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    The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court
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    The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court
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    The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court

    Written by Michelle Moran

    Narrated by Adam Alexi-Malle, Emma Bering and Tanya Franks

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    National bestselling author Michelle Moran returns to Paris, this time under the rule of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte as he casts aside his beautiful wife to marry a Hapsburg princess he hopes will bear him a royal heir.

    After the bloody French Revolution, Emperor Napoleon's power is absolute. When Marie-Louise, the eighteen year old daughter of the King of Austria, is told that the Emperor has demanded her hand in marriage, her father presents her with a terrible choice: marry the cruel, capricious Napoleon, leaving the man she loves and her home forever, or say no, and plunge her country into war.

    Marie-Louise knows what she must do, and she travels to France, determined to be a good wife despite Napoleon's reputation. But lavish parties greet her in Paris, and at the extravagant French court, she finds many rivals for her husband's affection, including Napoleon's first wife, Joséphine, and his sister Pauline, the only woman as ambitious as the emperor himself. Beloved by some and infamous to many, Pauline is fiercely loyal to her brother. She is also convinced that Napoleon is destined to become the modern Pharaoh of Egypt. Indeed, her greatest hope is to rule alongside him as his queen-a brother-sister marriage just as the ancient Egyptian royals practiced. Determined to see this dream come to pass, Pauline embarks on a campaign to undermine the new empress and convince Napoleon to divorce Marie-Louise.

    As Pauline's insightful Haitian servant, Paul, watches these two women clash, he is torn between his love for Pauline and his sympathy for Marie-Louise. But there are greater concerns than Pauline's jealousy plaguing the court of France. While Napoleon becomes increasingly desperate for an heir, the empire's peace looks increasingly unstable. When war once again sweeps the continent and bloodshed threatens Marie-Louise's family in Austria, the second Empress is forced to make choices that will determine her place in history-and change the course of her life.

    Based on primary resources from the time, The Second Empress takes readers back to Napoleon's empire, where royals and servants alike live at the whim of one man, and two women vie to change their destinies.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateAug 14, 2012
    ISBN9780449010587
    Unavailable
    The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court
    Author

    Michelle Moran

    Michelle Moran is the internationally bestselling author of seven historical novels, including Rebel Queen, which was inspired by her travels throughout India. Her books have have been translated into more than twenty languages. A frequent traveler, Michelle currently resides with her husband and two children in the US. Visit her online at MichelleMoran.com.

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    Reviews for The Second Empress

    3.5/5

    176 ratings44 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I found this book to be rather engaging - told from various viewpoints and set during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte and his second wife, Marie-Louise. The sections narrated by Napoleon's sister were particularly interesting - she was nutso and thought that she herself should be married to Napoleon and that they should go to Egypt to rule that country. If you like historical fiction, you'd probably like this book.
    • 4/5
      Knowing very little about Napoleon's later years, I was uncertain if Moran's fictional work would mislead or guide me in this historical time period. I was happily surprised by her use of primary source documents (primarily letters) to draw me into the life of his 18 year old Austrian-born wife, Marie-Louise.

      The oddities of relationships between Napoleon, Marie-Louise, his sister Pauline, his previous wife, Josephine and even the story of Paul Moreau, were all new to me. At times, I wasn't sure how much was true vs fiction. Napoleon is depicted as cold-hearted, tempermental and disparaging of women; all well-supported by documents and texts.

