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This is how historical fiction should be! ... Some of it, anyway. :)

I read and reread this book many times as a teenager and am very happy to say that I still found the same enjoyment in it after more than 20 years.

It is the story of Eugénie Desirée Clary, daughter of a Marseille silk merchant, who was Napoleon's first bride. After being jilted, she marries general Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, who in turn becomes crown prince and then king of Sweden.

Selinko did a fantastic job with this novel. Through the diary entries of ��é������é��, this charming, well-meaning, but rather shallow ingénue, we are shown the history of France from 1794 (Robespierre is still "on top") to 1829 (when D. gets crowned as Queen of Sweden & Norway).


We get to know Napoleon and all his family, as �������� is closely connected with them (her older sister married Napoleon's brother) and are shown all the historical milestones from Napoleon's seizing power to his final abdication.

While the author rather exaggerates Desirée's part in the historical events and romatincizes and embellishes her and her husband's relationship, she does it in a thoroughly delightful way.

I loved it from beginning to end.