The Queen's Fortune by Allison Pataki


The Queen's Fortune
Title : The Queen's Fortune
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 0593128184
ISBN-10 : 9780593128183
Language : English
Format Type : Hardcover
Number of Pages : 448
Publication : First published February 11, 2020

A sweeping novel about the extraordinary woman who captured Napoleon’s heart, created a dynasty, and changed the course of history—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Traitor's Wife, The Accidental Empress, and Sisi.

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.

Allison Pataki’s meticulously researched and brilliantly imagined novel sweeps readers into the unbelievable life of a woman almost lost to history—a woman who, despite the swells of a stunning life and a tumultuous time, not only adapts and survives but, ultimately, reigns at the helm of a dynasty that outlasts an empire.


The Queen's Fortune Reviews


  • El Librero de Valentina

    Lo escuché en storytel y debo decir que fue una lectura entretenida, con la dosis de historia que me gusta, que me lleva a investigar sobre el tema. Si les gusta la ficción histórica, un libro recomendable.

  • Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader

    I have read and loved several of Allison Pataki’s novels, and I think this is her finest work yet. It’s full of intrigue, love, and strength, especially on the part of Desiree. I also enjoyed the perspective on Napoleon and Josephine’s marriage. (Before I forget, one of my favorite trilogies of books is called the Josephine trilogy. It’s a must-read!)

    Desiree is in the center of the action during the Terror of France. The writing is stunning, and I was completely captivated with the storytelling. It was more enveloping as I read along. If historical fiction is your jam, too, you simply must read this enthralling look at Desiree’s life.

    I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

    Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog:
    www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram:
    www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

  • Liz


    I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, but not so much of romantic historical fiction. So, it took me a while to warm to this book as the beginning of this book falls more into the latter category. Desiree Clancy is a member of the haute bourgeoisie during the French Terror. A chance meeting with the Bonaparte brothers saves her brother from the guillotine and leads her into a secret engagement with Napoleon. But after he moves to Paris and rises to Commander of the Army of the Interior, he forgets her. I liked the book much better from this point on.

    Pataki does a good job of giving you the lay of the land, providing the broad outline of history peppered with small details. Napoleon’s description of the Victim’s Ball with women wearing red ribbons around their throats is an example of the second.

    I knew only some of the background of Napoleon’s rise to power and nothing of his volatile marriage to Josephine. Pataki makes the scenes come alive, giving us the stress of living under the rule of someone so egotistical and commandeering. Desiree is the perfect main character, privy to so many of the important historical events of the time. And crazy how this french woman and her husband ended up as the royal couple of Sweden and that their family still rules to this day. So, while I was worried at the beginning, Pataki totally captured my interest by the end.

    I will also say that this book was an incredibly fast and easy read.

    My thanks to Random House for a paper ARC of this book.

  • Annette

    Set during a rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.
    Desiree Clary was the first fiancé of Napoleon and later became the Queen of Sweden.
    Overshadowed by history, this book sheds a light on her life.

    Marseille, France, 1794: During the tumultuous times of the French Revolution, when in need, Desiree meets Joseph Bonaparte. He is interested in pursuing her, but when she meets his younger brother Napoleon, she is intrigued with the rough-mannered but well-read and brisk Napoleon rather than the handsome and funny Joseph.

    Credited with averting a civil war, Napoleon is appointed Commander of the Army of the Interior. As he rises through the leadership of the army in Paris, his letters to Desiree dwindle with each day.

    From a Parisian journal, she learns about Napoleon courting Josephine de Beauharnais.

    And if that wasn’t insulting enough, Napoleon corners Desiree to marry a much older man. Duphot proposal is simply jaw-dropping. “Was the man proposing marriage or discussing the pragmatic exchange of market goods?” Stunning and yet so real of the time-period.

    But it is Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte that captures her heart.

    While Napoleon leads his troops in Egypt, the situation at home goes from bad to worse. People continue to be hungry and unhappy. It seems as not much has changed since the time of the last king and queen. There is a talk of overthrow. The government is teetering on collapse. “All of Paris is on edge with rumors of riots.”

    And Napoleon comes through again as a man who knows when and how to capture the moment for his advancement. He captures, yet again, the crumbling power.

    Paris, 1810: It comes as a surprise to Desiree and her husband to be offered a Swedish crown. But it makes sense for Swedes to align themselves with Napoleon against such power as Russia.

    The story very well captures the violent times and uncertain days of the time period and gives a good outline of the rise and fall of Napoleon. And the hypocrisy of going back to the tradition of coronation and to the ancient tradition of great men being called the Marshals of France, bestowing names of royalty, which was supposed to be gone.

