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The Royal Diaries
Elisabeth: The Princess Bride, Austria - Hungary, 1853
Author Barry Denenberg brings us into the whirlwind that is the life of Princess Elisabeth of Austria. A free and impetuous spirit, Elisabeth is chosen at the age of fifteen (over her older sister) to be the wife of Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria. From that moment on, she is thrown into an intimidating world of restrictions and tremendous responsibilities. Feeling lonely and alienated, Elisabeth is forced to rely upon her own personal strength, which eventually leads her down the aisle and into an uncertain future.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
12 people are currently reading
3326 people want to read
About the author
Barry Denenberg
47 books82 followersBarry Denenberg is the critically acclaimed author of non-fiction and historical fiction. His historical fiction includes titles in the Dear America, My Name is America, and Royal Diaries series, many of which have been named NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People. His nonfiction books have covered a wide array of topics, from Anne Frank to Elvis Presley. After the publication of An American Hero: The True Story of Charles Lindburgh, Denenberg was interviewed for various documentaries including ABC’s “The Century.”
Denenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York and lived in Long Island, Binghamton, New York, and Palisades Park, New Jersey. “I was a serious reader from an early age and when I attended Boston University in 1968, majoring in history, I worked in a bookstore at night,” he says. “After college I was a book buyer for some fine, independent bookstores, some of the nation’s largest retail book chains and a marketing executive in publishing.
“At the age of forty I came to the startling realization that the glamorous world of power lunches, power politics, and power trips was not for me. I immediately went to work on the Great American Novel (since destroyed) and was rescued when my future wife, Jean Feiwel (then and now publisher of Scholastic Inc.) made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Scholastic had received a biography of John F. Kennedy that they deemed unacceptable: would I like to try and write one?
“The rest is history in more ways than one. I went on to write biographies of Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, J. Edgar Hoover, Nelson Mandela, Elvis Presley and Voices From Vietnam, an oral history of the war.
“Writing some of the first books in the Dear America series was a turning point in my career. Its popularity and the resulting readers’ letters made a great impression on me. This in turn inspired my writing and fueled my research. With my bookstore background and the help of numerous knowledgeable booksellers I am able to assemble an extensive bibliography on each topic I write.
“I think there’s an art to both writing and research. I’m a good writer but a better researcher.”
Something that has added greatly to Denenberg’s perspective on writing for young readers is his volunteer work as Director of Creative Writing and Library Services at the Waterside School in Stamford, Connecticut. Waterside, established in 2001, is an independent school dedicated to educating gifted children of the communities’ low-income families.
Aside from writing and teaching Denenberg’s interests include listening to music, reading (books not related to his research), swimming, practicing yoga and spending time with his family.
Barry Denenberg lives in Bedford, New York with his wife and daughter.
Denenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York and lived in Long Island, Binghamton, New York, and Palisades Park, New Jersey. “I was a serious reader from an early age and when I attended Boston University in 1968, majoring in history, I worked in a bookstore at night,” he says. “After college I was a book buyer for some fine, independent bookstores, some of the nation’s largest retail book chains and a marketing executive in publishing.
“At the age of forty I came to the startling realization that the glamorous world of power lunches, power politics, and power trips was not for me. I immediately went to work on the Great American Novel (since destroyed) and was rescued when my future wife, Jean Feiwel (then and now publisher of Scholastic Inc.) made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Scholastic had received a biography of John F. Kennedy that they deemed unacceptable: would I like to try and write one?
“The rest is history in more ways than one. I went on to write biographies of Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, J. Edgar Hoover, Nelson Mandela, Elvis Presley and Voices From Vietnam, an oral history of the war.
“Writing some of the first books in the Dear America series was a turning point in my career. Its popularity and the resulting readers’ letters made a great impression on me. This in turn inspired my writing and fueled my research. With my bookstore background and the help of numerous knowledgeable booksellers I am able to assemble an extensive bibliography on each topic I write.
“I think there’s an art to both writing and research. I’m a good writer but a better researcher.”
Something that has added greatly to Denenberg’s perspective on writing for young readers is his volunteer work as Director of Creative Writing and Library Services at the Waterside School in Stamford, Connecticut. Waterside, established in 2001, is an independent school dedicated to educating gifted children of the communities’ low-income families.
Aside from writing and teaching Denenberg’s interests include listening to music, reading (books not related to his research), swimming, practicing yoga and spending time with his family.
Barry Denenberg lives in Bedford, New York with his wife and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
July 12, 2023
A great introduction to this little-known royal of the Austro-Hungarian Empire!
When my daughter was collecting/reading the Royal Diaries series, I wanted to check them out as well. Even though the diary focuses on Sisi before her marriage (these Diaries typically do this, I think, to relate to the intended reading demographic), her life after getting married is much more enthralling. This book got me reading Allison Pataki's novels about this empress, The Accidental Empress and Sisi: Empress on Her Own. This book (and the entire Royal Diaries series) is a great start for young historical-fiction fans!
When my daughter was collecting/reading the Royal Diaries series, I wanted to check them out as well. Even though the diary focuses on Sisi before her marriage (these Diaries typically do this, I think, to relate to the intended reading demographic), her life after getting married is much more enthralling. This book got me reading Allison Pataki's novels about this empress, The Accidental Empress and Sisi: Empress on Her Own. This book (and the entire Royal Diaries series) is a great start for young historical-fiction fans!
