First allow me to say: Happy New Year to those who are celebrating tonight! A beautiful and rather vulnerable young woman when Napoleon first met her, Désirée has become something of a figure of intrigue amongst those who have studied Napoleon, and for good reason - she was a fascinating person in her own right. I was excited to read this, particularly since I have a great love for Joséphine, and I was intrigued to see how Pataki would handle their relationship.
Pataki's writing is eloquent, sprinkled liberally with pretty descriptions. The first-person narration allows us to see events unfolding through Désirée's eyes, but while it's pleasant enough, I never felt as if Désirée were truly an active participant in all of the goings-on. The first portion of the book focuses mainly on her budding "romance" (if you can call it that) with Napoleon, who she finds not only charismatic, but appealing because of his rebellious attitude. Just as in real life, he's portrayed as a force to be reckoned with, the kind of person who bends the world to their will. I wasn't expecting this book to be so heavy on the romantic aspects of Désirée's life, and I must confess that for me, those elements of the book were actually the least interesting.
I understand that due to circumstances - and because of her gender - Désirée is somewhat limited in her capacity to change her life for herself, but unfortunately, she came across as boring, guileless (and not in the charming way), and without much determination. She simply allows Napoleon to treat her poorly, and never makes an effort to even attempt to make him understand just how badly he has hurt her (no spoilers, as it's in the summary!). I can't speak for the historical accuracy; I've not read any biographies, and my knowledge of Désirée is not extensive by any means. But from a fictional standpoint, I wish that Pataki would have put a little more pep into Désirée, especially since she took liberties with many other historical facts.
It isn't a difficult read; it flows smoothly, and I did love the exploration of politics at play here. However, I found that the emphasis on Napoleon and Joséphine was a bit disappointing - Désirée seemed like a bit player in their lives, until the very end of the book. Also, I was anticipating a much more nuanced view of them, but instead Pataki really drove home how villainous Napoleon was, and did Joséphine a bit of a disservice too - seeming to imply that she was catty, calculating, promiscuous (and condemned for it, despite Napoleon's countless affairs and liaisons), and occasionally a bit heartless. Joséphine's relationship with Désirée eventually blossoms into something more, something both touching and beautiful, but it's certainly a rocky road to get there.
Overall, it's a decent read, enjoyable and sometimes filled with exciting melodramas. Just as my rating would suggest, it's a middle-of-the-road book for me: neither fantastic nor horrible. I think if you're looking for a start into Napoleonic historical fiction, it's a good road in, but you definitely shouldn't take everything you read here for the gospel truth! Instead, enjoy it as a somewhat trashy, dramatic romp through the world of France's post-republic elite.
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