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Betsy and the Emperor

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 421 ratings · 61 reviews

"Think, my dear -- just think what it will be like, to be known as the girl who freed the great Napoleon Bonaparte!"

Fourteen-year-old English girl Betsy Balcombe and her family have an unusual houseguest: Napoleon Bonaparte, former emperor of France and the most feared man on earth. Once lord and master to eighty-two million souls, now, in 1815, Napoleon is a captive of th...more

Paperback, 304 pages

Published March 21st 2006 by Simon Pulse (first published September 28th 2004)

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Jul 28, 2012 Rina Kartika rated it 5 of 5 stars

Beberapa hari yg lalu baru ingat klo pernah baca buku ini..udah jaman SMA sih..dan klo sekalinya inget pasti bawaannya pengen baca lagi,,padahal bukunya udah gak ada..jadi coba ngorek2 ingatan nih..
Buku ini menceritakan (benar2) sisi lain dari Napoleon Bonaparte, dari sudut pandang seorang gadis berusia 14 tahun bernama Betsy. Cerita diambil ketika Napoleon menderita kekalahan perang dan dipenjara di pulau St.Helena, disitulah dia bertemu Betsy. Meskipun beda usia mereka cukup jauh (lupa brp) ta...more

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May 18, 2009 htanzil rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Napoleon Bonaparte, namanya tercatat di semua buku-buku sejarah dunia. Setelah ratusan tahun lamanya Perancis dipimpin oleh raja-raja, Napoleon Bonaparte merupakan pemimipin Perancis pertama yang bergelar Kaisar, ia memerintah pada tahun 1804-1814 dan 1815. Pada masa jayanya, Napoleon Bonaparte mungkin salah satu pemimpi paling besar sepanjang sejarah manusia. Melalui karismanya yang disertai kerja keras dan ambisi gilanya, ia bertekad untuk mewujudkan mimpinya untuk menguasai seluruh Eropa. Mim...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Riadiani Marcelita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Riadiani by: Ndari

In 1815, after being defeated by the British in Waterloo, former French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was banished to the forsaken island of St. Helena. Fallen from grace, Bonaparte soon finds refuge in the form of fourteen-year-old Betsy Balcombe. Betsy, whose family reluctantly houses Bonaparte, also finds herself intrigued by the emperor. Their unlikely friendship inspires Betsy to hatch a dangerous plan to help the emperor escape.

To be honest, when a friend of mine suggested this book to me, I...more In 1815, after being defeated by the British in Waterloo, former French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was banished to the forsaken island of St. Helena. Fallen from grace, Bonaparte soon finds refuge in the form of fourteen-year-old Betsy Balcombe. Betsy, whose family reluctantly houses Bonaparte, also finds herself intrigued by the emperor. Their unlikely friendship inspires Betsy to hatch a dangerous plan to help the emperor escape.

To be honest, when a friend of mine suggested this book to me, I was not sure that I would read it. The plot sounded inviting, sure, but the whole package of the book discouraged me from picking it up. I guess that's the truest definition of "don't judge the book by its cover", because once I started reading the first several pages, I was immediately hooked.

Everyone has heard of the great emperor slash general Napoleon Bonaparte. He was, and is, a legend. He appears in history books and must be one of the most famous person from history the world has ever known. But how many people have ever heard of rebellious, brave and adventurous Betsy Balcombe? I had never heard of Betsy before this book. I was not even sure that Betsy really existed. But after a few researches, I found out that Betsy was a real person, and that her friendship with Bonaparte was not at all fictitious.

Well, this book depicts Betsy as a true heroine. A fearless, brave soul who was trapped in the prison-like island of St. Helena. She was a free and wild spirit, and is fun to read. She attracts attention, and that's exactly what kept me reading. The plot is also very brilliant and mindblowing. I learned a side of Napoleon Bonaparte that I didn't even know before. My resentment towards him grew into sympathy. The characters of Betsy and Bonaparte are described in such a way that not only do we fall in love with them, we root for them.