    The historical background is like a rich cake with devouring layers. You bite into it slowly to savor its richness. Josephine had too much sugar, so she hides her brown teeth behind the sealed smiling lips. Her feet dressed in sandals instead of being fully covered is simply shocking. In setting new fashion, Josephine is not to wear muslin anymore as it’s made in India, which is a British colony. She is to wear silk and satin made only in France. Hmm, sounds as history likes to repeat itself. Even countess Marie Walewska makes a short appearance. The teeny-tiny details are marvelous.

    As well as engrossing presentation of feelings between Napoleon and Josephine, and how different Desiree’s feelings were. The drama of Napoleon’s family, mother and sisters, not accepting his wife. And later the erratic outbursts of Napoleon toward his wife. It’s all so real.

    Fully developed characters are intriguing: some very well-mannered and some simply don’t care how they come across. Some fear bad times, but they know how to cherries the good times and others simply complain and argue about everything and everywhere. Some are vigorously ambitious and some think the life should hand them entitlements on a silver plate.

    In summary, masterfully written and richly imagined, the story captures the rich history of the France’s turbulent times, textured with fascinating characters, who captivate with their raw feelings.

    The stunning and impeccable prose is a hook from the first lines of the first page. “When the snow falls at midnight, blanketing the empty cobbled streets, sugaring the gothic bell tower of the Storkyrkan church, it becomes easy to imagine. For me, a girl from the south, where the breeze carried with it the warm seaside brine and the faint scent of the hillside lemon groves, the sudden appearance of these white flecks never fails to dazzle and disorient.”

    Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

  • Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell




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    This is a trashy work of historical fiction that will appeal to readers who like Philippa Gregory, although I'm not sure how closely it ought to be taken at face value. Most of the book consists of Desiree's amusing but cliched "Mean Girls"-style rivalry with Josephine, and alternately waxing prolific about her husband, Bernadotte's, tall, slender figure and tatted chest, while also pining or despairing over Napoleon and wondering What Could Have Been. I will give this author some credit, though, in that this is the first Napoleonic-era book I read that paints Josephine as a catty, pathetic woman. Sandra Gulland this is not.



    Desiree Clary is a noblewoman who married one of Napoleon's first commands and ultimately ended up becoming ruler of Sweden at the side of Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, later Carl Johan. I had never heard about these historical figures before so it was interesting to learn about a piece of history that I had never learned about before. Napoleon, in this book, deflowers her and promises to marry her, but Desiree learns the sad lesson of historical women everywhere that unless you can get him to put a ring on it first, men are lying liars who lie and don't want to buy the cow when there's free milk, etc.



    He cavorts around with Josephine, shoving her in Desiree's face at various parties while friendzoning Desiree hard. Meanwhile, Desiree's sister, Julie, is married to the hot, non-insane Napoleon brother, Joseph. Desiree, on the other hand, is only saved from marrying some old guy when he keels over from stroke. Jean-Baptiste seems like a pretty good alternative by comparison but when his relationship sours, Desiree and Jean-Baptiste's position in Napoleon's increasingly power-hungry attempts at coup become tenuous, and it starts to feel like the Revolution all over again.



    As I said, this is pretty light reading. I'm not sure how much artistic liberties were taken with the story-- my guess is a lot. I do think the Philippa Gregory comparison is apt, because much of the focus is on relationship drama, as well as fashion porn, and it definitely feels like something that was written with the attempt to titillate. If you're into bodice-rippers and don't care whether your historical reading is frothy (as I don't), you'll probably enjoy this book. I have the flu right now, and it was the perfect thing to read while wrapped in two robes, a bowl of seasoned bone broth and Earl Grey with lemon and honey at my side. I could concentrate on the story without tripping over the details. Fun.



    Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!    



    3.5 to 4 stars

  • The Library Lady

    Okay, I TRIED to give this the benefit of the doubt, because I'd like to be kind. And perhaps the chutzpah of the author self rating her book a 5 was warranted, because it was that good a book. Never mind that a wonderful classic book had been written about Desiree Clary before. Hell, most of the authors out there right now don't seem to have read a book published before 2010, if that late, in their genre. Maybe, just maybe, I'd love it.

    Sorry,
    Allison Pataki, no sale.

    About 40 years ago, shelving books in a small Bronx branch of the NYPL, I came across a book by
    Annemarie Selinko, originally written in German. It was called
    Desiree: The Bestselling Story of Napoleon's First Love, and had been published in the 1950s. It was about Eugenie Bernardine Desiree Clary, Napoleon's first love, later by an odd twist of history, Queen of Sweden, with descendants on many of the thrones of Europe. It was rich historical fiction. Desiree was a heroine to love, and I loved the book, and in later years, often looked for references to her when I saw books on Napoleon.

