The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire

by C.M. Mayo

The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is a sweeping historical novel of Mexico during the short, tragic, at times surreal, reign of Emperor Maximilian and his court. Even as the American Civil War raged north of the border, a clique of Mexican conservative exiles and clergy convinced Louis Napoleon to invade Mexico and install the Archduke of Austria, Maximilian von Habsburg, as Emperor. A year later, the childless Maximilian took custody of the two year old, half-American, Prince Agustìn de Iturbide y Green, making the toddler the Heir Presumptive. Maximilian’s reluctance to return the child to his distraught parents, even as his empire began to fall, and the Empress Carlota descended into madness, ignited an international scandal. This lush, grand read is based on the true story and illuminates both the cultural roots of Mexico and the political development of the Americas. But it is made all the more captivating by the depth of Mayo’s writing and her understanding of the pressures and influences on these all too human players.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical

432 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2009

About the author

C.M. Mayo is the author of The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire , as well as the widely-lauded travel memoir, Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico , and Sky Over El Nido , which won the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. She is also the editor of Mexico: A Traveler's Literary Companion , which was published by Whereabouts Press in March 2006.

Reviews

[Richard Derus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: A sad, sorry 2* of five

The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C.M. Mayo is an unsuccessful attempt to nnovelize a fascinating non-fictional research project: The French occupation of Mexico during the American Civil War.

The novelization attempt was made because, the author tells us, the non-fictional format would have prevented her from giving her take on what the characters in these events would have thought and felt. I agree, Ms. Mayo; why didn't you do that, then? The scattershot point-of-view choices are simply disorganized, and the choices made don't seem to reflect an authorial storytelling hand but rather a didact's need to provide information.

I was disappointed in this book. I liked the idea. I like the physical presentation of the book. I hope this story, a good one, will find a storyteller who can make it sing and vibrate with the passion and fear and tragedy it truly has. It hasn't had that luck just yet. The book is not recommended.

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy-going read. The book is a history book written as a novel and, as such, loses some sharpness as to purpose. The author states, in an epilogue, that she wrote this as a fiction in order to be able to bring the people and "their heart" into the book. In that, she fails. The conversations and thoughts of these people in this book do not bring the people to life or add in any way to this interesting period of history.
This is an interesting story, though. It's not one I've heard of before but then, I don't know anything about Mexican history.
In short, Maximillion Hapsburg is convinced to rule Mexico. In three short years, he manages to "adopt" the son of Angel & Alicia Iturbide and spend the Mexican treasury, as well as put the country deep into debt. This is the story of those three years, concentrating namely on Alicia's drive to get her son back.
The different sides and positions of all the main characters are well arranged and put together. Even without knowing Mexican history, the pieces fall into place. History has, of course, two sides as to whether Maximillion is a hero or villain to the Mexican people of today. The author is clearly in the camp of "other researchers consider him short-sighted in political and military affairs, and unwilling to restore democracy in Mexico".
There are flaws that make this book more lackluster than it may have been: the characters are flat, their conversation/thoughts add nothing to the situations, story or depth of this story (for example, there are 2 1/2 pages where Maximillion discusses with a guest about where the most beautiful sunset is in the world.....sweet, poetic but irrelevant to the story), smaller storylines are dropped without resolution (what happened to Lupe?). There are repetitions of events from different viewpoints but all viewpoints say that same thing and don't add any details.
However, ignoring the above flaws, this book is "history-lite": it leans towards being a light, breezy non-fiction book that supplies details but not too much background or history of the people or country; it supplies thoughts & conversations that are mundane, it is a story of the moment without a lead in to the situation or how it developed.
It's interesting story and perhaps a fascinating one but its not spectacularly told.

[Adrian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Después de leer el gran libro "Noticas del imperio" busque algo por el estilo, me encontré con "El ultimo príncipe del imperio mexicano" en Kindle, y no pase de la dedicatoria, la verdad es muy radical juzgar un libro sin leerlo, pero no pase de la dedicatoria al ver dedicada la obra a "Agustin Carstens" uno de los iconos representativos del clásico político mexicano, que tan fregado tiene a este país, ya nada mas por eso supe de que lado masca la iguana y no pienso leerlo.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started this book in August, put it down many times, and finished it in November. I'm really not sure why I kept going. The topic- the 1860s installation of a Hapsburg emperor to the Mexican throne- intrigued me as I am pretty good with European history but had not heard about this. The complexity is confounding. A group of wealthy Mexicans wanting to preserve the status quo in the face of Juarista reforms manages to convince Louis Napoleon to establish an empire in Mexico. HOWEVER, there are so many characters and unexplained historical references that I found myself constantly looking things up online. I like a book that teaches me things, but I like to learn from the book, not put it down to Google something. It was worthy in that I learned a lot and the "characters" were fascinating, but I can't say as it was enjoyable.

