The life of Napoleon Bonaparte provides historical writers with one of the deepest wells of inspiration to dwell upon. His life, beginning as a poor child on the island of Corsica, once extended the French Empire to the far reaches of Europe. Yet it eventually collapsed, and he was sent into exile… twice. Paradoxically, he is associated with liberte, egalite, et fraternite, yet maintained slavery in Haiti for reasons of financial expedience. His love-life is equally storied. Modern writers either admire or despise him. Perhaps, his greatness is such that he ought to be both admired and despised in the same breath.
Rodenberg’s novel seeks to make sense of the last setting of Napoleon’s life – the island of St. Helena in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. She weaves together the historical facts into an entertaining, if not somewhat believable, tale. She ties in passionate love, the lust for more power, the hope of escape, enmity for the British, and the desire for a dynasty.
In Rodenberg’s telling, Napoleon falls for Albine, a French ex-patriot who was as ruthless and cunning as the Emperor himself. Her life was swept up with the romance of multiple men. She eventually bore a daughter named Josephine Napoleon Bonaparte who was believed to be Napoleon’s and who died due to a difficult sea-borne voyage to Europe. Of course, Napoleon famously died on St. Helena, constrained from gaining imperial rule again.
The story itself is worthwhile. I would have liked for it to delve more into psychology, however. Napoleon’s mind had many cross-currents, but I felt that Rodenberg’s story just skimmed the surface. She did not probe into his internal makeup much. Granted, he was a man of action, not contemplation. Albine’s psyche was explored more, but the characters in this novel still come out as somewhat flat. The author does a good job at fitting the narrative to a semblance of historical facts. Yet alas, I left the novel not feeling as though I had really gotten to know the characters much at all, only their dramas.
Like Napoleon’s life, this story has many dimensions that can appeal to a variety of audiences. Those interested in history will like learning about the arcane details of Napoleon’s last days; romance readers will find much fodder to dwell upon; feminists might like the resilient and egalitarian character of Albine; those with political interests will like the backdrop of international politics. I suspect this book, a new release at the time of my writing, will find a wide audience – and deservedly so. The dramatic telling of Napoleon’s last days contains many storylines worthy of exploration. Rodenberg’s work unfolds these with imagination and flair.
Finding Napoleon: A Novel
By Margaret Rodenberg
Copyright (c) 2021
She Writes Press
ISBN13 9781647420161
eBook
Genre: Historical Fiction
www.amazon.com