    I still love that book. And I recommend that you run out and see if your library has it. Kindle doesn't have it, but Google Books does, and I plan on buying an ebook copy in addition to my worn out print copy.

    So what's my problem with this book? Aside from the fact that
    Allison Pataki doesn't seem to know that this other book exists? That it's not in her bibliography, though she does put in a book by Alexandre Dumas, because she is lame enough to try to link Desiree's husband as Dumas' inspiration for D'Artagnan? That she doesn't even seem aware that there was a frickin' FILM based on Selinko's book, starring Marlon Brando as Napoleon?

    Yes, I have those problems with this book. But this is what adds true insult to injury:

    It's just not a very good book, period.

    Good historical fiction makes a character come alive, and Pataki doesn't seem to have the gift. Selinko's Desiree was endearing--far from a perfect person, but lovable and real. Pataki's Desiree is cardboard. All the other characters are cardboard. Pataki rushes through Desiree's life, leaving little space for any but those main cardboard characters. She is more interested in describing scenery than in adding the small touches that make characters come alive. And we will not get into her use of out of period language-- "I shimmied out of my corset" and "I was rooting for her," are the two that really twanged a nerve in me.

    In sum, this book doesn't even really deserve the one star I am giving it. And if you want to find out more about Desiree, I suggest that you start with this website, another thing Pataki clearly isn't familiar with:
    http://www.nebula5.org/clary/person.h...

    Where the hell did she do her research anyway?

    P.S. Speaking of research: the story about Jean-Baptiste's tattoo is a fake, and it didn't take me long to "research" that:
    http://www.faktoider.nu/bernadotte_en...

  • Allison

    I was absolutely mesmerized by the historical figure Desiree Clary Bernadette, and I cannot wait to share her story with you in February 2020!

  • HeyitsMony

    Хареса миии и то многоооо.
    Това ми е вторият исторически роман, който чета и съм много впечатлена.

    Историята на Дезире Клари; влюбването ѝ в Наполеон; предателство от любимият; нов брак; Френската революция.

    Хареса ми образът на Дезире, защото въпреки че любимият ѝ я предаде, тя запази добродушието си и смелостта си и по никакъв начин не показа, че е наранена от постъпката на Наполеон. Също така много ми хареса частта, в която се появява Жозефин и нейният брак. Би трябвало да се очаква читателите да не харесат толкова Жозефин, защото тя заема мястото на Дезире, но аз я харесах, защото я разбирах в доста моменти.

    Сюжетът е представен през погледа на Дезире и като цяло е историята на нейният живот, но в разцвета на един доста важен етап за Франция.
    Чете се много лесно, заради което дадох една звезда нагоре. За исторически роман, според мен е важно историята да е представена изчерпателно, но в същото време и разбираемо за четене и тази книга е точно такава.

  • Emiliya Bozhilova

    Най-удачният коментар, и той не е мой, е че авторката не е чела в живота си книга, написана преди 2010 г. И дори не подозира за прекрасния роман на Анемари Зелинко “Дезире” (преведен и на български), да не говорим за едноименния филм с Марлон Брандо. Със сигурност едва осъзнава какво точно се е случило и през 1789 г. - вероятно е било крайно изтощително търсене в Гугъл...

    С две думи, даже не я почвайте. И една звезда би и била много.

    П.С. Толкова за надеждите ми за разтоварващо заглавие...

    0,5 звезди (от кумова срама, да не е съвсем без хич)

  • Kristina McMorris

    An enthralling story that also taught me an enormous amount about figures and pieces of history I had no idea about -- the best kind of historical fiction! I was thrilled to provide a quote:

    “Allison Pataki is a masterful historical author at the top of her game. From the very first lyrical lines of The Queen’s Fortune, I was wholly swept into the entrancing world of Desiree Clary Bernadotte. Painstaking research and page-turning prose placed me directly at the side of this remarkable yet lesser-known figure, journeying from innocent girlhood to seasoned royalty, a survivor of guillotine threats, palace politics, and strains of the heart. I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end.”

  • Pam Jenoff

    A fascinating book about Desiree Clary, who was secretly engaged to Napoleon and later finds herself married to his greatest political rival. This enthralling story just came out in paperback this week. Do not miss it!

