope it was more fiction than history.
January 28, 2014
Wonderful first novel! Ruth Hull-Chatlien does an extraordinary job of bringing this piece of history to life. She particularly wields a deft hand with Betsy Patterson Bonaparte, offering up a character who is the perfect mix of fire, determination, haughtiness and vulnerability. Besty suffers greatly from her unfailing belief in her need and ability to rise far above her common origins but her uncommon ambitions are not supported by her family, particularly her dour, sensible merchant father. Betsy is ambitious in a time where women were not supposed to have their own ideas about how their lives would be lead. Repeatedly and miserably failed by all the men in her life (from her father, to her feckless husband as well as her jealous brothers), her iron will and determination never failed her, except for where it blinded her to her reality. An excellent romp through history, which has authentically captured the spirit and flavor if the time. Well done! Bravo!
July 28, 2015
Even though most of the real life people in this novel are not especially likeable, I still found this to be a fascinating look at their lives. I'm not a historian but my thoughts are that the author did substantial historical research.
I didn't know that one of Napoleon Bonaparte's younger brothers was at one time married to an American, Betsy Patterson from Baltimore. Betsy is full of longing for a more exciting life then being a merchant's daughter. She meets Jerome Bonaparte and is instantly smitten with him and he with her. This romance and marriage will bring much heartache to Betsy in her quest to have her marriage validated by the Bonaparte family.
There is romance in this novel but it is much more of a serious look at society and morals of the early 19th century. I especially liked the many historical references and details which made this novel special. I would definitely recommend this to those who like historical fiction novels.
I didn't know that one of Napoleon Bonaparte's younger brothers was at one time married to an American, Betsy Patterson from Baltimore. Betsy is full of longing for a more exciting life then being a merchant's daughter. She meets Jerome Bonaparte and is instantly smitten with him and he with her. This romance and marriage will bring much heartache to Betsy in her quest to have her marriage validated by the Bonaparte family.
There is romance in this novel but it is much more of a serious look at society and morals of the early 19th century. I especially liked the many historical references and details which made this novel special. I would definitely recommend this to those who like historical fiction novels.
October 6, 2014
I wanted to read this book since I saw its description. I had never heard of an American Bonaparte family. Ruth Chatlien tells the story of Betsy Patterson, an American girl who falls in love with Napoleon´s brother and spends her life trying to obtain the recognition of the Bonaparte family. Chatlien´s writing is engaging and based on extensive research. The characters are shown with all the passion and feelings involved in the plot, but she still preserves neutrality, letting the reader to be the judge of who was right or wrong. It is historical, and teaches us much about the relations between France and the U.S in the early 19th Century. I strongly recommend this book to those who like Historical Fiction, as I do.
January 2, 2014
This book would make a great movie. After the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, someone asked John Adams what kind the government the new country would have. "A republic, if you can keep it," Adams said. This is a novel, based on a true story of an American woman who could not have cared less about keeping the republic. She hankered after royalty and all its perks. Sometimes you just wanted to shake her. At other times, you had to sympathize with her. Here was an intelligent woman with talent and drive who was expected to marry someone with a head for business, keep his house and bear his children. She just couldn't do it.
November 21, 2016
A very good read that gets buried in research. Apart from that, the author doesn't know where to cut/edit, wants to include everything she ever learned about this era and while interesting, it sometimes comes between the author and the reader. What does come across is Betsy Bonaparte's determination to make her son, Bo, a prince and herself a princess, in the end to their mutual detriment. I feel there was a personal reason why she spent so much time in Europe while he returned to the U.S. However, I had to applaud her pluckiness. I think the book would have been more readable as a novel if some of the lengthy research had been suppressed or shortened.
March 10, 2018
This reads, at times, more like a biography than a novel. Even with proper biographies, I’ve found it easier to engage with their subjects than I did with this book; no one, with the possible exception of Bo, come across with any warmth or likability. Betsy is selfish and self absorbed, full of her own self-importance. A thoroughly dislikable woman!
All I can say is that it’s a good job this was free. I’ve read it, now I’m deleting it from my kindle.
All I can say is that it’s a good job this was free. I’ve read it, now I’m deleting it from my kindle.
