The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court

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The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court

by Michelle Moran (Goodreads Author)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 1,879 ratings · 388 reviews

National bestselling author Michelle Moran returns to Paris, this time under the rule of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte as he casts aside his beautiful wife to marry a Hapsburg princess he hopes will bear him a royal heir

After the bloody French Revolution, Emperor Napoleon’s power is absolute. When Marie-Louise, the eighteen year old daughter of the King of Austria, is told th...more National bestselling author Michelle Moran returns to Paris, this time under the rule of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte as he casts aside his beautiful wife to marry a Hapsburg princess he hopes will bear him a royal heir

After the bloody French Revolution, Emperor Napoleon’s power is absolute. When Marie-Louise, the eighteen year old daughter of the King of Austria, is told that the Emperor has demanded her hand in marriage, her father presents her with a terrible choice: marry the cruel, capricious Napoleon, leaving the man she loves and her home forever, or say no, and plunge her country into war.

Marie-Louise knows what she must do, and she travels to France, determined to be a good wife despite Napoleon’s reputation. But lavish parties greet her in Paris, and at the extravagant French court, she finds many rivals for her husband’s affection, including Napoleon’s first wife, Joséphine, and his sister Pauline, the only woman as ambitious as the emperor himself. Beloved by some and infamous to many, Pauline is fiercely loyal to her brother. She is also convinced that Napoleon is destined to become the modern Pharaoh of Egypt. Indeed, her greatest hope is to rule alongside him as his queen—a brother-sister marriage just as the ancient Egyptian royals practiced. Determined to see this dream come to pass, Pauline embarks on a campaign to undermine the new empress and convince Napoleon to divorce Marie-Louise.

As Pauline's insightful Haitian servant, Paul, watches these two women clash, he is torn between his love for Pauline and his sympathy for Marie-Louise. But there are greater concerns than Pauline's jealousy plaguing the court of France. While Napoleon becomes increasingly desperate for an heir, the empire's peace looks increasingly unstable. When war once again sweeps the continent and bloodshed threatens Marie-Louise’s family in Austria, the second Empress is forced to make choices that will determine her place in history—and change the course of her life.

Based on primary resources from the time, The Second Empress takes readers back to Napoleon’s empire, where royals and servants alike live at the whim of one man, and two women vie to change their destinies.(less)

Hardcover, 312 pages

Published August 14th 2012 by Crown

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Jun 12, 2012 Isis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: revolution-age-1650-to-1837ce-ficti, all-starting-to-look-the-same, first-reads

Full disclosure: I was provided with an Advanced Reader Copy of the book by the publishers.

I've read all of Moran's previous novels, and it's been a bit of a mixed bag for me. I didn't like her ancient Egypt novels at all - the protagonists were too one-dimensional, the plots were simplistic and implausible, she failed to capture the zeitgeist of the times, and all in all I was disappointed by how juvenile the writing was. Moran's previous novel, Madame Tussaud, offered a meatier plot, a more we...more

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May 12, 2013 Sx rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

Jumping between the viewpoints of Paul Moreau - Pauline's Haitian slave, Pauline Bonaparte and Marie-Louise, Napoleon's second wife, The Second Empress gives an overview of how Napoleon's reign is seen through the eyes of those closest to him.

The risk of using so many points of view is that some characters will have a stronger voice than most. In this case, it is undoubtedly Pauline. Beautiful, strong and ambitious, it is she who comes across as the heroine of her own twisted story. Selfless on...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Louise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biographical-fiction, france-fic-lit

The story is told through three narratives by Maria Lucia-Marie Louise, Napoleon's sister, Pauline Borghese and her servant Paul Moreau. Each speaker clearly draws his or her character and confirms the character of the others... there is no nuance. Maria Louise is perfection, Pauline Borghese is a beautiful libertine and Paul Moreau is the always reliable, ever discrete, personal attendant. Napoleon, who has no narrative of his own, is revealed through his deeds. He is a self-centered, cynical a...more

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Dec 23, 2012 Caroline rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, michelle-moran, napoleon-bonaparte

As with my last read, I'm really debating over a two- or three-star rating. I might change this one a couple times.

