Кралица в сянка

by Allison Pataki, Алисън Патаки

Тя е първата любов на Наполеон.
Обикновено момиче, което става кралица.
Наследниците й управляват Швеция и до днес.

Началото на Френската революция бележи края на безгрижния живот на Дезире Клари. Внезапно тя се оказва единствената, която може да спаси семейството си от гилотината. Тя и един млад генерал, с когото се среща случайно. Дезире няма представа, че един ден целият свят ще шепне с възторг и страх името Наполеон Бонапарт. Но скоро разбира, че животът й е свързан с неговия завинаги. Привличането между двамата е мигновено и скоро те се вричат един на друг в таен годеж. Бъдещето им изглежда предначертано, докато съдбата не променя всички планове.

От беден и низвергнат войник Наполеон се превръща в любимец на нацията и среща нова любима – прекрасната и прочута Жозефин. Но макар сърцето на Бонапарт вече да не принадлежи на Дезире Клари, сянката му остава да тегне над нея.

Дезире се оказва част от вътрешния кръг на бъдещия император и той продължава да играе важна роля в живота й, дори в предстоящия й брак. А когато между съпруга й и Наполеон се разгаря дълго тляло съперничество, Дезире е изправена пред нов избор, който ще бележи живота й. И живота на нацията, която ще я избере за своя кралица.

От интригите и блясъка на Париж до жужащите улици на Рим и Стокхолм, „Кралица в сянка“ пренася читателя в един от най-бурните периоди от историята на Европа. Разкрива неподозирано лични детайли от живота на Наполеон и събужда спомена за една жена, която оцелява в сянката на Бонапарт и поставя началото на нова династия.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, France, Romance, Adult, Book Club

480 pages, Paperback

First published February 11, 2020

About the author

ALLISON PATAKI is the NYTimes Bestselling author of THE TRAITOR'S WIFE, THE ACCIDENTAL EMPRESS, SISI:EMPRESS ON HER OWN, WHERE THE LIGHT FALLS, and the memoir, BEAUTY IN THE BROKEN PLACES.

Her work has been translated into more than a dozen languages, has been featured on The TODAY Show, The NY Times, The Huffington Post, USA Today, FOX News, Morning Joe, and more.

Visit AllisonPataki.com to connect and find out more.

Reviews

[El Librero de Valentina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lo escuché en storytel y debo decir que fue una lectura entretenida, con la dosis de historia que me gusta, que me lleva a investigar sobre el tema. Si les gusta la ficción histórica, un libro recomendable.

[Debbie W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why I chose to read this book:
1. since I quite enjoyed Allison Pataki's novels The Accidental Empress and Sisi: Empress on Her Own, I was intrigued by this book's premise and added it to my WTR list;
2. it was part of a Mother's Day gift from my daughters; and,
3. August 2023 is my "Historical Fiction" Month!

Praises:
1. extremely well-researched! I learned that MC, Désirée Clary, was Napoleon Bonaparte's first fiancée, until he callously dumped her for Josephine de Beauharnais. Désirée later married one of Napoleon's top generals, Marshal J. B. Bernadotte, who eventually became King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden, thereby making her Queen Desideria of Sweden;
2. I knew very little about Napoleon and Josephine's history, but Pataki paints an opulent picture of their lavish court and their coronations as Emperor and Empress of France, their fiery relationship, and how the French people were manipulated to accept Napoleon's hypocrisy regarding equality. Was Napoleon a war hero, or was he a dictator and tyrant? Pataki's characterization of this man as a champion and as an overall ass was quite believable; and,
3. Pataki included delectable descriptions and details which enriched my reading experience!

Niggles:
1. although Désirée is the main POV for this story, it's not really about her! The woman had a "front row seat" during the Napoleonic Era, because (a) she and Napoleon had been secretly engaged for a short period, and, (b) most importantly, her sister, Julie was married to Napoleon's very influential (and favorite) brother, Joseph. Since she and Julie were extremely close, and her marriage to the authoritative Bernadotte was also helpful, Désirée was quite privy to the notable functions and calamities during this time period. Unfortunately, she herself didn't play a powerful role in these events;
2. the storyline about Bernadotte and Désirée's time as Swedish monarchs felt rushed, with chapters jumping by decades;
3. too bad no information is available as to why Désirée had only one child; and,
4. the title The Queen's Fortune just seems a little too generic for me, and overall, not memorable.

