Hapusuburuku no hōken

by Hitomi Fujimoto

475 pages, Paperback Bunko

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

長野県飯田市出身。国家公務員として厚生省に勤務、その後地方公務員生活をしながら少年・少女漫画の原作を手がけ、1984年集英社第4回コバルト・ノベル大賞を受賞。1992年から、西洋史を扱った歴史小説や犯罪心理小説へ活動の場を移した。『侯爵サド』『ジャンヌダルク暗殺』で第19回および第23回吉川英治文学新人賞の最終候補となる。2010年からは日本を舞台にした歴史小説も発表している。

フランス政府観光局親善大使をつとめ、現在名誉委員、アカデミー・ドゥ・カスレ名誉会員、パリに本部を置くフランス・ナポレオン史研究学会の日本人初会員、ブルゴーニュワイン騎士団騎士。

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, the character of Eliyahu Rothschild is introduced. Rescued from the fire which devastated the Jewish quarter in the early 18th century he was adopted by the Rothschilds. Because of his intellect, he was sent away to Italy for schooling in medicine. Returning home at the age of 21, the young Eliyahu soon causes scandal and chooses to be excommunicated from his community. He also fights a duel over a young lady and kills a young lord. In revenge, the young lord's father tortures Eliyahu, and puts out his eye. He manages to escape and is rescued by Franz Stephan of Lorraine.

Eliyahu chooses to entirely leave behind his old life, allowing himself to be assumed dead by friends and family. He adopts the name of Eduard and becomes one of Franz Stephan's men, leaving with him to Vienna to secure Franz Stephan's engagement to Charles VI's daughter and heir, Maria Theresa.

Eduard and Therese fall in love, but then Therese discovers Eduard's past and scorns him before they consummate their relationship. Stung, Eduard leaves for the Austro-Turkish wars for several years before returning to help Franz Stephan. Meanwhile, Therese and Franz Stephan are married and have three daughters, two of whom die young, before finally having a son.

Therese's position is tenuous, as Austria soon becomes surrounded by enemies on all sides. Frederick II of Prussia conquers Silesia, Albrecht of Bavaria allies himself with France to attempt to take the Austrian throne, which he claims should never have gone to a female heir (Therese).

Full review: http://caithion.livejournal.com/59008...

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I've been rather merciless on this book as I read it and summarized it for my friends, but the truth is that overall it was pretty engrossing. The writing style is cliched, but the story itself is interesting, and I've learned a lot of European politics from Maria Theresa's time.

However, I do find it hard to accept the basic premise that every good thing that happened to Maria Therese was do to one man, and every bad thing due to her ignoring his advice. It makes things too simple, and cheapens the historical Therese.