      I fell into the world of 18th century France and admire Moran's ability to take me there. Worth reading and I plan to locate more of her historical fiction to add to my BTR pile!
    • 2/5
      Princess Maria Lucia of Austria is asked to make an impossible choice: invite war and devastation on her country and the probable loss of her father's throne OR marry the monster who has wreaked such destruction across Europe. Meanwhile, Pauline, a woman born into poverty and now the sister of an Emperor, struggles with her unnatural affection for her brother and a debilitating illness. Pauline's servant, Paul, cares for his mistress and pines for her love as he watches her grow ever more erratic and cruel.All of these stories are tied together in Michelle Moran's The Second Empress, a historical novel set in the last years of Napoleon's rule in France.I think choosing to write about Napoleon's often forgotten second wife was an inspired decision, and I was very much looking forward to this read. Maria Lucia's sections were my favorite and I think also had the most authentic voice. Both her girlish fears and her imperial composure and maturity seemed very realistic for a young woman raised in the Austrian court. However, I wish Moran had decided to focus more on Maria Lucia's story. I found Pauline and Paul both distracting and unrealistic. Now, Pauline seemed like a very interesting person and so did Paul, but I didn't feel Moran was as effective at capturing their voices. Paul seemed impossibly self-aware and Pauline impossibly deluded about the feasibility of marrying her brother. I also simply didn't care about them as much as characters, both were difficult to sympathize with. Or rather, Paul was generically easy to sympathize with, as he puts up with everyone's behavior, and Pauline was a hysteric stereotype, if more vindictively cruel than the average hysteric.Although Napoleon is a presence in the novel, he seems more like a ghost or a devil that haunts all the POV characters. Moran admits in her Author's Note that she has been harsh in her treatment of Napoleon, but believes it was warranted. I agree. The book is clearly impeccably researched, and I really appreciated the detailed epilogue, glossary, and historical note. However, she didn't need to include the interspersed letters between Napoleon and Josephine. While historically accurate, they didn't add much to the plot and didn't serve to humanize Napoleon, which must have been their ostensible purpose.I didn't care particularly for Moran's writing style. She used very plain diction for all of the characters, and her sentences and dialogue tended to be unnecessarily long. There was also a painful overuse of adverbs: there are many instances where he/she says something "honestly", "patiently," "slowly,"proudly" etc.The Second Empress reads like the bare bones of a really great historical novel. The material is there, but it's not presented to its best advantage. I do commend it, however, for not falling into the historical romance trap that has ruined so much "historical fiction" for me in the past decade.
    • 4/5
      Marie Louise, Archduchess of Austria lives a happy life. Napoleon, eager to marry into a Royal Family after divorcing his beloved Josephine for lack of an heir, chooses Marie Louise. Unhappy at the prospect of becoming France's Second Empress, Marie Louise agrees, knowing that her decision will give Austria peace. Marie Louise finds the French Court haunted by the ghostly presence of the disgraced but beloved Josephine. She also finds herself battling Pauline, Napoleon's sister who wants to rule France as the Ancient Egyptians did with Brother-Sister marriages. Pauline employs Paul, a Haitian who enjoys the confidence of Napoleon. Napoleon seems pleased with the prestige of his new wife, but his mercurial temperament can cause problems. Though Napoleon seems to be triumphant, his downfall is near. After several military blunders, war is coming to France. If Napoleon falls, where will Marie Louise and her son land?The Second Empress tells the story of Marie Louise, someone I was unfamiliar with. Great niece to Marie Antoinette, Marie Louise wasn't fond of France, but made the sacrifice to marry Napoleon despite this fact.Marie Louise also leaves behind a lover, a younger brother and a beloved father and step mother. While the French Court was no picnic and Pauline is definitely crazy, I wish that Napoleon would have be more prominently featured. While not my favorite Michelle Moran novel, I enjoyed this book.
    • 4/5
      I received this book through the Early Reviewers.I am a huge fan of Michelle Moran's books and was excited for her latest release.The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court covers Maria Louisa's (an Austrian princess from the Hapsburg royal family)marriage and life with Napoleon before and during the Peninsular War,his capture and imprisonment on Elba, the battle of Waterloo, and his imprisonment and death on St. Helena.The story is told from the POV of three main characters--Maria Louisa (renamed Marie-Louise in the French style), Pauline Bonaparte-Napoleon's sister, and Paul Moreau, Pauline's chamberlain. Between chapters, we are given excerpts from actual letters between Napoleon and his first wife, Josephine, who he's thrown over for failing to produce an heir.While Empress certainly delivers on the historical fiction front and is definitely up to par with previous works, I wasn't as enamored or engaged with this book as with her other novels.The book was relatively short to begin with--the pacing felt hurried along, especially with the jump between the POVs. I would have liked a meatier work with more detail and exposition. If you're a fan of Ms. Moran already, this will not disappoint--she delivers her usual high-quality work. However, you may feel what I felt--that the story has ended before you've really gotten a feel for the characters.
