The Last Great Dance on Earth

October 30, 2000
Gulland completes her elaborately detailed Josephine Bonaparte trilogy (The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.; Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe), taking up the story in 1800 at Paris's Tuileries Palace, where 36-year-old Josephine and her younger husband, Napoleon (who has just become France's First Consul), are desperately trying to conceive. Despite numerous questionable "cures," Josephine remains barren. Her daughter from her first marriage, Hortense, marries Napoleon's brother and produces a son Napoleon wishes to adopt in order to establish a hereditary succession. When this plan fails, advisers claim Napoleon's authority has been weakened. As Napoleon and Josephine rise to power, ultimately being crowned emperor and empress, Gulland does a remarkable job of showing how rumors and disloyalties changed the course of history. Under increasing pressure to produce an heir, Napoleon divorces the heartbroken Josephine, calling the act a noble sacrifice they both must make for the Empire. Napoleon remarries, and a son is born; soon after, he leaves for his unsuccessful invasion of Russia, his last campaign before abdication and exile. Josephine dies shortly thereafter, in 1814, ending her life with thoughts of Napoleon. Florid prose floods the tale, and the diary style of the first-person narrative is limiting, but neither of these problems seriously handicaps the novel. Gulland brings to life an exciting period in Europe's past through the eyes of one of its most famous women. The popularity of the first two installments assures an avid following, but this meticulously researched tale stands alone as a romance of epic proportions.

November 1, 2000
Gulland concludes her trilogy of the life of Empress Josephine (The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B, LJ 7/99; Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe, LJ 11/1/99) with the dash and excitement that marked the first volume. Napoleon's military and political successes breed jealousy and intrigue among members of his large family, and their antipathy for Josephine and her children results in many plots to displace her in Napoleon's affection. Yet, despite his propensity for acquiring mistresses, Napoleon's love for Josephine remains unchanged. To Josephine's dismay, numerous sojourns in search of medical treatment do not help her produce what Napoleon needs most--an heir--and eventually she is forced to agree to a divorce. Political intrigue and personal crises intertwine to provide a fascinating view of a complex woman in turbulent times. Even those who have not read Gulland's previous volumes will be drawn into these final chapters of Josephine's story.--Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State Univ., Mankato

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2000
In the final installment of her acclaimed Josephine Bonaparte trilogy, Gulland chronicles both the marriage of Josephine and Napoleon and the rise and fall of Napoleon's vast empire. Recounted strictly from a woman's point of view, the gripping narrative offers a uniquely feminine perspective on a tumultuous historical era. An active participant in the momentous events of her day, Josephine bears witness to the treachery and political intrigue plaguing her husband's controversial reign. Of course, the passionate, tempestuous relationship between Josephine and Napoleon, two equally remarkable and charismatic individuals, forms the core of this romantic odyssey. A vividly detailed fictional portrait of one of the most fascinating women to influence the course of history. \plain\f2\fs17 (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)