June 26, 2010
I liked the diary part of this novel, but it really paled in comparison to the epilogue/afterword/historical note part that technically is not even part of the novel. The afterword is longer than the actual diary, and it really makes one wish that the novel had been based on her life after marriage, rather than on the few months between meeting the Emperor and marrying him. Elisabeth seems like such a tragic character and I think, basing my opinion on the afterword, that her life desearved much more of a commemoration than a the 93 pages dedicated to her diary. She sounds absolutely fascinating and intelligent. Despite being basically tricked and forced into marriage at sixteen, she became a becon of light for millions of oppressed in her husband's centuries old dynastic rule. She loved to ride, write poetry, and thumbed her nose at the useless conventions of the Habsburg court. She was also human. Her beauty had so long been haled as the epitome, that she was afraid to lose it. She spent hours getting ready for the day and tried countless methods to stay beautiful. She eventually became anorexic (by today's standards) she was so desperate to stay thin. At the age of 60 she was assinated by an anarchist while walking down the street. Such a tragic character surely desearves more.
This is one princess I definately intend to read more about.
This is one princess I definately intend to read more about.
August 14, 2016
I loved the Royal Diaries books when I was younger, and along with the Dear America series and American Girls, they started a lifelong love of history for me. As an adult, I have no qualms about occasionally reading one or two when nostalgia kicks in, because they're generally well-done and I still enjoy them. Anyway, I'm on a search for good historical fiction about Empress Elisabeth ("Sisi") and thought this would be worth picking up (never got around to reading this particular RD volume when I was a kid, somehow).
It is quite short, even for a YA book--the story covers just 93 pages. The author chose to focus on the short time period when 15-year old Sisi caught Franz Joseph's eye and became engaged to him. Her "diary" details her time with her family, her meetings with the Emperor, and her bewilderment at being unexpectedly chosen as his bride. The author captured the viewpoint of a 15-year old girl well and incorporated some of Sisi's signature personality traits including her vanity, dreaminess, and independence. However, I didn't feel any real emotion in the narrative. For example, Sisi repeatedly states that she is attached to her father ("Poppy") and her siblings, but there aren't many scenarios (fictional or otherwise) presented to add depth to these assertions.
Additionally, I picked up on a bit of a disconnect between the girl presented in the "diary" and the woman the author discussed in the Afterword. Sisi was intelligent, gifted with languages, and passionately devoted to the cause of Hungarian independence, but these important aspects of her are barely touched on in the story. Perhaps my view of the novel is colored by the fact that I'm no longer the target demographic for this series, but I don't think that I would have been satisfied with it even as a younger reader. I'll allow that this would be a decent (and age-appropriate) introduction to a fascinating historical figure for a much younger audience, but I didn't find it satisfying.
It is quite short, even for a YA book--the story covers just 93 pages. The author chose to focus on the short time period when 15-year old Sisi caught Franz Joseph's eye and became engaged to him. Her "diary" details her time with her family, her meetings with the Emperor, and her bewilderment at being unexpectedly chosen as his bride. The author captured the viewpoint of a 15-year old girl well and incorporated some of Sisi's signature personality traits including her vanity, dreaminess, and independence. However, I didn't feel any real emotion in the narrative. For example, Sisi repeatedly states that she is attached to her father ("Poppy") and her siblings, but there aren't many scenarios (fictional or otherwise) presented to add depth to these assertions.
Additionally, I picked up on a bit of a disconnect between the girl presented in the "diary" and the woman the author discussed in the Afterword. Sisi was intelligent, gifted with languages, and passionately devoted to the cause of Hungarian independence, but these important aspects of her are barely touched on in the story. Perhaps my view of the novel is colored by the fact that I'm no longer the target demographic for this series, but I don't think that I would have been satisfied with it even as a younger reader. I'll allow that this would be a decent (and age-appropriate) introduction to a fascinating historical figure for a much younger audience, but I didn't find it satisfying.
April 30, 2020
”I think of myself, sold as a child of fifteen and taking an oath I did not understand and could never undo.”
When I was four years old, I was watching my mom iron clothes. Being a curious if somewhat naïve kid, I thought it would be a grand idea to touch the hot iron. My mom warned me that it was a bad idea and not to touch it, but being the defiant little toddler that I was, I touched it anyway.
Reader, it hurt.
I burned my hand and my mom got the opportunity to tell me that she told me it wasn’t a good idea. As usual, Mom is always right.
The tragic life of Elisabeth of Austria is like watching something very similar happen. At the tender age of fifteen, Elisabeth accompanies her mother and older sister Helene to the royal court. The reason? Their mother is trying to arrange a marriage between Helene and, Franz Joseph, the emperor of the Austrian empire. At the age of 18, Helene is the perfect age for marriage material. Elisabeth, being 15, is still a long ways off from marriage prospects.
And then the unthinkable happens. Franz Joseph falls in love, all right… but with Elisabeth. And he falls hard.
Elisabeth’s mother is thrilled, her father is overjoyed, she’s smitten… and Franz Joseph’s mother is worried. She warns her son that while she does like Elisabeth, she’s not Empress material. She’s too impetuous, not refined and graceful enough, and the marriage was going to be a disaster.
Reader, he didn’t listen.
He and Elisabeth get married in a lavish ceremony, and then everything immediately begins to fall apart. Just like his mother predicted.
This book follows the whirlwind courtship between Elisabeth and Franz Joseph and ends with their wedding. It’s one of the shortest installments in The Royal Diaries series, and it shows. The book moved at breakneck pace that you could hardly keep up with the thing. The epilogue was more in-depth than the actual diary entries. However, the entries do show you how towards the end Elisabeth starts to regret her decision.
