Annemarie Selinko - Désirée [EN]

Beschrijving boek

Désirée was born under a curious star - she nearly married Napoleon and she died Queen of Sweden. The Clarys were a family of prosperous silk merchants, and the penniless, ambitious Bonaparte brothers, Joseph and Napoleon, who were living in Marseilles in 1794, had an eye on the dowries of Julie and Désirée. Joseph married Julie, but Désirée was only engaged to Napoleon when he went to Paris to fish in the troubled waters of the Revolution. He never returned to her. He was caught up into the world of fashion, and was soon bewitched by Josephine de Beauharnais. All the same he kept a soft corner in his heart for Désirée.
Désirée herself was the very best kind of French bourgeoise, in other words the salt of the earth. Miss Selinko presents her story in the form of Désirée’s journal. Even if Désirée is no longer in love with Napoleon, we feel that Miss Selinko is.
In 1823 Désirée went to Sweden for good and was crowned queen, though always keeping in the background of public life. She died in 1860, having outlived both her husband and her son.
Miss Selinko excels in the art of narrative and this book is a most readable historical novel.
[Nancy Mitford in the Broadstreet]