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Two Empresses
1779, France. On the island paradise of Martinique, two beautiful, well-bred cousins have reached marriageable age. Sixteen-year-old Rose must sail to France to marry Alexander, the dashing Vicomte de Beauharnais. Golden-haired Aimee will finish her education at a French convent in hopes of making a worthy match.
Once in Paris, Rose’s illusions are shattered by her new husband, who casts her off when his mistress bears him a son. Yet revolution is tearing through the land, changing fortunes—and fates—in an instant, leaving Rose free to reinvent herself. Soon she is pursued by a young general, Napoleon Bonaparte, who prefers to call her by another name: Josephine.
Presumed dead after her ship is attacked by pirates, Aimee survives and is taken to the Sultan of Turkey’s harem. Among hundreds at his beck and call, Aimee’s loveliness and intelligence make her a favorite not only of the Sultan, but of his gentle, reserved nephew. Like Josephine, the newly crowned Empress of France, Aimee will ascend to a position of unimagined power. But for both cousins, passion and ambition carry their own burden.
From the war-torn streets of Paris to the bejeweled golden bars of a Turkish palace, Brandy Purdy weaves some of history’s most compelling figures into a vivid, captivating account of two remarkable women and their extraordinary destinies.
Once in Paris, Rose’s illusions are shattered by her new husband, who casts her off when his mistress bears him a son. Yet revolution is tearing through the land, changing fortunes—and fates—in an instant, leaving Rose free to reinvent herself. Soon she is pursued by a young general, Napoleon Bonaparte, who prefers to call her by another name: Josephine.
Presumed dead after her ship is attacked by pirates, Aimee survives and is taken to the Sultan of Turkey’s harem. Among hundreds at his beck and call, Aimee’s loveliness and intelligence make her a favorite not only of the Sultan, but of his gentle, reserved nephew. Like Josephine, the newly crowned Empress of France, Aimee will ascend to a position of unimagined power. But for both cousins, passion and ambition carry their own burden.
From the war-torn streets of Paris to the bejeweled golden bars of a Turkish palace, Brandy Purdy weaves some of history’s most compelling figures into a vivid, captivating account of two remarkable women and their extraordinary destinies.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 4, 2017
Two Empresses is my new favorite by Brandy Purdy. I loved reading how she envisioned these two extraordinary women, Josephine and Aimee. Quite fascinating!
Highly recommended
5 plus stars.
Highly recommended
5 plus stars.
March 4, 2017
Two Empresses I have read all but one, her first, of Brandy Purdy's books. I am amazed at each one about the depth of the research that she puts into each book. With Two Empresses we learn the little-known story, at least to me, of two women and their remarkable lives.
Marie Josephe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie and Aimée du Buc de Rivéry are cousins and they live on the island of Martinique. The story opens with the girls getting up in the night to go see Euphemia David to have their fortunes told. What they learn is that they each will be a queen someday. Rose is desperate to get off the island and find her 'king'. Her wishes come true and she is sent to Paris to marry Alexandre de Beauharnais. Things don't turn out as she had hoped and after the birth of their two children, they are separated by court order. Her husband is soon imprisoned as is she during the Reign of Terror. She is released from prison after Alexandre is executed and lives the best she can, becoming mistress to various men. She later meets Napolean Bonaparte and the rest is history.
Aimee on the other hand, after Rose left to go to Paris, she was sent to a French convent but her ship was, according to legend, captured by Barbary pirates, sold as a harem concubine, and was the same person as Nakşîdil Sultan, a Valide Sultan (Queen Mother) of the Ottoman Empire. She was thrust into a world totally unknown to her and the life in a harem certainly was not what she would have liked. But adapt she did and became a favorite of the Sultan.
Whenever I read a novel by Brandy Purdy, I find myself totally immersed in the story and characters. Vivid descriptions of the era and even descriptions of clothing and decorations are told in such a way that you think that you are right in the story. That is what I love about historical fiction, is that the reader can be transported right into any story that Ms. Purdy tells. A consummate storyteller and attention to detail make reading the stories worthwhile.