Why? Because as much as I can't get over "The Second Empress"'s many flaws, it ended up being a little addictive. (Much like Moran's super flawed "Nefertiti".)

"The Second Empress" tells the tale of a chunk of history I know very little about: Napoleon's reign, and specifically his second marriage. Truth be told, I didn't even know the name of Napoleon's second wife until I heard ab...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Joan rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: historical fiction and romance fans

Shelves: adult-books, european-or-asian-history, female-characters, fiction, historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 26, 2012 Sandy Vaughan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: listened

First, you have to know this is one of my favorite writers so you know I was going to add it to my library and was pretty sure I was going to like it.

I loved it! I learned so much I didn't know about the time, Napoleon, his second empress, and some of his female relations!

I knew nothing about Marie-Louise! She comes across as a very bright, loving person and mother who had to endure a lot from Napoleon (who would have been considered an old man). Her father, King of Austria, really left her no...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Author Michelle Moran does a wonderful job writing historical fiction novels. This is not the first novel I have read by her, and it won't be my last. This novel is about Marie-Louise (Maria Lucia from Austria), the Second Empress of France, married to Napoleon Bonaparte after he divorced his first wife, Josephine, when she could not give an heir. The marriage is not a happy one, but one that Marie-Louise enters into in an effort to save her father's throne (the Hapsburg throne) after Napoleon's...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Wisteria Leigh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Having read all of Michelle Moran’s novels, the allure of The Second Empress, her latest historical fiction work about Napoleon’s Court was an irresistible pick from my TBR pile. I chose wisely and for a few hours I became French with a bit of Austrian thrown in. Much has been written about the Bonaparte family including thousands of letters that the author notes she examined in order to shape her vision of Napoleon and other family members, Pauline, his sister, and Josephine his first wife. She...more Having read all of Michelle Moran’s novels, the allure of The Second Empress, her latest historical fiction work about Napoleon’s Court was an irresistible pick from my TBR pile. I chose wisely and for a few hours I became French with a bit of Austrian thrown in. Much has been written about the Bonaparte family including thousands of letters that the author notes she examined in order to shape her vision of Napoleon and other family members, Pauline, his sister, and Josephine his first wife. She does not apologize for the harsh treatment and depiction of the lewd, often cruel and ever unpredictable tyrannical despot Napoleon Bonaparte. Marie-Louise, the eighteen year old daughter of the king of Austria faced an impossible decision. A decision she felt gave her no choice but to leave Austria to marry Napoleon who was at age forty, desperate for an heir. After fourteen years, of marriage his first wife, Josephine, was still barren so when her infidelity was exposed, he had her banished from court. Marie-Louise had nothing to fear from Josephine, but Napoleon’s promiscuous narcissistic exceedingly beautiful sister Pauline had dreams of her own. She would like nothing better than to model a reign with her perverse brother, together an incestuous pair, who would rule an empire in the style of ancient Egypt. When Marie Louise gives birth, Pauline must alter her course, and her idiosyncratic behavior increases. At the same time, Napoleon’s Machiavellian personality is not satiated and his military compulsion to conquer all results in a bloody defeat. When the future of France turns bleak, Marie-Louise now given the position of regent of France by her husband, must make an audacious and clever decision.

The Second Empress will delight the most devoted of Moran’s fans with an engaging plot and glimpse of history during Napoleon’s time. This highly recommended novel is another distinctive and spicy portrayal of powerful women who were destined to change history.
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Sep 11, 2012 Yeny rated it 2 of 5 stars

The Second Empress focused on the last few years of Napoleon’s reign. The author looked at this chaotic period through 3 people with different views – Pauline, Paul and Marie-Louise. After reading this book, I came to realize that I know so little about Napoleon’s rise and fall. After reading this book, I also felt that this book did not help me gain more insights to Napoleon’s rise and fall. The book is easy to read and fast paced. But it left me with a feeling of dissatisfaction. No substance...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Viviane Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Michelle Moran has written a novel about the courtly life of Napoleon Bonaparte and his family. The story is told from the point of view of Maria Lucia, Princess of Austria, who will become Napoleon's wife after he discards the cheating Josephine; Pauline, Napoleon's sister, who really believes she is like Cleopatra and in truth would like to marry Napoleon and be Empress; Paul Moreau, Napoleon's Haitian chamberlain, trusted by all and serving almost like a Greek chorus in this evolving tragedy;...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Meenoo added it