The pace of the story, though, is confusing to me. Some parts are described in close details, such as Betsy's first encounters with Bonaparte. While others, such as Betsy's last moments with the emperor on St. Helena, went by in a blur. I believe that the pace is wrongly placed in a few parts of the book. Adding a little more detail, a little more description on Betsy's thoughts or feelings would help. I was especially disappointed with Betsy's narration in the wake of Huff's death. She had a close relationship with Huff; she liked him, she looked up to him. Now he died, partly because of her fault. She was a fourteen-year-old girl. Fearless, yes, but she was still fourteen years old. How would a fourteen year old handle the death of a close friend, with the knowledge that she was partly to blame? I think Betsy handled Huff's death too lightly; or, at least, her grief was not clearly exposed, like I believe it should be. It was not only Betsy's daring actions that made us fall in love with her, but also her thoughts and characters. They are what makes Betsy Betsy.

Another criticism I have for this book, is the excessive use of the exclamation mark. There were parts where the exclamation mark was not necessary, and although they were placed to make an emphasis, it just didn't feel fit for me.

All in all, this book is great, and I regret for not reading it earlier. This book reminds me all over again why I love historical fiction. Bravo, Staton Rabin!(less)

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Jan 30, 2009 Staton added it

Published in l4 languages, this YA novel of mine is in development as a movie with Al Pacino attached to star as Napoleon Bonaparte. It's a New York Public Library "Book for the Teen Age" and an ABA/Book Sense Pick for Teens.

"This fascinating story plays both with and against the stereotype of Napoleon. Even readers who don't know of Bonaparte will be caught up in the interplay between girl and emperor and the surrounding drama of the world's history-- and their own."
-- Kirkus Reviews

“An engagin...more

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Dec 25, 2012 Nazta rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Saat itu Oktober 2006 ketika aku menemukan buku ini diantara novel-novel teenlit lainnya. Aku selalu suka membaca teenlit ketika itu, apalagi kalau cover dari novel itu cantik. Walaupun aku tahu tidak bijak rasanya menilai buku hanya dari tampilan covernya saja, tapi sejujurnya aku sudah terpesona dengan cover novel Betsy and the Emperor. Jadi, meski ketika itu aku tidak terlalu menyukai buku terjemahan, tangan aku tergerak untuk mengambilnya dari rak buku.

Tapi saat itu aku tidak kecewa membeli...more Saat itu Oktober 2006 ketika aku menemukan buku ini diantara novel-novel teenlit lainnya. Aku selalu suka membaca teenlit ketika itu, apalagi kalau cover dari novel itu cantik. Walaupun aku tahu tidak bijak rasanya menilai buku hanya dari tampilan covernya saja, tapi sejujurnya aku sudah terpesona dengan cover novel Betsy and the Emperor. Jadi, meski ketika itu aku tidak terlalu menyukai buku terjemahan, tangan aku tergerak untuk mengambilnya dari rak buku.

Tapi saat itu aku tidak kecewa membeli novel Betsy and the Emperor. Saya menyukainya. Dan saat ini, ketika aku membacanya sekali lagi, saya merasa tetap menyukainya.

Adalah Elizabeth Balcombe, seorang remaja berusia 14 tahun yang dipenuhi rasa ingin tahu dan kebebasan. Berasal dari St. Helena, pada tahun 1815, Betsy kembali ke St. Helena dari pendidikannya di London. Meski telah melalui pendidikan, tetapi Betsy tidak berubah, ia tetap putri 'pemberontak' keluarga Balcombe.

Suatu hari, pada malam kepulangannya saat ia menyelinap keluar rumahnya melalui sulur-sulur di jendela kamarnya, seorang 'tamu' berlabuh di Jamestown. Seorang tamu penting yang menggemparkan St. Helena, Kaisar Perancis, Napoleon Bonaparte. Sejak itu hari-hari Betsy berbeda. Apalagi Boney - panggilan untuk Sang Kaisar - menginap sementara di the briars, kediaman keluarga Balcombe, karena rumah tahanannya di Longwood belum siap. Betsy dan Sang Kaisar pun menjadi teman. Hari-hari dilalui Betsy dengan melihat sisi lain Sang Kaisar. Masalah mulai timbul ketika gubernur baru tiba di St. Helena. Segalanya menjadi berubah, kebebasan untuk Sang Kaisar perlahan-lahan mulai tiada, dan Betsy pun mulai gelisah.