Overall Thoughts:
I debated long and hard about whether to rate this book 3 or 4 stars: 4, because of all the information I learned about Napoleon and Josephine that I was initially ignorant about, or 3, because I really wish this story was more about Désirée Clary, the person, not the narrator, especially with a focus on her time as Queen of Sweden.

I really enjoyed Pataki's books The Accidental Empress and Sisi: Empress on Her Own, because those books were about HER - the Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary! Unfortunately, this particular book only uses Désirée as a narrator for someone else's story, namely, Napoleon and Josephine's history.

Personally, I would love to read a historical fiction based on Désirée's daughter-in-law, Josephine of Leuchtenbergh (who only happens to be Josephine Bonaparte's granddaughter!), because according to Wikipedia, she has a most interesting story of her own to tell!

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and loved several of Allison Pataki’s novels, and I think this is her finest work yet. It’s full of intrigue, love, and strength, especially on the part of Desiree. I also enjoyed the perspective on Napoleon and Josephine’s marriage. (Before I forget, one of my favorite trilogies of books is called the Josephine trilogy. It’s a must-read!)

Desiree is in the center of the action during the Terror of France. The writing is stunning, and I was completely captivated with the storytelling. It was more enveloping as I read along. If historical fiction is your jam, too, you simply must read this enthralling look at Desiree’s life.

I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, but not so much of romantic historical fiction. So, it took me a while to warm to this book as the beginning of this book falls more into the latter category. Desiree Clancy is a member of the haute bourgeoisie during the French Terror. A chance meeting with the Bonaparte brothers saves her brother from the guillotine and leads her into a secret engagement with Napoleon. But after he moves to Paris and rises to Commander of the Army of the Interior, he forgets her. I liked the book much better from this point on.

Pataki does a good job of giving you the lay of the land, providing the broad outline of history peppered with small details. Napoleon’s description of the Victim’s Ball with women wearing red ribbons around their throats is an example of the second.

I knew only some of the background of Napoleon’s rise to power and nothing of his volatile marriage to Josephine. Pataki makes the scenes come alive, giving us the stress of living under the rule of someone so egotistical and commandeering. Desiree is the perfect main character, privy to so many of the important historical events of the time. And crazy how this french woman and her husband ended up as the royal couple of Sweden and that their family still rules to this day. So, while I was worried at the beginning, Pataki totally captured my interest by the end.

I will also say that this book was an incredibly fast and easy read.

My thanks to Random House for a paper ARC of this book.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set during a rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Desiree Clary was the first fiancé of Napoleon and later became the Queen of Sweden.
Overshadowed by history, this book sheds a light on her life.

Marseille, France, 1794: During the tumultuous times of the French Revolution, when in need, Desiree meets Joseph Bonaparte. He is interested in pursuing her, but when she meets his younger brother Napoleon, she is intrigued with the rough-mannered but well-read and brisk Napoleon rather than the handsome and funny Joseph.

Credited with averting a civil war, Napoleon is appointed Commander of the Army of the Interior. As he rises through the leadership of the army in Paris, his letters to Desiree dwindle with each day.

From a Parisian journal, she learns about Napoleon courting Josephine de Beauharnais.

And if that wasn’t insulting enough, Napoleon corners Desiree to marry a much older man. Duphot proposal is simply jaw-dropping. “Was the man proposing marriage or discussing the pragmatic exchange of market goods?” Stunning and yet so real of the time-period.

But it is Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte that captures her heart.

While Napoleon leads his troops in Egypt, the situation at home goes from bad to worse. People continue to be hungry and unhappy. It seems as not much has changed since the time of the last king and queen. There is a talk of overthrow. The government is teetering on collapse. “All of Paris is on edge with rumors of riots.”

And Napoleon comes through again as a man who knows when and how to capture the moment for his advancement. He captures, yet again, the crumbling power.

Paris, 1810: It comes as a surprise to Desiree and her husband to be offered a Swedish crown. But it makes sense for Swedes to align themselves with Napoleon against such power as Russia.