[Lurah Magee]

Facinating history of the Hapsburg Maximillian's rule of Mexico. Details of life and times are fun and interesting.

[Larry Schwartz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave up on this book about halfway through because it just did not hold my interest. It must be a flaw in my character.

[Red]

This just isn't grabbing me right now. Maybe I'll come back to it another time.

[Marigold · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent book about a little known part of history, when a French-backed Austrian emperor sat on the throne of Mexico, in opposition to its democratically elected local government, in about the same time frame as the US Civil War.

The "last prince" is Augustin de Iturbide, son of Don Angel (or Angelo) de Iturbide, who in turn was the son of a de Iturbide leader in the fight for Mexican independence. In an effort to ingratiate themselves with the Mexican population, Emperor Maximilian and his wife Charlotte "adopted" Augustin from Don Angel and his wife.

This adoption has long been a topic of discussion amongst my family, because Alicia Green de Iturbide, young Augustin's mother, was my great-great-grandfather's sister. So, this was a family story handed down to me, with added mystery as to why Alicia allowed it to happen ("how can a mother give up her child?"). No one in my family seemed to know, they just knew he was eventually returned to her and her husband Don Angel. In fact, in family history as collected by my grandmother, it wasn't even clear what happened to Augustin - the "last prince of Mexico" - it was only known that he wasn't in good health and had no children, so his story died with him.

I have more recently found a few more details about young Augustin that will apparently be covered in a sequel Ms. Mayo plans for this book!

If Ms. Mayo's history is correct, I can definitely see how the adoption and subsequent events might have happened. Maximilian, Charlotte & their advisers wanted the de Iturbides out of the country, because they were potential focus points of rebellion. With no children of their own, it's possible they were genuinely intending to bring the boy up well, educate him, & allow him to be Max's heir. With no funds or real position in Mexico, Don Angel & Alicia were in a difficult situation. They were told that their son would get the best of everything, go to the best schools in Europe, & carry the de Iturbide family legacy forward; also they were going to be paid a pension. They were not told they would have to leave the country permanently, nor that they were to be firmly separated from their child, with no chance of seeing him. To Alicia's credit, she did everything she could to get her boy back, and she was eventually successful, as Maximilian & Charlotte were never able to be either politically or personally comfortable in Mexico.

As a book of fictionalized history, putting aside the family connection, I enjoyed the book well enough but didn't love it. I wish Ms. Mayo had made it "history" or "fiction", and I feel that as a hybrid it's something neither here nor there. The best of the history is obscured by fictional characters & conversations that, for me, were simply too long-winded and occasionally seemed pointless. As a work of fiction, there's some thread that's missing - it feels like it's relaying a bunch of feelings & conversations that the many characters have, but there's a heart or...I can't quite put my finger on it...narrative thread that just isn't there. I don't feel like I got to know any of the characters sufficiently to be very involved in the story. I like books with lots of characters, but you still need a central character you're going to care about most.

It was interesting though, & 90% because of the family connection, I will certainly read the sequel. I hope young Augustin is the hero and that we get to care about him!

This came to my attention via my mom, who received it as a gift from my aunt.

[Cody Engdahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rare story hidden inside a rare story:

I stumbled onto this book while doing some research about the Second Mexican Empire. This book was billed as being historically accurate, so even though I ultimately used nonfiction sources for my project, I felt this novel would be entertaining and could add some texture to the time and place for me. Although the event I was specifically looking for was not covered in this book, I did feel like I got a lot of the backstory and texture I was looking for. Plus, I got a very interesting and true story that I had been unaware of.

This book centers around a child whom Emperor Maximilian and his wife Charlotte adopted to be their heir. The couple did not have any children of their own. The boy they adopted was the grandson of Mexico's first failed Emperor, Agustín de Iturbide. This was in an attempt to endear themselves to the Mexican People. France had conquered Mexico and placed Maximillian, brother to Austrian Emperor Franz Joeseph, on the throne as a puppet ruler.

The story starts with Alice Green, a young, arrogant, and ambitious American girl who marries into the Iturbide family. They move to Mexico and get involved in the Imperial court. They agree to allow Maximillian and his wife to adopt their baby, but Alice soon regrets this and fights to get her child back.