    • 5/5
      Michelle Moran's books are among some of my favorite historical fiction titles. This book is now added to that list. Her characters are well devolved and the story is engrossing and well paced. I would gladly recommend this book to anyone. While I am a historian the Napoleonic time period is a bit beyond my area of interest but I decided to read this book because I like the author. I found that it was fascinating to read about the court intrigues of the day and the struggles for power. Overall a great book.
    • 4/5
      An easy to read historical novel that focuses on the personal side of Napoleon's life. It is about the three women in his life - his two wives and his sister Pauline. All are important to him for different reasons. Reviewers on other sites discredited the book because some of Ms Moran's sources were suspect. I teach history at a junior college and I read non fiction books with sources of poor quality. This is after all "fiction". The essential facts she portrays are accurate and if you are a nitpicker don't read this book. But if you want to be well entertained with a fast paced book with a bevy of interesting character that is practically effortless to read -this book is for you. This would be perfect for a person's first historical fiction read.
    • 3/5
      Admittedly, this is the first novel about Napoleon and his court which I've read, and I am not the most knowledgeable regarding this era in France. I didn't even know Napoleon had a second wife before I read the description of this book. That being the case, I cannot and will not comment on the historical accuracy of this novel. Based on the description and the title of this novel, I was under the impression Marie-Louise, Napoleon's second empress, would be the main character of "The Second Empress." However, I felt much more attention was given to Napoleon's narcissistic sister Pauline. It felt as though Marie-Louise was just a side character. In my opinion, Marie-Louise was the least developed of any of the more central characters. In fact, she seemed positively one-dimensional. I never got a good sense of who she was. At least to me, Pauline seemed to be the most well-developed character, but I found even her dimensionality to be lacking. She was just too egocentric, uncaring, devious, etc. to be believable. Everyone, even those history labels as antagonists, has a good side. Ms. Moran spent so much time developing Pauline's antagonistic side that the character's good traits were completely neglected. Honestly, I feel that all the characters in this novel were portrayed in these "black and white" terms. They were either categorically good or bad. Napoleon = bad. Pauline = bad. Marie-Louise = good. Paul = good. It became tiring. I wanted to get a glimpse of the more gritty side of those portrayed as protagonists while I wanted the antagonists' good qualities to occasionally be acknowledged. It would have given them more humanity. Given the lack of balance, all the characters wound up feeling more like caricatures than actual historical figures. "The Second Empress" did hold my attention enough to get me through the entire novel, but it left little impression on me after I had finished. I will say, however, that it gave me enough of a desire to learn more about the characters that I plan on reading other novels about Napoleon and those in his court.I was honestly quite surprised by my apathy towards this novel, as I had thoroughly enjoyed Michelle Moran's novels about ancient Egypt and was quite intrigued by the summary of this new novel. Realistically, though, not every novel an author writes can be a "home run" for everyone due to differing tastes. I have enjoyed Ms. Moran's novels in the past and expect I will enjoy more of her work in the future. This just wasn't the right read for me.
    • 5/5
      I read this very quickly -- in about 24 hours from the time I picked it up. While it is relatively short, that's also an indication of a story that really drew me in, and a book I couldn't put down for long. I don't know much about Napoleon and his relations, or Austria at this time, so cannot speak to the historical accuracy. However, it's a very good story, with well drawn characters, especially Maria-Lucia (Marie-Louise), Paul, and Pauline. Quite an enjoyable way to spend a weekend. Thanks for the great hardcover Early Reviewers copy!
    • 4/5
      Marie Louise of Austria is chosen by Napoleon to be his next wife after his first wife, Josephine, fails to give him an heir. His reasons for choosing her is her Hapsburg bloodline and her family history of prolific childbearing. Love does not enter into the equation, but there's a measure of affection when she does what she came for. That sounds a bit coarse, but that was Napoleon's world. He wasn't known for his elegance, but his so-far successful military endeavors and his family's reputation for ambition. And Marie Louise is at least pragmatic enough to know her duty, and deal with it despite her resentment for his humiliating her father and the love she still bears for a man she leaves behind in Austria. Marie Louise also has to contend with Pauline, Napoleon's Egyptophile sister who would love nothing more than to rule by his side in a pharaoh-type sibling marriage. That's of course completely unrealistic in a place like France, but Pauline is not completely in her right mind, as her faithful and intelligent servant Paul begins to see as the story progresses.The Second Empress has everything a historical novel should have: conflicts of all sorts, multiple viewpoints and a little bit of romance. I thought it was a quick read - could have been a little slower-paced at times, but I suppose during that turbulent time it actually makes sense to move the story along that way.