The story very well captures the violent times and uncertain days of the time period and gives a good outline of the rise and fall of Napoleon. And the hypocrisy of going back to the tradition of coronation and to the ancient tradition of great men being called the Marshals of France, bestowing names of royalty, which was supposed to be gone.

The historical background is like a rich cake with devouring layers. You bite into it slowly to savor its richness. Josephine had too much sugar, so she hides her brown teeth behind the sealed smiling lips. Her feet dressed in sandals instead of being fully covered is simply shocking. In setting new fashion, Josephine is not to wear muslin anymore as it’s made in India, which is a British colony. She is to wear silk and satin made only in France. Hmm, sounds as history likes to repeat itself. Even countess Marie Walewska makes a short appearance. The teeny-tiny details are marvelous.

As well as engrossing presentation of feelings between Napoleon and Josephine, and how different Desiree’s feelings were. The drama of Napoleon’s family, mother and sisters, not accepting his wife. And later the erratic outbursts of Napoleon toward his wife. It’s all so real.

Fully developed characters are intriguing: some very well-mannered and some simply don’t care how they come across. Some fear bad times, but they know how to cherries the good times and others simply complain and argue about everything and everywhere. Some are vigorously ambitious and some think the life should hand them entitlements on a silver plate.

In summary, masterfully written and richly imagined, the story captures the rich history of the France’s turbulent times, textured with fascinating characters, who captivate with their raw feelings.

The stunning and impeccable prose is a hook from the first lines of the first page. “When the snow falls at midnight, blanketing the empty cobbled streets, sugaring the gothic bell tower of the Storkyrkan church, it becomes easy to imagine. For me, a girl from the south, where the breeze carried with it the warm seaside brine and the faint scent of the hillside lemon groves, the sudden appearance of these white flecks never fails to dazzle and disorient.”

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[The Library Lady · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I TRIED to give this the benefit of the doubt, because I'd like to be kind. And perhaps the chutzpah of the author self rating her book a 5 was warranted, because it was that good a book. Never mind that a wonderful classic book had been written about Desiree Clary before. Hell, most of the authors out there right now don't seem to have read a book published before 2010, if that late, in their genre. Maybe, just maybe, I'd love it.

Sorry, Allison Pataki, no sale.

About 40 years ago, shelving books in a small Bronx branch of the NYPL, I came across a book by Annemarie Selinko, originally written in German. It was called Desiree: The Bestselling Story of Napoleon's First Love, and had been published in the 1950s. It was about Eugenie Bernardine Desiree Clary, Napoleon's first love, later by an odd twist of history, Queen of Sweden, with descendants on many of the thrones of Europe. It was rich historical fiction. Desiree was a heroine to love, and I loved the book, and in later years, often looked for references to her when I saw books on Napoleon.

I still love that book. And I recommend that you run out and see if your library has it. Kindle doesn't have it, but Google Books does, and I plan on buying an ebook copy in addition to my worn out print copy.

So what's my problem with this book? Aside from the fact that Allison Pataki doesn't seem to know that this other book exists? That it's not in her bibliography, though she does put in a book by Alexandre Dumas, because she is lame enough to try to link Desiree's husband as Dumas' inspiration for D'Artagnan? That she doesn't even seem aware that there was a frickin' FILM based on Selinko's book, starring Marlon Brando as Napoleon?

Yes, I have those problems with this book. But this is what adds true insult to injury:

It's just not a very good book, period.

Good historical fiction makes a character come alive, and Pataki doesn't seem to have the gift. Selinko's Desiree was endearing--far from a perfect person, but lovable and real. Pataki's Desiree is cardboard. All the other characters are cardboard. Pataki rushes through Desiree's life, leaving little space for any but those main cardboard characters. She is more interested in describing scenery than in adding the small touches that make characters come alive. And we will not get into her use of out of period language-- "I shimmied out of my corset" and "I was rooting for her," are the two that really twanged a nerve in me.

In sum, this book doesn't even really deserve the one star I am giving it. And if you want to find out more about Desiree, I suggest that you start with this website, another thing Pataki clearly isn't familiar with: http://www.nebula5.org/clary/person.h...

