Scan barcode
jenuinepanic's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
sarah_moynihan's review
3.0
‘The year is 1853, and Princess Elisabeth “Sisi” of Bavaria has been very clear: She will wait for the head-over-heels love the poets speak of, or she will have no love at all. Just because her older sister, Helene, is eagerly heeding their mother’s advice and preparing to marry Emperor Franz of Austria does not mean Sisi must also subject herself to such a dutiful existence. Sisi knows there is more to life than luncheons and corsets—if only someone would let her experience it all firsthand.
Meanwhile, in Austria, the emperor is recovering from an assassination attempt that left him wounded and scared. In a bid to keep the peace, Franz has recommitted himself to his imperial duties—and promised to romance the pliant Helene of Bavaria at his upcoming birthday celebration. How better to unite the empire than with the announcement of a new empress? But when Sisi and Franz meet unexpectedly in the palace gardens, away from the prying eyes and relentless critique of the court, their connection cannot be denied. And as their illicit conversations turn into something more, they must soon choose between the expectations of their families and standing up for what they truly believe in . . .’
_____________________________
I’ve read other books about Empress Elisabeth of Austria and this is overall a good read, even if it is less true to the history. The cover, which I understand is from the Netflix show, gave the impression that it would be a gritty and unpolished truth of the story of Emperor Franz and Empress Elisabeth, but I would say that it was a bit of a misdirection. It reads a bit fluffier and glossed over on some of the harsher details. It felt like a more YA version of Allison Pitaki’s The Accidental Empress, which is a great read if you want to read a less filtered telling of Franz and Elisabeth’s story. As well as the sequel, Sisi: Empress on Her Own. Both are great.
But I digress, back to the book that this review is about. This is a decent read, if a bit filtered on the history and the telling is slightly choppy. But if you’re curious about Empress Elisabeth or interested in the Netflix show, then it is worth a read. If you’re looking for a deeper retelling, then there are other retellings.
_____
I would like to thank NetGalley and Zando Projects for sharing an eARC of The Empress by Gigi Griffis. This is my honest review.
Meanwhile, in Austria, the emperor is recovering from an assassination attempt that left him wounded and scared. In a bid to keep the peace, Franz has recommitted himself to his imperial duties—and promised to romance the pliant Helene of Bavaria at his upcoming birthday celebration. How better to unite the empire than with the announcement of a new empress? But when Sisi and Franz meet unexpectedly in the palace gardens, away from the prying eyes and relentless critique of the court, their connection cannot be denied. And as their illicit conversations turn into something more, they must soon choose between the expectations of their families and standing up for what they truly believe in . . .’
_____________________________
I’ve read other books about Empress Elisabeth of Austria and this is overall a good read, even if it is less true to the history. The cover, which I understand is from the Netflix show, gave the impression that it would be a gritty and unpolished truth of the story of Emperor Franz and Empress Elisabeth, but I would say that it was a bit of a misdirection. It reads a bit fluffier and glossed over on some of the harsher details. It felt like a more YA version of Allison Pitaki’s The Accidental Empress, which is a great read if you want to read a less filtered telling of Franz and Elisabeth’s story. As well as the sequel, Sisi: Empress on Her Own. Both are great.
But I digress, back to the book that this review is about. This is a decent read, if a bit filtered on the history and the telling is slightly choppy. But if you’re curious about Empress Elisabeth or interested in the Netflix show, then it is worth a read. If you’re looking for a deeper retelling, then there are other retellings.
_____
I would like to thank NetGalley and Zando Projects for sharing an eARC of The Empress by Gigi Griffis. This is my honest review.
siobhanmcb's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
andrea_author's review
5.0
A reimagining of the courtship of Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria and Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria, this novella reads like a historical YA romance. It’s described as steamy, but there’s only one intimate scene, and it’s pretty mild.
Because it’s a novella, the first half has an insta-love / fated soul mates feel to it. The relationship is a little better developed in the second half. It’s a love triangle, so a lot of time is spent on Sisi’s relationship with her sister.
I love how Sisi rebels against the rigid expectations of her, how she’s determined to be true to herself. Franz is more devoted to duty but refuses to be led by others. They’re well suited and the story is ultimately uplifting. I look forward to the Netflix series!
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Because it’s a novella, the first half has an insta-love / fated soul mates feel to it. The relationship is a little better developed in the second half. It’s a love triangle, so a lot of time is spent on Sisi’s relationship with her sister.
I love how Sisi rebels against the rigid expectations of her, how she’s determined to be true to herself. Franz is more devoted to duty but refuses to be led by others. They’re well suited and the story is ultimately uplifting. I look forward to the Netflix series!