September 12, 2015
3.5
I enjoyed this read. It was the first time I've read anything about Elizabeth Bonaparte and I found it all very interesting. The story flowed nicely and I found myself looking forward to reading it.
I enjoyed this read. It was the first time I've read anything about Elizabeth Bonaparte and I found it all very interesting. The story flowed nicely and I found myself looking forward to reading it.
March 9, 2014
The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte: Ruth Hull Chatlien
Scandalous some would say, flamboyant, headstrong, opinionated and definitely cultures and intelligent Baltimore’s Betsy Patterson sets the world on fire each time she enters a room. With her astute ability for numbers, her flair for fashion and her ambitious dreams Betsy would have fit in the 21st century as an activist, political figure or ambassador to the United States. Her quick wit, her openness and her ability to understand situations and often respond to comments made in order to defend her family and her own position on controversial issues, she is often rebuked in public, chastised by her domineering father and told to remember her place.
The daughter of a mercantile merchant in Baltimore, she dreamed of marrying someone that would take her away to Europe. But, not every dream comes to pass without come difficulties or obstacles standing in your way. Her childhood was riddled with rules, chores, and a short period in school learning to read, write and her appreciation of literature was vast.
When presented to Jerome Bonaparte Betsy thinks her world has just been made and that all of her hopes and dreams for her future have come true. As the younger brother of Emperor Napoleon she imagines herself in the French Salons, at court and living the life of someone part of the imperial family. But, although their courtship seems to commence on a positive note and her father is skeptical about him, she pursues her dreams but an anonymous letter would change it all. Blinded by what she wanted or wants to believe truths about Jerome’s character are written in black and white. Not believing that he had so many infidelities or indiscretions, she refuses to heed her father’s warnings, hopes that she will be allowed to marry Jerome but finds herself exiled and sent away. But, her undying love and belief in Jerome allows her judgment to be clouded at times and although her father disagrees with her choice he allow Jerome to court her but only within the confines of her own home. As Betsy and Jerome declare their love and set a date for their marriage her father decides to hold it off even more. Learning about the age requirement for marriage in France, needing his mother’s approval, Jerome hopes to circumvent this problem and when they are married on Christmas Eve their real troubles begin. A trip to Niagara falls, traveling abroad by ship, shipwrecked, problems with both the British and the French and being denied entry to many countries besides France, Betsy learns the full scope of Napoleon’s power but does not resolve to give up on Jerome.
But, with the birth of her son, her father’s wrath to endure for the debts incurred by her husband, Betsy finds herself fighting many more a battles at times seeming ungrateful for the help she has already received and only wanting what she feels she and her son deserve. Jerome succumbs to the will of his brother and when the news that he has become King and taken a new wife reaches her she fails to see the error in her judgment. Fatal flaws, wanting a title and not really looking at what is important which was their love for each other and the hope of a life together, both Jerome and Betsy lost in more ways than one. Only wanting to gain recognition from Napoleon, discounting their marriage and eventually declaring it null, void and never happening Betsy finds herself alone. Every muscle in her body repels food; her desire to live wanes but her love for her son wins out. Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte’s story is real; her life can be described as turbulent, stormy and passionate. Never giving up on her marriage yet very naïve in her thinking, author Ruth Hull Chatlien creates a story that is breathtaking, mesmerizing, captivating and exciting as readers take the journey along with Betsy from the time she is eight to the prologue at the beginning where her son is about to die. Betsy’s parents Dorcas her mother and William called Mr. Patterson her father are quite unique. Her mother docile, often rebuked in public by her father and Mr. Patterson tough, business oriented, concerned about money and rarely showing any kind of warmth or emotion. Narrow minded, self absorbed yet some might think just trying to keep Betsy focused and under his thumb we see each of his other children marrying the right person in the right station and Betsy needing to become more independent and self-sufficient which her father had little faith that she could. Never praising her, giving her financial support yet throwing it in her face Betsy had to find a way to live without Jerome, bring up her son and not feel inner or outward disgrace.
