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A review by jennutley
The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland
4.0
Continuing on my historical fiction jag, I picked this up because it was recommended in the Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List.
This was a quick read due to the diary form. And I was fascinated (and horrified) by the background of the Reign of Terror (which makes for good Wikipedia strings afterwards). I did not realize this was the first of a trilogy and was surprised that 3/4 of the way through the book we had not even met Napolean yet. I liked the book enough that I am looking forward to the next two.
I don't think that Josephine could have been such an amazing woman as the book depicts her--definitely some creative license there. I don't mind have heroes that do stupid things and make bad decisions. I would have preferred her to be a little more gritty.
I will admit, I am also a sucker for a book that tells history from a woman's point of view.
Sex, Violence and Language Meter
The book has many sexual situations but are not graphic: 4. There is a lot of violence (it was the Revolution after all) but mostly we read about it and it takes place off stage: 7. No language really: 1.
This was a quick read due to the diary form. And I was fascinated (and horrified) by the background of the Reign of Terror (which makes for good Wikipedia strings afterwards). I did not realize this was the first of a trilogy and was surprised that 3/4 of the way through the book we had not even met Napolean yet. I liked the book enough that I am looking forward to the next two.
I don't think that Josephine could have been such an amazing woman as the book depicts her--definitely some creative license there. I don't mind have heroes that do stupid things and make bad decisions. I would have preferred her to be a little more gritty.
I will admit, I am also a sucker for a book that tells history from a woman's point of view.
Sex, Violence and Language Meter
The book has many sexual situations but are not graphic: 4. There is a lot of violence (it was the Revolution after all) but mostly we read about it and it takes place off stage: 7. No language really: 1.