It’s no secret that I am a major bookworm and because of that simple fact, I have read and loved a lot of books over the years. When I’m asked to share my favourites, I admit it may be somewhat difficult to pick a top ten but, without fail, there is always one that falls at the top. It’s hard to say if my love for this book comes from the beautiful tale of love and devotion, or the fact that I was in the very streets of Paris as I was finishing the last pages. All I know is that the Josephine B Trilogy captivated me from the first chapter.
The three bestselling novels of this trilogy form a powerful epic, tracing Josephine Bonaparte’s journey from vulnerable child to confident woman, to compassionate wife, mother, empress and one of the most sophisticated and dynamic woman in history. Her relationship with the great Napoleon both surprised and touched me, to the point that when it came to their final moments together I was embarrassingly sniffling on the train leaving Paris.
Through Sandra Gulland’s incredible detail of France at this tumultuous time, I learned more about the revolution than I ever would have sitting in a class or reading a textbook. The city of Paris came alive for me and all of the people in it. And at the centre of it all was this incredible woman. The diary format pulled me in to her most intimate thoughts and I couldn’t help but feel connected to her unending hopes, harsh struggles, impassioned loves and profound losses. I highly recommend this read, even if historical fiction has never peaked your interest. I’m sure you’ll find yourself eagerly turning the pages like I did (twice!).
PS: Remember when I talked about my Summer Reading List way back when? Well here is a star rating on some that I finished over the summer:
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler: 4 stars
Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple: 4 1/2 stars (read it soooo fast!)
Paris by Edward Rutherford: 5 stars (I went out and bought New York and London)
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini: 3 1/2 stars (not as good as his other works)
Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala: 3 1/2 stars (so heart wrenching but a bit too chaotic for me)
Currently finishing The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow and really loving it so far!
Happy Reading Everyone!
Thank you so much for this, Kristina! I came upon it quite by accident and it made my day. You might be interested to know that I’ve a YA coming out about Hortense:
http://www.sandragulland.com/great-review-game-hope-can-request-galley/
OMG I can’t believe you commented on my little blog lol. That just made my day!
I have read the trilogy more times than I care to reveal…I actually read it for the first time while I was in Paris, so it was extra special. I am definitely going to check out your YA novel!! Thank you so much!
We’re a mutually-happy-making team, Kristina! I love to hear when a reader has read the Trilogy more than once. Cheers! And I hope you enjoy Hortense’s story. I found it very interesting exploring that world from her point-of-view.