I've read some of the critical reviews of this book and I do agree that Mayo's jumping around multiple perspectives can be confusing. She also switches between present and past tense for reasons I cannot understand, but I didn't mind this so much, knowing what this work is.

Looking at her other work, I can see she's mostly a nonfiction writer. This may be her only novel, and it certainly doesn't fit a lot of norms associated with long-form narrative writing. Unlike most novelists, Mayo lists her references and even explains much of her research at the end of this book. She says she wrote this as a novel because she wanted to get more into the heads of the characters to give emotional context to their actions and motives. What the characters are thinking, can only be speculative at best in a nonfiction format.

So, I give her a pass on this unorthodox storytelling. I got what I wanted, which was a richly textured look into 1860s Mexico with a lot of background information about Maximillian, his wife, General Bazaine, and all the other true historical characters in this story.

Thanks, Mrs. Mayo. I really enjoyed it.

[Victor Raul · Rating 1 out of 5]

este libro se cataloga como novela histórica, pero después de leerlo me quedo con la impresión que el aspecto histórico no se cumple y como novela tampoco cumple con su cometido y con cierta frecuencia emplea expresiones denigrantes para los personajes históricos de su libro.
un punto a favor es que me impulso a leer un libro del que tenía referencia. En la novela aparece con Frecuencia Sara Yorke quien escribió un libro como testigo ocular de los acontecimientos en México durante la intervención francesa.

[DB · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, the author combines an incredibly rich attention to detail, enabled by her extensive research, and a unique imagination. These two elements have allowed C.M. Mayo to construct a realistic and yet exciting historical fiction based in a little-known and under-studied area of Mexican history, that period of the French Intervention. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in history. A true page turner!

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting because of historical settings. It was not my cup of tea. There is much of genealogy that does not interest me. The cast of characters is very long. I feel like the author did much research and wanted to include every actor she encountered in her research.

[Carlos Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know this hidden part of the history of Mexico. The story of the granchild of the first emperor of Mexico, Agustin de Iturbide, which was supposed to be the heir to the throne after Maximilian I of Mexico, the story of a Mexican-American boy with a lot of history behind.

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesante historia, no sabia nada de la familia Iturbide y casi nada del ultimo príncipe. Creo que hubiera preferido leerlo en inglés.

[Gloria Quiroz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un relato breve sobre la época de Maximiliano como gobernante del imperio español en México, describiendo aspectos que no conocíamos de la historia que nos han contado.

[Veronica Ligon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a quick read, but a really interesting topic. The author really effectively switched between character voices and made each unique.

[Paul Cool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps the oddest episode in Mexico’s history is the French Emperor Napoelon III’s imposition of a French army-propped Habsburg emperor in the mid-1860s, a military adventure against the democratically elected government of Benito Juarez. Napoleon’s intervention was made possible by the US’s inability to respond to this violation of the Monroe Doctrine during its Civil War with the Confederacy. To make a long story short, the underestimation of the Mexican nation’s persevering will to fight for independence, the French inability to make the adventure pay for itself by draining Mexico of its wealth, the growing pressures put upon Napoleon III by Bismarck’s expansionist Prussia, an eventual American blockade, and the unyielding freeze-out of American political & economic support for the Habsburg Emperor Maximilian led Napoleon III to throw in the towel. The puppet monarch died before a Juarista firing squad in 1867.
That imperial adventure and Mexican resistance to it provide the background for an outstanding literary novel by C. M Mayo, The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire (Unbridled Books,2009, paperback 2010), deservedly awarded a Library Journal Best Book of the Year.
Like the best epics, the story is laser focused on the impact of great, swirling events on individual lives. Much like the Song of Fire and Ice (i.e., Game of Thrones) novels of George R.R. Martin, the story is told through the points of view (POV) of a large cast of characters. Several narrative threads weave in and out, but the heart of the book tells the tale of an American woman, Alicia Green Iturbide, daughter-in-law of the long-deceased first Emperor of Mexico, the self-proclaimed Agustín I, and the mother of the eponymous “Last Prince,” a toddler named Agustín de Iturbide after his father and imperial grandfather. Alicia and her husband, a well-meaning diplomat with no pretensions to imperial ambitions, are persuaded and bullied into giving up their son to the puppet Emperor Maximilian and his Empress Carlota, who named the boy their heir, a cynical charade to persuade the Habsburg family to donate one of Maximilian’s nephews as a truly suitable heir. Within figurative moments after giving up her son, Alicia bitterly regrets her decision and focuses all her energies on trying to get back her boy. The secondary plot involves the unassertive Maximilian’s efforts to decide whether he’d rather wear a crown or chase after butterflies.
In Mayo’s world, not a single character stands on solid ground. Everyone, from emperor and empress to court grandees, soldiers from general to private, priests and a Pope, diplomats, resistance fighters, bandits, nannies and kitchen maids, botanists and entomologists, assorted uncles, aunts, and in-laws, and the toddler himself, everyone, is, in some way, in a world they don’t recognize, cannot reconcile with what was anticipated, is both alluring and repelling, and, for nearly all, a place where they don’t belong. Even the Mexican characters, living in the locale of their birth, or perhaps not far from it, struggle to keep up as they badly fill the needs of the overweening, preening and ever-demanding Europeans. Not every character is fully drawn, fully realized, but the key ones certainly are, and their every conversation rings true. Scores of voices provide a wide range of views, hopes, fears, and day-to-day concerns one would expect within the top-to-bottom society-in-turmoil Mayo presents. It should be noted that, except for a few abruptly violent passages, the actual Juarista war of resistance remains the unseen backdrop for this story of families and nations at cross-purposes.
Mayo, a transplant from the United States who calls Mexico home, also immerses the reader in the sights, colors, textures, sounds, and especially the tropical (and kitchen) aromas of 1860s Mexico, when she is not transporting you to Napoleon’s Paris, Papal Rome, Trieste on the Adriatic, or rural Maryland. An indefatigable and quite intuitive researcher, the author has uncovered hidden family documents in addition to the usual archival sources on both sides of the Atlantic. This ranks among the best historically researched novels I have ever read, and the results show on every page.
Highly recommended to readers of historical fiction drawn to either a mother’s relentless quest to regain her child or to a convincing example of self-delusional hubris among the on-high.

