A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire
December 15, 2019
The rise of Napoleon as narrated by his first fiancee. The Clary sisters, Desiree and Julie, daughters of a recently deceased Marseille merchant, are trying to rescue their brother from revolutionary prison when they encounter Joseph di Buonaparte. Entranced by Desiree's beauty, Joseph uses his influence on the Clarys' behalf. Joseph attempts to court Desiree, but he's edged aside by Napoleon, who pledges marriage after toying with her affections. But as military ambitions increasingly preoccupy Napoleon, Desiree is supplanted by Josephine. Reluctantly, Desiree joins her sister, newly married to Joseph, in Paris. Not overjoyed that her jilter is now an in-law, she is too much the lady to show resentment, which may have served the historical Desiree but not so much the fictional character. When, early in the novel, she is admitted to Napoleon's inner circle, Desiree ceases to be a protagonist and becomes a passive, if acute, observer. Her proximity to the Little Corporal has some benefits--her marriage to Bernadotte, Bonaparte's most trusted general, brings not only love, but riches. Although the politics and contradictions of Napoleon's success, as seen through Desiree's eyes, are riveting, this is well-traveled ground. Desiree's point of view is too nonjudgmental to bring to the fore the ironies attendant on the trajectory of an impoverished Corsican who uses the revolution as a platform to exceed the excesses of the deposed and beheaded Bourbons. Likewise, the struggles of Josephine, who captivates Napoleon in part due to her age and experience and then displeases him for the same reasons, are related by Desiree with no particular insights to distinguish this treatment from the many more direct portrayals of the empress. Pataki's ability to flesh out imperial grandeur and foibles with telling detail, on full display in her Habsburg novels (Sisi, 2016, etc.), is equally evident here; however the dramatic demands of a novel are not met. All that is known of the historical Desiree is that she was a bystander--unfortunately, she remains so here.
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January 20, 2020
This impeccably researched, expertly rendered historical from Pataki (The Traitor’s Wife) gloriously recreates the personal dramas surrounding Napoleon Bonaparte. Following the French Revolution, Napoleon falls hard for beautiful Desiree Clary, a sheltered and wealthy 16-year-old. They become engaged, and their siblings also marry, but Napoleon has second thoughts when he meets socialite Josephine de Beauharnais. As Napoleon racks up military victories, Desiree and Josephine become friends, and they both end up in places they never expected to be. Desiree leaves a Catholic convent school in the south of France for glittering Paris parties, and later joins the Swedish nobility. Pataki’s skill in chronicling Napoleon’s transformation from an idealistic young soldier to a ruthless, callous leader drives the story, and her sumptuous scenes allow the reader to easily examine the political machinations and extreme luxury of the monarchy. Readers who enjoy Elizabeth Chadwick will want to take a look. Agent: Lacy Lalene Lynch, Dupree/Miller & Associates.
February 1, 2020
Young, rich, and beautiful, Desiree Clary conducts a torrid love affair with Napoleon Bonaparte at the start of the French Revolution. However, his wandering eye quickly fixes on the alluring Josephine, and Desiree is left abandoned and heartbroken. Meanwhile, her beloved sister Julie marries Napoleon's brother Joseph, and the extended family frequently spends time together--not the most comfortable situation for Desiree. Fortunately, she finds solace with the handsome Bernadotte, a rising star in the French army. His clashes with Napoleon don't prevent him from being named heir to the throne of Sweden, giving Desiree a crown she never imagined she'd wear. Their descendants rule Sweden to this day. Pataki (The Traitor's Wife) successfully creates believable settings and relationships, and carefully manages regular time jumps as she tells Desiree's story over the decades. VERDICT Breathing life into historic figures can be challenging, and Pataki does a solid job of showcasing a remarkable woman. Desiree's proximity to Napoleon and her place on the European royal stage will attract readers who enjoy historical fiction by Alison Weir or Stephanie Dray. [See Prepub Alert, 7/15/19.]--Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib.
Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2020
Desiree Clary, the first fianc�e of Napoleon and eventual queen of Sweden, is the subject of the latest novel from Pataki (Sisi, 2016) featuring an understudied woman in history. Spanning the decades encompassing the French Revolution, Napoleon's rule, and the Bourbon Restoration, the narrative begins with Desiree's childhood in Marseille as the daughter of a bourgeois family fearful for their survival in Revolution-era France. Their fates take an advantageous turn when Desiree's sister marries Joseph Bonaparte, the brother of a certain general and future emperor. Desiree catches Napoleon's eye?and, briefly, his heart?resulting in a secret engagement that ends when Napoleon woos and weds his beautiful first wife, Josephine, instead. Desiree, meanwhile, falls in love with one of Napoleon's generals, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, though the couple's marital bliss is soon overshadowed by Bernadotte's increasingly heated conflicts with Napoleon, which ultimately alter the course of Bernadotte and Desiree's lives. Desiree is a fascinating, intelligent, sympathetic protagonist, and historical fiction fans will relish this richly detailed, engrossing story of a woman whose name is well worth knowing.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)