While I usually prefer historical fiction novels that focus on non-royalty or unknown people from history, I have always enjoyed Michelle Moran's books. Her talent for bringing famous historical women and men to life is evident in her latest novel about Napoleon's court.
Napoleon's power has never been higher, but he needs an heir, always the bane of the royals. The story is told from three points of view: Maria Lucia, the second empress, the infamous Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon's sister, and Pau...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Jo Anne B rated it 3 of 5 stars

The best part of this book was all the history of Napoleon Bonaparte. I think the author lured readers into this book by putting a woman on the front cover but she wasn't even the focus of the book, whereas Napoleon and his sister Pauline were. I did not like how the story was told by three narrators alternating each chapter. These were Napoelon's wife the Empress Maria-Lucia, his sister Pauline, and Pauline's servant Paul that loved her. I thought Paul's narration was pointless and made the sto...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Margo Tanenbaum rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: france, 19th-century

I loved Moran's earlier novel about Madame Tussaud but found her new novel which takes place at the court of Napoleon less compelling. The novel takes place from 1809 to 1815, and alternates between three narrators, Maria Lucia, Princess of Austria, Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon's sister, and Paul Moreau, a mulatto from Haiti who has come with Pauline Bonaparte to France as her chamberlain. Maria Lucia becomes a political pawn, much like her great aunt Marie Antoinette, when she is selected by Nap...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Lydia Presley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: france, fiction, historic-fiction, 2012

I've thoroughly enjoyed Michelle Moran's historical novels ever since picking up Nefertiti - and when I saw The Second Empress was being released I was thrilled. Why? Because with Madame Tussaud, Moran had my attention and I was ready to dive back into French history.

The Second Empress deals with Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte's second wife after his divorce from Josephine. What I appreciated about this book was that it was "historical-fiction-lite"; it was easy to read and fun to read...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Anita rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was one of those novels where I couldn't wait for a quiet hour so I could read what happens next. What will the vicious Pauline do to embarrass Marie-Louise and will Queen Caroline show herself up as a Corsican peasant beneath all her furs? The story doesn’t get bogged down with military manoeuvrings, territorial claims or battles either, all of which tend to happen in the background, but concentrates on the dynamics of Napoleon’s court and the women who vie for his attention.

Napoleon doesn...more This was one of those novels where I couldn't wait for a quiet hour so I could read what happens next. What will the vicious Pauline do to embarrass Marie-Louise and will Queen Caroline show herself up as a Corsican peasant beneath all her furs? The story doesn’t get bogged down with military manoeuvrings, territorial claims or battles either, all of which tend to happen in the background, but concentrates on the dynamics of Napoleon’s court and the women who vie for his attention.

Napoleon doesn't like women plump or tall, and sumptuous gowns, jewels and pretty women proliferate, which tallies with the early nineteenth century belief that females were considered weak minded, and only capable of functioning as ornamental consorts for their husbands. When Marie-Louise is told she is to marry Napoleon, the greasy Prince Metternich says she'll have more furs and jewellery than any ruler in Europe – as if bling made up for his lack of breeding.

The novel is written throughout in first person, through the alternating points of view of Maria-Lucia, Pauline, and Pauline's Haitian chamberlain, Paul. I found this distracting at first, as once or twice it is not explained whose PoV we were in, so could be confusing, but give a different perspective of the characters. Although the immoral, and outrageous Pauline is not a pleasant character, I couldn’t help admiring her ruthless determination to have her way, the depths she was willing to plunge to obtain it despite her own declining health.

I’m English, so Napoleon painted as a callous megalomaniac whom absolute power has corrupted absolutely – and who strives to be more royal than the royals by giving all his siblings crowns, and spends more money on pageants and pomp than the Emperors of Rome ever did; was what I was taught in school and I’m not willing to change my opinion now!