  • Susan

    The wonderful things about books is how they impact our lives in so many ways. In 1966 the book
    Désirée by
    Annemarie Selinko was one such book. I was 13, chubby, coke bottle eyeglasses and nerdy when I stumbled onto this book at the library and blithely went to check it out. What could be more romantic to a 13 year old than a book about Napoleon's first love who goes on to be the Queen of Sweden? The librarian refused to let me check it out as "it was too advanced" for my age and proceeded to call my mother to tell her what I was up to. The joys of living in a small town. My mother told her to let me check it out and that I could read whatever I wanted to. I can not tell you what that did for me and the impact lasted my entire life. Reading was not dangerous. It was not reading that was dangerous.

    So this book was near and dear to my heart probably not for it's literary value but for what it signified. I started this book with trepidation because I was afraid it would spoil something for me. I was happy that it did not. It told the story of Desiree Clary who fell in love with Napoleon when she was a young girl. This is based on a real story. He left Marseilles and went to Paris where he met and fell in love with Josephine. Desiree's heart was broken. Her older sister married Napoleon's older brother, Joseph, and Desiree moved to Paris to live with them.

    She moved in court circles and became Napoleon's "sister". She became friends with Josephine (sort of) and married one of Napoleon's Marshals, Jean Baptiste Bernadotte. A renowned fighting man he went on to become King of Sweden in a very complicated circumstance. Desiree never adjusted to Sweden and spent most of her time in France.

    It's still a lovely story about a young girl's fairy tale life and if you have never read about her, take the opportunity to acquaint yourself. She's well worth the read and this is a well written book. I was disappointed that the author never mentioned the book
    Désirée in her list of books she used as research and I find that hard to believe.

    Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

  • MaryBeth's Bookshelf

    Thank you so much @randomhouse for sending this book my way! I am huge fan of historical fiction and I devoured this book in just 4 days.

    This book centers around Desiree Clary, whom I had never even heard of, during the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Revolution has come to an end and Desiree Clary is introduced to Napoleon Bonaparte as a potential suitor. They fall in love and become engaged, but we all know how that story ends. Napoleon meets the beautiful Josephine and marries her instead. Desiree is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart, while serving in Josephine's entourage.

    I'm not going to lie - I LOVED THIS BOOK! I'm a huge Phillippa Gregory fan and this book reminded me of her novels. It's just the kind of historical fiction I want. Some history, some romance, interesting characters, and an exciting story. I was absolutely fascinated by the end and how Desiree and her husband came to be in Sweden (and their family still rules today!). Once I was done with this book I quickly started researching the family - fascinating!

  • Maureen

    Before Josephine there was Desiree Clary. She was Napoleon’s first love.
    So what happened?
    This is Desiree’s story and is a very compelling one.
    Desiree was born to a wealthy merchant in Marseille. She became engaged to Napoleon, who marries Josephine instead, but years later becomes Queen of Sweden.
    This novel takes through the turbulent times in France. Desiree is only a young girl when she meets Napoleon. Her sister marries Joseph his brother.
    This story is an account of Desiree’s life and her marriage to John Baptist Bernadotte, who becomes King of Sweden.
    I found this book very interesting as I knew very little of the subject.
    It is a beautifully written tale and researched. You are just drawn in to the times and place of this novel.
    I really enjoyed this book.

  • Nadia Aguilar

    Pensé absurdamente que este libro trataría sobre las frivolidades de la Monarquía como muchos otros libros que realmente decepcionan (mas chisme que contenido) y me he llevado una muy satisfactoria sorpresa. Este libro aborda de manera muy afable la era del Imperio Napoleónico y paralelamente se aborda la necesidad imparable de “conquista” que al corso consumía y las pasiones carnales que lo conducían por senderos tan volátiles como su temperamento.
    Una historia de amores imposibles, engaños y traiciones que conducen a los personajes a buscar su destino afrontando las consecuencias de sus actos ante el irascible Emperador Francés.
    Lo que sorprende es la protagonista Désirée Clary primer amor de Napoleón de la que muy poco se conoce y quien al lado de “su Bernadotte” trascienden en al historia a través de la dinastía sueca que ellos fundaron.
    Todos los personajes son impresionantes y carismáticos, interesante propuesta para adentrarnos en la historia sin proponérselo y llevarte un cúmulo de emociones que la misma narrativa despierta dejándote un nostálgico sentimiento por lo que aquel amor que pudo ser y no fue desembocó.

  • Justina Urbo

    Kaip gerai praleidau laiką su šia knyga. Tik dar kartelį įsitikinau, kaip įtraukiančiai ši autorė sugeba rašyti, skaitai ir mėgaujiesi, o tuo pačiu ir pildai istorinių žinių spragas.