Where the hell did she do her research anyway?

P.S. Speaking of research: the story about Jean-Baptiste's tattoo is a fake, and it didn't take me long to "research" that: http://www.faktoider.nu/bernadotte_en...

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely mesmerized by the historical figure Desiree Clary Bernadette, and I cannot wait to share her story with you in February 2020!

[HeyitsMony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Хареса миии и то многоооо.
Това ми е вторият исторически роман, който чета и съм много впечатлена.

Историята на Дезире Клари; влюбването ѝ в Наполеон; предателство от любимият; нов брак; Френската революция.

Хареса ми образът на Дезире, защото въпреки че любимият ѝ я предаде, тя запази добродушието си и смелостта си и по никакъв начин не показа, че е наранена от постъпката на Наполеон. Също така много ми хареса частта, в която се появява Жозефин и нейният брак. Би трябвало да се очаква читателите да не харесат толкова Жозефин, защото тя заема мястото на Дезире, но аз я харесах, защото я разбирах в доста моменти.

Сюжетът е представен през погледа на Дезире и като цяло е историята на нейният живот, но в разцвета на един доста важен етап за Франция.
Чете се много лесно, заради което дадох една звезда нагоре. За исторически роман, според мен е важно историята да е представена изчерпателно, но в същото време и разбираемо за четене и тази книга е точно такава.

[Christy fictional_traits · Rating 5 out of 5]

'I've known not only how to rule men and kingdoms - any ambitious schemer with an army can manage that. But me? I know something more. I know how to survive.'

Desiree Clary, a name unlikely to be known to you, was once engaged to Napoleon Bonaparte before he became enamoured with his Josephine. Born to a wealthy merchant class, Desiree and her family's livelihood was threatened during the Revolution and the resulting arrest of her older brother. She, and her sister Julie, cross paths with the di Buonaparte brothers whilst pleading to secure their brother's release. From this point, Desiree's life becomes completely enmeshed with the Bonapartes'. Her family's fortunes follow Bonaparte's military successes and failures. Ultimately, through a bizarre, yet fortuitous turn of events, she is crowned Queen of Sweden, alongside her French husband, as king. Today, her legacy still sits on the throne of Sweden.

'Heartbreak, and then hope. A lover, and then a wife. A mother, an attendant. A queen with a crown plucked from the stars....I have found my way and I have ruled, even as those around me have fallen'.

What an epic tale. I'll admit to not knowing much about Napoleon, nor the Napoleonic wars so this book, at a fundamental, even fictionalised level, helped open my eyes. But I just loved learning about this woman, one which history seems to have obscured, and understanding the events that shaped her life and reading about a possible life that she may have had. I'll admit an Allison Pataki bias but, truly, despite over 600 pages, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm sure any lover of historical fiction would too.

[Emiliya Bozhilova · Rating 1 out of 5]

Най-удачният коментар, и той не е мой, е че авторката не е чела в живота си книга, написана преди 2010 г. И дори не подозира за прекрасния роман на Анемари Зелинко “Дезире” (преведен и на български), да не говорим за едноименния филм с Марлон Брандо. Със сигурност едва осъзнава какво точно се е случило и през 1789 г. - вероятно е било крайно изтощително търсене в Гугъл...

С две думи, даже не я почвайте. И една звезда би и била много.

П.С. Толкова за надеждите ми за разтоварващо заглавие...

0,5 звезди (от кумова срама, да не е съвсем без хич)

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love historical fiction. I love Allison Pataki, and I also love Paris/France. So this was an immediate winner for me that has been languishing at my number one spot on my outrageously lenghthy TBR for quite some time and it was worth the wait.

I did not know much about Desiree Clary, nor the times of Napoleon. I read Second Empress about twenty years ago and LOVED it, but can barely remember. The story was captivating, and one could really feel Desiree and her conflict, her relationship with her sister, and the two very different and warring men that she loved. Also the fate of women who fall or are pushed into circumstances, that are not of their own making and choices. It really is fate and fortune to a degree. But the thrust of the book is a sisterly/friendship/rival love story between Desiree and Josephine, Napoleon's empress. This book could have been described as being about many things. But at its heart is Josephine, who is an interesting character, and how she is seen and perceived not just through the eyes of history, and the eyes of France, but through the eyes of Desiree. I really enjoyed it. Very much.

