Margery Weiner

This is a wonderful triple biography of the lives of Napoleon's sisters. Most biographies (especially of those written or translated into English) have only told of Pauline (I have an extensive collection on the Bonapartes and as yet to find on about Elisa alone, and know of only three of Caroline, two of those being historical fiction; of Pauline I have eight, and about the same number about Elizabeth Patterson, Napoleon's American sister- in-law that had married his younger brother, Jerome). This may be due to the fact that she was considered the most beautiful woman, not just in their family, but all of Europe at that time, or maybe because she was Napoleon's favourite. She was certainly the most loyal, but [supposedly] also caused him the most vexation.
The book tells just as much, if not more, of Pauline's story than most biographies written exclusively on her, without taking any focus off of the story of Elisa and Caroline.
I have always wanted to know more about Elisa, she being the strongest and most level-headed of his sisters and most capable of ruling, and while being considered the plainest of the sisters was reputed to have had more lovers than Pauline, and this book delivers just that.
Caroline was considered intelligent and ambitious as well, but having so passionate a nature was not as capable of ruling. However, is it not justly accurate that she and Murat to be labelled as "betrayers" to the extent that history has made it seem and detailed in this book (this is also gone into further in Ortzen's "Imperial Venus: The Story of Pauline Bonaparte-Borghese"). Caroline's initial friendship with Josephine is also touched upon.
Overall, a very good book and highly recommended.… (mehr)