Marie Josephe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie and Aimée du Buc de Rivéry are cousins and they live on the island of Martinique. The story opens with the girls getting up in the night to go see Euphemia David to have their fortunes told. What they learn is that they each will be a queen someday. Rose is desperate to get off the island and find her 'king'. Her wishes come true and she is sent to Paris to marry Alexandre de Beauharnais. Things don't turn out as she had hoped and after the birth of their two children, they are separated by court order. Her husband is soon imprisoned as is she during the Reign of Terror. She is released from prison after Alexandre is executed and lives the best she can, becoming mistress to various men. She later meets Napolean Bonaparte and the rest is history.
Aimee on the other hand, after Rose left to go to Paris, she was sent to a French convent but her ship was, according to legend, captured by Barbary pirates, sold as a harem concubine, and was the same person as Nakşîdil Sultan, a Valide Sultan (Queen Mother) of the Ottoman Empire. She was thrust into a world totally unknown to her and the life in a harem certainly was not what she would have liked. But adapt she did and became a favorite of the Sultan.
Whenever I read a novel by Brandy Purdy, I find myself totally immersed in the story and characters. Vivid descriptions of the era and even descriptions of clothing and decorations are told in such a way that you think that you are right in the story. That is what I love about historical fiction, is that the reader can be transported right into any story that Ms. Purdy tells. A consummate storyteller and attention to detail make reading the stories worthwhile.
February 7, 2017
I’ve read several books by Ms. Purdy and I’ve enjoyed them. When this new one was offered to me for review I was very excited to be able to read it. It’s the story of two cousins living in Martinique; one who becomes one of the most famous women in history and the other – well she might or might not have become a Sultana.
Our first cousin, Rose is stifled in her life on the Island and longs for what she thinks life in Paris would be like. When opportunity offers her a chance to escape through marriage she jumps and finds her deepest desire has been achieved but not fulfilled. Her marriage is to Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais and he treats her terribly. But those of us that are students of history know well that Rose de Beauharnais will become Josephine Bonaparte.
The second cousin Aimee, I will admit I knew absolutely nothing about prior to reading this book. Her story is not as well known and not as much grounded in fact as in fable. She also went to Paris, but rather than as a bride as a student. As the years pass she longs for a visit from her cousin Rose but as Rose’s life is not living up to the letters she writes to Aimee she is too embarrassed to visit. Ultimately the political climate changes so much as the French Revolution approaches that Aimee’s parents send for her to return home but sadly her ship is….attacked by pirates? Sunk? The historical record is unclear but this novel takes the legend of Nakşidil Sultan and ascribes it to her.
For this tale, Aimee is sold into slavery in the Sultan’s harem but instead of wallowing in sorrow she makes the best of a bad situation. She ultimately falls in love with the Sultan and reportedly he with her. There is much harem intrigue of course and much sadness but she goes on to help create a most progressive Sultan in her adopted son.
The book is probably 3/4s Josephine as far more is known about her life. I found the book interesting if a little repetitive in the sections on Josephine. She was presented as a bit of whiner lacking in any self respect. Perhaps because I’ve read tales of her life before I was far more interested in the story of Aimee but was given far less of a story. I recognize that her half (quarter really) of the book was probably fictional but it was truly more interesting that the Josephine part. Overall an interesting but not exciting read.
Our first cousin, Rose is stifled in her life on the Island and longs for what she thinks life in Paris would be like. When opportunity offers her a chance to escape through marriage she jumps and finds her deepest desire has been achieved but not fulfilled. Her marriage is to Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais and he treats her terribly. But those of us that are students of history know well that Rose de Beauharnais will become Josephine Bonaparte.
The second cousin Aimee, I will admit I knew absolutely nothing about prior to reading this book. Her story is not as well known and not as much grounded in fact as in fable. She also went to Paris, but rather than as a bride as a student. As the years pass she longs for a visit from her cousin Rose but as Rose’s life is not living up to the letters she writes to Aimee she is too embarrassed to visit. Ultimately the political climate changes so much as the French Revolution approaches that Aimee’s parents send for her to return home but sadly her ship is….attacked by pirates? Sunk? The historical record is unclear but this novel takes the legend of Nakşidil Sultan and ascribes it to her.
For this tale, Aimee is sold into slavery in the Sultan’s harem but instead of wallowing in sorrow she makes the best of a bad situation. She ultimately falls in love with the Sultan and reportedly he with her. There is much harem intrigue of course and much sadness but she goes on to help create a most progressive Sultan in her adopted son.