This is a fascinating, well-crafted and enjoyable novel which gives a different perspective on Napoleon’s later years. One chilling passage which was taken from his letters, many to Josephine after their divorce, was his report from Russia that half a million Frenchmen had been killed, but writes in the third person that: 'The Emperor's health could not be better!' A monster indeed.

The publisher sent me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.(less)

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Aug 02, 2012 Joan Adamak rated it 5 of 5 stars

Napoleon’s Court In All Its Decadency

This story, although set forth as being fiction, in the back the author states that she “relied on most of what she wrote from thousands of letters that have been preserved from Napoleon’s court and the memoirs Marie-Louise, Hortense, Mademoiselle Dudrand, Monsieur Montholon and Napoleon himself.” The story is told in individual chapters as seen from the viewpoint of Maria Lucia, Archduchess of Austria, a/k/a Marie Louise, second wife of Napoleon and known as...more Napoleon’s Court In All Its Decadency

This story, although set forth as being fiction, in the back the author states that she “relied on most of what she wrote from thousands of letters that have been preserved from Napoleon’s court and the memoirs Marie-Louise, Hortense, Mademoiselle Dudrand, Monsieur Montholon and Napoleon himself.” The story is told in individual chapters as seen from the viewpoint of Maria Lucia, Archduchess of Austria, a/k/a Marie Louise, second wife of Napoleon and known as the Second Empress; Pauline Bonaparte a/k/a Princess Borghese, sister to Napoleon and his favorite, to the extent that some considered an incestuous affair between them; Paul Moreau, Chamberlain, a mulatto from Haiti who accompanied Pauline from Haiti to France.

In one of the most succinct historical novels this reviewer has ever read, the author set forth the last six years of Napoleon, dramatizing his rare sweet moments, his extreme callousness and his insulting manner towards women except for his mother, who remained at his side most of the time and idolized him. But he had leadership quality that gave him the ability to rally men to follow him into war, even after his disastrous defeat at the hands of the Russians and his removal to Elba. Although he divorced Josephine because she could not bear him a child, and became aware of her unfaithfulness to him, he communicated with her by love letters for the rest of both of their lives and he never took the title of Empress away from her.

Marie-Louise, although she along with other Austrians called Napoleon the Ogre of France, at the behest of her father, a Hapsburg King, a/k/a the Holy Roman Emperor Frances II, agreed to marry Napoleon as Austria had been defeated by Napoleon and her father would lose his throne if she disagreed. Although she was rather plump and not beautiful, as Napoleon liked his women, he sought a connection to royalty, which he did not have and the Hapsburgs were known for their fertility. He desperately wanted a son to carry on his name.

Pauline Bonaparte, known for her extreme beauty and moral laxity, to the point of possibly being a nymphomaniac, had a great influence on Napoleon and after he defeated Egypt, she was determined that they should marry like the Egyptian pharaohs and rule Egypt together. She never quit pressing her point, but Napoleon brushed her off.

From the words of these actors, chapter by chapter, the story of those directly involved with Napoleon, the results of his actions, both good and evil, flow out, which give the reader new insight into this man and his idiosyncrasies, but also his genius. I truly enjoyed this historical novel, especially after I read in the back the author’s commentary about her research and I recommend it.
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Jul 08, 2012 Susan Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Michelle Moran writes very readable historical fiction. My favorite was about Cleopatria's daughter. This book is 300 pages, a much shorter book than her Madame Tussand one. It's so readable and fun that it doesn't take long to finish it. It's a very gossipy story that is great entertainment.
Maria Lucia is a 19 year old Princess of Austria whose father has just lost a great deal of money and land to Napoleon when she is "honored" to be selected as his second Empress. She is selected for her 800...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Kaite rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