    • 4/5
      While I usually prefer historical fiction novels that focus on non-royalty or unknown people from history, I have always enjoyed Michelle Moran's books. Her talent for bringing famous historical women and men to life is evident in her latest novel about Napoleon's court.Napoleon's power has never been higher, but he needs an heir, always the bane of the royals. The story is told from three points of view: Maria Lucia, the second empress, the infamous Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon's sister, and Paul Moreau, Pauline's servant of mixed race. Her characters are well drawn; Napoleon comes across exactly as he should, Pauline is creepy and fascinating, and Maria Lucia is a determined and resolute noble pawn. Paul's story was the saddest to me as he realizes (over the course of ten years) that he can never have a true home in Paris. The story follows Napoleon's dramatic fall from power and its effects on his family.The novel's prose is very accessible and I finished the book in one day. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and I am eagerly looking forward to her next book.
    • 4/5
      *I received this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.*A novelization of the experience of Marie Louise, Napoleon's second wife, who left her family in Austria to replace Josephine at the Napoleonic court. There, she clashes with Napoleon's sister Pauline, who desires a more intimate relationship with her brother and sees Marie Louise in her way, and gains the sympathy of Paul, Pauline's Haitian servant. Told from differing points of view, this novel presents the tale of the later years and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte, showing the empire Napoleon built as it crumbles from years of warfare and strain. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction.
    • 4/5
      When I first picked up this book and flipped through the pages and checked out the format I thought...great, this is going to be boring. I love historical fiction, but when author's choose to depict actual historical figures as the main characters; it can have a stifled feeling to it. The balance of maintaining historical truth and an entertaining story can be hard. My initial assessment of this book proved wrong. I quickly found myself emotionally invested in the characters and interested in what was going to happen. While the plot was not riveting or exciting, I found myself enjoying the characters. If the Bonaparte's were alive now they would totally have their own reality tv show. Napoleon and Pauline are whiny, self-centered and incredibly egotistical. The novel was a very light and quick read. My chief complaint is that it was almost too light and airy. I think that the characters and the time period would have done better with a richer and more complex storyline. She did such a good job at the characters that it was disappointing not to be able to spend more time with them!
    • 3/5
      Michelle Moran writes bland novels centered on fascinating women. "The Second Empress" continues this tradition.Marie Louise, the eighteen-year-old daughter of the King of Austria, was forced into marriage with her country's archenemy Napoleon Bonaparte. It is through her eyes that the reader sees the viperous pit that was the French court. But somehow Marie Louise fails to come alive as a character. She is more cardboard figure that living characterization. But the history is true and the story well researched.
    • 5/5
      This is a story mostly about Napoleon, through the eyes of his second wife, Maria Lucia of Austria (Marie Antoinette was her great aunt), his sister Pauline, and Pauline's chamberlain, Paul. It covers the last six years of his rain, through little snapshots across the years, from the different perspectives. There's never a dull moment.I liked Maria Lucia instantly. She was well written, and as always when I read one of Moran's novels, I feel bad for the female characters because of the horrible things they must endure, but I also admire their courage, strength, and determination.Pauline is selfish, self-centered, a bit deranged, a total slut, and excellent fun to read about. I've read another story that centered around her and showed her in a kinder light. According to the notes at the back of the book, Moran wrote the characters as truthfully as she could, based on historical evidence. I enjoyed reading this crazed woman's point of view immensely.Paul is a quieter voice, but one of truth and--for a time--devotion. He has been with Pauline for the better part of his life, loving her quietly, patiently waiting to go back to Haiti (his homeland) with her. He is the one person in the palace who the Bonaparte's depend on to tell the truth.I flew through this book because the plot moved along nicely and the characters were engaging. My only complaint would that it was too short. I love Moran's work and will always come back for more.
    • 5/5