Pada kasus lain, aku membayangkan sosok Betsy adalah sosok yang indepeden dan pemberontak. Kisah dari Inggris, yang mungkin juga terjadi pada masa kehidupan Betsy banyak menggambarkan sosok gadis pemberontak, yang menyalahi aturan dan bertindak tidak seperti anak perempuan lainnya di keluarganya. Jo di the little woman, Lizzy pada pride and prejudice. Jadi tidak sulit bagiku untuk membayangkan akan seperti apa sosok Betsy ini. Begitu juga dengan pemikiran dan tindakkan Betsy.

Hanya saja ada beberapa hal yang disayangkan. Sayang untuk terlewatkan adalah surat-menyurat antara Betsy dan Carstairs. Aku rasa jika surat menyurat itu lebih disorot maka pembaca akan semakin terbawa dengan kekecewaan Betsy dibagian akhir cerita mereka. Selain itu, masih ada kalimat-kalimat yang kurang membangkitkan emosi. Seperti ketika rumor mengenai Betsy dan Sang Kaisar beredar. Itu adalah hal yang besar dan aku mengharapkan 'kejutan' pula untuk bagian ini, tapi aku tidak menemukan kejutan yang banyak. Meski begitu, saya sudah cukup puas dengan cerita Betsy dan pikirannya dalam buku. Bagaimana Betsy begitu ingin membebaskan Sang Kaisar dan bagaimana masa transisinya menuju remaja dengan pikirannya yang perlahan mulai menjadi dewasa. Selain itu bagian yang paling kusuka adalah, keseluruh buku memuat sejarah! Aku sealu suka sejarah dan pelajaran sejarah yang seperti inilah yang selalu aku tunggu.

Pertama kali membaca buku ini, aku mungkin memberikan 4.5, tapi kini, dengan pertimbangan perasaan yang kurang terpuaskan (well, ini selalu terjadi kan? Ketika cerita lama dibaca kembali, kebanyakan akan berubah karena sudut pandang kita juga berubah) aku hanya bisa memberikan 3.85 maksimal untuk buku ini. Tapi tetap saya menyukainya.(less)

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Nov 29, 2008 Brittney. Break my heart why dont ya rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who had a strong friendship that you will never forget

Shelves: historical-fiction-and-things

This book was one of the most touching books I have ever read. Betsy and the Emperor had the strongest most loved friendship I have ever read. This story was based on real historic events. This story will keep you reading untill the end. At the end of the book you will cry. This heartwarming story is the best Historical fiction bookI have ever read.

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Sep 17, 2011 Alyssa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is about a fourteen year old girl named Betsy Balcombe. Betsy lives on remote, ugly island called St. Helena. Napoleon Bonaparte is being transported over to St. Helena, being held prisoner by the British soldiers. Bonaparte is in need for a place to stay and is assigned to reside in Betsy's house. Betsy and the emperor build up a strong and caring relationship for eachother. Both go through many hardships and obstacles. But one day of Betsy's friend's, Huff, is determined to free the...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Tori added it

2005- I could not finish this book fast enough! It sounded like an interesting enough YA book. Betsy Balcombe, a resident of St. Helena, returns home from her London boarding school. St. Helena, you might recognize, was one of the islands Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled too. Betsy arrives home only to have Napoleon arrive several days later, and with his lodgings not yet finished, he is sent to live in her guesthouse. A relationship begins between the two, and while I'm pretty sure the author was...more

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Mar 17, 2009 Selena rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, young-adult, fiction, royalty-and-nobility, historical-royals, favorites, reviewed

Absolutely love this book! I've recently read Sandra Gulland's trilogy on Josephine, the wife of Napoleon, and was fascinated. Upon reading this, the reader gets to see the softer side of Napoleon through his friendship with Elizabeth(Betsy). This book never gets boring and the ending was heartwrenching.