    Iki knygos apie Dezirę Klari nebuvau nieko girdėjusi. Po teisybei nieko nebuvau girdėjusi ir apie Žozefiną Bonapart, o jei ir buvau, tai nieko nebeprisiminiau. Bet eilinį kartą pasitvirtino tiesa, kad už stiprių vyrų stovi stiprios ir protingos moterys.

    O Dezirė ne iš kelmo spirta. Dar jaunutė buvo suvedžiota Napoleonės, kuris apakęs iš meilės pažadėjo ne tik savo širdį, bet ir visa, kas kada nors priklausys jam. Ir tada pasitaikius geresnei partijai pamiršta turįs jaunąją savo sužadėtinę ir visiškai sudaužo merginai širdį. Bet nėra to blogo, kas neišeitų į gera, nes likimas jai buvo nulėmęs visai kitą kelią ir jos istorija tik prasidėjo.

    Dezirė labai įtraukianti ir žavi veikėja. Žavi ne tik išore, bet ir vidumi. Gera draugė, mylima ir mylinti žmona, atsidavusi mama, naują dinastiją pradėjusi karalienė. Mane žavėjo jos ir sesers ryšys, atsidavimas viena kitai. Taip pat stebėjausi kaip puikiai ji sugebėjo prisitaikyti prie dažnai besikeičiančių aplinkybių. Iš jos tikrai daug ko galima pasimokyti.

    O Napoleonas, o gal Napoleonė? O dievai, visad maniau, kad jis buvo drąsus kareivis, norintis savo šaliai gero. Bet kaip klydau. Pasirodo, kad labiausiai gero jis norėjo tik sau. Ta jo puikybė, narciziškumas, politiniai žaidimai, dėmesio stoka ir elgesys kaip nuo pavadžio nutrūkusio patino, lekiančio paskui visus sijonus.

    Revoliucija, mūšiai, viena sumaištis po kitos. Istoriniai faktai ir tikri asmeniniai gyvenimai neleido šios knygos padėti į šalį ir skatino dar plačiau pasidomėti aprašomais įvykiais.

    Nors baisiai nemėgau istorijos pamokų, bet šią knygą sukrimtau kaip kokį saldainiuką. Žinau žinau, kad tai nėra istorinė knyga, o tik istoriniais įvykiais ir asmenybėmis paremtas romanas, bet man labai labai patiko. Ir Jums rekomenduoju perskaityti.

  • Pooja Peravali

    Desiree Clary was born a silk merchant's daughter in Marseilles, but her failed romance with a then unknown Napoleon leads to a meteoric rise in her social status.

    Annemarie Selinko's
    Désirée is on my reading list, but it's out of print right now. In its absence I picked up this much more recent book.

    The story is a fascinating one, and the social mobility that Desiree experiences rather stunning. Being fairly unfamiliar with Napoleon's personal life and Desiree's story, so the various twists and turns really surprised me. I also really liked the way Pataki portrayed the complicated relationship between Desiree and Josephine, forgoing making them mere rivals.

    However, I thought the characters were all a little flat - beyond the complex Josephine, I felt that characters major and minor alike were given fairly short shrift on development. I did not always feel their struggles and emotions, even at serious parts of the story. I also didn't love the way the story began to play around with time skips towards the end of the book, as it often took me out of the story.

  • Louise

    I'm conflicted about how to rate this book. I'm going with 3 stars because, although the writing was very good, it just wasn't a 'page turner" for me. The story really bogged down in places, so much so that I wound up putting the book down to read a different book at least twice. I appreciated learning a lot about the Napoleonic era, which is something that wasn't covered in depth in my education. (I now know why there is an Avenue de Wagram in Paris!) But there were a lot of gaps in understanding the characters' motivations. As an example: Desiree's eventual husband, General Bernadotte, supposedly is staunchly against the idea of kings and yet somehow becomes one - and the author doesn't write about how he reconciled himself to this apparent contradiction. I do love historical fiction, but this one just didn't do it for me.

    Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

  • Allison

    I was absolutely mesmerized by the historical figure Desiree Clary Bernadotte. I can’t wait to share her story with you in February 2020!

