The Empress by Gigi Griffis
The year is 1853, and sixteen-year-old Elisabeth "Sisi" of Bavaria has been very clear: she will wait for the sweeping, head-over-heels kind of love the poets speak of, or she will have no love at all. It is not her fault Mother refuses to listen. After all, just because her older sister Helene has chosen the line of duty, and is preparing to marry Emperor Franz of Austria, does not mean Sisi also needs to subject herself to such a passionless, regimented existence. Sisi knows there is more to life than corsets, luncheons, and woefully unfashionable dukes . . . if only someone would give her the chance to experience it firsthand.
Meanwhile, in Austria, the Emperor is recovering from an assassination attempt that left him wounded and scared. In a bid to keep the peace, Franz has recommitted himself to his imperial duties-and promised to romance the pliant Bavarian princess, Helene, at his upcoming birthday celebration. How better to unite the country than with the announcement of a new Empress?
But when Sisi and Franz meet unexpectedly in the palace gardens, away from the prying eyes and relentless critique of their families, their connection cannot be denied. And as their illicit conversations turn into something more, they must soon choose between the expectations of the court, and the burning desires of their hearts . . .
Epic, captivating, and deliciously steamy, The Empress is a remarkably contemporary tale of falling in love and finding one's voice.
Review: Imagine you are told for years that your older sister is destined to marry the Emperor of Austria. It is your sister who is prepared, tutored, and has the behavior to match. Meanwhile, you prefer to be outdoors, riding horses, or indoors reading and writing poetry. You would rather be barefoot, with your hair unbound. But when you meet the Emperor, he is instead captivated by you. It is you who he wants to marry. This is Elisabeth of Bavaria's story.
I have to preface the rest of my review by saying that I did watch the Netflix show that this book is based on before reading the book, which inevitably colored my impressions of this novel. I loved the show and the casting and was equally charmed by this book. The show follows the book quite closely, although it does embellish some characters (namely ladies in waiting) and it does go far beyond the time period covered in the book. I actually prefer that this book only covers the courtship and marriage between Elisabeth and Franz.
Having read a biography of Elisabeth by Nancy Goldstone, I know that the two loved each other very much but their marriage was complicated and filled with tragedies and disappointments. This book leaves us on a hopeful note. Also, having read a biography, I do think much of this is fairly true to life. Yes, the author does embellish and imagine scenes between the two. But the origins of their marriage are true as depicted and Elisabeth was known for her fanciful personality and her refusal to follow conventional ideas of duty and decorum.
I was surprised that, in addition to Franz and Elisabeth, the author chose to have some chapters from the perspective of Elisabeth's older sister. The sister relationship was a major subplot of this book, which makes a lot of sense as the marriage placed tremendous strain on it. This was a brief book, and I found myself wishing it had been a bit longer just so we could have explored Helena more, as well as gotten more in-depth coverage of the other main characters as well.
Stars: 4
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