Customer Reviews

Elisabeth: The Princess Bride, Austria-Hungary, 1853 (The Royal Diaries)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I just bought this book ... The cover may be demeaning and well...unattractive, but the book is extroidanary. The characters are so alive, the settings are so real, the serene surrondings of Posenhoffen Castle and the crowded corridors of Hofburg Palace--you feel like you are right there. You sympathize Sisi and her poor sister Helene, you hate Aunt Sophie, and you love Poppy. This book was so good, you get caught up in it and don't realize it's over until you notice this book was shorter than the normal Royal Diaries. I'd say the only disappointments about this book are the cover that shows not even half of Sisi's beauty, and the size.You will not be upset with buying this book and the epilogue, pictures, historical notes, are very excellent editions to this melancholy but also serene story of the beautiful, intelligent young Empress of Austria who left her life behind and suffered a horrible life that was abrupted by a fatal and tragic death. If only Barry Denenberg would continue with the Royal Diaries series.....

I had recieved an advanced copy of Elisabeth:The Princess Bride in November, 2002 from the author and I just recently bought the book from B&N. Let me just say that the only disappointing part about this diary is that it is cut down to a meager 93 pages of diary, and then has 60 pages of historical info and pictures (although that informtaion is very helpful and revealing of the Austrian court). Elisabeth is the 15 year old daughter of Duke Maximilien and Princess Ludovica, the Duke & Duchess of Bavaria. Life at serene and calm Possenhofen in the Bavarian outskirts of Munich is paradise for Sisi(Elisabeth's nickname). Sisi spends time writing trememendous poems and sonnets, riding her beloved chestnut horse, Punch, and of course spending time with her beloved Poppy. Elisabeth is not your average future empress. She goes around wearing peasant's clothes and frolicking like her Poppy, like a peasant. However, Sisi must tag along with her older sister, Helene, and her mother, Ludovica, when Helene is en route to Bad Ischl to meet and be wed to Emperor Franz Josef of the Holy Roman Empire. However, Franz Josef takes a much more appealing interest in young Elisabeth, and asks for Sisi's hand in marriage! The whirling world that Sisi watched Helene experience as she was preparing to be Empress (even though she wasn't even betrothed yet) suddebly moves onto Sisi. Possenhofen is no longer calming and serene, but a bustling small city-like a beehive. As Sisi prepares for her flight from Posse forever, she suddenly realizes what she is doing and come sout of her day dreams of her future husband. And as she is walking down the aisle to an uncertain future in the last entry, she suddenly realizes the family, friends, pets, home, and life she is leaving behind for a malicious, gossipy court...forever.
The epilogue shows the result of this unconsidered marriage: near-divorce, annorexia, depression, loss of children to her Aunt Sophie and to death, seclusion, obsession, and of course....assassination. This volume was an excellent contribution to this fantastic series of stories of women who shaped the history of the world by their royal powers. No one will be disappointed with buying this book and will leave with knowledge of a lonely and upset Empress, who experiences the same things that teenagers today do...but also so much more.

Free-spirited, beautiful Elisabeth grew up in the lap of luxury as a member of the Austrian nobility in the 1850's. At 16, Elisabeth, her mother, and her 18-year-old sister, Helene, travel to the royal palace of Austria in hopes that Helene might gain the the attention and marriage proposal of Emperor Franz Joseph. However, events at the royal palace do not follow this plan. Smitten with her beauty and charm, Franz Joseph quickly falls in love with Elisabeth instead of Helene. Elisabeth is elated and in love, but must come to grips with "losing" her former life and embracing the changes that lie ahead.

The "whirlwind" pace of Elisabeth's diary expertly shows what it must have been like for the young royal to contemplate marriage. Her conflicting feelings about changes that will be brought about by her marriage are believable and timeless, and her descriptions of her leisurely life, romance with Franz Joseph, and ultimately, her wedding, will be enjoyed by those of us who love a "good fairy tale." As I always say about a royal diary, I enjoy learning about royals that I haven't known about before. Although the epilogue in this book is sad, Royal Diary fans won't want to miss this latest series addition.

This was one of my favorite books in the Royal Diaries series. While the diary portion is not too long (it's 93 pages), I still enjoyed reading all about Princess Elisabeth's engagement and wedding to Franz Joseph I, Emporer of Austria.