  • Marzie

    3.5 Stars

    I've long been fascinated by the myth of Désirée Clary, the woman who was once engaged to Napoleon, then later married to Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, who was elected to become heir to King Charles XIII of Sweden and Norway. Honestly, it all began with the Jean Simmons movie, which I must have seen a dozen times as a child, because my mother was a diehard Jean Simmons fan. Hard to argue with how stunningly beautiful Simmons was. Fitting for her to play the woman who caught the eye of both the future Emperor Napoleon (boy, did she dodge a bullet there or what?) and the future King of Sweden. But truth is stranger than fiction and her husband's new "mother" Queen Hedvig Elizabeth Charlotte reportedly said of Crown Princess Désirée, who changed her name to Desideria upon her husband becoming presumptive heir, “The Princess is small, not pretty, and with no figure whatsoever. Her timidity makes her brusque. […] A spoilt child, but sweet, kind, and compassionate.”* Désirée also loathed Sweden, reportedly cried and pouted and complained endlessly and left her husband to live quietly in Paris from 1811 until 1822, leaving her son and husband in Stockholm, even after her husband's coronation as King Karl Johan XIV in 1818. She finally returned to Stockholm in 1822 with her son's future wife and remained there, rather unhappily until her death in 1860. During her tenure in Paris without Bernadotte, she reportedly became obsessed with the Duc de Richelieu to the extent that she, by modern standards, stalked him. Yes, the reality of Désirée that I learned of as an adult reader of history is a little different from fictional Désirée, so I was curious to see what Allison Pataki made of the situation.


    Actress Jean Simmons as Désirée, 1954

    The novel is a little heavy on the romance for my taste. Also, it's a romanticized view of Désirée herself. But it does give the reader a sense of the period, of Napoleon's quixotic nature, of the irony of a man who rose to prominence during the Revolution coming to proclaim himself Emperor, of the grandeur in which he lived being more ostentatious than even that of the Bourbons. It's obvious that Pataki put a great amount of research into her novel. If you're okay with romantic historical fiction, this novel will be both informative and enjoyable.

    The audiobook, available via Libro.fm in support of your local independent bookseller, is marvelously narrated by Justine Eyre.

    *Alan Palmer, Bernadotte: Napoleon’s Marshal, Sweden’s King (London: John Murray, 1990), p. 176.

    I received a paper review copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

  • Mary Eve

    This book — one of those stories that sate my thoughts and transports me to the past, when a young Corsican was breaking hearts and climbing the ranks of the French army, soon to be Emperor of France.

    The narrator is Désirée Clary, a one-time fiancée of Bonaparte. Désirée begins her story as a young girl of privilege, daughter of a wealthy silk merchant, to Queen consort of Sweden and Norway. Because Clary despised life at court, she is not an up-front-in-your-face figure in history. Make no mistake, Clary was a prominent member of royal circles. There's no doubt she was witness to historical moments such as the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte and his Empress Josephine. Clary's life would have intersected with the Bonaparte's often, leaving her privy to all the juicy gossip of palace life. Allison Pataki uses her well-researched knowledge to create a relationship between two women who loved Napoleon but ultimately lost him to war and the unquenchable thirst for control. Of course, there's so much more to this story than the relationship between Désirée and Josephine. Pataki explores all aspects of Clary's long life. From her devotion to her sister Julie (married to Napoleon's brother, Joseph), her marriage to the French general Jean Bernadotte (later crowned Charles XIV John, King of Sweden and Norway), her role as messenger/influencer between Bernadotte and Bonaparte, and as a loving mother to her only child, (the future Oscar I of Sweden). Pataki focuses on a woman who appears to have enjoyed life behind the scenes, content to let others shine. However, it is her bloodline that outshines even an Emperor. Napoleon Bonaparte may be a great figure in history, known by most, but it is Clary's House of Bernadotte that still rules today.

    I loved this book. I loved this book. I loved this book! So much history. Such fascinating subjects.


    "The World is made for the bold impious man; Who stops at nothing, seizes all he can." — John Dryden's Aurengzebe (1676)




    *ARC copy courtesy of NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group. Comments are my own.

  • Julia

    Four stars for the first half, two stars for the second half - three stars for the average. This has gotten glowing reviews so far, but I found that it was just okay. I suppose I'm growing tired of authors who focus on a little-known queen and try to cram her entire life into a historical fiction book of 400 pages or so.

    Pataki's book is about Desiree Clary, who would eventually become queen of Sweden and before that was engaged to Napoleon. I really liked the first part of the book, which focused on the young Desiree, a girl from a noble family in Marseille. She is the lover of Napoleon Bonaparte, and was even engaged to him, before his rise to power. But after her move to Paris and her marriage to Bernadotte, Pataki tries to cram all her research of Desiree Clary into the rest of the book. And good god, Napoleon was on every single page. I understand that Napoleon was an influential and unavoidable part of Desiree's life, but his presence could not be escaped in this entire book.