The book is probably 3/4s Josephine as far more is known about her life. I found the book interesting if a little repetitive in the sections on Josephine. She was presented as a bit of whiner lacking in any self respect. Perhaps because I’ve read tales of her life before I was far more interested in the story of Aimee but was given far less of a story. I recognize that her half (quarter really) of the book was probably fictional but it was truly more interesting that the Josephine part. Overall an interesting but not exciting read.
February 7, 2017
Review of TWO EMPRESSES by Brandy Purdy
On the Island of Martinique in 1779, Vodoun rules the native population, while the white European planter class consider themselves to be the top caste. Two young girls, daughters of planters, Rose and Aimee, are cousins, but wildly divergent in personality and character. Rose, the elder, is just as wild as the hurricane during which she was born, while Aimee is mild and a follower. When the Voodoo Queen predicts the girls shall become “Two Empresses,” neither is certain of belief, but Fate, in which Rose is a complicit believer, has in mind for both girls lives they could not possibly have predicted.
TWO EMPRESSES is a diligently-researched and strongly-imagined recreation of an era lost to us two centuries earlier. Lyrical and sensual, this is a vivid and compelling fictional history in which both characters and historical periods come alive.
On the Island of Martinique in 1779, Vodoun rules the native population, while the white European planter class consider themselves to be the top caste. Two young girls, daughters of planters, Rose and Aimee, are cousins, but wildly divergent in personality and character. Rose, the elder, is just as wild as the hurricane during which she was born, while Aimee is mild and a follower. When the Voodoo Queen predicts the girls shall become “Two Empresses,” neither is certain of belief, but Fate, in which Rose is a complicit believer, has in mind for both girls lives they could not possibly have predicted.
TWO EMPRESSES is a diligently-researched and strongly-imagined recreation of an era lost to us two centuries earlier. Lyrical and sensual, this is a vivid and compelling fictional history in which both characters and historical periods come alive.
March 20, 2017
Very good. I liked the part where Rose, who would later be called Josephine, described what the conditions were like in prison after she became imprisoned, along with her husband, and how everybody behaved and did things to survive and how fashions and hairstyles changed after her release from prison.
June 25, 2017
Like/Hate
Josephine was extremely unlikable annoying. I began to skim through the chapters about her. Aimee's story was much more entertaining. That is the only reason I gave the book 3 stars. I'm glad I read it as I normally read fiction and nonfiction covering England. This gave me a little night into two different cultures. Would love to find out more on Aimee.
Josephine was extremely unlikable annoying. I began to skim through the chapters about her. Aimee's story was much more entertaining. That is the only reason I gave the book 3 stars. I'm glad I read it as I normally read fiction and nonfiction covering England. This gave me a little night into two different cultures. Would love to find out more on Aimee.
July 5, 2018
Pushing aside the many historical inaccuracies, Purdue is getting slightly better at historical fiction, if not writing or characterization. The Josephine side of the tale suffers from any but the most surface-level attempts at characterization. Josephine is merely reciting events from her life, not presenting them in any way that showcases her feelings about anyone, even, to some extent, Bonaparte. A good example of fiction based on Josephine’s life? The Josephine B. trilogy by Sandra Gulland. Josephine reacts to the horrors around her, worries on her children in ways large and small, and fully inhabits the world she lives in. Purdy’s Josephine might as well be a tourist.
Aimée/Nakşidil’s story is, by comparison, more fully realized in terms of characters. Since we don’t know what happened to her after the ship sank, being a reciter of events isn’t really in the cards for this character. She is a little more realized, allowed a little more character growth. This is the only thing that kept this novel from being just a one star-earner, in my opinion.
Aimée/Nakşidil’s story is, by comparison, more fully realized in terms of characters. Since we don’t know what happened to her after the ship sank, being a reciter of events isn’t really in the cards for this character. She is a little more realized, allowed a little more character growth. This is the only thing that kept this novel from being just a one star-earner, in my opinion.
February 20, 2017
Find my full review at http://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com.
If you enjoy historical fiction, or just history in general, as much as I do, then you most likely have at least heard of Napoleon Bonaparte's first wife, Josephine. However if, again like me, you haven't delved much into her early life you might not know the unique background she comes from or the quite interesting tale of what possibly became of her cousin, Aimee. Brandy Purdy's newest novel, Two Empresses, seeks to let both of these young women tell their own stories as the fate laid out for them by a voodoo priestess as children unfolds for the reader to witness.