[Justina Neliubšienė · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man tai buvo lėto skaitymo knyga, nes joje tiek daug visko ir nesinorėjo skubėti per puslapius. Sodri knyga. Man patiko. Bet šios autorės knygos apie imperatore Sisi man yra pačios geriausios. 😉
" Mergina, graži mergina, įtraukta į tautos neramumų sūkurį. Sudaužyta širdis, tada viltis. Meilužė, tada žmona. Motina, padėjėja. Karalienė su karūna, nuskinta iš žvaigždžių, lemiančių mūsų likimus. Taip, daug kas buvau, šitiek kraštų vadinau savo namais, ir visus juos pergyvenau. Susiradau savo kelią ir valdžiau, nors buvusieji aplink mane žlugo. "

[Kristina McMorris · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enthralling story that also taught me an enormous amount about figures and pieces of history I had no idea about -- the best kind of historical fiction! I was thrilled to provide a quote:

“Allison Pataki is a masterful historical author at the top of her game. From the very first lyrical lines of The Queen’s Fortune, I was wholly swept into the entrancing world of Desiree Clary Bernadotte. Painstaking research and page-turning prose placed me directly at the side of this remarkable yet lesser-known figure, journeying from innocent girlhood to seasoned royalty, a survivor of guillotine threats, palace politics, and strains of the heart. I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end.”

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before Josephine there was Desiree Clary. She was Napoleon’s first love.
So what happened?
This is Desiree’s story and is a very compelling one.
Desiree was born to a wealthy merchant in Marseille. She became engaged to Napoleon, who marries Josephine instead, but years later becomes Queen of Sweden.
This novel takes through the turbulent times in France. Desiree is only a young girl when she meets Napoleon. Her sister marries Joseph his brother.
This story is an account of Desiree’s life and her marriage to John Baptist Bernadotte, who becomes King of Sweden.
I found this book very interesting as I knew very little of the subject.
It is a beautifully written tale and researched. You are just drawn in to the times and place of this novel.
I really enjoyed this book.

[Pam Jenoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating book about Desiree Clary, who was secretly engaged to Napoleon and later finds herself married to his greatest political rival. This enthralling story just came out in paperback this week. Do not miss it!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The wonderful things about books is how they impact our lives in so many ways. In 1966 the book Désirée by Annemarie Selinko was one such book. I was 13, chubby, coke bottle eyeglasses and nerdy when I stumbled onto this book at the library and blithely went to check it out. What could be more romantic to a 13 year old than a book about Napoleon's first love who goes on to be the Queen of Sweden? The librarian refused to let me check it out as "it was too advanced" for my age and proceeded to call my mother to tell her what I was up to. The joys of living in a small town. My mother told her to let me check it out and that I could read whatever I wanted to. I can not tell you what that did for me and the impact lasted my entire life. Reading was not dangerous. It was not reading that was dangerous.

So this book was near and dear to my heart probably not for it's literary value but for what it signified. I started this book with trepidation because I was afraid it would spoil something for me. I was happy that it did not. It told the story of Desiree Clary who fell in love with Napoleon when she was a young girl. This is based on a real story. He left Marseilles and went to Paris where he met and fell in love with Josephine. Desiree's heart was broken. Her older sister married Napoleon's older brother, Joseph, and Desiree moved to Paris to live with them.

She moved in court circles and became Napoleon's "sister". She became friends with Josephine (sort of) and married one of Napoleon's Marshals, Jean Baptiste Bernadotte. A renowned fighting man he went on to become King of Sweden in a very complicated circumstance. Desiree never adjusted to Sweden and spent most of her time in France.

It's still a lovely story about a young girl's fairy tale life and if you have never read about her, take the opportunity to acquaint yourself. She's well worth the read and this is a well written book. I was disappointed that the author never mentioned the book Désirée in her list of books she used as research and I find that hard to believe.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four stars for the first half, two stars for the second half - three stars for the average. This has gotten glowing reviews so far, but I found that it was just okay. I suppose I'm growing tired of authors who focus on a little-known queen and try to cram her entire life into a historical fiction book of 400 pages or so.