Betsy has many possible suitors who would like to become part of her life and her son’s life. But she stands tall in her beliefs wanting him to be give declared a prince by Napoleon, hoping to receive a pension from him and never relenting in her wants and goals. Although some might say that her reasons selfish, that she is self-absorbed and her only concern is with status or some might say she has her son’s best interest at heart. With wars raging between France and Britain and the US declaring war with the French things heat up in more ways than one. With President Jefferson placing an embargo on goods going to other countries her father’s business began to wane and things at home became more difficult. But, the pension the Ambassador to France was able to get for her, the respect people showed on the outside and her newfound friendship with Dolley Madison, things seemed to take a better turn for Betsy. Letters and correspondence from Jerome then enlightened to a harsh truth by her best friend, Napoleon’s campaign in Russia failing the world seemed in turmoil. As Betsy wrote to friends in Europe wanting to know more than what was in the newspapers, hoping to find a place for herself and her son there, her mother’s illness and her father’s infidelities the final outcome for Betsy still has not come. Losing her mother and learning that Napoleon was no longer Emperor and her hopes for Bo/Jerome her son becoming prince disappeared.
The book is replete in history as we learn about the conflicts between the United States, Britain and France, the wars fought, lives lost and one woman who hoped to gain by standing firm on her principals, not faltering in her goals and hoping to finally be received by a man that made sure that she would lose it all. But, did she in the long run. But, with the city in shambles and dangers all around Betsy begs to leave Baltimore concerned that her son would suffer at the hand of the British because of his last name. Events changed and she decided to go to France leaving her son in the care of others and then hoping that he would be safe.
Leaving Europe, returning home and being reunited with her son only proved to strengthen her mind making sure that Jerome would adhere to what she wanted, understand her goals for him and not regale in her father’s footsteps. Without his father to support him she explains why he has to work hard in order to raise himself to the station and status she wants for him and desiring that he have a “brilliant career in diplomacy or government and one day to make a noble marriage.” Explaining the importance of his last name, not to think about marrying someone that would be beneath his station she never really listens to her words or realizes she is turning into her father. Jerome however is smart, perceptive and feels that why can’t they be happy as he states, “As they are?” A mother’s thoughts are revealed on pages 421-422 as she relates why she has entered Jerome in a school in Geneva and why he needs to be trained and primed for a career befitting his station.
Sometimes what we want comes back hitting us in the face as her son decides on a different course of life when of marrying age. Status matters to her and she preferred begin known as the former sister-in-law of Napoleon. Never seeing his son yet coming to Europe her former husband departs really fast meeting his son for the first time in 1826. Although Betsy wanted her son to live in Europe he opted for America.
Marrying Susan Mary Williams worth 200,000 dollars, the daughter of Benjamin Williams the founder of the first railroad company in America. But Betsy was angry, wrote to her father and he voice was not heard. Always thinking everyone is beneath her and her son this time she lost.
An ending you will have to read for yourself, a life devoted to only one think rank and status and a woman who gave up everything to pursue her goals. What happens when he meets his father for the first time? What happens when he asserts himself and decides where he wants to live and what type of life he wants? A starling letter of admission states her feelings about her son’s choice when marrying, as you will read on page 444 and another on 445. What happens when she finally meets Susan? What happens when Jerome joins her at the end of their son’s life? Her father’s will says it all and the bequests made quite telling as William gets the final word. Did Jerome ever get a title or rank? Did he ever use the Bonaparte name? What were their final words? One woman who wanted to be treated as an equal and proved she belonged in a man’s world. Betsy, Elisa Patterson: a force to be reckoned with but was she ever happy? The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte is truly an exciting story as readers take the journey; visit the many different cities throughout the world. Did she ever meet Napoleon? Maybe in her dreams. Strong characters, very intense plot and a story that will keep you glued to the printed page rooting for Betsy to win every step of the way. Ambitious: truly defined Betsy.
Fran Lewis: reviewer
Scandalous some would say, flamboyant, headstrong, opinionated and definitely cultures and intelligent Baltimore’s Betsy Patterson sets the world on fire each time she enters a room. With her astute ability for numbers, her flair for fashion and her ambitious dreams Betsy would have fit in the 21st century as an activist, political figure or ambassador to the United States. Her quick wit, her openness and her ability to understand situations and often respond to comments made in order to defend her family and her own position on controversial issues, she is often rebuked in public, chastised by her domineering father and told to remember her place.