[Alfredo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sin duda alguna, un libro que genera grandes expectativas —más aún si, en la cuarta de forros, se reproduce un comentario de Enrique Krauze, que compara este libro con El seductor de la patria y con Noticias del Imperio— pero que, por desgracia, no cumple con ellas. Aun cuando la recreación del contexto es acuciosa y, por lo general, limpia, el libro termina por incluir un montón de información inútil que, o repite innecesariamente en varias ocasiones, o integra solo por el placer de hacerlo, sin que ello influya en el desarrollo de la trama que, por otra parte, es endeble y predecible. Como sea, siempre hubiera sido posible reducir sus más de cuatrocientas páginas a doscientas y no se habría perdido gran cosa.

Narrativamente, el libro tiene dos problemas mayores: el primero, el hecho de que la autora olvida los datos concretos que menciona en un momento dado —por ejemplo, que Fulanita es la viuda de Mengano del Tal— y los repite tal cual en un pasaje posterior. ¿Descuido? ¿Pereza al momento de revisar? Todo es posible. Sin embargo, no deja de ser este un detalle menor. Lo que resulta de verdad problemático es el hecho de que, a lo largo de la novela, hay personajes que no parecen responder a la lógica de su época sino que, por el contrario, razonan como estadounidenses del siglo XXI —justo como la propia autora—, lo que le quita credibilidad al texto y obra en contra del carácter con que se quiso investir a esos mismos personajes, que terminan por parecer anacrónicos o, cuando menos, fuera de sitio. Ya que hablo de los personajes, es de resaltarse que, aun cuando la novela se llama El último príncipe..., el tal príncipe no aparece en la obra en la medida en que se requeriría y termina por ser un mero pretexto para insertar un título ingenioso o, cuando menos, llamativo.

A propósito de lo contextual, conviene apuntar que, si bien la autora se encarga de contar —en una larguísima nota explicativa— cuánto investigó, cuánto leyó, a cuántas personas le preguntó y cuántos comentarios positivos recibió, lo cierto es que el libro tiene problemas históricos un tanto serios. O quizá no son problemas como tales sino, simplemente, son defectos propios de quien, a pesar de lo leído, lo estudiado y demás etcéteras, desconoce el periodo del que está hablando. Es notorio que C. M. Mayo no tiene mucha idea del contexto político que rodea a su obra, que no sabe los tejemanejes del México decimonónico, que no comprende quiénes eran liberales o conservadores ni por qué lo eran y que, lo peor del caso, ignora olímpicamente los procesos que acaecían de manera simultánea a lo que relata y que no es poca cosa: solo los primeros cincuenta años de vida independiente del país. Si, como dice, tanto estudió, bien le habría convenido estudiar la historia de forma más integral para así subsanar sus carencias, muy notorias en cuanto al tratamiento de los personajes aledaños al texto o incluso de los que, de un modo o de otro, intervienen en su narración.

