howard's review against another edition
3.0
this was definitely entertaining but i never got super invested/into it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
sadiealbert's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this book. Having read nothing of the two royals before reading this, it was such a wild ride and I loved being able to research the lives of Ludwig II and Sisi to find out the true events that transpired in this book. Very well researched and very thought provoking.
Content Warnings
Spoiler
Suicide, anorexiaselketjewett's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I liked this book a lot! It has a great cover (why I bought it) and it didn’t disappoint! But I love historical fiction like this, where the characters are imagined into the minds of real people.
heather_freshparchment's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Suicide, Mental illness, Child death, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Eating disorder, Death, and Fatphobia
Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, and Antisemitism
kittykornerlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Do you like to read books about crazy people? This is a book about crazy people. High-profile, European royals, crazy people, King Ludwig II of Bavaria and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria. They're cousins and they have the same strain of madness (from the Wittelsbach line? The one where royalty keep marrying their cousins? Who knows?). Ludwig doesn't want to be King at all; he hates politics and wants to concentrate on art, music, and architecture and sleep with men and do anything except spend time at the palace in Munich. Sisi doesn't want to be Empress at all; she wants to travel and ride horses at breakneck speeds and do anything except spend time at the palace in Vienna. They are both obsessed with their own youth, beauty, and personal appearance. They both think about death way too much. This is a fascinating book, and it's about crazy people. I would probably read another by this author, but I'm not rushing to do that.
marmoset737's review against another edition
Got about 50% of the way through/ Fans of Wolf Hall, etc. would probably enjoy this - it's clever/snarky historical fiction and I did learn a bit about a historical period/set of monarchs that I know next to nothing about. But I'm not really into the ins and outs of monarchies so this book ultimately just wasn't for me.
katterion's review against another edition
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
it has its moments of fun whimsy, but overall i felt it to be dragging itself along, much like how sisi and ludwig are depicted here.
i really wished that i could have like this more.
i really wished that i could have like this more.