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Feb 13, 2013 Anne Broyles rated it 4 of 5 stars

Historical fiction is always a melding of fact and fiction, and some readers may find there is too much fiction in this tale of a young woman who befriends Napoleon when he is exiled to St.Helena. The main characters did live on that island at the same time, and there is evidence that they knew each other, though it's doubtful they had such a full-fledged friendship.

Taken without worrying about historical accuracy, BETSY AND THE EMPEROR is a fun romp with an energetic protagonist whose adventure...more

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Nov 09, 2010 Melisa Mariani rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Teens, People who want to know more about Napoleon Bonaparte

Shelves: teens, koleksiku-ind, historical-fiction, bukuku-lagi-dipinjam

Saya menemukan buku ini di tumpukan buku diskon 10 ribuan Gramedia Fair, pertama sih tertarik karena covernya yang "remaja banget" dan jelas ada bau-bau kerajaan disitu karena ada kata "Emperor" dan setelah saya membaca sinopsis singkat dibelakangnya, saya pun makin tertarik.
Karena tidak seperti TeenLit biasanya, yang menjadi tema utama dalam buku ini adalah persahabatan antara Betsy dan Napoleon Bonaparte. Saya selalu suka novel historical yang dikemas dengan ringan.
Perlu lebih banyak TeenLit s...more

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May 01, 2008 The other John rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: schoolbook, historical-fiction, history, biography

The problem with a lot of our history lessons is that you learn a lot of names, but you never get introduced to the people. I suppose that's one reason why I enjoy reading biographies. Anyway, this is a kind of biography. Technically, it's historical fiction, but a lot of it is based on source materials. The book tells the tale of a few years in the life of Betsy Balcombe. During her teens, she was living on the island of St. Helena when the deposed emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled there. N...more

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Dec 14, 2008 Victoria rated it 4 of 5 stars

This doesn't have the nive colors lik mine so I had to do this one, but it should be the same one. This is a really good book. It is about when Napoleon Bonaparte was captured at the battle of Waterloo and sent to the depressing island of St. Helena. There he befriends Betsy and they spend time together talking, getting into mischief and being frustratiing and frustrated alike. It is fun at times and sad at others. Based on a true story that Betsy herself wrote.

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Mar 08, 2011 Amy rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sonlight

I think Anna will agree with me when I say reading this book was a little like death. I couldn't stand the main character, and I went from indifferent respect for Napoleon to pretty much hating him. His character was like gross
I think the writing might have been good...it was a few years ago that I read this book. Anna brought it to mind the other day though, so I decided to delve into that memory a little xP yeah. Not my favorite Sonlight read....

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Feb 08, 2013 Mina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: minas-books, 2013, historic-fiction, young-adult, favorites

It's been a long time since I've read a book in one sitting but that's what I did with Betsy and The Emperor . I've actually been excited for this book for a while and I'm glad that I've finally been able to read this. I am a bit of a history buff and for some reason or another, I've always loved Napoleon Bonaparte so I may be a little biased when it comes to rating this book high.

The story itself was beautifully crafted from start to finish. It made me feel almost as though I were Betsy. Clear...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Fanda VIXXIO rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Belajar sejarah dengan cara ringan ternyata bisa loh, dengan membaca teenlit ini. Secara spesifik belajar tentang penahanan/pembuangan Napoleon Bonaparte di St Helena. Kisah di buku ini adalah kisah sejarah, dengan sedikit penyesuaian dari penulis agar lebih enak dinikmati sebagai bacaan ringan. Lumayan menyenangkan, meski aku tetap beranda-andai kisah ini ditulis bukan dengan gaya remaja yang membuat kisahnya agak kurang mengesan...