Pataki's book is about Desiree Clary, who would eventually become queen of Sweden and before that was engaged to Napoleon. I really liked the first part of the book, which focused on the young Desiree, a girl from a noble family in Marseille. She is the lover of Napoleon Bonaparte, and was even engaged to him, before his rise to power. But after her move to Paris and her marriage to Bernadotte, Pataki tries to cram all her research of Desiree Clary into the rest of the book. And good god, Napoleon was on every single page. I understand that Napoleon was an influential and unavoidable part of Desiree's life, but his presence could not be escaped in this entire book.

I wish Pataki had focused on the first part of Desiree's life. But having read many of the reviews, my three star review seems to be in the minority.

P.S. I was skimming by the end. Did I somehow miss all of Bernadotte's affairs? I thought he and Desiree loved each other, but I guess he must have started sleeping around in Sweden. And what about his huge "Death to Kings" tattoo? Why would someone so opposed to the monarchy then become a king and be so happy about it? I didn't understand that and I don't know if that tattoo is a historical fact. Does anyone know?

[Nadia Aguilar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pensé absurdamente que este libro trataría sobre las frivolidades de la Monarquía como muchos otros libros que realmente decepcionan (mas chisme que contenido) y me he llevado una muy satisfactoria sorpresa. Este libro aborda de manera muy afable la era del Imperio Napoleónico y paralelamente se aborda la necesidad imparable de “conquista” que al corso consumía y las pasiones carnales que lo conducían por senderos tan volátiles como su temperamento.
Una historia de amores imposibles, engaños y traiciones que conducen a los personajes a buscar su destino afrontando las consecuencias de sus actos ante el irascible Emperador Francés.
Lo que sorprende es la protagonista Désirée Clary primer amor de Napoleón de la que muy poco se conoce y quien al lado de “su Bernadotte” trascienden en al historia a través de la dinastía sueca que ellos fundaron.
Todos los personajes son impresionantes y carismáticos, interesante propuesta para adentrarnos en la historia sin proponérselo y llevarte un cúmulo de emociones que la misma narrativa despierta dejándote un nostálgico sentimiento por lo que aquel amor que pudo ser y no fue desembocó.

[MaryBeth's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much @randomhouse for sending this book my way! I am huge fan of historical fiction and I devoured this book in just 4 days.

This book centers around Desiree Clary, whom I had never even heard of, during the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Revolution has come to an end and Desiree Clary is introduced to Napoleon Bonaparte as a potential suitor. They fall in love and become engaged, but we all know how that story ends. Napoleon meets the beautiful Josephine and marries her instead. Desiree is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart, while serving in Josephine's entourage.

I'm not going to lie - I LOVED THIS BOOK! I'm a huge Phillippa Gregory fan and this book reminded me of her novels. It's just the kind of historical fiction I want. Some history, some romance, interesting characters, and an exciting story. I was absolutely fascinated by the end and how Desiree and her husband came to be in Sweden (and their family still rules today!). Once I was done with this book I quickly started researching the family - fascinating!

[Nadine Schrott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Als junges Mädchen las ich "Desiree" von Annemarie Selinko....und war hingerissen....

Die bewegende Geschichte der späteren Schweden Königin und Exverlobten von Kaiser Napoleon hat mich auch dieses Mal interessiert....begeistern konnte sie mich im Gegensatz zum Werk der 50er Jahre nicht....zu unpersönlich....zu Geschichtsdaten abhandelnd....etwas seelenlos und fast Sachbuch mäßig wird hier die Geschichte heruntergebetet....

Schade....denn die faszinierende Persönlichkeit der Ahnmutter vieler gekrönter Häupter Europas hat eindeutig mehr literarisches Potential......!

Klarer Fall von: kann man lesen....muss man aber nicht!

[Pooja Peravali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Desiree Clary was born a silk merchant's daughter in Marseilles, but her failed romance with a then unknown Napoleon leads to a meteoric rise in her social status.