Truth be told, Franz and Elisabeth were a good match aesthetically, but not a good match personality wise. Elisabeth was a country girl at heart, happiest with her beloved horses, siblings, and father. She liked riding, writing poetry, wandering the countryside and playing with the village folk in town. In many historian’s opinion, she was simply not prepared or meant for the strict rigidity of the royal court. It was too uppity, too formal.
To make a modern comparison, it would be like if the Franz Joseph were living in the present day but instead of marrying a Kate Middleton, he married a Meghan Markle. Hence the reason she and Prince Harry left the royal court.
Elisabeth’s story is ultimately a tragic one, as she did not live the happily ever after life that she so desperately wanted. She exerted great influence over her life and is still considered one of the most influential figures in Austrian history. However, that one fateful decision that was made changed the course of her life forever, and not in a good way.
This was one of the more disappointing entries in The Royal Diaries series, just because I felt that the author glossed over a lot of Elisabeth’s early life. Maybe this was because he was focusing on such a minute point in her life that he didn’t feel the need to dig any deeper. I as a reader wanted to read more about her and get more insight into her fictional thoughts, and I think other readers would agree. This paper thin book offers a quick slice into the life of a remarkable young woman who would ultimately live an extremely tragic life.
”I was forced onto center stage, compelled to play the starring role in a play I had not read, until I discovered wherein resided my destiny.”
When I was four years old, I was watching my mom iron clothes. Being a curious if somewhat naïve kid, I thought it would be a grand idea to touch the hot iron. My mom warned me that it was a bad idea and not to touch it, but being the defiant little toddler that I was, I touched it anyway.
Reader, it hurt.
I burned my hand and my mom got the opportunity to tell me that she told me it wasn’t a good idea. As usual, Mom is always right.
The tragic life of Elisabeth of Austria is like watching something very similar happen. At the tender age of fifteen, Elisabeth accompanies her mother and older sister Helene to the royal court. The reason? Their mother is trying to arrange a marriage between Helene and, Franz Joseph, the emperor of the Austrian empire. At the age of 18, Helene is the perfect age for marriage material. Elisabeth, being 15, is still a long ways off from marriage prospects.
And then the unthinkable happens. Franz Joseph falls in love, all right… but with Elisabeth. And he falls hard.
Elisabeth’s mother is thrilled, her father is overjoyed, she’s smitten… and Franz Joseph’s mother is worried. She warns her son that while she does like Elisabeth, she’s not Empress material. She’s too impetuous, not refined and graceful enough, and the marriage was going to be a disaster.
Reader, he didn’t listen.
He and Elisabeth get married in a lavish ceremony, and then everything immediately begins to fall apart. Just like his mother predicted.
This book follows the whirlwind courtship between Elisabeth and Franz Joseph and ends with their wedding. It’s one of the shortest installments in The Royal Diaries series, and it shows. The book moved at breakneck pace that you could hardly keep up with the thing. The epilogue was more in-depth than the actual diary entries. However, the entries do show you how towards the end Elisabeth starts to regret her decision.
Truth be told, Franz and Elisabeth were a good match aesthetically, but not a good match personality wise. Elisabeth was a country girl at heart, happiest with her beloved horses, siblings, and father. She liked riding, writing poetry, wandering the countryside and playing with the village folk in town. In many historian’s opinion, she was simply not prepared or meant for the strict rigidity of the royal court. It was too uppity, too formal.
To make a modern comparison, it would be like if the Franz Joseph were living in the present day but instead of marrying a Kate Middleton, he married a Meghan Markle. Hence the reason she and Prince Harry left the royal court.
Elisabeth’s story is ultimately a tragic one, as she did not live the happily ever after life that she so desperately wanted. She exerted great influence over her life and is still considered one of the most influential figures in Austrian history. However, that one fateful decision that was made changed the course of her life forever, and not in a good way.
This was one of the more disappointing entries in The Royal Diaries series, just because I felt that the author glossed over a lot of Elisabeth’s early life. Maybe this was because he was focusing on such a minute point in her life that he didn’t feel the need to dig any deeper. I as a reader wanted to read more about her and get more insight into her fictional thoughts, and I think other readers would agree. This paper thin book offers a quick slice into the life of a remarkable young woman who would ultimately live an extremely tragic life.
”I was forced onto center stage, compelled to play the starring role in a play I had not read, until I discovered wherein resided my destiny.”
July 31, 2010
I wasn't sure who this one was about but I am glad I picked it up. I never realized how long the Hapsburg's ruled Austria. I felt kind of bad for Elisabeth's sister Helene because she had worked so hard to my a good empress and then when they arrived the Emperor didn't want anything to do with her it was all very sad. I had hoped that since Elisabeth and Franz Joseph actually started out in lust with one another that maybe they would be one of the few royal couples to have a happy ending but alas it was not to be. I disliked her Aunt Sophie and couldn't figure out what the big deal was with her dislike of Elisabeth. As far as I could tell Elisabeth was more polite than she had any reason to be to her husbands mother and it was also extremely frustrating that Franz Joseph wouldn't stand up for Elisabeth to his mother. Momma's boys are so unattractive. I also think it is sad that her life ended by being stabbed. I mean where were her guards at that crucial moment? I think I will have to start reading up on the Hapsburg's now. I didn't realize how important they were until this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
July 12, 2023So this is a princess I didn’t know anything about. Nothing like having your little sister show you up and then become duchess. This book actually makes me want to learn more about Sisi and I was great film for the epilogue at the end of this book.