      Wrapped up reading The Second Empress moments ago and boy was I not disappointed. Michelle Moran always delivers and is a breath of fresh air when it comes to historical fiction. I will run out to buy her books as soon as they come out because they are THAT good. This one was about Napoleon's second wife after he divorces Josephine and about the last six years of his reign as Emperor or tyrant of France. Napoleon and his family were truly eccentric but one does have to admire his abilities on the battlefield if nothing else. He was a rude, blunt and coarse ruler who ruled with an iron fist when it came to France and to his family. We follow Marie-Louise an Austrian princess as she becomes Napoleon's second wife in order to save her father's throne in Austria from becoming a part of Napoleon's conquests in Europe. She is is love with someone else of course, but sees it as her duty to her family and her country to wed the man she hates most in the world, Napoleon. We follow along as she travels to meet her husband for the first time to the birth of their son and throughout the downfall of Napoleon and the Bonapartes. I highly recommend this book to people who are curious about France after the Revolution and what Napoleon accomplished during his time as Emperor of France. Michelle Moran is a fabulous writer who has a way of weaving historical elements into a fantastic tale. As a historical fiction lover to any other historical fiction lovers, I think this one you will enjoy and you won't be disappointed.
    • 4/5
      I've thoroughly enjoyed Michelle Moran's historical novels ever since picking up Nefertiti - and when I saw The Second Empress was being released I was thrilled. Why? Because with Madame Tussaud, Moran had my attention and I was ready to dive back into French history.The Second Empress deals with Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte's second wife after his divorce from Josephine. What I appreciated about this book was that it was "historical-fiction-lite"; it was easy to read and fun to read without bogging me down with facts. The perfect Sunday evening past-time. Moran switches between three points of view: The Empress, Napoleon's sister, Pauline, and her man-servant, Paul. Each point of view allowed the story to be well-rounded and, instead of being confusing, intensified my interest as it progressed.That said, the drawback of a story written like this is it's lack of historical accuracy. While Moran uses memoirs and letters for her inspiration, the historical accuracy of the story is not something I'd use when debating anyone with a wealth of knowledge about French history. It's important to remember the "fiction" in the title of this book, and use it as a stepping board to finding out more of what really happened. I think it's a fantastic place to start, and would have enjoyed it a little more if it were more challenging to read, but for budding historical fiction fans, I do not think you can start at a better place than with Moran's novels.
    • 5/5
      Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this pre-release ebook.Let me preface this by stating I am already an affirmed fan of Michelle Moran, having read all her previous books. So it might seem a bit of a foregone conclusion to say that I enjoyed this book. However having read a pretty wide variety of historical fiction in regards to time and place, it seems that somehow I had a big gapping hole around the larger than life figure of Napoleon. Yes, that little man that matched his armies over much of Europe has pretty much stayed out of my reading path, having only by passed him by chance in other things like say, The Count of Monte Cristo. So this was new turf for me. And I want to know more! Particularly about these women, his second wife Marie-Louise, his sister Pauline (what a strange one she is), and his first wife the empress Josephine (though she really doesn't feature in this book, I am intrigued by her story, having also encountered her briefly in Moran's previous book Madam Tussard).This book switches between 3 main narrators, Maria-Lucia (who becomes Marie-Louise on marriage), Pauline Bonaparte, and her chamberlain, Paul, a Haitain. There are also translations of personal letters, most of which are between Napoleon and Josephine, interspersed in the book. This shows the true regard and undying love Napoleon and Josephine had. He separated from her solely to get a legitimate heir. In this age of Revolution, where the monarchy was overturned, Napoleon rose to the top and found himself in much the same regard, declared himself Emperor and then desired to pass his Empire on to a son. Maria-Lucia is a wonderfully sympathetic character, torn from her home, her love, even her dog, and forced by politics to marry the enemy of her country, abide by Napoleon's tyrannical demands, and negotiate the jealous ambitions of his family. That he somehow navigated through it all is a marvel. Pauline Bonaparte is a true opposite. She is grasping, ambitious, jealous, harping, ....one of histories Mean Girls, it would seem. She had a string of lovers, many of which her brother dispatched to his wars, to certain death. She strove to help Napoleon escape from Elba and reconquest France.The court of Napoleon, in all its extravagence, its politiclal ambitions, and lovers entanglements is wonderfully well shown. Many noble marriages were farces, with both parties openly involved elsewhere. The very things that the French people had despised in the monarchy, resurfaced with Napoleon, with money squandered, and the classes as divided as they always had been.A well researched and constructed book. Bravo Michelle, can't wait to see were you talk us next!
    • 4/5
      Last year I won Michelle Moran's Madame Tussaud through Goodreads.com, and once I started I devoured it in a few days. I had the same experience with The Second Empress, there is something about Moran's writing that just makes her stories so addictive and impossible to put down. That said, this book is not without flaws. The story is told in three different points of view: Pauline Bonaparte, Paul Moreau (Pauline's chamberlain) and of course the second empress herself, Marie-Louise. I'm not entirely convinced the three points of view were necessary since we know of almost everything Pauline does through Paul, and it renders Pauline somewhat unnecessary to the story, and well, she's not the most likeable character anyway. There is also a couple of sentences that appear in the same manner for two different characters, and that makes the different voices, not so different. The book overall left me craving to learn more about Marie-Loiuse and the Napolionic wars, and whenever a book leaves me this way, specially a historical fiction book, I call it a win.
