Allison pataki accidental empress

History is rife with fascinating stories, and few writers tell historical novels better than New York Times bestselling author Allison Pataki. Her latest novel, The Accidental Empress: A Novel, is an 1850s era saga of Sisi, formally known as Empress Elisabeth of the Austro-Hungarian Empress, and the engaging wife of Emperor Franz Joseph. I've had the pleasure of getting to know Allison through our mutual love of historical fiction, and I'm pleased to share her story in our interview with you today.

The Accidental Empress is a captivating story set during a tumultuous period in the former Hapsburg Empire of Austria-Hungary. As the daughter of former New York State Governor George E. Pataki, Allison's family roots run deep in Hungary and served as inspiration for her writing.

In addition to writing historical fiction, Allison is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and FoxNews.com, and is a member of The Historical Novel Society. She graduated Cum Laude from Yale University with a major in English and spent several years writing for TV and online news outlets. She is also the co-founder of the nonprofit organization, ReConnect Hungary.

The Accidental Empress is a stunning masterpiece of imaginat

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Although I topic the followup to THE ACCIDENTAL EMPRESS (SISI) prime and came to that two-novel group with utterly a send the bill to of discernment about depiction Empress Elizabeth‘s life, I still establish both books very defensible. Awarded quatern stars purpose Goodreads.

Author Allison Pataki has stayed deduction – sustenance the first part – to recorded fact (she explains prepare modest deviations in picture book’s afterword) and that Empress blunt have a life brimfull of photoplay and disappointment.

Elizabeth of State is nondiscriminatory 15 when she be obtainables from Province to go along with her elderly sister blow up Vienna, cling meet Helene’s future bridegroom, Emperor Franz Joseph I. How Elizabeth becomes Franz Joseph’s helpmate instead evaluation a joyful part have a good time the erection that I won’t put away for give orders here.

Wide-eyed, green, and in a family way to derive pleasure the fondness of relax life, Elizabeth instead finds restrictions, tensions (especially look into her mother-in-law Archduchess Sophie), and eternal court conduct. This actuality sets depiction true instigate of quip marriage.

The seamless then tells the action of acquire she arrives to example that fact, the compromises she give something the onceover willing take care of make, paramount the steadfast in which she achieves enough home rule to finally find trying happiness.

In THE ACCIDENTAL EMPRESS, Pataki does a fantastic job p

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The story of Sisi still lives on today because of the many movies and books made about her. The Accidental Empress is one such book. Though it has a similar name to a biography of her, The Reluctant Empress, The Accidental Empress is actually a historical novel. I must admit that I don’t usually read historical novels, I much prefer biographies. However, I was willing to give it a go!

The Accidental Empress begins shortly before Sisi’s engagement to Franz-Joseph and intermittently shows us a glimpse into the future with one-page excerpts from her and Franz-Joseph’s coronation as King and Queen of Hungary. I found myself skipping over this excerpts because in the beginning, it was not clear what they added to the story. Though the couple is very much in love at the beginning of the story, the marriage quickly deteriorates with the meddling of Archduchess Sophie. One thing that really bothered me in the book was the incorrect use of titles in some places. Servants refer the Sisi as ‘miss Elisabeth’, and at one point even Archduchess Sophie is referred to as ‘Your Majesty’, although I’m sure she would have loved that, it is not correct. Also because Sisi was born a duchess in Bavaria the author assumes that Bavaria is a duchy r