Books

by Sandra Gulland

This is the first of three novels following the life of Josephine, wife of Napolean and Empress of France. It is told from Josephine's perspective in journal form. The diary format didn't appeal to me much at all...especially since the entries were dated chronologically and grouped into titled chapters. I just couldn't get over the fact that nobody's life goes in such an orderly fashion.

Three members of the Book Group did enjoy this book. I probably would have as well if not for the format it was written in. According to the book, Josephine was born in Martinique. In her youth, she was told by a witch that she would endure a bad marriage, become a widow, and she would be a queen.

The most interesting thing about the book was the glimpse of how people lived in those times. It didn't seem like it was a very easy life for anybody. Even Josephine, who was supposedly a member of the upper class, had terrible debt problems and lived in constant fear of the ever changing political tides. While in France, all her wealth and income was based on the holdings in Martinique...how impractical that sounds to me since there was no electronic bank transfers and travel from France to the island took months to say nothing of the near impossibility of overseeing the local managers - something that was essential even though the local manager of her properties were relatives.

Bottom line, while parts of the novel were interesting, I don't have much of a desire to read the remaining two books in the trilogy.