March 11, 2021
I used to adore the Royal Diaries series and I decided to pick this one up. It’s a very quick read with lots of potential. First off, this is one of the saddest RD’s I’ve read. I am embarrassed to say that I didn’t know anything about Elisabeth, and was very interested to hear about her sad life.
The reason that I gave this book only 3 stars is because it is relatively dull until the epilogue. The diary leads up to Elisabeth’s marriage by detailing her whirlwind engagement. The story was very sad and unsettling. Elisabeth and her sister go to the Royal court to meet the emperor of Austria, who is to marry Helene. However, the 23 year old emperor sets his eyes on 15 year old Elisabeth, and her life is changed forever.
I wasn’t a fan of the way Elisabeth was portrayed as reacting to this. She seems excited, happy, and in love with this fully grown adult who is forcing her to marry him, and it’s only occasionally that she expresses any hesitation. When she does, it’s about leaving her home and not about being a child bride. Heck, I show more apprehensive about my upcoming marriage, and I WANT to marry my fiancé!
I think it kind of comes down to Barry Denenberg, the author. I’ve never been a huge fan of his writing in the Dear America books. It just seems weird to have a man writing young girls’ experiences.
I was very interested in the epilogue. Elisabeth had such a sad and fascinating life. I wish the diary had focused much more on her life after marriage (even though it would be more of an adult book.) I am definitely going to do more research.
The reason that I gave this book only 3 stars is because it is relatively dull until the epilogue. The diary leads up to Elisabeth’s marriage by detailing her whirlwind engagement. The story was very sad and unsettling. Elisabeth and her sister go to the Royal court to meet the emperor of Austria, who is to marry Helene. However, the 23 year old emperor sets his eyes on 15 year old Elisabeth, and her life is changed forever.
I wasn’t a fan of the way Elisabeth was portrayed as reacting to this. She seems excited, happy, and in love with this fully grown adult who is forcing her to marry him, and it’s only occasionally that she expresses any hesitation. When she does, it’s about leaving her home and not about being a child bride. Heck, I show more apprehensive about my upcoming marriage, and I WANT to marry my fiancé!
I think it kind of comes down to Barry Denenberg, the author. I’ve never been a huge fan of his writing in the Dear America books. It just seems weird to have a man writing young girls’ experiences.
I was very interested in the epilogue. Elisabeth had such a sad and fascinating life. I wish the diary had focused much more on her life after marriage (even though it would be more of an adult book.) I am definitely going to do more research.
December 14, 2025
A gift from my dear friend Mia to relive my glory days in childhood reading historical fiction diaries akin to American Girl doll books and the Dear America series. Lowkey, this was a tragedy!! I read this in like a snap, I really want to finish my reading goal, which is only one book away let’s go, so I thought this is the perfect time to pay homage to little Liz.
That poor girl did not want to get married and her aunt is awful. It was super interesting to read this though being in all the places in Austria she was and getting a little bit more history. I wish I knew a little bit more of the historical context from her eyes, but this was cute and fun and I realize this is for like pre teens so I will allow it, I thought the epilogue and the historical notes were the most interesting part though, nerd.
Justice for Empress Elisabeth fr.
That poor girl did not want to get married and her aunt is awful. It was super interesting to read this though being in all the places in Austria she was and getting a little bit more history. I wish I knew a little bit more of the historical context from her eyes, but this was cute and fun and I realize this is for like pre teens so I will allow it, I thought the epilogue and the historical notes were the most interesting part though, nerd.
Justice for Empress Elisabeth fr.
August 29, 2022
who this is for: Girls who love diaries, old Austria, Princess Stories, Relatable Characters, slight romance. 10+
March 1, 2010
Fifteen-year-old Princess Elisabeth, called Sisi, is the daughter of Duke Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria and his wife, Princess Ludovica. She has had a carefree childhood in the Bavarian countryside. She spends as much of her days as possible horseback riding, her favorite pastime. But everything changes in the summer of 1857. Sisi's older sister, Helene, has been chosen to marry their cousin, Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. Their mother is taking Helene to meet Franz Joseph, and has decided to take Sisi along in hopes of finding a husband for her as well. But when Franz Joseph meets Helene and Sisi, he decides it is Sisi he wants to marry. Sisi becomes engaged to Franz Joseph, but she is far too young for the responsibilities she suddenly finds herself facing as the future Empress.
This is not one of my favorites from the Royal Diaries series, but I still think readers who love the series will enjoy it. I liked the story, but I wish the book had been longer - it just felt too short, I would haved liked to read more about Elisabeth's life. (this is more like a 3.5 star read but they don't allow half stars so I ranked it up to 4)
This is not one of my favorites from the Royal Diaries series, but I still think readers who love the series will enjoy it. I liked the story, but I wish the book had been longer - it just felt too short, I would haved liked to read more about Elisabeth's life. (this is more like a 3.5 star read but they don't allow half stars so I ranked it up to 4)
November 11, 2021
Must research all these female historical figures- they're all so cool
July 6, 2014
For my next Royal Diaries book, I decided to read about Empress Elisabeth of Austria. I don’t really know anything about her, so I didn’t have any preconceived expectations or anything like that.