The story begins with both Rose (who will later be known as Josephine) and Aimee (who will later be known as Nakshidil) going to meet with a voodoo priestess on their island home of Martinique as young girls. From there the story actually splits into two stories - that of Rose and that of Aimee - and the two girls never cross paths again and only rarely even seem to think about each other. This threw me somewhat as I assumed this was a story about the two cousins while it ended up being more of two separate stories connected loosely by similar themes, but I did enjoy trying to decipher what those similarities were and where the two women's lives took very different paths.
I have to admit that I wasn't a big fan of Rose/Josephine. While her portion of Two Empresses gives the reader a very interesting viewpoint from which to view the turbulence and bloodshed of the French Revolution, she herself came across as quite selfish and vacillating. I found myself getting somewhat bored with her attention to fashion and bawdy behavior and wished for more depth from her character.
On the other hand, Aimee/Nakshidil was a very sympathetic character and I very much enjoyed watching her strong will to survive in a world so vastly different from the one she was born into and into which she made such a mark on the development of the customs. When the story concluded I was disappointed to not see an author's note explaining what portions of Aimee's story were factual and which were fiction (I read an advanced readers copy so this might be included in the final printing), however, upon further research, I discovered that many believe, as Rose and her family do in Two Empresses, that Aimee actually drowned at sea and that much of what is discussed in this story, namely her being kidnapped by pirates, being sold into the harem of Abdul Hamid, and being the adopted mother of the future Sultan Mahmud II, is widely believed to be legend. While I don't have a problem at all with historical fiction being written around a legend I do prefer an author's note to explain fact from fiction and found it somewhat odd for this very fictionalized story of Aimee to be combined with what I believe is a much more fact based story about Rose/Josephine.
Where I think Ms. Purdy really shines is in her ability to bring a setting to life. The shifting settings in which these two women live - from the island paradise of Martinique to dank and putrid prison cells and pirate ships to lavish and colorful ballrooms and harems - is vividly presented and described in such intricate detail that nothing is missed, not even the smallest trinket on a table. I love being fully immersed in the worlds of the characters I read and it is impossible to not fully see, smell, hear, and taste the worlds of these women.
Two Empresses is a unique dual story of two cousins who go on to live extraordinary lives. While they will both end up in two very different worlds, they nonetheless share so much in common: they are both made to change their very names and become wholly new people to survive; they both find - and lose - love in unexpected places; and they both love their children fiercely and do whatever they can to try and make the best life possible for those children. While I found some aspects of the story a little odd, overall I very much enjoyed learning more about these two women and seeing the extreme highs and lows they both had to endure. This novel is not the first of Brandy Purdy's I've read and will definitely not be the last either!
If you enjoy historical fiction, or just history in general, as much as I do, then you most likely have at least heard of Napoleon Bonaparte's first wife, Josephine. However if, again like me, you haven't delved much into her early life you might not know the unique background she comes from or the quite interesting tale of what possibly became of her cousin, Aimee. Brandy Purdy's newest novel, Two Empresses, seeks to let both of these young women tell their own stories as the fate laid out for them by a voodoo priestess as children unfolds for the reader to witness.
The story begins with both Rose (who will later be known as Josephine) and Aimee (who will later be known as Nakshidil) going to meet with a voodoo priestess on their island home of Martinique as young girls. From there the story actually splits into two stories - that of Rose and that of Aimee - and the two girls never cross paths again and only rarely even seem to think about each other. This threw me somewhat as I assumed this was a story about the two cousins while it ended up being more of two separate stories connected loosely by similar themes, but I did enjoy trying to decipher what those similarities were and where the two women's lives took very different paths.
I have to admit that I wasn't a big fan of Rose/Josephine. While her portion of Two Empresses gives the reader a very interesting viewpoint from which to view the turbulence and bloodshed of the French Revolution, she herself came across as quite selfish and vacillating. I found myself getting somewhat bored with her attention to fashion and bawdy behavior and wished for more depth from her character.