I wanted to like this book for the whole 4 stars, or more, but I feel like more could have been said and more detail used if it were longer. The 2nd half felt a bit hurried, a bit light in detail. Some of this might have been from the point of views of the characters. Having some chapters from 3rd person may have helped flesh out what was happening and given some more background. I think it would help if readers had a bit of background in this era before reading.
Over-all, the details were sharp...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Mara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Maria-Lucia, Archduchess of Austria, is planning to marry the man she loves and to one day rule Austria as regent for her ailing brother. Unfortunately for her, she is instead shipped off to France to be rechristened 'Marie-Louise' and become Napoleon’s “second empress” (replacing his beloved but barren Josephine). Once there she must contend not only with Napoleon, who is unsurprisingly pretty horrible as a husband, but also his eccentric family…most notably his sister Pauline, who spends much...more Maria-Lucia, Archduchess of Austria, is planning to marry the man she loves and to one day rule Austria as regent for her ailing brother. Unfortunately for her, she is instead shipped off to France to be rechristened 'Marie-Louise' and become Napoleon’s “second empress” (replacing his beloved but barren Josephine). Once there she must contend not only with Napoleon, who is unsurprisingly pretty horrible as a husband, but also his eccentric family…most notably his sister Pauline, who spends much of the novel fantasizing about marrying her brother herself in order to co-rule Egypt as brother-sister Pharaohs. (Yes, really!) Despite her intense dislike of her new husband and her new in-laws, however, Marie-Louise must play the role of dutiful wife to perfection to appease Napoleon and protect her beloved Austria.

I had really high hopes for this novel after Madame Tussaud, and I have to say that I didn’t find it to be quite as impressive as that book. Moran alternates between three narrators (Marie-Louise, Pauline, and Pauline’s steward) and the book is really too short to do that and fully develop all three of them—Pauline in particular seems cartoonishly over the top for most of the book rather than like a real woman with relatable flaws and desires.

However, The Second Empress is a really engrossing read and it’s a lot of fun to root both for the extraordinarily capable Marie-Louise and against Napoleon and his loathsome sister. There were points where I questioned the historical accuracy of how various characters were being portrayed, but Moran has a great Author’s Note at the end that explains her choices. I also liked that Moran adds an extra layer to the story by including Pauline’s Mulatto steward, Paul Moreau, as one of the narrators. I never quite understood why he was so attached to Pauline, but I enjoyed the glimpses of his past in Haiti and valued his outsider’s perspective on events.

Even though Madame Tussaud will remain my favorite of Moran’s books, The Second Empress definitely further cements her reputation as an author who dependably delivers well-researched and entertaining historical novels…can’t wait to see who she writes about next!

(ARC provided by NetGalley)(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction

This new historical fiction novel by Michelle Moran focuses on Napoleon's second wife, the Austrian princess Marie-Louise. Overall, I enjoyed the novel. Weighing in at less than 300 pages, Moran has to condense events tremendously to cover this period, the last six years of Napoleon's reign. Marie-Louise's story is told in first-person by three different characters: Marie-Louise herself, Napoleon's sister, Pauline Bonapart, and Pauline's manservant, a former Haitian named Paul Moreau. I adjusted...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Barb Terpstra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ahhh, it is so lovely to receive free books in the mail. What a nice way to end your day (thank you goodreads!).

I really enjoyed this book. I started reading it the moment I unwrapped it (very helpful that this was my husbands night to golf). I stayed up reading until 10:30 - very late for me!

The novel is told from the perspective of three people: Maria Lucia, Princess of Austria and Napoleon's future bride, Pauline Bonaporte, Napoleon's sister, Paul Moreau, chamberlain to Pauline. Of those thre...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I have to qualify this review first by disclosing how much I enjoy MIchelle Moran. Her books are well written and well researched. This book is not exception. She includes actual letters written by Napoleon and others to help provide background and to give a real feel to what her characters were thinking. Good historical fiction has two elements that, for me, essential for enjoyment. One is the right balance of history and fiction. Too much history can bog down a story; too little can leave the...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars

Where I got the book: electronic ARC from Edelweiss.

I don't think I've read a novel about Napoleon (this one doesn't really count) since Désirée , so Moran gets points for tackling what feels to me like a neglected historical niche (unless there's a whole slew of Napoleon books I don't know about somewhere). This story covers the latter part of the French Emperor's reign, when Napoleon starts getting dynastic ambitions and divorces Joséphine so that he can bring in Austrian princess Marie-Louise...more Where I got the book: electronic ARC from Edelweiss.