    I wish Pataki had focused on the first part of Desiree's life. But having read many of the reviews, my three star review seems to be in the minority.

    P.S. I was skimming by the end. Did I somehow miss all of Bernadotte's affairs? I thought he and Desiree loved each other, but I guess he must have started sleeping around in Sweden. And what about his huge "Death to Kings" tattoo? Why would someone so opposed to the monarchy then become a king and be so happy about it? I didn't understand that and I don't know if that tattoo is a historical fact. Does anyone know?

  • Book2Dragon

    At first, I wasn't certain if this was a historical novel or a romance. Actually it is a bit of both. I knew nothing about French history other than 'A Tale of Two Cities' but a friend of mine from France had told me that certainly wasn't the only revolution in France's history. Of course, I knew of Napoleon, and Josephine, but not much about either.
    This book surveys the years 1789 to 1860, a turbulent time in France. At it's center an ambitious young man who wanted to rule the world. His focus was first and always on himself, and he didn't tolerate dissension. His narcissism and narrow focus sound familiar these days. He didn't care who or how much he hurt others in the process. But this isn't all about Napoleon but also the women in his life and his family.
    Two things struck me in this book. First, that wars are sometimes (often?) fought because of egos and politics and not for the good of "the people" or the nation. The numbers of soldiers and civilians killed and maimed by war is staggering. The second is that while the revolution may be to oust the elite who feast while people are starving, once the new rulers get in power they repeat that same pattern. Napoleon and Josephine were over the top in their excesses, and bread lines formed around their palaces. It is not an isolated incident, as many Central and South American countries can attest.
    Enjoyed the book, learned much, gained knowledge. For those who love romance, there is plenty of that. (less)

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  • Sofia

    I enjoyed this book immensely. Judging by the synopsis, I first thought that there was more invention than truth to this story. I was amazed to learn that I was wrong. Desiree Clary's journey from a fatherless 16 year old girl in France to becoming the Queen of Sweden and all of the events in between was a fascinating tale.

    There was more politics in this book than I cared for, but at the same time, learning more about France and the Revolution couldn't hurt. Overall a great read.

    Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

  • Alicia Avila

    Un libro que te invita a investigas más del tema y de sus protagonistas, está contado de una manera tan entretenida que en ningún momento se hace pesada (bueno mínimo a mi no se me hizo pesada 🤭) , es la primera novela de esta autora q leo y definitivamente no será la última. Muy recomendado para la gente q le gusta la novela histórica.

  • Erika Robuck

    Allison Pataki has done it again.

    I chose this book to take on an upcoming trip, but finished it before I left.

    THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE is epic historical fiction at its finest. It takes well known history, but deepens and broadens it to encompass undiscovered gems and connections. Like fans of THE CROWN, readers will tack between story and search engine, seeking images and articles on the key players. The greatest tension is wishing to savor the story while racing to finish, and that exists throughout.

    I give THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE my highest recommendation.

  • Edita Kazakevičienė

    „Kokių tik dalykų mes nepadarome, kad gautume karūnas ir jas išlaikytume, pamaniau, net tie mūsų šalies žmonės, kurie vos prieš kelerius metus tvirtino, kad nepripažįsta jokių karūnų.”

    Kaip tai nutiko, jog tokios moters kaip Dezirės Klari, kurios gyvenimo istorija glaudžiai susijusi su Napoleonu Bonapartu, vardas liko nežinomas? Kodėl taip dažnai, moterys užgožiamos garsių vyrų šešėlių, nors jos irgi darė didelę įtaką istoriniams įvykiams? Tad šiame romane, neeilinio likimo moteris Dezirė ištraukiama į pagrindinę sceną ir tampa figūra, aplink kurią sukasi visas žvaigždynas istorinių asmenybių ir svarbių Europos įvykių. Jos gyvenimas susiklostė taip, jog sunku patikėti, kad tai neišgalvota.

    Pasakojimas prasideda 1789 m. vienuolyne Prancūzijoje, apima daugiau nei septyniasdešimt metų ir baigiasi 1860 m. Stokholme. Dezirei Klari buvo lemta pamatyti daugybę svarbių istorinių įvykių: revoliucijos Prancūzijoje pradžią, kaip karaliams nukertamos galvos, Teroro valdžią, religijos atsisakymą, Napoleono iškilimą ir nuopuolį, jo vestuves ir karūnavimą, daugybę karų ir mūšių. Pasakojimas dinamiškas, įtraukiantis, intriguojantis, bet kartu ir istoriškai tikslus.