Como cierre, vale añadir que, ya sea por defectos de la traducción —que tiene una cantidad inconcebible de errores, malas transcripciones, o incluso de transposiciones textuales del inglés al español—, o por la forma misma en que está escrita la novela —plagada de muletillas y de lugares comunes repetidos hasta el cansancio—, la lectura resulta pesada, tediosa. Se percibe con claridad la influencia de Fernando del Paso —sobre todo en la construcción y el ordenamiento secuencial de los episodios—, pero con menos agilidad y gracia. Se buscó, quizá, crear un nuevo clásico en la novela histórica mexicana, al reconstruir con erudición —según el dicho ya citado de Krauze— una época. Sin embargo, como ello no se acompaña de una narración ágil y amena y, como no hay tampoco episodios memorables ni nada que le dé un buen ritmo a la trama, el libro se queda en eso, justamente. En la mera pretensión.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit to a woeful lack of knowledge about Mexico's history. That is part of what drew me to this book in the first place. Being someone who is drawn to historical novels but who usually chooses books written about European countries this was going to be a learning experience for me.

I am so very glad I decided to learn as I have found a new favorite book.

The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire tells the tale of Augustin de Inturbide y Green and so much more. After the French had invaded and managed to exert some control over Mexico they needed a ruler of some kind for the people of Mexico to look up to. They went to Maximillian von Hapsburg the Archduke of Austria and offered him the crown and title of Emperor of Mexico. Maximillian is a very interesting figure in history; as he comes through in the novel he did not lack for self confidence. But in order to rule Mexico he had to give up his rights as a Hapsburg and this troubled him mightily - to the point that three days before he was due to leave for his new country he changes his mind and refuses the crown. He wife Charlotte, hungry for power, and from a long line of rulers herself fights hard for Maximillian to accept the crown finally convincing him to do so. He signs the so called "Family Pact" giving up his claim to the Hapsburg throne.

Maximillian's rule was more about protocol and appearances than about actually making Mexico a thriving country. As unrest started to build he started looking for ways to quell it and so turned to the former "Liberator's" family - the Inturbides. The Liberator had been executed and his family had been living in exile; some in Philadelphia, some in Georgetown. Angelo de Inturbide was part of Mexico's diplomatic corps and attending a party at the White House when he meets Miss Alice Green.

Alice Green is the youngest daughter of a slightly impoverished but good family living on a "country estate" called Rosedale. Her family tree included General Uriah Forrest who fought with George Washington in the Revolutionary War amongst other well known American families. It was love at first sight for both Alice and Angelo.

Neither mother was happy with the match but Alice's saw her daughter's happiness and came around. Angelo's refused to acknowlege it and never met her daughter in law. Alice and Angelo head off to Mexico as his career dictated. Alice is at first discomfited but soon adapts to life in a new country. Now Alicia she soon learns the language and the customs. She is still a bit of a social climber and she does not get along well with her sister in law who thinks she is beneath her.

Soon young Augustin is born and all seems well. But as Augustin reaches his second birthday Maximillian's
reign is truly experiencing struggles. He feels threatened by the presence of the Inturbides in Mexico. He comes up with the plan to make young Augustin his Heir Presumptive.

I don't want to give away too much. I probably have already but I feel like I could write about this book all day and beyond. It is THAT good. I found myself so involved in the lives of the characters I now want to go and research and learn more about Mexico's history. From reading the afterward in the book the author had to do quite a bit of research to write this book because as fascinating as this tale is most history books relegate it to mere snippets. I love when a book fires my interest to the point that I want to learn more and more and more.

Ms. Mayo is writing a sequel concentrating on Augustin's adult life and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

The writing style is easy to read, draws you in and you don't want to leave. I have learned and been entertained all at the same time. What more can you ask of a book. This is one that will stay in my library to be read again.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

C.M. Mayo takes an in-depth look into one of Mexico's most turbulent times when its government was plagued by invaders (the Yankees and the French), in-fighting, and disease, like yellow fever.

The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C.M. Mayo and published by Unbridled Books is a historical novel that chronicles the short reign (about 3 years) of Maximilian, the undercurrent of political ambition, the clash of cultures, and internal familial machinations.