Annemarie Selinko's Désirée is on my reading list, but it's out of print right now. In its absence I picked up this much more recent book.

The story is a fascinating one, and the social mobility that Desiree experiences rather stunning. Being fairly unfamiliar with Napoleon's personal life and Desiree's story, so the various twists and turns really surprised me. I also really liked the way Pataki portrayed the complicated relationship between Desiree and Josephine, forgoing making them mere rivals.

However, I thought the characters were all a little flat - beyond the complex Josephine, I felt that characters major and minor alike were given fairly short shrift on development. I did not always feel their struggles and emotions, even at serious parts of the story. I also didn't love the way the story began to play around with time skips towards the end of the book, as it often took me out of the story.

[Justina Urbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaip gerai praleidau laiką su šia knyga. Tik dar kartelį įsitikinau, kaip įtraukiančiai ši autorė sugeba rašyti, skaitai ir mėgaujiesi, o tuo pačiu ir pildai istorinių žinių spragas.

Iki knygos apie Dezirę Klari nebuvau nieko girdėjusi. Po teisybei nieko nebuvau girdėjusi ir apie Žozefiną Bonapart, o jei ir buvau, tai nieko nebeprisiminiau. Bet eilinį kartą pasitvirtino tiesa, kad už stiprių vyrų stovi stiprios ir protingos moterys.

O Dezirė ne iš kelmo spirta. Dar jaunutė buvo suvedžiota Napoleonės, kuris apakęs iš meilės pažadėjo ne tik savo širdį, bet ir visa, kas kada nors priklausys jam. Ir tada pasitaikius geresnei partijai pamiršta turįs jaunąją savo sužadėtinę ir visiškai sudaužo merginai širdį. Bet nėra to blogo, kas neišeitų į gera, nes likimas jai buvo nulėmęs visai kitą kelią ir jos istorija tik prasidėjo.

Dezirė labai įtraukianti ir žavi veikėja. Žavi ne tik išore, bet ir vidumi. Gera draugė, mylima ir mylinti žmona, atsidavusi mama, naują dinastiją pradėjusi karalienė. Mane žavėjo jos ir sesers ryšys, atsidavimas viena kitai. Taip pat stebėjausi kaip puikiai ji sugebėjo prisitaikyti prie dažnai besikeičiančių aplinkybių. Iš jos tikrai daug ko galima pasimokyti.

O Napoleonas, o gal Napoleonė? O dievai, visad maniau, kad jis buvo drąsus kareivis, norintis savo šaliai gero. Bet kaip klydau. Pasirodo, kad labiausiai gero jis norėjo tik sau. Ta jo puikybė, narciziškumas, politiniai žaidimai, dėmesio stoka ir elgesys kaip nuo pavadžio nutrūkusio patino, lekiančio paskui visus sijonus.

Revoliucija, mūšiai, viena sumaištis po kitos. Istoriniai faktai ir tikri asmeniniai gyvenimai neleido šios knygos padėti į šalį ir skatino dar plačiau pasidomėti aprašomais įvykiais.

Nors baisiai nemėgau istorijos pamokų, bet šią knygą sukrimtau kaip kokį saldainiuką. Žinau žinau, kad tai nėra istorinė knyga, o tik istoriniais įvykiais ir asmenybėmis paremtas romanas, bet man labai labai patiko. Ir Jums rekomenduoju perskaityti.

[Book2Dragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, I wasn't certain if this was a historical novel or a romance. Actually it is a bit of both. I knew nothing about French history other than 'A Tale of Two Cities' but a friend of mine from France had told me that certainly wasn't the only revolution in France's history. Of course, I knew of Napoleon, and Josephine, but not much about either.
This book surveys the years 1789 to 1860, a turbulent time in France. At it's center an ambitious young man who wanted to rule the world. His focus was first and always on himself, and he didn't tolerate dissension. His narcissism and narrow focus sound familiar these days. He didn't care who or how much he hurt others in the process. But this isn't all about Napoleon but also the women in his life and his family.
Two things struck me in this book. First, that wars are sometimes (often?) fought because of egos and politics and not for the good of "the people" or the nation. The numbers of soldiers and civilians killed and maimed by war is staggering. The second is that while the revolution may be to oust the elite who feast while people are starving, once the new rulers get in power they repeat that same pattern. Napoleon and Josephine were over the top in their excesses, and bread lines formed around their palaces. It is not an isolated incident, as many Central and South American countries can attest.
Enjoyed the book, learned much, gained knowledge. For those who love romance, there is plenty of that. (less)

