{Categories: Historical Fiction}
*Nominated for the 2022 Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Award
{Category: European Historical Fiction}
Order Now: Amazon B&N IndieBound BAM!
The stressful wedding festivities are finally over, and Sisi and Franz Joseph can begin to navigate their lives together. However, fresh challenges await the newlywed couple. When Sisi, the Country Girl Empress, from the Bavarian Possenhofen became Emperor Franz Joseph’s wife, she was only sixteen years old. The child-woman who is admired everywhere for her beauty and unaffectedness, feels most at home on top of a horse. Soon she must realize that the imperial throne is much more uncomfortable than a saddle, and that it is her highest duty to give birth to an heir.
The stressful wedding festivities are finally over, and Sisi and Franz Joseph can begin to navigate their lives together. However, fresh challenges await the newlywed couple. When Sisi, the Country Girl Empress, from the Bavarian Possenhofen became Emperor Franz Joseph’s wife, she was only sixteen years old. The child-woman who is admired everywhere for her beauty and unaffectedness, feels most at home on top of a horse. Soon she must realize that the imperial throne is much more uncomfortable than a saddle, and that it is her highest duty to give birth to an heir.
The
young Empress finds a great and unfortunately indomitable opponent in her
mother-in-law, the Archduchess Sophie, who not only harasses Sisi but also
treats her like a child. No wonder that Sisi’s duel with this overpowering
opponent spans years, and gives her destiny a more and more tragic course,
which the Empress seeks to escape with her never-ending search for happiness
far away from the Viennese court.
The
political climate throughout 19th century Europe is precarious.
Hungary demands its independence from Austria’s rule, but the monarchy cannot
afford the loss of Hungary’s resources. Unable to get help from the French
unless Austria attacks first, Sardinia provokes its neighbor with a series of
military manoeuvers close to their border. As predicted, the Austrian
government demands the complete demobilization of the Sardinian army. When the
ultimatum is not heeded, Austria feels it has no other choice but to declare
war on Sardinia, thus drawing France into the conflict.
Meanwhile in Vienna, Archduchess Sophie attempts
with all her might to teach her new daughter-in-law what it means to be a
proper Empress, since the young woman insists on behaving like a tomboy. Even
after giving birth twice, Sisi’s standing at the imperial court did not
improve, since the long-awaited Crown Prince has yet to arrive. Will the icy
atmosphere at the Hofburg Palace, the almost inhumane protocol and the constant
rules prove too much to bear for the young Empress?
Praise for A LIFE IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROWN
"I have always been a sucker for royal themed novels and A. Piper Burgi definitely did not disappoint! A Life in the Shadow of the Crown is an excellent read which I will be recommending to all my royal history buff friends."
- Tiffany Ferrell for Readers' Favorite
"'A Life in the Shadow of the Crown' is smart, well-written, sentimental without being gushy or maudlin, and historically accurate. The writer craftily commands you to care about her hero's journey."
-T.E. Mark
Praise for A LIFE IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROWN
- Tiffany Ferrell for Readers' Favorite
"'A Life in the Shadow of the Crown' is smart, well-written, sentimental without being gushy or maudlin, and historically accurate. The writer craftily commands you to care about her hero's journey."
-T.E. Mark