The daughter of a mercantile merchant in Baltimore, she dreamed of marrying someone that would take her away to Europe. But, not every dream comes to pass without come difficulties or obstacles standing in your way. Her childhood was riddled with rules, chores, and a short period in school learning to read, write and her appreciation of literature was vast.
When presented to Jerome Bonaparte Betsy thinks her world has just been made and that all of her hopes and dreams for her future have come true. As the younger brother of Emperor Napoleon she imagines herself in the French Salons, at court and living the life of someone part of the imperial family. But, although their courtship seems to commence on a positive note and her father is skeptical about him, she pursues her dreams but an anonymous letter would change it all. Blinded by what she wanted or wants to believe truths about Jerome’s character are written in black and white. Not believing that he had so many infidelities or indiscretions, she refuses to heed her father’s warnings, hopes that she will be allowed to marry Jerome but finds herself exiled and sent away. But, her undying love and belief in Jerome allows her judgment to be clouded at times and although her father disagrees with her choice he allow Jerome to court her but only within the confines of her own home. As Betsy and Jerome declare their love and set a date for their marriage her father decides to hold it off even more. Learning about the age requirement for marriage in France, needing his mother’s approval, Jerome hopes to circumvent this problem and when they are married on Christmas Eve their real troubles begin. A trip to Niagara falls, traveling abroad by ship, shipwrecked, problems with both the British and the French and being denied entry to many countries besides France, Betsy learns the full scope of Napoleon’s power but does not resolve to give up on Jerome.
But, with the birth of her son, her father’s wrath to endure for the debts incurred by her husband, Betsy finds herself fighting many more a battles at times seeming ungrateful for the help she has already received and only wanting what she feels she and her son deserve. Jerome succumbs to the will of his brother and when the news that he has become King and taken a new wife reaches her she fails to see the error in her judgment. Fatal flaws, wanting a title and not really looking at what is important which was their love for each other and the hope of a life together, both Jerome and Betsy lost in more ways than one. Only wanting to gain recognition from Napoleon, discounting their marriage and eventually declaring it null, void and never happening Betsy finds herself alone. Every muscle in her body repels food; her desire to live wanes but her love for her son wins out. Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte’s story is real; her life can be described as turbulent, stormy and passionate. Never giving up on her marriage yet very naïve in her thinking, author Ruth Hull Chatlien creates a story that is breathtaking, mesmerizing, captivating and exciting as readers take the journey along with Betsy from the time she is eight to the prologue at the beginning where her son is about to die. Betsy’s parents Dorcas her mother and William called Mr. Patterson her father are quite unique. Her mother docile, often rebuked in public by her father and Mr. Patterson tough, business oriented, concerned about money and rarely showing any kind of warmth or emotion. Narrow minded, self absorbed yet some might think just trying to keep Betsy focused and under his thumb we see each of his other children marrying the right person in the right station and Betsy needing to become more independent and self-sufficient which her father had little faith that she could. Never praising her, giving her financial support yet throwing it in her face Betsy had to find a way to live without Jerome, bring up her son and not feel inner or outward disgrace.
Betsy has many possible suitors who would like to become part of her life and her son’s life. But she stands tall in her beliefs wanting him to be give declared a prince by Napoleon, hoping to receive a pension from him and never relenting in her wants and goals. Although some might say that her reasons selfish, that she is self-absorbed and her only concern is with status or some might say she has her son’s best interest at heart. With wars raging between France and Britain and the US declaring war with the French things heat up in more ways than one. With President Jefferson placing an embargo on goods going to other countries her father’s business began to wane and things at home became more difficult. But, the pension the Ambassador to France was able to get for her, the respect people showed on the outside and her newfound friendship with Dolley Madison, things seemed to take a better turn for Betsy. Letters and correspondence from Jerome then enlightened to a harsh truth by her best friend, Napoleon’s campaign in Russia failing the world seemed in turmoil. As Betsy wrote to friends in Europe wanting to know more than what was in the newspapers, hoping to find a place for herself and her son there, her mother’s illness and her father’s infidelities the final outcome for Betsy still has not come. Losing her mother and learning that Napoleon was no longer Emperor and her hopes for Bo/Jerome her son becoming prince disappeared.
