The Secret Life of Josephine: Napoleon's Bird of Paradise
Author:
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Hardcover
Helpful Score: 5
Erickson claims this book is "historical entertainment" not historical fiction - she's half right. It's history disguised as fiction but it's not entertainment.
Having recently read Sandra Gulland's (wonderful!) Josephine Bonaparte trilogy, which I found to be well researched and a delight to read, I've been comparing this book to that series. Maybe that's unfair given Erickson's proclamation, but this is the abridged version of Josephine's life with some literary license. Actually, more than some - there's quite a bit of license taken.
I'm less than 100 pages into the book and already Josephine has left Martinique, married, borne two children and has embarked upon a (fictionalised) affair. It's simply dull and stupid. I'm not reading any further.
Having recently read Sandra Gulland's (wonderful!) Josephine Bonaparte trilogy, which I found to be well researched and a delight to read, I've been comparing this book to that series. Maybe that's unfair given Erickson's proclamation, but this is the abridged version of Josephine's life with some literary license. Actually, more than some - there's quite a bit of license taken.
I'm less than 100 pages into the book and already Josephine has left Martinique, married, borne two children and has embarked upon a (fictionalised) affair. It's simply dull and stupid. I'm not reading any further.