The novel opens in Washington, D.C., with Alice Green who meets and falls in love with Angelo de Iturbide, a secretary for the Mexican Legation. They marry and move to Mexico, where Alice (known as Alicia in Mexico) gives birth to their son, Agustín de Iturbide y Green. Leaving the Mexican shores, readers will journey across the Atlantic to Trieste, Italy, to meet Maximilian von Habsburg who reluctantly agrees to become the Emperor of Mexico. There are a number of nuances political and otherwise that can get confusing for readers unfamiliar with some of Mexico's history, but these instances are easily overcome as the story unfolds. It is clear from the use of multiple perspectives in this novel that the main character is not Maximilian, Agustin, Alice, Angelo, the Iturbides, the French invaders under Napoleon III, or the Republican upstarts led by Benito Juarez. The main "character" of this novel is Mexico and its future and how that future is shaped by all of these players, their decisions, and in some cases their indecision.

"There are eleven passengers, packed tighter than Jalapenos in a jar. Before reaching the coast, how long will they be trapped in this wretched contraption, two weeks? Five? The roads, if they can be called that, are troughs of mud. Last week La Sociedad reported that, past Orizaba, an entire team, eighteen mules, had fallen into the muck and suffocated." (Page 93)

Mayo is an impeccable researcher and craftswoman who fleshes out historical figures in a way that remains true to their historical actions and creates characters who are well-rounded and memorable for readers. Her ability to juggle multiple points of view is unparalleled--from the perspective of Agustin's nanny to Maximilian himself.

One of the most captivating sections of the novel occurs between pages 147-153 in which Maximilian is preoccupied with matters of state and the Iturbide family's sudden breach of a contract with the emperor with regard to their son Agustin. Mayo weaves in Maximilian's frantic thoughts, rants, and arguments with his physical tossing about in his bed, as he mashes the pillow into submission, kicks off the sheets, and sits upright in bed as he determines the best course of action to save face and depict Mexico as a strong nation.

Readers will agree that her prose is poetic.

"Out the window, birds were being blown about in the sky, and in the distance, rain clouds draped like a filthy rag over the sierra." (Page 135)

Overall, this epic novel, The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, takes on a convoluted period in Mexico's history and the complicated families ruling or eager to rule in the mid-19th Century. Mayo does exceptionally well with multiple points of view, description, and character development to create a vivid dramatization. The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire would make a great book club selection and discussion.

[Myckyee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story, this novel describes the events surrounding Maximilian’s time as emperor of Mexico in the 1860’s. With his wife Carlotta, the emperor rules the unstable country amidst intrigues from Napoleon’s military machine that have been sent to Mexico to keep the peace and support Maximilian. The military’s biggest challenge is dealing with the Juarista’s, rebel Mexican fighters trying to take back their country from the emperor and the French occupation.

Into this turbulence falls Augustin de Iturbide y Green, a baby born to Angelo de Iturbide, the son of a former Mexican ruler. With his wife, Alice Green, and extended family, Angelo tries to live a quiet life. But that doesn’t last long as Maximilian, looking to provide himself with an heir arranges to adopt baby Augustin. Promising money and titles, Maximilian convinces Augustin’s family leave for Paris where they will live in comfort. It is not long, however, before Alice and Angelo feel they’ve made a big mistake and attempt to get their son back.

I received this book through the LibraryThings early review programe based on the book’s title and description. It sounded fascinating and it was, but there were a couple of things that bothered me. First, I was confused about who was on whose side and the subtleties of connections between characters escaped me. If I’d known a bit more about the history of that era, I think it would’ve helped a great deal. Another thing was the switching of perspectives between characters. We would have Alice’s take on what was happening, then Pepa’s (Angelo’s sister), then Maximilian’s and even little Augustin’s. That was the worst part for me. I didn’t like reading the story from the perspective of a toddler and didn’t think it worked as a story device. Thankfully there was little of that.. What I thought was missing most was more perspective of Alice’s character. We know she gave her son up because it seemed a wise course of action: he would be well cared for, have the sort of education that only the emperor could provide, and fulfill his destiny as a future leader of Mexico. As young as she was, Alice comes off as a spoiled young woman who does not yet realize the consequences of her actions and it’s difficult to like this character. I think reading more of Alice’s thoughts and feelings would’ve helped with that.

That is what I didn’t like about the book but there is much I did like. The mores of the times were fascinating as well as the background story of the empress Carlotta. I also enjoyed the character of Pepa, Angelo’s sister and most importantly godmother to little Augustin and his guardian while under Maximilian’s tutelage. Her maneuvering, scheming and manipulation of the family’s situation was perfectly depicted.