I’ve read a fair number of Royal Diaries books (including this one on Elisabeth, I have read 12 of the 20 books in this series), so from my experience so far, I think this book is the most put-together one. Some of the other diaries were just, well, diaries, where the princesses talked about their day to day activities and barely any plot happens. This series is meant to educate kids about not only these historical figures, but also about what life was like back in their respective time periods, so I understand why some of the books were written that way. I was very pleased to find, when reading this book, that it managed to fit in an actual story as well, instead of just talking about what Elisabeth did every day.
This book on Elisabeth begins with herself, her mother and her sister being summoned to meet the Emperor of Austria and his mother, Princess Sophie. The reality of the meeting is that the mothers have paired up the 23 year old emperor with Elisabeth’s 18 year old sister. However, when everyone met, the Emperor found himself smitten with Elisabeth instead. He asks for her hand in marriage, which shocks Elisabeth. She had not expected this at all, and what’s worse, she’s afraid her sister will hate her for this. However, she, too, really likes this handsome young emperor so she accepts — well, also because her mother really wants Elisabeth to accept so at least ONE of her daughters can become Empress of Austria.
Even though Elisabeth is happy to be marrying the Emperor, she is absolutely intimidated by her future duties as an Empress. As the day of the royal wedding approaches closer and closer, Elisabeth finds herself more and more uncomfortable with imperial life. Yet, she must endure …
Like I said, it was great that this book actually had a story and I enjoyed reading it. It’s extremely short, only about 100 pages — the rest of the book is the epilogue, historical notes, family tree and pictures, which is roughly 50 pages on its own! While the story presented in this book is interesting, Elisabeth’s life after she was married would have made an even more fascinating story, I think! In a tragic sort of way. Of course, the Royal Diaries series focuses on the princess’ and queens’ childhoods since it is a series aimed at children.
Anyway, I digress. This is definitely one of the better Royal Diaries books of the series, short and sweet!
I’ve read a fair number of Royal Diaries books (including this one on Elisabeth, I have read 12 of the 20 books in this series), so from my experience so far, I think this book is the most put-together one. Some of the other diaries were just, well, diaries, where the princesses talked about their day to day activities and barely any plot happens. This series is meant to educate kids about not only these historical figures, but also about what life was like back in their respective time periods, so I understand why some of the books were written that way. I was very pleased to find, when reading this book, that it managed to fit in an actual story as well, instead of just talking about what Elisabeth did every day.
This book on Elisabeth begins with herself, her mother and her sister being summoned to meet the Emperor of Austria and his mother, Princess Sophie. The reality of the meeting is that the mothers have paired up the 23 year old emperor with Elisabeth’s 18 year old sister. However, when everyone met, the Emperor found himself smitten with Elisabeth instead. He asks for her hand in marriage, which shocks Elisabeth. She had not expected this at all, and what’s worse, she’s afraid her sister will hate her for this. However, she, too, really likes this handsome young emperor so she accepts — well, also because her mother really wants Elisabeth to accept so at least ONE of her daughters can become Empress of Austria.
Even though Elisabeth is happy to be marrying the Emperor, she is absolutely intimidated by her future duties as an Empress. As the day of the royal wedding approaches closer and closer, Elisabeth finds herself more and more uncomfortable with imperial life. Yet, she must endure …
Like I said, it was great that this book actually had a story and I enjoyed reading it. It’s extremely short, only about 100 pages — the rest of the book is the epilogue, historical notes, family tree and pictures, which is roughly 50 pages on its own! While the story presented in this book is interesting, Elisabeth’s life after she was married would have made an even more fascinating story, I think! In a tragic sort of way. Of course, the Royal Diaries series focuses on the princess’ and queens’ childhoods since it is a series aimed at children.
Anyway, I digress. This is definitely one of the better Royal Diaries books of the series, short and sweet!
February 12, 2021
One of the shorter Royal Diaries, Elisabeth covers the engagement of the Empress of Austria, aka Sissi. And yeah, it's basically just that; it starts shortly before Elisabeth meets Franz Joseph and ends literally on her wedding night. The historical afterward is longer than the story itself, or at least it felt that way. More informative, too. I could wish we had more information about Elisabeth's early life, especially since it seems she was mentally ill; we could have seen some of the foundations of that, perhaps.
Like many other Royal Diary subjects, Elisabeth would eventually live a very tragic life, and I think Denenberg did a better job foreshadowing that than other authors in the series. She's smitten with her fiance but concerned about actually being Empress, and that overshadows all her happiness in the match much as the position itself would overshadow her whole life. While the story was very (too, in my opinion) short, I do think Denenberg packed a lot in there. It's worth reading, especially if you're interested in Sissi herself.
Side note: Denenberg is also responsible for When Will This Cruel War Be Over?, aka, let's try to make people feel bad for a slaveholder by blatantly lying. Elisabeth: The Princess Bride is much more historically accurate and much less... hmm. Heavy-handed in attempting to make its protagonist sympathetic. Probably because he doesn't have to try as hard.
Like many other Royal Diary subjects, Elisabeth would eventually live a very tragic life, and I think Denenberg did a better job foreshadowing that than other authors in the series. She's smitten with her fiance but concerned about actually being Empress, and that overshadows all her happiness in the match much as the position itself would overshadow her whole life. While the story was very (too, in my opinion) short, I do think Denenberg packed a lot in there. It's worth reading, especially if you're interested in Sissi herself.