On the other hand, Aimee/Nakshidil was a very sympathetic character and I very much enjoyed watching her strong will to survive in a world so vastly different from the one she was born into and into which she made such a mark on the development of the customs. When the story concluded I was disappointed to not see an author's note explaining what portions of Aimee's story were factual and which were fiction (I read an advanced readers copy so this might be included in the final printing), however, upon further research, I discovered that many believe, as Rose and her family do in Two Empresses, that Aimee actually drowned at sea and that much of what is discussed in this story, namely her being kidnapped by pirates, being sold into the harem of Abdul Hamid, and being the adopted mother of the future Sultan Mahmud II, is widely believed to be legend. While I don't have a problem at all with historical fiction being written around a legend I do prefer an author's note to explain fact from fiction and found it somewhat odd for this very fictionalized story of Aimee to be combined with what I believe is a much more fact based story about Rose/Josephine.
Where I think Ms. Purdy really shines is in her ability to bring a setting to life. The shifting settings in which these two women live - from the island paradise of Martinique to dank and putrid prison cells and pirate ships to lavish and colorful ballrooms and harems - is vividly presented and described in such intricate detail that nothing is missed, not even the smallest trinket on a table. I love being fully immersed in the worlds of the characters I read and it is impossible to not fully see, smell, hear, and taste the worlds of these women.
Two Empresses is a unique dual story of two cousins who go on to live extraordinary lives. While they will both end up in two very different worlds, they nonetheless share so much in common: they are both made to change their very names and become wholly new people to survive; they both find - and lose - love in unexpected places; and they both love their children fiercely and do whatever they can to try and make the best life possible for those children. While I found some aspects of the story a little odd, overall I very much enjoyed learning more about these two women and seeing the extreme highs and lows they both had to endure. This novel is not the first of Brandy Purdy's I've read and will definitely not be the last either!
April 1, 2021
This was such a slog to get through. It felt like a recitation of historical events rather than an actual telling of a story. Josephine was completely unlikeable, bratty, and shallow. Aimee’s story was much more interesting in comparison but unfortunately was only about 1/4 of the book. Would not read this author again based on this book.
April 11, 2020
2.5 if we’re being honest, but I got a perverse pleasure out of reading it, so 3 stars it is lol.
November 3, 2023
This book was crap. I kept waiting for something to happen and it never did. I’m glad I only paid a dollar for it!
August 19, 2025
I loved half and hated the other. Its interesting, but the part with Josefine .... sometimes boring, I had to force my self to read it sometimes. But I liked it anyway.
February 7, 2017
My introduction to this author, this book stood out as hard to finish and left a bad taste in my mouth. The only thing the author got right, for the most part, was the scene setting and a bit on one characterization. Beyond that, I hope this book isn't an example of what I can expect from other works by this writer. If so, I think I'll skip those.
One area the author excelled, again for the most part, was the scene setting and historical details. Tropical Martinique, revolutionary Paris, and exotic Istanbul all stand out as unique settings. Lush with details and vivid descriptions, I could easily see the scenes portrayed and enjoy the background at least.
However, even here the author has an issue. There were times where her settings came off as almost comical and caricatures of the real thing. Maybe she was trying too hard at description, but it backfired on her. Revolutionary Paris, at times, seemed way too sexualized. Some of the descriptions of Josephine's experiences between marrying Napoleon and losing her first husband are comical to say the least, though I don't think the author meant it to be. Maybe her portrayals have some basis in historical fact; I’m not a historian for the time. However, her portrayals didn't come over as fact.
The author also has a problem with the Sultans court and his harem in Istanbul. Again, the scenes come off as caricatures and stereotypes of the real thing. I mean, Aimee's story comes right out of Arabian nights! The way the harem women dressed/acted, the details of daily life, and just the overall atmosphere seemed unreal. Again, I am not a scholar for this time or locale, so maybe the author had some basis for her portrayals. But if so, that didn't come across on the page.
And then there are the characterizations. I'm sorry to say that Josephine is shallow, vapid, has no common sense, and is a slut, not a descriptor that I like to use but fits the bill here. Every action Josephine takes is motivated for her own self-preservation or to make her life easier. Her portrayal makes her unsympathetic in the extreme. While maybe realistic to a degree, Josephine made me hate her more than empathize with her.