The book is replete in history as we learn about the conflicts between the United States, Britain and France, the wars fought, lives lost and one woman who hoped to gain by standing firm on her principals, not faltering in her goals and hoping to finally be received by a man that made sure that she would lose it all. But, did she in the long run. But, with the city in shambles and dangers all around Betsy begs to leave Baltimore concerned that her son would suffer at the hand of the British because of his last name. Events changed and she decided to go to France leaving her son in the care of others and then hoping that he would be safe.
Leaving Europe, returning home and being reunited with her son only proved to strengthen her mind making sure that Jerome would adhere to what she wanted, understand her goals for him and not regale in her father’s footsteps. Without his father to support him she explains why he has to work hard in order to raise himself to the station and status she wants for him and desiring that he have a “brilliant career in diplomacy or government and one day to make a noble marriage.” Explaining the importance of his last name, not to think about marrying someone that would be beneath his station she never really listens to her words or realizes she is turning into her father. Jerome however is smart, perceptive and feels that why can’t they be happy as he states, “As they are?” A mother’s thoughts are revealed on pages 421-422 as she relates why she has entered Jerome in a school in Geneva and why he needs to be trained and primed for a career befitting his station.
Sometimes what we want comes back hitting us in the face as her son decides on a different course of life when of marrying age. Status matters to her and she preferred begin known as the former sister-in-law of Napoleon. Never seeing his son yet coming to Europe her former husband departs really fast meeting his son for the first time in 1826. Although Betsy wanted her son to live in Europe he opted for America.
Marrying Susan Mary Williams worth 200,000 dollars, the daughter of Benjamin Williams the founder of the first railroad company in America. But Betsy was angry, wrote to her father and he voice was not heard. Always thinking everyone is beneath her and her son this time she lost.
An ending you will have to read for yourself, a life devoted to only one think rank and status and a woman who gave up everything to pursue her goals. What happens when he meets his father for the first time? What happens when he asserts himself and decides where he wants to live and what type of life he wants? A starling letter of admission states her feelings about her son’s choice when marrying, as you will read on page 444 and another on 445. What happens when she finally meets Susan? What happens when Jerome joins her at the end of their son’s life? Her father’s will says it all and the bequests made quite telling as William gets the final word. Did Jerome ever get a title or rank? Did he ever use the Bonaparte name? What were their final words? One woman who wanted to be treated as an equal and proved she belonged in a man’s world. Betsy, Elisa Patterson: a force to be reckoned with but was she ever happy? The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte is truly an exciting story as readers take the journey; visit the many different cities throughout the world. Did she ever meet Napoleon? Maybe in her dreams. Strong characters, very intense plot and a story that will keep you glued to the printed page rooting for Betsy to win every step of the way. Ambitious: truly defined Betsy.
Fran Lewis: reviewer
August 13, 2018
I picked this book up thinking it was the story of the American woman who married Bonaparte’s brother—the brother who would rather live in exile than give up love for his brother’s ambition. Oops! Wrong brother! Madame Bonaparte was the unfortunate girl who married Bonaparte’s charming, dissolute, inconstant brother—the other one—then spent the rest of her life hanging on to fragile hopes that their marriage would be recognized and their son would be ennobled. Oh, and that Jerome would find a way to come back to her after being recalled to France. They married in the face of disapproval from her family and even an anonymous letter warning about Jerome’s sordid past, but youth and infatuation ruled the day. Madame Bonaparte may have been ambitious, but I saw her as foolish and increasingly so as she got older. Even after she realized her efforts were futile, she stubbornly clung to unrealistic expectations and ruined any chance of finding happiness elsewhere. She practically ruined her son's life in the process. Just like so many novels about famous women, she spent much of her life waiting. And waiting some more. All the good action happened to the absent husband. Nonetheless, the prose was very readable and moved right along.
December 29, 2017
I was unaware of the story of Jerome Bonaparte and the American woman he married, Elizabeth Patterson. The story is told from Elizabeth's viewpoint and gives insight into the deep aspirations she had concerning royalty and her desire to be part of it. It also shines a bright light into the vagaries of Napoleon and his family, especially regarding what they considered to be an illegitimate marriage.