    • 4/5
      For some reason I always stopped or at least don't remember reading history in France much after the French Revolution, so I found this book very interesting. Narrated from three different POV this book enlightens the reader on the very difficult personalities that made up Napoleon and his family. His great love of Josephine who he put aside and the strange relationship he had with his sister Pauline. My favorite was the new Empress, the grandniece of Marie Antoinette, and the scenes between Hortense and herself. Most of the letters in the book were factual and I appreciate the author's afterword, telling us about her sources and what events actually happened. I don't know if it was the telling through the different POV's but I felt that I would have liked more depth in the characters portrayed. All in all a good historical read and one I am glad to have read. ARC from NetGalley.
    • 3/5
      It's strange that I haven't read more books about Napoleonic France. It always seems like I'm more attracted to French Revolution-period novels (or there just seem to by more of these out there), so I came into Michelle Moran latest novel, The Second Empress, knowing very little about Napoleon, Josephine and the family drama. In her newest novel, Moran explores the life of Marie-Louise, the second wife of Napoleon. At a young age, Marie-Louise is reluctantly sent off to marry Napoleon after he orchestrates a divorce from his beloved Josephine after she cannot produce an heir. Much like her predecessor, Marie-Louise is a Hapsburg princess whose lineage is far greater than that of Napoleon -but when the dictator of Europe calls, you cannot say no. As Marie-Louise settles into life at the French court, she finds that the biggest barrier in her way is her own sister-in-law, Pauline. As the pair battle over control, Napoleon's own ambition threatens to undo all that he has built.It was absolutely fascinating to learn about the latter part of Napoleon's life here -to get a glimpse into the wild world of his unconventional siblings, especially the scandalous Pauline. They seriously could make Napoleon's family into its own soap-y Showtime original series: The Bonapartes.Honestly, I would have liked to have seen more of that here, or at least to have seem a little more of the period than just the tidbits through the eyes of Pauline, Marie-Louise and Pauline's servant Paul. I felt like there was so much more that could have been explored and, though Moran did an excellent job with the historical detail here, I just wanted more. The book is also just 300 pages -and it feels like there should just be more to it.Despite its length, there's a lot of detailed history packed into this book alongside vivid characters. (Though I found myself much more interested into the not-so-conventional Pauline than in the mild-mannered turned strong/victim of her times Marie-Louise.) Moran is truly a master of building realistic historical settings complete with real characters. Yet, I felt like Second Empress was something of a let down after her previous novels. It just doesn't seem to have the depth that the others do (and there is more sex in Second Empress than any other Moran novel). I was expecting more, and The Second Empress kind of left something to be desired.
    • 4/5
      The Second Empress by Michelle Moran was the perfect blend of history and storytelling as the author recounts the final years of Napoleon’s reign. The story unfolds through the eyes of various characters such as Napoleon’s sister, Pauline, her black chamberlain, Paul Moreau, and of course, Napoleon’s second empress, Marie-Louise.Austrian princess, Marie-Louise is only 18 when she is chosen by Napoleon to be his second wife. She was basically being brought to France to be the mother of his children as Josephine was unable to provide him with heirs. All of the Bonapartes come off as very selfish, vain and dominating people with no regard to the feelings or concerns of others. Napoleon seemed unable to control his ambition and his decision to embark on a war with Russia and it’s devastating outcome led to his downfall. Marie-Louise tried to be the wife that Napoleon needed but when he was forced to abdicate she was able to rely on her father to spirit herself and her son away from France and eventually she was able to live a peaceful life. I actually most enjoyed the parts of the story that were told by the unreliable narrator, Pauline Bonaparte. With her obsession over her brother, her extravagances and her need to be the centre of attention at all times her story certainly livened up the book. The Second Empress is a well written, well researched story that totally held my interest. The author kept her focus on the relationships rather than the actual political history so it is quite a light read. Personally, I didn’t think the third narrator, Paul Moreau was needed. I suspect he was added as a counter-balance to the crazy antics of Pauline but I didn’t feel that he added much value to the story. This book paints a vivid picture of the last few years of Napoleon’s rule, but I advise future readers to remember this is a work of fiction so not all the details are exact.
    • 4/5
      So far I have not read a Moran book that disappointed me, and I happy to say that one was just as good as the rest.