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Apr 04, 2013 Emma rated it 3 of 5 stars

I would give this about a 3.5. I would have given it a four, but much of the story was made up by the author which made me a bit mad. Betsy never tried to free the emperor. She was his friend, but probably not to the extent the book portrayed it. However, I really enjoyed the story and the writing, and I think of Napoleon in a different light now.

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Jul 29, 2012 Elly Gard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: school-books-2012

Another great book! I had always thought, before I read "Betsy and the Emperor", that Napoleon Bonparte was a snotty, greedy, evil person. Though he was greedy and selfish and uppity in this book, he also showed kindness towards Betsy and quiet sensitivity. I love historical fiction, and this was one of the best.

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Feb 25, 2008 Betsy Hr rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favorite

Sebenernya tema cerita dan penyajian penulisannya sih biasa aja, mungkin yang menarik buku ini diangkat dari kisah nyata bahwa Napoleon Bonaparte memang pernah menjadi teman gadis kecil di pulau St. Helena. dan Betsy Balcombe ini benar-benar ada.

Betsy Balcombe adalah gadis kecil pemberontak yang hidup di tahun 1800an yang merasa pulau tempat tinggalnya sangat membosankan. Cerita bergulir saat mantan Kaisar Perancis menjadi tamu di rumah keluarga Betsy sebagai tahanan. Meski awalnya sangat berte...more

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May 02, 2009 Betsy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I picked this up because of the title, but I was disappointed. It's based on a real person, Betsy Balcombe, who knew Napoleon in his final exile. The novel had inconsistent characterization and a scattered plot. I didn't like either Betsy or Napoleon, as portrayed here. Wouldn't recommend it.

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Jun 23, 2009 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is about Napoleon's friendship with Betsy while he was a prisoner on the island of St. Helena. I realized how little I know about Napoleon and plan to learn more. It was a quick read and I enjoyed it.

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Apr 29, 2012 Sindy Zakrzewicz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Loved this book. The author took into account Historical facts and made a captivating story of a young girl who finds herself a unlikely friend of Napoleon Bonaparte. Each chapter leaves you wondering what is going to happen next between them, and it was amazing to witness their friendship blossom.

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Oct 04, 2007 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teens

Melihat sisi lain dari Napoleon Bonaparte merupakan hal utama yang diceritakan dalam novel ini. Betsy, si tokoh utama dalam buku ini, berkenalan dengan Napoleon, yang menjadi tahanan di rumahnya. Tadinya Betsy sangat takut dengan Napoleon, karena memang pada zaman itu, rupanya beliau sangat ditakuti oleh orang-orang. Tapi lama-kelamaan, mereka mulai berteman dan Betsy mulai merasa sayang kepada Napoleon. Makanya, waktu Napoleon ditempatkan di penjara yang jauh dari rumahnya, dia merasa marah sek...more

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Feb 21, 2011 Marris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction-biography

I really enjoyed this book. It is a very different take on Emperor Napoleon Boneparte and it makes you see him as a living person, not just as a historical figure.

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Dec 07, 2008 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I thought this was a very interesting book about a person that really did interact with Napoleon Bonaparte. Well researched and written.

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Oct 21, 2011 Maryam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Relationship between Betsy and Napoleon Bonaparte when he was exiled to St Helena. Urgh I just love this!

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Mar 14, 2013 Ribka Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a book which can make me fallin in love with french ! i lovee this book :))

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Nov 07, 2012 Kristina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Nice story from and interesting perspective about Napoleon on St. Helena

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Mar 11, 2009 Ayu Palar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-books

As a teenlit (though how I hate that label), Betsy and The Emperor is quite different and interesting. It is nice to see the relationship between Betsy and Napoleon.

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May 22, 2012 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Always enjoyed reading a well written historical fiction :-D

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About Staton Rabin

Staton Rabin has a B.F.A. in film from New York University. In addition to writing for children, she is a screenwriter; a popular speaker about the art, craft, and business of writing for film; and a veteran story analyst for Scr(i)pt magazine, screenwriters, and producers. Staton Rabin lives in Irvington, New York.

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