Krishna
This is, of course, a historical, and about the most important love in Emperor Nepoleon’s life.
The story is well told, in a straightforward manner. The story tracks the separate lives of both Napoleon and Josephine and is of course inextricably entwined with the tumultous events of French History including the French Revolution and the subsequent rise and fall of Napoleon.
The narration is to the point and keeps readers’ interest. Napolean’s life from his humble Corsican beginnings to the ultimate, dictatorial, paranoid, all-powerful Emperor who remained a brilliant strategist in war for most of his life is narrated in an easy style. So is the life of Josephine with her failed first marriage and subsequent one to Napoleon.
The pictures are plenty and taking that into account, this is indeed a very short book.
Josephine’s character as the gentle, smiling lady, and an undercover diplomat who was the perfect counterfoil to the impetuous and often unpredictable Emperor is interesting. As is the intrigues of the Bonaparte side of the family, who never accepted her as one of them and constantly plotted against her throughout her life.
In addition, the depth of affection Napoleon had for her, even after they had to divorce and live apart, comes through very well.
The book was a bit disappointing in not throwing any new light on the lives – it is a simple narration of well known facts for those who are familiar with the history of the times. Also, it pays scant attention to the history of the times, and uses these only as a backdrop to tell a love story.
Despite all these flaws, it is a readable book.
It deserves a 6/10
— Krishna