Aimee is kinda the opposite. Showing at least some intelligence, her character is far more sympathetic than Josephine’s. However, there's only a slight improvement. Aimee, unfortunately, goes to the other extreme of the character spectrum. She's too perfect! And until the very end, she's a freaking doormat. She doesn't actually do anything, the events of the story happened to her. She just sits there and either observes or just reacts. However, at least at the end, she did something proactive. That saved her storyline for me.
And then, to add one more stick to this fire pile of horror, the author completely screwed up her story balance. One of the things that first drew me to this title was the tale of two women caught up in the flow of history and how they made their way to places of power in different societies.
Well, this book isn’t about that. This book is about Josephine with a few side chapters about Aimee. A shame as, of the two, Aimee is easily the more enjoyable of a character. So much time is spent on Josephine’s story that Aimee is left on the wayside. I feel that if more time had been spent on Aimee’s tale, she might not have been as much of a doormat as she was; she might've had more time to actually do something. We would have gotten a fascinating tale of survival and harem politics rather than the sexcapades of Josephine. Missed opportunity there, author.
As you can see, my ultimate emotion with this title was disappointment. I had high hopes of a tale rife with excitement and exploring two women, one of whom have been lost to history. What I got was a messy soup of over-the-top historical scenes, extreme and unenjoyable characterizations, and a story balance that was a disservice to both women. If this is an example of the author’s usual writing, I don't think I'll be hunting out her other books immediately. There are better offers out there. Maybe this is just a low point; I'll let you be the judge. Yet, I wouldn't recommend this author off this book alone.
Note: Book was received for free from the publisher via Netgallery in exchange for an honest review.
One area the author excelled, again for the most part, was the scene setting and historical details. Tropical Martinique, revolutionary Paris, and exotic Istanbul all stand out as unique settings. Lush with details and vivid descriptions, I could easily see the scenes portrayed and enjoy the background at least.
However, even here the author has an issue. There were times where her settings came off as almost comical and caricatures of the real thing. Maybe she was trying too hard at description, but it backfired on her. Revolutionary Paris, at times, seemed way too sexualized. Some of the descriptions of Josephine's experiences between marrying Napoleon and losing her first husband are comical to say the least, though I don't think the author meant it to be. Maybe her portrayals have some basis in historical fact; I’m not a historian for the time. However, her portrayals didn't come over as fact.
The author also has a problem with the Sultans court and his harem in Istanbul. Again, the scenes come off as caricatures and stereotypes of the real thing. I mean, Aimee's story comes right out of Arabian nights! The way the harem women dressed/acted, the details of daily life, and just the overall atmosphere seemed unreal. Again, I am not a scholar for this time or locale, so maybe the author had some basis for her portrayals. But if so, that didn't come across on the page.
And then there are the characterizations. I'm sorry to say that Josephine is shallow, vapid, has no common sense, and is a slut, not a descriptor that I like to use but fits the bill here. Every action Josephine takes is motivated for her own self-preservation or to make her life easier. Her portrayal makes her unsympathetic in the extreme. While maybe realistic to a degree, Josephine made me hate her more than empathize with her.
Aimee is kinda the opposite. Showing at least some intelligence, her character is far more sympathetic than Josephine’s. However, there's only a slight improvement. Aimee, unfortunately, goes to the other extreme of the character spectrum. She's too perfect! And until the very end, she's a freaking doormat. She doesn't actually do anything, the events of the story happened to her. She just sits there and either observes or just reacts. However, at least at the end, she did something proactive. That saved her storyline for me.
And then, to add one more stick to this fire pile of horror, the author completely screwed up her story balance. One of the things that first drew me to this title was the tale of two women caught up in the flow of history and how they made their way to places of power in different societies.
Well, this book isn’t about that. This book is about Josephine with a few side chapters about Aimee. A shame as, of the two, Aimee is easily the more enjoyable of a character. So much time is spent on Josephine’s story that Aimee is left on the wayside. I feel that if more time had been spent on Aimee’s tale, she might not have been as much of a doormat as she was; she might've had more time to actually do something. We would have gotten a fascinating tale of survival and harem politics rather than the sexcapades of Josephine. Missed opportunity there, author.