Side note: Denenberg is also responsible for When Will This Cruel War Be Over?, aka, let's try to make people feel bad for a slaveholder by blatantly lying. Elisabeth: The Princess Bride is much more historically accurate and much less... hmm. Heavy-handed in attempting to make its protagonist sympathetic. Probably because he doesn't have to try as hard.
December 29, 2024
Finding out she was actually a huge bitch in real life really took away from the enjoyment and nostalgia I had for this one.
October 21, 2025
(Around the World - Hungary)
“Perhaps life in my imagination is more interesting than life with both feet firmly planted on the ground."
This reads like an honest to God Disney move. 15 years old and goes to meet the Emperor who her mother wants her older sister to marry. One meeting later, they're in love. Throw in a ball and one dance and they're engaged.
Okay, even though the epilogues of these are sometimes (usually) not fairytales (take Cleopatra, for example), these one ends SO sadly. Her son and his mistress commit a double suicide (which seems so weirdly out of date in the 1800s to me for some reason) and at age 60, in Switzerland, of all places, she is stabbed to death with a wooden dagger. WTF And the fact that there are photographs of these people instead of portraits at the end of this novel took me by surprise tbh
“Perhaps life in my imagination is more interesting than life with both feet firmly planted on the ground."
This reads like an honest to God Disney move. 15 years old and goes to meet the Emperor who her mother wants her older sister to marry. One meeting later, they're in love. Throw in a ball and one dance and they're engaged.
Okay, even though the epilogues of these are sometimes (usually) not fairytales (take Cleopatra, for example), these one ends SO sadly. Her son and his mistress commit a double suicide (which seems so weirdly out of date in the 1800s to me for some reason) and at age 60, in Switzerland, of all places, she is stabbed to death with a wooden dagger. WTF And the fact that there are photographs of these people instead of portraits at the end of this novel took me by surprise tbh
April 8, 2023
Good sense of her personality-artistic/poet, pretty, prob anorexic, and most def a pill. But delightful to time travel, appreciate last 35% of book is nonfic/bios. And this one ends so darkly! Fictional portion all about her meeting the emperor who’s supposed to marry her older sister but ends up w her bc she’s livelier, ends at her wedding night where she “waits for his knock”, and then the epilogue says their marriage ends v unhappily bc she had mother in law problems, he was a mommy’s boy who never supported her, and they ultimately lived separate lives, as she spent the rest of her life w problems like anorexia, her only son committing double suicide w his mistress/otp, until she’s murdered by a political extremist w a rusty shank. DARK!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2024
I am not a huge fan of traditional historical fiction books, however, I found this diary-style book very interesting. Elisabeth (often called Sisi) has an older sister named Helene. Helene is supposed to marry the future Emperor of Australia however when Sisi, Helene, their mother and aunt arrive in Vienna the emperor decides he wants to marry Sisi instead! Helene is upset but the engagement between Sisi and the Emperor continues and then end up getting married at the very end of the book. I would use this book in my classroom as a read-aloud to introduce the topic of diaries and to show that history books don't have to be boring and that they can be fast passed and shorter than traditional historical fiction books.
February 19, 2014
I would have given this book 4 stars except I would have liked more backstory on Elisabeth's family and position and at 93 pages, the book definitely had space to do so. I mean, I didn't even know Poppy was her father until she mentions him having "other children". I also felt like there was a big disconnect between the diary portion and the historical note (and not just because the historical note doesn't really focus on Elisabeth). Elisabeth apparently became known as a fashion icon later in life, so why not introduce little nuggets like this in the diary part? Make a stronger connection to the actual historical figure.
December 28, 2015
Wow. That was surprisingly short and depressing. This story is like the story of Cinderella if it had a sad ending. While it's not surprising and royal marriages in the past were rarely based on how the couple felt about each other. It is amazing that the emperor could be so impulsive and choose to marry a 16-year old girl more or less on a whim. Still, Elisabeth herself managed to live a fairly productive life as a style icon and stood up for herself and her children.
February 24, 2019
To be completely honest, I wasn't sure I even wanted to finish this book. I found it quite dull and sad. I feel so sorry for Elizabeth, she lived such a horrible life. She was too young in my opinion, to get married. Especially to the Emperor of Austria. She fell in love and didn't understand what she was getting herself into. She spent her whole life trying to get as far away from Austria as she could. I just found this book really sad. :(
January 20, 2025
Elisabeth kept a journal to write down her thoughts which helped her to calm down because she was going to be marrying her cousin Fran Joseph who was the Emperor of Austria and she would soon be the Empress. She is also very free-spirited and is a little worried about her new life. I really did like this book and I think other people will like this book too.
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August 6, 2023Small little book, but packed with interesting information
August 30, 2019
I was really disappointed with this book and I'm sure I would have been had I read it when I was twelve.
I've just "discovered" Sisi or the Empress Elisabeth of Austria for a few years now and am aware of the basics of her life. I wasn't planning on reading this preteen book and getting an indepth look at Sisi but I was looking forward to reading carefree, happy child/preteen even as Denenberg chose to focus on the year leading up to her marriage to the Emperor.
Fine, Denenberg. Fine.
But Sisi had two attentive parents and seven siblings and countless staff and extended family but not one sibling is mentioned aside from Helene. Then he had the nerve to mention a random sibling about fifty pages from the last time he mentions them and uses their nickname on top of that so the reader has no clue who he's mentioning.
And poor Helene. Its bad enough that she ended up the jilted sister in real life but Denenberg casts her aside just as flippantly as the Emperor. He writes about the (understandable) rift between the sisters after Franz Joseph picks the wrong sister but never has them make up apart from Sisi mentioning it in the most offhand way.