Jerome was a womanizer and extravagant spender, while Elizabeth was much more careful with her money. The early part of the book focuses mainly on a young Elizabeth, including her and Jerome's marriage. The bulk of the book concerns her attempts to reunite with Jerome, finally accepting that he is too weak to stand up to his brother, and resulting in Elizabeth having only contempt for the man she once adored.
Anyone who enjoys U.S. and European history during the late 18th-early 19th centuries, coupled with family strife and romantic futility will like this book. I believe the author could have told the story with fewer words, which is why I gave it only four stars.
Jerome was a womanizer and extravagant spender, while Elizabeth was much more careful with her money. The early part of the book focuses mainly on a young Elizabeth, including her and Jerome's marriage. The bulk of the book concerns her attempts to reunite with Jerome, finally accepting that he is too weak to stand up to his brother, and resulting in Elizabeth having only contempt for the man she once adored.
Anyone who enjoys U.S. and European history during the late 18th-early 19th centuries, coupled with family strife and romantic futility will like this book. I believe the author could have told the story with fewer words, which is why I gave it only four stars.
June 27, 2017
This was an interesting historical novel set during the Napoleonic era both in the US and in Europe. It is about a little known (at least to me) romance between Napoleon's younger brother Jerome, and a young American woman from Baltimore, who married him in the United States, and then spent basically the rest of her life trying to be recognized by Napoleon and his family as a legitimate wife to Jerome, and her son as his legitimate heir. It also includes her interaction with various US presidents, and the events of the War of 1812. It is a novel, but the author used various primary sources to research her subject, who led a rather amazing life. In addition to the larger history, the book also highlights the status of women during that period. All in all, an adventurous and enlightening story.
November 3, 2017
The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte
Very intriguing reading on Betsy whom was blessed with living in America when it was first at its earliest stages of independence. Betsy had a goal of being a princess and making it to the bright lights, almost to the comparison of making it big in Hollywood. Betsy wanted to get from up under her evil father. One evening she had the chance encounter of meeting the young dashing brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, Jerome. Well let's just say this fairy tale didn't have the happy ending with the Prince Madame Bonaparte was hoping for. Several dollars later, divorce, being a single mother and finally breaking free of her father's grasp, Betsy finally breaks free from her Cocoon. But is it too little too late? I guess you will have to read to find out.
Very intriguing reading on Betsy whom was blessed with living in America when it was first at its earliest stages of independence. Betsy had a goal of being a princess and making it to the bright lights, almost to the comparison of making it big in Hollywood. Betsy wanted to get from up under her evil father. One evening she had the chance encounter of meeting the young dashing brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, Jerome. Well let's just say this fairy tale didn't have the happy ending with the Prince Madame Bonaparte was hoping for. Several dollars later, divorce, being a single mother and finally breaking free of her father's grasp, Betsy finally breaks free from her Cocoon. But is it too little too late? I guess you will have to read to find out.
November 14, 2017
erified Purchase
As a fan of historical fiction, I was interested to read about a woman from history I had not previously known. The plot of an ambitious young woman in love transcends all ages and audiences.The story and the writing draws you in and makes you feel as if you are there witnessing the events occur, wishing you actually were to shake some sense into this Madame Bonaparte! At times I had to put the book down because she was ambitious to a fault during points in her life, but then I realized I'm reading some really great writing if such a range of emotion can be produced by a character in a book. The amount of time and research that must have gone into the story will blow you away because this isn't your George Washingtons you can Wikipedia easily, this is a minute character in history that you will learn to love and hate and love all again.
As a fan of historical fiction, I was interested to read about a woman from history I had not previously known. The plot of an ambitious young woman in love transcends all ages and audiences.The story and the writing draws you in and makes you feel as if you are there witnessing the events occur, wishing you actually were to shake some sense into this Madame Bonaparte! At times I had to put the book down because she was ambitious to a fault during points in her life, but then I realized I'm reading some really great writing if such a range of emotion can be produced by a character in a book. The amount of time and research that must have gone into the story will blow you away because this isn't your George Washingtons you can Wikipedia easily, this is a minute character in history that you will learn to love and hate and love all again.