I don't think I've read a novel about Napoleon (this one doesn't really count) since Désirée , so Moran gets points for tackling what feels to me like a neglected historical niche (unless there's a whole slew of Napoleon books I don't know about somewhere). This story covers the latter part of the French Emperor's reign, when Napoleon starts getting dynastic ambitions and divorces Joséphine so that he can bring in Austrian princess Marie-Louise as a brood mare. And then decides that it would be a really good idea to invade Russia....

The story is told from the point of view of three characters: the aforesaid Austrian princess, Napoleon's sister Pauline, and her Haitian chamberlain Paul Moreau. And that, for me, is the biggest flaw in the book, and it's a doozy. Let's just run over the plot lines, which are quite juicy in themselves. Marie-Louise is coerced into marriage with Napoleon by the threat of what he could otherwise do to the defeated Hapsburg empire; she leaves her home, her family, her lover, her beloved dog and even her name (Maria Lucia) behind to win over a hostile court and country. Pauline has the hots for her successful brother and a weird obsession with Egypt that leads her to conclude that she and Napoleon should marry and rule Pharaoh-style, a notion probably exacerbated by creeping insanity brought on by venereal disease, a consequence of her promiscuous lifestyle, and her total self-obsession. Paul loves Pauline, and for that reason has left his beloved, war-torn Haiti to follow her to France; he dreams of returning with Pauline to end slavery in the French Empire and resolve his own conflicts as a mulatto intellectual who wins little acceptance in his native land or his adopted one.

The lynchpin of these three lives is Napoleon, of whom we get the standard portrait: the vain, slightly unhinged genius who takes his ambitions one country too far and falls victim to his own legend. Can we see how much is going on in this book? It would take an absolute genius to carry off this tripartite POV structure under the weight of so much history, and Moran isn't that genius. So she falls back on a humdrum chronological structure, switching POV by rote so that no one story really dominates (the title and blurb are, I would imagine, the publisher's attempt to hook the reader by emphasizing the most sympathetic of these three rather unlikeable characters). Worse still, the voices of all three characters are EXACTLY the same, and I kept having to refer to the chapter headings to see who was speaking. This book absolutely cries out a) to be written from a single POV and b) to find some real conflict between the various plot lines instead of just running them more or less side by side. The threads are there, but they aren't woven into something that can carry any weight, especially not the weight of an elephant-sized chunk of French history.

From a technical standpoint the writing's not at all bad: Moran carries off the trendy first-person present tense with ease, and the narrative flows along nicely even if it's lacking in fizz. Her historical choices seem plausible to this non-picky reader; she creates sufficient doubt about Pauline's sanity to leave the question of whether brother and sister actually slept together hanging in the air for further debate. My personal opinion, for what it's worth, is that it was all in Pauline's head; I have never had the impression that Napoleon went that far, and maybe the fascination he held for his contemporaries was precisely his ability to stick like glue to the fine line between genius and insanity. If I'd been able to choose a POV I probably would have gone for Pauline's, as the worthy Marie-Louise and the faithful Paul seemed a little wishy-washy beside her extravagance and she's a perfect candidate for an unreliable narrator.

Verdict: a good try, but it didn't quite come together for me. (less)

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Jun 07, 2012 Debbi rated it 5 of 5 stars

(thank you to Netgalley.com for providing an early copy)

We all think we know the Emperor Napoleon: his ego, his military ability, and his self-centeredness. But what we don’t know and what Michelle Moran gives us in the well researched, historically accurate and very entertaining book The Second Empress is insight into his personal life, which at times can make the Emperor Nero look tame.

The story is told from several points of view: his second wife (and the second empress) Marie-Louise of Aust...more (thank you to Netgalley.com for providing an early copy)

We all think we know the Emperor Napoleon: his ego, his military ability, and his self-centeredness. But what we don’t know and what Michelle Moran gives us in the well researched, historically accurate and very entertaining book The Second Empress is insight into his personal life, which at times can make the Emperor Nero look tame.