As you can see, my ultimate emotion with this title was disappointment. I had high hopes of a tale rife with excitement and exploring two women, one of whom have been lost to history. What I got was a messy soup of over-the-top historical scenes, extreme and unenjoyable characterizations, and a story balance that was a disservice to both women. If this is an example of the author’s usual writing, I don't think I'll be hunting out her other books immediately. There are better offers out there. Maybe this is just a low point; I'll let you be the judge. Yet, I wouldn't recommend this author off this book alone.
Note: Book was received for free from the publisher via Netgallery in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2017
This book was a strange conflation of two lives, one which seemed to be a string of historical events with weak characterization, and the other which seemed to be almost entirely fictional but with an interesting plot line.
The story begins with Rose and Aimee, cousins and members of the French aristocracy on the island of Martinique. Rose is wild, passionate, willing to take risks. Aimee is measured, practical. They encounter a Voodoo queen who promises that they will each become empresses, but that Rose will be filled with sorrow while Aimee will have joy in what comes after her. Fast forward a dozen or more years through Rose's tumultuous marriage, two children born, the horrific French Revolution, a score of lovers, until she finally--incredibly reluctantly--marries Napoleon Bonaparte and is renamed as Josephine. Meanwhile, Aimee, after receiving her education at a convent in France, takes ship back to Martinique only to be captured by Barbary Pirates and sold to the Turkish sultan where she becomes the favored concubine in his harem.
Both of the women's narratives were told in first person and since they covered many years of history, more time was spent in getting the events down on paper than in fleshing out secondary characters. In Rose/Josephine's story, there was little to like about her. She was selfish, vapid, and ready to sleep with anyone who asked her. The other characters in her life didn't receive much fleshing out, and it felt like a string of one historical event after another combined with a Josephine-pity-party. When she finally decided she loved Napoleon, there was no reason given, other than her own survival, and the about-face was, frankly, confusing.
Aimee's story was more intriguing. She showed resourcefulness in navigating the treacherous waters of the harem as she becomes Sultana Naksidil and defends her adoptive son Mahmoud against plots. The main difficulty with the Aimee plot line is that scholars have fairly definitively proven that the intriguing Sultan Naksidil was of Georgian descent, not French. Which means that the Aimee legend is just a legend, and of a totally different level of historicity than Josephine's life.
I did appreciate how the French history regarding Napoleon finally "tied together" in the epilogue as we learn how Turkey decides to act in the altercation between France and Russia. But in other respects, this novel was a strange mixture of oil and water with two empresses that might have been better served if dealt with separately.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The story begins with Rose and Aimee, cousins and members of the French aristocracy on the island of Martinique. Rose is wild, passionate, willing to take risks. Aimee is measured, practical. They encounter a Voodoo queen who promises that they will each become empresses, but that Rose will be filled with sorrow while Aimee will have joy in what comes after her. Fast forward a dozen or more years through Rose's tumultuous marriage, two children born, the horrific French Revolution, a score of lovers, until she finally--incredibly reluctantly--marries Napoleon Bonaparte and is renamed as Josephine. Meanwhile, Aimee, after receiving her education at a convent in France, takes ship back to Martinique only to be captured by Barbary Pirates and sold to the Turkish sultan where she becomes the favored concubine in his harem.
Both of the women's narratives were told in first person and since they covered many years of history, more time was spent in getting the events down on paper than in fleshing out secondary characters. In Rose/Josephine's story, there was little to like about her. She was selfish, vapid, and ready to sleep with anyone who asked her. The other characters in her life didn't receive much fleshing out, and it felt like a string of one historical event after another combined with a Josephine-pity-party. When she finally decided she loved Napoleon, there was no reason given, other than her own survival, and the about-face was, frankly, confusing.
Aimee's story was more intriguing. She showed resourcefulness in navigating the treacherous waters of the harem as she becomes Sultana Naksidil and defends her adoptive son Mahmoud against plots. The main difficulty with the Aimee plot line is that scholars have fairly definitively proven that the intriguing Sultan Naksidil was of Georgian descent, not French. Which means that the Aimee legend is just a legend, and of a totally different level of historicity than Josephine's life.