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
loveachilliromance's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
fsmeurinne's review against another edition
4.0
This is a tie-in of Netflix new TV Show series, based on the life of Elisabeth "Sisi" and Franz from Austria. The story overall is entertaining, definitely has some historical things, others where probably written in a way to keep the viewers from the show entertained. I have read and watched the show and well there are some scenes I would've loved seen more developed, bu overall it was a fun read.
Blog |BookBub | Amazon |Audible |Instagram |Twitter |Facebook |TikTok |YouTube |Pinterest |Tumblr |Bookstore
Blog |BookBub | Amazon |Audible |Instagram |Twitter |Facebook |TikTok |YouTube |Pinterest |Tumblr |Bookstore
angelfish257's review
4.0
This is an enjoyable read and the basis in historical fact really helped to draw me in - although I realise the facts it is based on are stretched quite thin in some places! I did enjoy doing some research after finishing the story and learning more about the real story of Sisi and Franz. The story is very romanticised, but I think this works well for the time period it is set and also with the ages of the main characters as Sisi is only 16 at the time the events are taking place. The story has a good flow and is well paced, making it an easy and engaging read. I also enjoyed the use of different POVs throughout, this helped to build the narrative and flesh out the supporting characters and their different perspectives. I can understand why this has been snapped up by Netflix and as a lover of Bridgerton and other historical romance I am hopeful the adaptation is a good watch! The book ends just at the point you would hope things would get really interesting - but i guess that's where poetic licence will be used perhaps to create a second series if the first one is well received? An enjoyable lighthearted read, fans of historical fiction will enjoy.
harrowhcrk's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Zando Projects for the advance copy (I believe this is a rerelease?). All opinions of my own.
The Empress tells the love story of Emperor Franz of Austria and Duchess Elisabeth of Bavaria. If you liked Reign, you’ll love this book. Really, there’s nothing more to say about it: this story is Reign, with a different couple, and in book form.
This story contains everything I usually can’t stand in a historical fiction novel. The author plays it fast and loose with historical fact. Dramatic historical events are replaced with even more dramatic fictional events. Elisabeth is naive and selfish to the point of frustration and enabled at every turn. Everything is melodramatic and a touch ridiculous. For some reason, every character has modern ideals. And yet, this book was such a fun read. Much like Reign, if you lean into the ridiculousness and the drama, you’ll have a good time reading this.
All in all, The Empress was a very enjoyable read if not necessarily a good read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loved Reign. I look forward to the show!
The Empress tells the love story of Emperor Franz of Austria and Duchess Elisabeth of Bavaria. If you liked Reign, you’ll love this book. Really, there’s nothing more to say about it: this story is Reign, with a different couple, and in book form.
This story contains everything I usually can’t stand in a historical fiction novel. The author plays it fast and loose with historical fact. Dramatic historical events are replaced with even more dramatic fictional events. Elisabeth is naive and selfish to the point of frustration and enabled at every turn. Everything is melodramatic and a touch ridiculous. For some reason, every character has modern ideals. And yet, this book was such a fun read. Much like Reign, if you lean into the ridiculousness and the drama, you’ll have a good time reading this.
All in all, The Empress was a very enjoyable read if not necessarily a good read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loved Reign. I look forward to the show!
kaitlynp57's review
5.0
thank you netgalley, zando projects, and gigi griffis for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! i truly loved this book so much and it’s one of my favorite historical fiction novels that i’ve read.
this book follows princess elisabeth “sisi” of bavaria, her sister helene, and emperor franz of austria as helene waits to marry franz. however, things do not go as planned when sisi and franz start to become close…
i loved sisi as a character and how the real person has been reflected in the book. it depicts her relationship with her family and franz in a beautiful way and i thought the writing style was stunning. it truly described what falling in love is like, as well as what it’s like to feel jealous, sad, or left out.
overall, i think historical fiction/romance fans will really enjoy this one. i’m so excited for it to be on netflix and i hope to read more from this author in the future!
5 stars
this book follows princess elisabeth “sisi” of bavaria, her sister helene, and emperor franz of austria as helene waits to marry franz. however, things do not go as planned when sisi and franz start to become close…
i loved sisi as a character and how the real person has been reflected in the book. it depicts her relationship with her family and franz in a beautiful way and i thought the writing style was stunning. it truly described what falling in love is like, as well as what it’s like to feel jealous, sad, or left out.
overall, i think historical fiction/romance fans will really enjoy this one. i’m so excited for it to be on netflix and i hope to read more from this author in the future!
5 stars