      Through out the whole book there was this easy flow to it, I took it up and started reading and suddenly I found myself 1/3 through the book. So I did what any booklover would do, I finished it in one day. I really liked the flow, the book felt light by it.

      The book itself spans over 6 years and has 3 POVS. Princess Marie-Louise who have to marry Napoleon. She is not happy but will do her duty. Then we have Napoleon's sister Pauline who is a piece of work, but still, she has issues too. And last Pauline's chamberlain Paul. They all give an insight and we get to see more than we would have since with just Marie-Louise around.

      I like how Moran presents everyone, even with their faults she makes me see that there might be something behind all of it. Well except Napoleon, that guy was just crazy. But every man needs a vision.

      The book felt different from the ones before, maybe because of the lightness, it was not that long either. She wove in the historical facts without making them heavy or making them too many.

      I could go on and on. In the end, all I want to say is that I really enjoyed reading this book and that I recommend it to all.(
    • 5/5
      After Napoleon learned that Josephine had lied to him for years about her likelihood of bearing him a child, he divorced her and chose the Austrian Bourbon princess, 18-year-old Marie Louise, to bear his heir. This was a crushing blow to Marie Louise, as Napoleon had laid waste to her country, but her father could not refuse the Emperor. This story is told from the viewpoints of Marie Louise, trying to make the best of her marriage to a selfish tyrant instead of the Austrian noble that she loved, from Paul Moreau, the Haitian steward of Napoleon's sister Pauline, and from Pauline, obsessed with power and spiraling into madness. It is fictionalized, but fascinating. It evokes realistically the attitudes and lives of that time in history.
    • 3/5
      Much has been written about Napoleon's life, his loves, his court, his conquests both military and sexual. Moran, however, turns her attention to Austrian archduchess Marie Louise, who became Napoleon's second wife because of his desire for a male heir to the empire he was building.It is a well-written historical fiction, plausibly illuminated characters, and good material and historical detail. Altogether a good bit of escapist literature.
    • 4/5
      In her latest historical novel, The Second Empress, Michelle Moran focuses on Napoleon and his last few years in power. When Napoleon fathers a child with his mistress, and discovers that he’s not infertile after all, he is determined to divorce Josephine and produce an heir with a new wife. Napoleon’s self-centered and highly ambitious sister, Pauline, believes that Napoleon’s destiny is to rule from Egypt as a modern Pharaoh, with her by his side. Much to her distaste, Napoleon, always conscious of his humble beginnings, chooses to align himself with royalty and selects the Hapsburg Princess Maria Lucia, daughter of the King of Austria, as his bride.