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[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm conflicted about how to rate this book. I'm going with 3 stars because, although the writing was very good, it just wasn't a 'page turner" for me. The story really bogged down in places, so much so that I wound up putting the book down to read a different book at least twice. I appreciated learning a lot about the Napoleonic era, which is something that wasn't covered in depth in my education. (I now know why there is an Avenue de Wagram in Paris!) But there were a lot of gaps in understanding the characters' motivations. As an example: Desiree's eventual husband, General Bernadotte, supposedly is staunchly against the idea of kings and yet somehow becomes one - and the author doesn't write about how he reconciled himself to this apparent contradiction. I do love historical fiction, but this one just didn't do it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok LOVED this. Such a fascinating story!! I kept having to pause and look up different people/events. 10/10. I can’t wait for the Napoleon movie. Also need to go to France asap

[Alicia Avila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro que te invita a investigas más del tema y de sus protagonistas, está contado de una manera tan entretenida que en ningún momento se hace pesada (bueno mínimo a mi no se me hizo pesada 🤭) , es la primera novela de esta autora q leo y definitivamente no será la última. Muy recomendado para la gente q le gusta la novela histórica.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent book! I loved the subject matter--Desiree Clary and Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte! It covers the French Revolution, the Empire, and then the aftermath all the way to 1860. It's riveting reading and I couldn't put it down. I would recommend this to any and all historical fiction fans.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely mesmerized by the historical figure Desiree Clary Bernadotte. I can’t wait to share her story with you in February 2020!

[Marzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I've long been fascinated by the myth of Désirée Clary, the woman who was once engaged to Napoleon, then later married to Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, who was elected to become heir to King Charles XIII of Sweden and Norway. Honestly, it all began with the Jean Simmons movie, which I must have seen a dozen times as a child, because my mother was a diehard Jean Simmons fan. Hard to argue with how stunningly beautiful Simmons was. Fitting for her to play the woman who caught the eye of both the future Emperor Napoleon (boy, did she dodge a bullet there or what?) and the future King of Sweden. But truth is stranger than fiction and her husband's new "mother" Queen Hedvig Elizabeth Charlotte reportedly said of Crown Princess Désirée, who changed her name to Desideria upon her husband becoming presumptive heir, “The Princess is small, not pretty, and with no figure whatsoever. Her timidity makes her brusque. […] A spoilt child, but sweet, kind, and compassionate.”* Désirée also loathed Sweden, reportedly cried and pouted and complained endlessly and left her husband to live quietly in Paris from 1811 until 1822, leaving her son and husband in Stockholm, even after her husband's coronation as King Karl Johan XIV in 1818. She finally returned to Stockholm in 1822 with her son's future wife and remained there, rather unhappily until her death in 1860. During her tenure in Paris without Bernadotte, she reportedly became obsessed with the Duc de Richelieu to the extent that she, by modern standards, stalked him. Yes, the reality of Désirée that I learned of as an adult reader of history is a little different from fictional Désirée, so I was curious to see what Allison Pataki made of the situation.


Actress Jean Simmons as Désirée, 1954

The novel is a little heavy on the romance for my taste. Also, it's a romanticized view of Désirée herself. But it does give the reader a sense of the period, of Napoleon's quixotic nature, of the irony of a man who rose to prominence during the Revolution coming to proclaim himself Emperor, of the grandeur in which he lived being more ostentatious than even that of the Bourbons. It's obvious that Pataki put a great amount of research into her novel. If you're okay with romantic historical fiction, this novel will be both informative and enjoyable.

The audiobook, available via Libro.fm in support of your local independent bookseller, is marvelously narrated by Justine Eyre.

*Alan Palmer, Bernadotte: Napoleon’s Marshal, Sweden’s King (London: John Murray, 1990), p. 176.

I received a paper review copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Lina Roce · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5☆