August 27, 2024
I have read several wonderful books authored by Ruth Hull Chatlien, but this novel, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte, is one that I consider a veritable masterpiece! The research and the writing are fantastic, and the story is spellbinding! It is worth so many more stars than the pitiable 5 permitted!
When I finished reading the book, I sat and reflected on how much work this author devoted to creating such fabulous historical fiction! Brava! Kudos!
Never stop writing! Your work is formidable and I only wish it had a wider audience! I probably would be content reading a grocery list from Chatlien--she is by far one of the best writers I've come across in the past ten years...maybe more!
When I finished reading the book, I sat and reflected on how much work this author devoted to creating such fabulous historical fiction! Brava! Kudos!
Never stop writing! Your work is formidable and I only wish it had a wider audience! I probably would be content reading a grocery list from Chatlien--she is by far one of the best writers I've come across in the past ten years...maybe more!
January 1, 2018
Driven by a need for control and power at a time when women had neither, Betsy Patterson was known for her great beauty. She married Jerome Bonaparte, rather one Napoleon, against her father's wishes. Betsy and Jerome had a happy 2 years n. son, Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon wanted the marriage annulled, so Jerome left to try to gain his brother's approval. He never returned and eventually Marie a mother. Betsy never married, but did become quite well know as a socialite both in Baltimore (which she detested) and in Europe.
This is a true story--never knew it before. Interesting, enjoyable read.
3.5 stars
This is a true story--never knew it before. Interesting, enjoyable read.
3.5 stars
July 1, 2017
I don't read much historical fiction, but I enjoyed the story about a f figure I didn't know anything about. The author was able to keep the story engaging while writing about the historical events. The war of 1812 is one of those periods that I was aware of, but didn't really have a firm grasp of. I'm sure I memorized facts for a test or two about this era, but nothing really stuck. With this story about Betsy Bonaparte, you really understand the entanglements between the US, France, and England, and how the Napoleonic wars could cause rifts over the ocean.
July 13, 2017
This book is well written and thoroughly researched. This reads more easily than other historical books, with a much less academic feel without disrupting the actual history. The story of a young women who marries Jerome Bonapatre (younger brother of Napolean) takes you through the struggles of the time period. Especially the struggles of a women who wants more than society allows at the time. At times I felt frustrated with Elizabeth and had to remember the time setting which made her actions and thoughts more understandable.
July 17, 2017
The story of Betsy Bonaparte was interesting, but that's hardly the author's merit. With long passages of info dumping, the book read more like a detailed biography than a novel. My other problem was that I found none of the main characters too likeable, especially not Betsy. Even though I pitied her for what had happened to her, I couldn't really empathize; the emotional connection just wasn't there.
Nice read but nothing special.
Nice read but nothing special.
January 6, 2019
As an avid historical fiction and historian, I enjoyed the subject of the book. It was easy to read and contained a draw to find out what would happen next. The author's overall writing style, grammatical and language errors prompted my lower rating. The style itself left me wanting something further and expecting more sophistication.
I did enjoy the subject of a lesser known person of history and thank the author for that.
I did enjoy the subject of a lesser known person of history and thank the author for that.
July 8, 2017
A Unusual American
I found Betsy to be extremely inflexible However she chose the life she enjoyed in spite of rejection. That she stayed in. Europe as long as she did leaving her son result in her losing control of him. It was an interesting read. But boring in some spots. Her character was well developed.
I found Betsy to be extremely inflexible However she chose the life she enjoyed in spite of rejection. That she stayed in. Europe as long as she did leaving her son result in her losing control of him. It was an interesting read. But boring in some spots. Her character was well developed.
August 17, 2017
I loved this book.
I know some people had a hard time with all of the fact dumping but I was a history major, so I didn't seem to notice it. I really loved it and while I was reading it, I happened to take a road trip to visit a friend in Baltimore and then remembered about the book. Too perfect!
I gave it 4 stars because I felt like the ending just fizzled out which was disappointing.
I know some people had a hard time with all of the fact dumping but I was a history major, so I didn't seem to notice it. I really loved it and while I was reading it, I happened to take a road trip to visit a friend in Baltimore and then remembered about the book. Too perfect!
I gave it 4 stars because I felt like the ending just fizzled out which was disappointing.
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