In terms of past queens, a few dominate the historical fiction landscape. Anyone connected to Henry VIII or the Tudors, in general, is a marquis name, as is Marie Antoinette, Mary, Queen of Scots, and Catherine the Great. However, there are countless queens who led fascinating lives and do not get anywhere near the same amount of attention. Désirée Clary is one of those queens, or as you might know her, Queen Desideria of Sweden and Norway. This queen is at the heart of The Queen’s Fortune by Allison Pataki, a must-read book!
The Queen’s Fortune, Allison Pataki
As the French revolution ravages the country, Desiree Clary is faced with the life-altering truth that the world she has known and loved is gone and it’s fallen on her to save her family from the guillotine.
A chance encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte, the ambitious and charismatic young military prodigy, provides her answer. When her beloved sister Julie marries his brother Joseph, Desiree and Napoleon’s futures become irrevocably linked. Quickly entering into their own passionate, dizzying courtship that leads to a secret engagement, they vow to meet in the capital once his career has been secured. But her newly laid plans with Napoleon turn to sudden heartbreak, thanks to the rising star of Parisian society, Josephine de Beauharnais. Once again, Desiree’s life is turned on its head.
Swept to the glittering halls of the French capital, Desiree is plunged into the inner circle of the new ruling class, becoming further entangled with Napoleon, his family, and the new Empress. But her fortunes shift once again when she meets Napoleon’s confidant and star general, the indomitable Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. As the two men in Desiree’s life become political rivals and military foes, the question that arises is: must she choose between the love of her new husband and the love of her nation and its Emperor?
From the lavish estates of the French Riviera to the raucous streets of Paris and Stockholm, Desiree finds herself at the epicenter of the rise and fall of an empire, navigating a constellation of political giants and dangerous, shifting alliances. Emerging from an impressionable girl into a fierce young woman, she discovers that to survive in this world she must learn to rely upon her instincts and her heart.
Why You Should Read This…
I have long been fascinated by the Scandinavian monarchies. (Currently, for the most part, the Danish and Swedish monarchies seem to have far less drama than their UK cousins…) However, I admit, I do not know as much as I could about them. I am currently in the slow process of learning Danish to be able to read more works, but in the mean time, I will take some fantastic historical fiction.
Pataki is a strong author, with her Empress Sisi books some of my most recommended. She turned her hand to the first Bernadotte Queen in The Queen’s Fortune; it is such an engaging book. (Yes, the Swedish monarchy still under the Bernadotte line.) Clary’s life took her to several different courts throughout Europe during pivotal moments. Pataki skillfully brings those moments to life without feeling like a textbook. (If you are like me and have spotty knowledge of the Napoleonic period, I would do a quick Google! It’s not needed per se, but will answer a few questions.) This is a longer book, which is what I look for in the cooler months, and covered much of this queen’s adult life. This is the perfect book for any fans of The Empress or The Great!
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Want more royal historical fiction? You can find my reading list here!
Is The Queen’s Fortune on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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