The book was well written and carefully researched It was fun to do a bit of research of my own after I finished reading the book and finding different viewpoints than the ones presented in the novel. It also made the historical aspects of Mexico during that time coalesce in my mind and I liked it for that too.

I’d recommend this novel to anyone who is curious about Maximilian, Mexico and the Mexican culture.

[Felice · Rating 4 out of 5]

could have picked up The Last Prince of Mexican Empire by C.M. Mayo because of the lovely cover but I didn't. It was the title. It has a magical quality. I took it to be a metaphor for something because I was unaware of Mexico ever having had a prince. Chalk that up to my weak education and the Prince not being mentioned in the movie Juarez.

In 1864 His Imperial and Royal Highness Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph, Prince Imperial and Archduke of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary and Bohemia and his wife, Princess Marie Charlotte Amélie Augustine Victoire Clémentine Léopoldine of Belgium, became Emperor Maximilian I and Empress Carlota of Mexico. Prior to this they had not ruled a nation so this was a bit of a career change for them. From what I understand installing a royal family in Mexico was a plot cooked up by Napoleon the III of France with the support of Great Britain and Spain in order to make Mexico pay off loans on which it's President, Benito Juarez, had suspended payments. Maximilian, Carlota and some French troops were sent off to replace President Juarez and resume the payments but all under the guise of liberty. There was a small group of supporters of Maximilian within Mexico made up of conservatives and members of the clergy but this was really an invasion.

Those are amazing bones for a historical novel aren't they? You can add to them Carlota's madness, Maximilian's righteous beliefs in his own liberality and entitlement and we haven't even mentioned the Prince yet. What riches.

The Prince is two year old, half American Agustín de Iturbide y Green. A year into his reign the childless Emperor Maximilian adopts and/or buys Agustín and makes the boy his heir presumptive. Agustín's parents are at first somewhat enamored by the new royal court but soon after signing away their son they are desperate to get him back. Maximilian has them exiled. This on top of everything else going wrong in their kingdom have Maximilian and Carlota in the middle of an international scandal.

Have you thought "you can't make this stuff up" yet? There is obviously no shortage of plot to stuff into The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire. Mayo manipulates all of these elements like a professional juggler. She alternates the narrative between Maximilian, Carlota, and Agustín's parents always keeping them believable. We see all sides of the custody battle, the coming revolution in Mexico and the geopolitics that have set this epic debacle in motion. It's very impressive that Mayo can present all this material and infuse it with immediacy and color without it either spiraling out of her control or becoming a laundry list of events.

The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is unbelievable fact wrapped up in grand storytelling. C.M. Mayo started with one hell of a of little known chapter in history and made it even more captivating.

[drey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked out The Last Prince because of the cover - it's beautiful. The story made me so sad for the poor little boy, looking for the familiar faces of his parents, his nurse; wondering where they were. I had a hard time imagining how they could give him up - I could never give up my little man. At least not till he's a sullen, rebellious teenager, lol!

The story's characters & motivations are complex, as I hope it should be for those who've contemplated giving up a toddler (sniffle). Can you tell I'm hung up on that? In any case, Last Prince is the story of Alice Green and her husband, Angel(o) Iturbide, his family, and family history. It is also the story of Maximilian von Habsburg and his wife Charlotte, and his own insecurities in dealing with his family. (Just goes to show ya - being royal isn't all it's cut out to be... =P) And more importantly, it is the story of the interconnecting spaces between these two groups of characters, and ultimately, the sacrifice of a child for both families' ambitions.

This is not a quick read, for me. I found myself having to pay close attention to the detail woven by Ms. Mayo. It also took me a little while to "remember" the history behind the motivations of each camp. It is lush, as described above, and I found it a worth-while read.

[Rodrigo · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an enjoyable book! I read it in Spanish, and being mexican myself I can tell that it was a real pleasure. You can tell there is a huge research behind it, and a great respect for Mexico, its history and its people, which is not always seen in foreign writers' books about Mexico. It is written as a fiction, not as an historical document, and it takes you through one of the most captivating periods of Mexican life as a nation. The description of the main characters is absolutely beautiful, and the actual written "paintings" of the scenary is sometimes breath-taking. One thing: it is supposed to be the story of the last mexican prince and I would have loved the author to concentrate a little bit more on him. There are parts when we almost forget the importance of that little man, lost in the tragedy of Maximilien and Charlotte, and the intrigues of Bazaine, Fischer and Princess Iturbide. The fact that it presents different perspectives and almost each chapter is written from a different character's point of view, only enriches the reading. I really liked it. As it is stated at the end of the book, it is the story of what being mexican could have meant. A lost opportunity? Perhaps.

[Garryvivianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent book. The story is based on the time in Mexico when Maximillian Von Habsburg was sent to Mexico to rule the country. He has been forced to take this position & give up all he had in Austria, and was basically forced to sign a pact with his family to reflect this. He & Carlotta, unable to have children, take in small Agustin De Iturbide as heir presumptive. The young Iturbide, whose mother is an American & his father, who belonged to a family from Mexico that was once royalty, does not understand why his parents are no longer around. The mother agrees to this as she feels their son will get to study & travel & meet people all over the world, as the father once had. The father reluctantly agrees & forever regrets it. They are dismissed to Paris & she starts trying to get their child back. Meanwhile, Mexico is falling apart & the Emporer Maximillian knows this. This story was written very well. You can almost smell the foods, the flowers & see all the pageantry of the royal couple. You learn alot of history of this period. Very very good book.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A European monarchy in Mexico--who knew?

There's an emperor who has to resign his place in the House of Hapsburg to rule in Mexico and cares more about botany and his bug collection than fighting the Juaristas and securing Mexico; an empress who sinks into insanity, won't eat because she's convinced everything is poisoned, and acts the lunatic while visiting the Pope in Rome; then there's the central story of Augustin de Iturbide y Green--the half-American, half-Mexican toddler that Maximillian attempts to raise up as his successor, and his desperate mother who has a change of heart and wants to break the pact and get her son back. Fascinating!

The novel is very research-heavy, though, and it did take me almost 2 whole months to read it. I think Mayo should have either edited a lot more and streamlined the story or written it as non-fiction (says the poor, unpublished adjunct instructor).

[Maléxica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es un libro con una trama lenta pero muy rico en detalles históricos que, dificilmente aprenderíamos en la escuela o en la cotidianidad de alguna charla histórica.

Desconocía por completo que Maximiliano de Habsburgo, junto con Carlota, hubieran adoptado al nieto de Agustín de Iturbide. Me pareció un dato interesante y que en base a ello surgiera toda una novela.

No tengo mucha experiencia leyendo novela histórica, y me costó digerirla. Sin embargo he de admitir que está muy bien escrita y sí requiere de un esfuerzo de disciplina por investigar a la par que se lee esta novela.

No voy a entrar en detalles de qué me pareció la trama, o los personajes, porque creo que es necesario que dicha obra se lea como una novela íntegra y, hasta entonces, poder discutir sobre nuestros sentires mutuos.

ALTAMENTE RECOMENDABLE.

[LZF · Rating 3 out of 5]

En esta novela histórica C.M. Mayo desarrolla los eventos que tuvieron lugar en México durante el imperio de Maximiliano de Habsburgo y Carlota de Bélgica. En particular, enfatiza la adopción que hizo la pareja imperial respecto del nieto del libertador Agustín de Iturbide y las peculiaridades de la familia Iturbide, su paso por las más altas esferas políticas y de reconocimiento social, hasta el declive y pobreza absoluta. Realmente es interesante la perspectiva abordada por C.M. Mayo en este libro, así como la psicología que le atribuye a sus personajes para el desarrollo de la novela, pues constituye un reflejo del actual comportamiento de la vieja aristocracia, los nuevos ricos venidos a más y el lamentable malinchismo nacional, si no es así, ¿En qué otra parte del mundo la clase política tendría la ocurrencia de llamar a un gobernante extranjero?

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a well researched book about Mexico in the mid-19th century, that gives some very interesting color to an unusual period in history. I went into the book only knowing a few things about this period of Mexico's history, about the origins and demise of the short lived empire. A fascinating book, even if at times it dragged a bit under the weight of historical references and information. But what can you expect? Mayo found a treasure of new information and it was necessary to include it -- a worthy read.

[University of Chicago Magazine]

Catherine Mansell “C. M.” Mayo, AB’82, AM’85
Author

From our pages (July–Aug/09): "Mayo’s debut novel, based on a true story, is set in Emperor Maximilian von Habsburg’s court in Mexico during the mid-19th century. In 1865 the childless Maximilian took custody of two-year-old Prince Agustín de Iturbide, grandson of the country’s first emperor and son of a Mexican diplomat and an American socialite. His parents almost immediately regretted their decision, but Maximilian refused to return the child, sparking an international scandal."