The story is told from several points of view: his second wife (and the second empress) Marie-Louise of Austria, his sister Pauline, his step-daughter Hortense, among others. Each has a different point of view, and recounts different stories, helping to create a complete picture of a very complex man, and the people who surround him.

At the time of the story, Napoleon rules most of Europe, and he desperately needs an heir to carry on. In what seems to be a somewhat odd choice, given that it wasn’t that long before that the monarchy had been overthrown, and her aunt Marie Antoinette had lost her head, Napoleon chooses Marie Louise. Marie has little choice in the matter, believing that if she says no, Napoleon will take revenge on Austria. She leaves her home, her family and her lover and enters the exceedingly strange world of Napoleon.

Pauline, the Countess Borghese, is no friend to Marie Louise, wanting her brother for herself, to rule Egypt as brother-sister monarchs, as in the days of the Pharaoh’s. Pauline’s mores are as strange (although less deadly) than Napoleon’s, and her lovers are legion.

Napoleon is brilliant in matters military, but is bizarre in how he treats women in general, including those he marries and is related to, and can be deadly when crossed. Moran gives us insight into the kind of man who would lose more than a half a million men in Russia, and still think it was the right thing to do.

The characters and time period are well documented, and many of the incidents in the book are real, unbelievable as they may seem. The story moves quickly and is a very good read. This is a great view of the time period, with a lot of detail that isn't necessarily well known.(less)

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Apr 15, 2013 Farnoosh Brock rated it 5 of 5 stars

The 5th book by Michelle Moran and the 5th one that I've read because I read everything she writes. In fact, I had to really wait to get this one because once I pick up anything of hers, even if I try to keep a distance, I get sucked in and eat it up in 2 days. The Second Empress was no exception, and it was a captivating, educational, and very fun read.

I learn so much about history from Moran and I really love the way she draws up her characters. She's been stuck in the French history lately a...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Brittany B. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1favorites, audiobook, biographical, high-recommend, hist_famous-person, historical-fiction, historical-best-of, historical_europe

What an incredibly pleasant surprise! I ended up loving this book!

I have little interest in Napoleon up till now, but this book has sparked great curiosity. How did this family become so damned dysfunctional!? (And they really are a messed up crew!)

Between Napoleon and his sister Paulina, there is constant insanity in this book! Both are selfish, suspicion, jealous, very cruel, and conniving. Napoleon's greed brings him down, as we know. And Paulina's nymphomania seems the culprit for her demis...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arts-and-historical

After the bloody French Revolution, Emperor Napoleon’s power is absolute. When Marie-Louise, the eighteen year old daughter of the King of Austria, is told that the Emperor has demanded her hand in marriage, her father presents her with a terrible choice: marry the cruel, capricious Napoleon, leaving the man she loves and her home forever, or say no, and plunge her country into war.

Marie-Louise knows what she must do, and she travels to France, determined to be a good wife despite Napoleon’s rep...more After the bloody French Revolution, Emperor Napoleon’s power is absolute. When Marie-Louise, the eighteen year old daughter of the King of Austria, is told that the Emperor has demanded her hand in marriage, her father presents her with a terrible choice: marry the cruel, capricious Napoleon, leaving the man she loves and her home forever, or say no, and plunge her country into war.

Marie-Louise knows what she must do, and she travels to France, determined to be a good wife despite Napoleon’s reputation. But lavish parties greet her in Paris, and at the extravagant French court, she finds many rivals for her husband’s affection, including Napoleon’s first wife, Joséphine, and his sister Pauline, the only woman as ambitious as the emperor himself. Beloved by some and infamous to many, Pauline is fiercely loyal to her brother. She is also convinced that Napoleon is destined to become the modern Pharaoh of Egypt. Indeed, her greatest hope is to rule alongside him as his queen—a brother-sister marriage just as the ancient Egyptian royals practiced. Determined to see this dream come to pass, Pauline embarks on a campaign to undermine the new empress and convince Napoleon to divorce Marie-Louise.

