This story was a pleasure to read. It’s
well written, engaging and, at times, brilliant. It’s rich in historical detail,
which I loved.
The author brings to life Napoleon’s life in exile on the island
of St. Helena, told from the perspective of a descendant of one of the island’s
families. I really enjoyed the story and recommend it. However, as a romance
(which the author told me it was), I found it disappointing.
Set on the island of Saint Helena,
England and Italy, beginning in 1815, it tells the story of Charlotte Knipe, raised
on the island, which sits in the Atlantic between South America
and Africa.
Charlotte is supposedly in love with a
botanist named Daniel, who she has not seen for seven years (since she was 12),
but with whom she corresponds on a regular basis, sending him island plants to
catalog.
Napoleon, who has just been defeated at
Waterloo, arrives on the sleepy island to much hullabaloo. Soon after he
arrives, it appears to the locals that Napoleon plans to escape. He begins to
weave his plots and plans, full of treachery and betrayal. Early on, he enlists
the aid of Charlotte, to whom he is attracted and who he nicknames “Rosebud”.
Knipe paints a vivid
picture of island life, including the local dialect the “Yamstocks” speak. He
also introduces us to the island’s many characters: Charlotte’s wise old uncle,
her best friend (a plain girl but a loyal friend), Gaspard, Napoleon’s loyal
general who is arrogant but dashing, and Napoleon’s jail keeper, Governor Lowe, just to name a
few.
Charlotte is
fascinated with every handsome man she meets, including the
gone-but-not-forgotten Daniel (whose escapades with Polly in London besmirch
his otherwise noble image), Napoleon’s dashing general, Lord Byron (who she
meets in Venice on an assignment for Napoleon), and even Napoleon himself. Since
Charlotte is beautiful and intelligent, all the men are fascinated with her.
The author’s
portrayal of Napoleon is clever and convincing. A brilliant strategist, one can
imagine him occupying his time on the “dung heap” of an island with a last
challenge.
I won’t give away the
ending, but romance fans might find it improbable (as I did) and disappointing.
Did Charlotte love any of those men? One has to wonder.
 |
| St. Helena |
No comments:
Post a Comment