    Bet mane labiausiai jaudino klausimas, kaip Dezirei pavyko atsitiesti ir išgyventi, kai jos, jaunutės šešiolikmetės širdis buvo sudaužyta, juk ji buvo slapta pirmoji Bonaparto sužadėtinė ir savo pirmosios meilės nepamiršo iki pat gyvenimo pabaigos? Ir negana to, su Napoleonu ir jo žmonomis, jai teko bendrauti iki pat jų mirties. Man sunku buvo susilaikyti ir vis save tvardžiau, kad neatsiversčiau knygos pabaigos, neužbėgčiau įvykiams už akių ir neperskaityčiau kaip gi susiklostė šios moters gyvenimas.

    Ši knyga – tai įrodymas, jog ir moterys, nors ir negalėjo tiesiogiai dalyvauti valstybės valdyme, buvo be galo stiprios ir joms teko priimti svarbius asmeninius sprendimus, paveikiančius istoriją. Rekomenduoju visiems istorinių romanų mėgėjams, ypač norintiems susipažinti su kvapą gniaužiančiais Prancūzijos revoliucijos ir imperijos įvykiais.

    Mano perskaitytos knygos:
    www.profesionalimama.wordpress.com

  • Lisa

    Allison Pataki has done it again! If I am in the mood for historical fiction she never disappoints!

    In THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE, we delve into Desiree Clary's life. Who is Desiree Clary? She is a young girl from Marseille, France who was Napoleon Bonaparte's first fiance...until she was not.

    The story spans from 1789~1860 and follows Napoleon, his brother Joseph, (who marries Desiree's sister) Julie, Desiree and Josephine (Napoleon's first wife).

    This was, at times, hard to read because Napoleon was an extremely narcissistic man. He would order people to do things that made my blood boil! I had to take a break! I would get so angry that no one would stand up to him! Then I recalled, "he does have the power to throw you in prison".

    I found myself googling pictures and facts before they happened...which is cheating, I know. I don't remember much about the man and his lovers, wives or conquests however. So, I found this very interesting!

    Passionate story filled with heartbreak, advancement, betrayal, dangers and shifting alliances. Well researched and wonderfully written!

    A MUST READ for historical fiction lovers!

  • Ale Sandoval Tress

    "En 1844, el mismo año en que la muerte de mi marido llenó todos los periódicos, el hijo de un viejo soldado amigo de Bernardotte, Alejandro Dumas, halló fama y gloria con una novela titulada "Los Tres Mosqueteros". Su héroe es alto, de cabello oscuro, un orgulloso gascón. Un forastero pobre que encuentra a su familia en su servicio junto a otros soldados. Un patriota con principios que se eleva de la nada, hace su propia fortuna al servicio de la patria y se abre camino hasta los rangos más altos.
    Por supuesto que recordaba al padre de Dumas, ese amigo que nos acogió durante esas noches desgarradoras cuando Napoleón recuperó el poder en París. Era obvio que el viejo Dumas le había hablado a su hijo del valiente gascón al lado de quien había luchado"

    Dice la autora: Desirée y Josefina no sólo sobrevivieron, sino que sus descendientes siguen reinando.


    https://bibliobulimica.wordpress.com/...

  • Desiree

    An adequate telling of the Désirée story. As I had heard that this novel was highly researched, I was hoping to learn more about Miss Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary with this novel – things I didn’t already know – but that didn’t turn out to be the case. As I should have suspected from the subtitle Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty, there was a lot more here about Napoleon than Désirée. In spite of that, the book appeared to mostly agree with other historical sources, and was a readable historical fiction.

    As lovers of fiction based in actual historical details can attest, the more researched novels can sometimes come across a bit dry and not entertaining enough. While not stiff or strictured, I would say the readability of this book was average – it did not quite live up to the immense, fresh, modern quality writing laid down by powerhouse historical fiction writers such as Philippa Gregory.

    I do, however, recommend The Queen’s Fortune for anyone wishing to learn more about Napoleon’s reign and how he got there, his jilted fiancé Désirée, or what a revolution looks like (as they say, the best way to keep from repeating history is to study it). For those looking for something a bit more lively about Désirée, I would point you to Anne Marie Selinko’s 1953 novel, simply titled Désirée. Some have said Désirée is not historically accurate, yet, to me at least, it did not waver much in its facts from The Queen’s Fortune, the title of which seems picked at random rather than relating to the novel in any way.

    Drop me a Comment below and let me know what you thought of this review and/or The Queen’s Fortune itself. Happy reading!

    And don't miss the Book Club Kit available from Random House at
    http://www.randomhousebooks.com/wp-co...