There's no dialogue in this short story except a bit at the beginning and it really suffers for it. At the very least Helene and Franz should have their own voices. What's the reason Sisi falls in love with Franz other than he's the handsome Emperor? He's silent and bland and the only time he has a personality is when he scowls Elisabeth towards the end. What a jerk in real life and an awfully written character.
I'm not sure how this got past the editing phase.
I've just "discovered" Sisi or the Empress Elisabeth of Austria for a few years now and am aware of the basics of her life. I wasn't planning on reading this preteen book and getting an indepth look at Sisi but I was looking forward to reading carefree, happy child/preteen even as Denenberg chose to focus on the year leading up to her marriage to the Emperor.
Fine, Denenberg. Fine.
But Sisi had two attentive parents and seven siblings and countless staff and extended family but not one sibling is mentioned aside from Helene. Then he had the nerve to mention a random sibling about fifty pages from the last time he mentions them and uses their nickname on top of that so the reader has no clue who he's mentioning.
And poor Helene. Its bad enough that she ended up the jilted sister in real life but Denenberg casts her aside just as flippantly as the Emperor. He writes about the (understandable) rift between the sisters after Franz Joseph picks the wrong sister but never has them make up apart from Sisi mentioning it in the most offhand way.
There's no dialogue in this short story except a bit at the beginning and it really suffers for it. At the very least Helene and Franz should have their own voices. What's the reason Sisi falls in love with Franz other than he's the handsome Emperor? He's silent and bland and the only time he has a personality is when he scowls Elisabeth towards the end. What a jerk in real life and an awfully written character.
I'm not sure how this got past the editing phase.
November 25, 2019
Fifteen-year old Elisabeth "Sisi", daughter of Princess of Bavaria Ludovica and Duke in Bavaria, accompanied her eldest sister Helene and mother to meet heir apparent Prince Franz Joseph (23years old). It was the Prince's mother Queen Sophie, elder sister of Princess Ludovica, who arranged the marriage for Helene. Along the way, the carriage for their luggage was delayed so they were all forced to meet the Prince in their black mourning dresses. The black clothes did not suit Helene, darker in skintone, whereas it emphasized Sisi's fair skintone and extremely long blonde hair. Although domineering, Queen Sophie was forced to concede to her son who threatened not to marry at all if he is not allowed to choose Sisi instead of Helene. They were married within eight months. Austria's austere attitude and Queen Sophie's constant criticisms dampened Sisi's confidence and free spirit. She gave birth to two daughters and a son, all of whom were brought up away by her mother-in-law. Sisi finally defied Queen Sophie by bringing up her fourth child Princess Marie on her own. She learned several languages, voiced to her husband her sympathies with Hungary who longed for independence, and developed a concern for the poor and mentally ill. The story ends as her first night begins as a wife.
The book includes an epilogue which diagrams more about her later life and her death at the hands of an extremist. Her sympathies with Hungary resulted in a dual monarchy, thus Queen Elisabeth and King Franz Joseph. Quick and interestingly informative. Recommended to junior readers interested in royal figures.
The book includes an epilogue which diagrams more about her later life and her death at the hands of an extremist. Her sympathies with Hungary resulted in a dual monarchy, thus Queen Elisabeth and King Franz Joseph. Quick and interestingly informative. Recommended to junior readers interested in royal figures.
January 10, 2019
Title: Elisabeth: The Princess Bride
Author: Barry Denenberg
Series: Royal Diaries
Format: Hardcover
Length: 151 pages
Synopsis: Author Barry Denenberg brings us into the whirlwind that is the life of Princess Elisabeth of Austria. A free and impetuous spirit, Elisabeth is chosen at the age of fifteen (over her older sister) to be the wife of Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria. From that moment on, she is thrown into an intimidating world of restrictions and tremendous responsibilities. Feeling lonely and alienated, Elisabeth is forced to rely upon her own personal strength, which eventually leads her down the aisle and into an uncertain future.
Favourite character: Elisabeth
Least favourite character: Aunt Sophie
Favourite line: N/A
Mini-Review: I loved how at the end, the last 1/2 to 3/4 of the book was historical notes about the real Elisabeth, with pictures of her and her husband, other family members. I loved finding out that her husband’s nephew and heir was the Ferdinand who was assassinated and basically started World War I.
Author: Barry Denenberg
Series: Royal Diaries
Format: Hardcover
Length: 151 pages
Synopsis: Author Barry Denenberg brings us into the whirlwind that is the life of Princess Elisabeth of Austria. A free and impetuous spirit, Elisabeth is chosen at the age of fifteen (over her older sister) to be the wife of Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria. From that moment on, she is thrown into an intimidating world of restrictions and tremendous responsibilities. Feeling lonely and alienated, Elisabeth is forced to rely upon her own personal strength, which eventually leads her down the aisle and into an uncertain future.
Favourite character: Elisabeth
Least favourite character: Aunt Sophie
Favourite line: N/A
Mini-Review: I loved how at the end, the last 1/2 to 3/4 of the book was historical notes about the real Elisabeth, with pictures of her and her husband, other family members. I loved finding out that her husband’s nephew and heir was the Ferdinand who was assassinated and basically started World War I.
September 29, 2021
Easily the worst book in the Royal Diaries series. If you told me this book was the reason the series ended, I would believe you. Absolutely nothing of substance happens, which is a shame, since, given the information in the back about what really happened, there was totally room for a story here.