I did appreciate how the French history regarding Napoleon finally "tied together" in the epilogue as we learn how Turkey decides to act in the altercation between France and Russia. But in other respects, this novel was a strange mixture of oil and water with two empresses that might have been better served if dealt with separately.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
February 7, 2017
"Two Empresses" is the story of Rose and Aimee, two cousins growing up on the island of Martinique. Their fates could not be more different. Rose will go on to become the consort of Napoleon in France. Aimee will become a part of the Turkish Sultan's harem. These are two fascinating stories and it is interesting to see two such different fates between members of the same family. This is the latest release from historical fiction author Brandy Purdy.
First off, this story kept me fascinated throughout the book. It's definitely a page turner because there is so much action throughout the story. That being said, you have two huuuuuge stories condensed into one fairly small book, which means that you're moving from one action to another so quickly that you hardly have time to stop and appreciate the interesting-ness of both Rose and Aimee's stories . Some of the book becomes a list of "then this happened," then this happened," and "then this happened."
I wanted to get to know the characters a little more in this book. I have read both fiction and non-fiction about Rose (Napoleon's Josephine) before so she was a known entity to me at least. Aimee was brand new. Not as much is known about her so I felt like there was more of a story line based on what was known rather than just a list of facts as there seemed to be for most of the parts with Josephine in it.
It is interesting that these two main characters were cousins but the various parts of the books felt like they were stuck together without having a true interwoven thread. That being said, both characters made great fodder for a book and I would love to be able to read more about them, particularly Aimee.
First off, this story kept me fascinated throughout the book. It's definitely a page turner because there is so much action throughout the story. That being said, you have two huuuuuge stories condensed into one fairly small book, which means that you're moving from one action to another so quickly that you hardly have time to stop and appreciate the interesting-ness of both Rose and Aimee's stories . Some of the book becomes a list of "then this happened," then this happened," and "then this happened."
I wanted to get to know the characters a little more in this book. I have read both fiction and non-fiction about Rose (Napoleon's Josephine) before so she was a known entity to me at least. Aimee was brand new. Not as much is known about her so I felt like there was more of a story line based on what was known rather than just a list of facts as there seemed to be for most of the parts with Josephine in it.
It is interesting that these two main characters were cousins but the various parts of the books felt like they were stuck together without having a true interwoven thread. That being said, both characters made great fodder for a book and I would love to be able to read more about them, particularly Aimee.
February 5, 2017
This was a very interesting book. I liked learning about two new things in history. Yes I knew who Josephine was but did not know her name was actually Rose, but I have not actually read anything about her before. I also did not know who Aimee was. The author did a good job in her research. You can tell by way she writes. The descriptions of land, places and people made me feel as if I was walking the streets of Paris or the halls of the Turkish palace. It was fun how the book told both of the cousin's stories. This story was actually told at a steady pace for a historical book which was nice for reading it. I look forward to the next book by Brandy.
February 7, 2017
Loved loved this book! Josephine's story was delightful, full of familiar figures. Aimee's story was just the opposite, an Empress I never heard of, but wow what an exciting life. Every chapter was full of adventures and moved at rapid-fire pace. Highly recommend.
February 10, 2017
Thanks Kensington Books and netgalley for this ARC.
Blew me away! I loved it so much. These two cousins led extraordinary lives and you won't want to choose your favorite because they are so different. I didn't want this novel to end
Blew me away! I loved it so much. These two cousins led extraordinary lives and you won't want to choose your favorite because they are so different. I didn't want this novel to end
January 16, 2018
Two Empresses is a story about Josephine Bonaparte and her cousin, Aimee du Buc Rivery. It starts out when they are both teenagers, waiting for the day where they will be married and really start their lives. However, what happens to both of them is not what they expected as their lives go through unforseen highs and lows.
This story was pretty decent. It was a different set of characters for me as I’d never read a story that Josephine Boneparte was in nor have I read anything like the trials her cousin was in. There were some things I felt were a bit tedious but the story was a solid 3.5. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
This story was pretty decent. It was a different set of characters for me as I’d never read a story that Josephine Boneparte was in nor have I read anything like the trials her cousin was in. There were some things I felt were a bit tedious but the story was a solid 3.5. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
August 9, 2018
Brandy Purdys newest book Two Empresses is exceptional in historical details and is also a thriller keeping the reader on the edge. I wanted to read this book in one setting but made myself slow down so I would not miss any details. I found the historical information so unusual and intriguing that I went to other sources to check its accuracy. Brandy Purdy is a favorite author and I always search for her latest books along with Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this excellent book.
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