The Accidental Empress

By: Allison Pataki

Narrated by: Madeleine Maby

*NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Discover the “captivating, absorbing, and beautifully told” (Kathleen Grissom) love story of Sisi, the Austro-Hungarian empress and wife of Emperor Franz Joseph—perfect for fans of the Netflix series The Empress!

The year is 1853, and the Habsburgs are Europe’s most powerful ruling family. With his empire stretching from Austria to Russia, from Germany to Italy, Emperor Franz Joseph is young, rich, and ready to marry.

Fifteen-year-old Elisabeth, “Sisi,” Duchess of Bavaria, travels to the Habsburg Court with her older sister, who is betrothed to the young emperor. But shortly after her arrival at court, Sisi finds herself in an unexpected dilemma: she has inadvertently fallen for and won the heart of her sister’s groom. Franz Joseph reneges on his earlier proposal and declares his intention to marry Sisi instead.

Thrust onto the throne of Europe’s most treacherous imperial court, Sisi upsets political and familial loyalties in her quest to win, and keep, the love of her emperor, her people, and of the world.

With Pataki’s rich period detail and cast of complex, bewitching characters, The Accidental Empress offers “another absolutely compelling story” (Mary Higgins Clark) with this glimpse into one of history’s most intriguing royal families, shedding new light on the glittering Hapsburg Empire and its most mesmerizing, most beloved “Fairy Queen.”

learn your pronounciation

it was quite frustrating listening to the first half of this book because the reader completely mangled the foreign words. I don't expect perfect pronounciation but if you don't even know how to pronounce the name of the river Danube, you have no business narrating this book. doesn't anyone check the recordings?? for me, this was quite a distraction.

A maudlin history lesson

The narrator has odd pacing. Sometimes she pauses overly long and at other points she speaks too quickly. She does not have a good grasp of differentiating the characters through vocal changes. The story itself drags. Too much description of this room or that palace and not enough emphasis on character development.

History coming alive

Enjoyed listening to an important part of history and the life of an historical figure of significance. Having been to Prague, Vienna and Budapest, I experienced first hand the lasting impact of the Hapsburg's and of Sisi's reign on the history of the region. This novel brought it all to life and I look forward to continuing with the next book, "Sisi"!

Historical Romance

Really enjoyed listening this his historical fiction romance story. While a light read and not a complex literary work, I really enjoyed the book, the story and the history! Will look forward to reading or listening to more books by this author.

wonderful

The author does a great job drawing you in. A truly captivating peek into history.