Sissi sounds nothing like her real-life historical counterpart, being a bland carachature of a teen girl. The "conflict" she has with her sister in usurping her presumed place as the one to marry the emperor is barely addressed besides some thoughts, and her sister isn't even mad about it anyway aside from avoider her a teensy bit. Too bad that is the ONLY ATTEMPT AT A PLOT POINT IN THE WHOLE BOOK. Nothing goes anywhere. Nothing pans out to anything. The story ends where it feels like it should have began.
All the other books in the Royal Diaries series have events that happen. Some come off better than others. This is the only one I would say is not worth reading.
Sissi sounds nothing like her real-life historical counterpart, being a bland carachature of a teen girl. The "conflict" she has with her sister in usurping her presumed place as the one to marry the emperor is barely addressed besides some thoughts, and her sister isn't even mad about it anyway aside from avoider her a teensy bit. Too bad that is the ONLY ATTEMPT AT A PLOT POINT IN THE WHOLE BOOK. Nothing goes anywhere. Nothing pans out to anything. The story ends where it feels like it should have began.
All the other books in the Royal Diaries series have events that happen. Some come off better than others. This is the only one I would say is not worth reading.
September 30, 2021
Summary: royal Elisabeth (daughter of a princess) is chosen to be the wife of the Emperor rather than her older sister. Elisabeth is enamored with the handsome Emperor but worried about leaving her family. She is overwhelmed by the work it requires to be an Empress - many languages, stuffy customs, and restrictions of her freedom. She has a beautiful awe-inspiring wedding for a marriage that was not so beautiful.
Reading as an adult. I do not think the diary pages prepared the reader for the reality of her unhappy marriage. I wish there had been more of a fiery spirit and tendency to shirk custom in the young character. She came across as somewhat simple- the country was at war but she was unaware of it? Seems also that she really had no idea what being an Empress would entail, although she was raised as royalty.
Regardless, an enjoyable and fun read and glad I grabbed it at the library!
Reading as an adult. I do not think the diary pages prepared the reader for the reality of her unhappy marriage. I wish there had been more of a fiery spirit and tendency to shirk custom in the young character. She came across as somewhat simple- the country was at war but she was unaware of it? Seems also that she really had no idea what being an Empress would entail, although she was raised as royalty.
Regardless, an enjoyable and fun read and glad I grabbed it at the library!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2018
Fifth new Royal Diaries installment I read in 2018. Book #7 in my Reading Challenge.
I'm pretty disappointed by this one. Elisabeth seemed like such an interesting figure for the first few pages, but, honestly, despite being only about 90 pages, the book started to wear thin pretty quickly once she and the Emperor began falling in love. Almost the entire book is dedicated to preparations for their wedding. The author could have explored Sisi's relationship with Poppy or her love of poetry, or her riding abilities, but literally all of these aspects are brushed aside. The romance between her and the Emperor isn't even well developed, though at least there's a historical excuse for that.
This isn't really a bad book. I'm just sad about the fact that it threw away all that potential. It has a likeable character, but what good is that when the plot is so boring?
I'm pretty disappointed by this one. Elisabeth seemed like such an interesting figure for the first few pages, but, honestly, despite being only about 90 pages, the book started to wear thin pretty quickly once she and the Emperor began falling in love. Almost the entire book is dedicated to preparations for their wedding. The author could have explored Sisi's relationship with Poppy or her love of poetry, or her riding abilities, but literally all of these aspects are brushed aside. The romance between her and the Emperor isn't even well developed, though at least there's a historical excuse for that.
This isn't really a bad book. I'm just sad about the fact that it threw away all that potential. It has a likeable character, but what good is that when the plot is so boring?
May 19, 2020
When I started reading Elisabeth: The Princess Bride I was truly amazed at the life story presented by Barry Denenberg. The details were so precise! I found myself revelling in a new phase of history I had never considered before. It made me realize how minute my knowledge of historical fact really is and has sparked a desire to learn more about the rest of the world. I have already read a few of The Royal Diaries books. Now I will definitely search for more.
What I really enjoyed about this book other than the storyline were the extras found at the end: the family tree, the short bios of Elisabeth's immediate family, and especially the portraits and photographs that really brought the people to life for me. I am very impressed by the research compiled for this informative story. It will make a wonderful addition to the historical section of my library. Well done, Barry!
What I really enjoyed about this book other than the storyline were the extras found at the end: the family tree, the short bios of Elisabeth's immediate family, and especially the portraits and photographs that really brought the people to life for me. I am very impressed by the research compiled for this informative story. It will make a wonderful addition to the historical section of my library. Well done, Barry!
September 10, 2021
Way, WAAAAY TOO SHORT. I finished this in an hour, and the entire book was yes, about Elisabeth being a,"princess bride," but nothing else about her life really is mentioned. Deneberg just gets "straight to the point" as it were. Why didn't he add more about her childhood?? More about how it was to BE Empress or how scared she is?? This wasn't a novel as much as a novella, and the epilogue gave us a better insight into her character than the entire book did. Unfortunately having read his other works in the accompanying Dear America series, I find that Denenberg's work is often dull, lacking in voice, and sadly, doesn't have the other warmth that other authors in this series have in their work. A grown man writing about young girls in challenging times smacks more of his wanting to write about them than actually understanding or empathizing what they were going through.
Three stars.
Three stars.
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