Reviews

Well-written and a good story introduction to the Empress of Hungary. However it's one of the shortest stories in the Royal Diaries collection at only 90 pages. The epilogue and following historical notes do make up some for the lack of a full story in telling the history of Elisabeth, her Emperor husband and family.

While the book was well-researched, the story was all too brief. There were numerous plot points started but never resolved or mentioned again. I think that despite this being a YA novel, the author could've delved in more into either life before the marriage or life after the honeymoon before this novel's abrupt ending.

Overall a good read but short starter intro for a compelling and complex woman in history.

fellumhistane's review against another edition

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3.0

Read this with my young niece to give her an idea of what it's really like to be royalty and how the barbie-fantasy of wanting to be a princess/empress usually glosses over a lot of details. My niece is very Sissi-esque, and this short little book made her feel grateful for all the freedom our times have accorded her. She had never heard of Austria nor Hungary before we started reading, so it made for an interesting social studies lesson as well.

hmbarnum1's review against another edition

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3.5

The history is interesting but the storyline is lacking.

beammey's review against another edition

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3.0

This was okay. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. Not the best one I've read yet, but not the worst. Just a typical book, but I did learn things and I did enjoy it and read it all in about two hours, so that was nice. I would still recommend this to kids because even though it wasn't up my alley, it might be up someone else's and Elisabeth really was pretty interesting.

khaleesimod93's review against another edition

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emotional funny informative reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I have read a few books about Empress Sisi and this one is my favorite. I think this one, told from her POV, was the most honest and true to who she was and what she thought. I think this story is also more honest to how Helene was portrayed and the other characters. The other stories I read about Sisi and Nene always portrayed Nene in the most horrible light just because she was passed over in favor or Sisi. I can't help but feel so bad for sisi. She was so young and in love. Not realizing the crushing weight a crown can be. She would have been happier far from the public eye with her horses and pets. Though, she did manage to carve her own story and freedom.

candide_woodard's review against another edition

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4.0

The epilogue was interesting. I learned that Elisabeth died at the age of sixty, on September 10, 1898. She was murdered by a 24 year old who stabbed her. There were other cool facts.

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