As Pauline's insightful Haitian servant, Paul, watches these two women clash, he is torn between his love for Pauline and his sympathy for Marie-Louise. But there are greater concerns than Pauline's jealousy plaguing the court of France. While Napoleon becomes increasingly desperate for an heir, the empire's peace looks increasingly unstable. When war once again sweeps the continent and bloodshed threatens Marie-Louise’s family in Austria, the second Empress is forced to make choices that will determine her place in history—and change the course of her life.

Based on primary resources from the time, The Second Empress takes readers back to Napoleon’s empire, where royals and servants alike live at the whim of one man, and two women vie to change their destinies.(less)

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Dec 01, 2012 Ricki rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Second Empress deals with Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte's second wife after his divorce from Josephine. I consider this book "historical fiction lite"; it was easy and fun to read without slowing you down without too many facts. Moran switches between three points of view: The Empress, Napoleon's sister, Pauline, and her man-servant, Paul. Each point of view allowed the story to be well-rounded and, instead of being confusing going back and forth, intensifiedthe readers interest a...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Joanne hale rated it 4 of 5 stars

i liked this book. but first let me get through this rant.

i had issue that each chapter, even though they were short, and easy to understand, were written in 1st person with a different character. i understand its a great way to get into the characters thoughts, and why they did the actions they did, but i felt it was a little self-indulgent- like the author wanted to be these characters, or had to take them over to become them so to say and write as if she was them. and maybe im looking to far...more i liked this book. but first let me get through this rant.

i had issue that each chapter, even though they were short, and easy to understand, were written in 1st person with a different character. i understand its a great way to get into the characters thoughts, and why they did the actions they did, but i felt it was a little self-indulgent- like the author wanted to be these characters, or had to take them over to become them so to say and write as if she was them. and maybe im looking to far into this.

BUT this doesnt mean you shuouldnt read this book , because you REALLY SHOULD. its a great written historical fiction novel that really lets you come to understand what really happened in Napoleons court and his second bride Marie-Louise. i loved every chapter, there were tons of great characters and interesting situations. Like Napoleons sister and himself, how they were to rise up and recreate a new egypt, kind of a sick premises from the mad sister. And thank you for the ending to the book, i am very happy that there is an "after the story" section. That is quite interesting finding out what happened to side characters and non-listed important characters. i felt like i was in the greatest french history class EVER!

I learned a lot about why his exile came, and what happened to his wife(s) and children and other family members, and it was amazing. I read this fast because it wasnt easy to put this book down and go to bed. I loved this book and researched her other books and plan to get them too!

I gave the book a 4/5 strickly because even though it would be good for fiction readers, and european history alike, but the whole first person thing threw me off. I love books written in first person, but not when i have to switch with each chapter and have to figure out who i am in this chapter in comparison to the last.

I want to thank Michelle Moran again for writing such a great book, and if any class is teaching Napoleon and his uprising and fall, THIS is the book to use!(less)

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Jul 09, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another wonderfully written novel by Michelle Moran. It doesn't seem to matter what subject matter she chooses, she expertly draws the reader into her stories and transports them to by-gone eras.
This novel has left me both thoroughly entertained and educated. Through the eyes of two figures--Napoleon's sister Pauline, and his second wife Maria-Lucia--Ms Moran shows the reader the events of Napoleon's last five years as Emperor of France. She shows him to be a very complex man whom is both cruel...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
European Royalty: The Second Empress, Overall	4	13	May 21, 2013 04:31pm
European Royalty: The Second Empress, through Chapter 21	3	8	May 20, 2013 06:30am
European Royalty: The second Empress, Chapter 21-end	1	4	May 15, 2013 08:43am
Read It Forward: * THE SECOND EMPRESS by Michelle Moran	7	35	Dec 04, 2012 01:38pm
Interview with Michelle Moran	5	34	Oct 12, 2012 10:11pm

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About Michelle Moran

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Michelle Moran was born in southern California. After attending Pomona College, she earned a Masters Degree from the Claremont Graduate University. During her six years as a public high school teacher, Michelle used her summers to travel around the world, and it was her exp...more

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