      Told through the first-person narrative of three people, the story unfolds to reflect Napoleon’s greed, materialism, and fanatical desire for warfare. The first is Marie Louise, the eighteen year old second Empress. The second is Napoleon’s sister Pauline Bonaparte who has an obsession with her brother and his power. The third is Paul Moreau, Pauline’s Haitian chamberlain. The years which Moran concentrates on are from 1809, the year Napoleon marries Marie-Louise, to 1815, the year he is exiled to Elba. While Moran’s easy-to-read style exposes the lives and loves of Marie Louise, Pauline, and Paul Moreau, she also reveals Napoleon’s spectacular downfall, beginning with the War of 1812, in which he suffered a humiliating defeat in Russia, leaving most of his army destroyed and his reputation in tatters.

      The wealth of historical detail, drawn from the women's notes and letters, creates a realistic portrait of the royal court in turmoil. I thought Pauline was the most interesting character but in a way, the shifting points of view interfere with any real character development. Overall, I found The Second Empress to be well researched and highly readable, and cannot wait to read another Michelle Moran novel.
    • 5/5
      The last six years of Napoleon's reign is seen through the eyes of his second wife Maria Lucia aka Marie Louise, an intelligent gifted woman who has been trained to rule as her brother's Regent when he comes to the throne and as unlike her Great-Aunt Marie Antoinette as you can get; Pauline Bonaparte who is more than a bit eccentric, selfish, and couldn't keep track of her lovers if she wanted to; and Pauline's chamberlin, Paul Moreau whom she brings with her after her first husband dies in Haiti. I read this book in two days because it was so hard to put down!
    • 4/5
      Just when I thought the Tudors were the ultimate dysfunctional family, along come the Bonapartes. I will say that they were very resourceful! Also selfish, egotistical, and greedy. Napoleon was an unpleasant character, even if he was a military genius. Until he allowed his huge ego to stand in the way. This is the story of his second marriage to an Austrian princess, Marie-Louise. Comsidering her great aunt was Marie Antoinette, I am sure she truly had incredible misgivings about this marriage.
      I have read some of the negative reviews of this book and I must respectfully disagree with them. I enjoyed the historical detail in the beginning. I also found the book extremely easy to read. The author switched seamlessly between three different personalities for narration: Marie-Louise, Pauline Bonaparte, and her chamberlain Paul Moreau.
      This is the second of Michelle Moran's books that I have read. I will continue reading her other novels. This is a definite recommendation!
    • 5/5
      4.5 stars When Napoleon's wife hasn't produced boys as heirs for him, he divorces her and chooses to wed an 18-year old Austrian archduchess, Maria-Lucia. Maria-Lucia is not happy about this, but does her duty, moves to France and marries him. Napoleon's sister, Pauline Borghese, is jealous. She wants power just as much as Napoleon. She also wants her brother to herself. I really liked this. Napoleon is another historical figure I've not read much about. As usual, though, I tend to enjoy history and/or historical fiction from the point of view of women. This story is told from three different points of view: Maria-Lucia, Pauline and Pauline's chamberlain, Paul. I did prefer the POVs of Maria-Lucia and Pauline. Wow, Pauline was... wow – vindictive, crazy, there are many more words that could describe her. Though this was fiction, Moran took much of what she learned and put in the book from primary sources (including some actual letters written by Napoleon, his ex-wife, and others). I have to say that Michelle Moran sure does know how to tell great historical fiction!
    • 4/5
      I fell in love with Michelle Moran’s book after reading Nefertiti and since then I’ve been on a Moran’s binge. Sadly, in the last couple of days I read all her books and this was the last one I had left to read. Now that I have finished it I have book hangover, I want more of the magic Moran weaves in her books. She knows how to tell a tale and the way she intermingles real and fictional events is just masterfully done. That was the case with her previous books and that was the case with The Second Empress.