Elisabeth (whose nickname is Sisi) is a fifteen-year-old princess living a happy and carefree life in Austria. Before her life changed so drastically, she enjoyed horseback riding, taking walks with her father, and writing poetry. When Elisabeth's mother receives a letter from Aunt Sophie one day (the Emporer's mother) inviting her and Elisabeth's sister Helene (whose nickname is Nene), her mother jumps at the opportunity especially because she has been discussing the possibility of marrying Nene to the Emporer. Elisabeth wasn't planning on going, but when her mother got the idea that she should go along because the Emporer's brother, Archduke Karl Ludwig, would be there. But when they finally do arrive at the Emporer's palace, the Emporer falls in love with Elisabeth, and proposes to her soon after they meet. After that, Elisabeth's life is thrown into a complete frenzy as she prepares to wed the Emporer and become the Emperess of Austria. The book also describes her wedding, and includes an epilouge telling about the rest of Elisabeth's life.

Author Barry Denenberg picked a fascinating woman from history for his contribution to the Royal Diaries series. In this book, though, he doesn't have enough. He doesn't go into enough detail to make this a fabulous read. He hints at a few things once or maybe twice, but then just forgets about it. There are so many more thing that he could have written more about, like her obsession with her figure, something we now realize was most likely anorexia, and her thirst for freedom.
It does shed some light on Elisabeth's life, but really not enough.

i found this book very enjoyable to read. you could sense that towards the end of the diary she feels more and more nervous about leaving her home. if you read the epilogue, you can clearly see that she was not ready for marriage, at least not at such a young age. it was one of my favorite royal diaries and even though her life ended tragically she will surly be remembered as a great historical figure!!!!!!!

Fifteen-year-old Princess Elisabeth, called Sisi, is the daughter of Duke Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria and his wife, Princess Ludovica. She has had a carefree childhood in the Bavarian countryside. She spends as much of her days as possible horseback riding, her favorite pastime. But everything changes in the summer of 1857. Sisi's older sister, Helene, has been chosen to marry their cousin, Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. Their mother is taking Helene to meet Franz Joseph, and has decided to take Sisi along in hopes of finding a husband for her as well. But when Franz Joseph meets Helene and Sisi, he decides it is Sisi he wants to marry. Sisi becomes engaged to Franz Joseph, but she is far too young for the responsibilities she suddenly finds herself facing as the future Empress.

This is not one of my favorites from the Royal Diaries series, but it was still a very good book that I recommend to fans of the series. I only wish it could have been a little longer, as Elisabeth's diary is only 93 pages. Also, some parts really could have used more detail.

I liked this book. It was a lot of fun to read it. It is about a girl who will marry the Emperor of Austria and become the Empress. I liked how the book described the complex personality of Elisabeth. She likes animals (especially horses), but she also likes looking beautiful. I found her love for the Emperor believable. It was different from other books in the Royal Diaries series because most of the books gloss over girls wanting to look pretty. However, I thought it could have elaborated on her relationship with her mother more. The length was short, but it shouldn't stop you from reading this interesting book.

Elisabeth Amelie Eugenie is the daughter of Duke Maximillian Joseph and his wife Princess Ludovica. Elisabeth lives a calm, carefree life in her castle of Possenhofen in Bavaria. She loves to horeback ride, write poetry, spend time with her Poppy and live a fun life without any happenings of royal life. Yet her mother wants to take her sister Helene, and Elisabeth herself to meet with Franz Josef I Emperor of Austria. Helene has been chosen as the intended wife and future empress of the giant empire. Yet when the royal party arrives, Franz Josef chooses Elisabeth instead! She only has a few moments left at her beloved country castle, and it seems too late before she realizes what she is leaving behind. At only 16 she is married and become Empress of Austria, which isn't a position she is good at being. She goes through so much, with her irritating mother-in-law, almost having anorexia, and the sudden suicide of her son. Elisabeth died at the hands of a murderer, an Italian anarchist. This book should have been longer, and this was a pretty sad book. This girl, only 16 is thrust out of her very non-royal fun life and now has to perform the duties of an empress, when she dreads every moment of it. I like this book a lot, but it one of the sad books in the Royal Diaries Series.

Elisabeth Amelie Eugenie is Princess of Bavaria, daughter of Duke Maximilian Joseph and his wife Princess Ludovica. Elisabeth, nicknamed "Sisi" is fifteen years old, and loves her life now. She loves her home Possenhofen, riding, and the outdoors with her father. Yet now she is to accompany her mother and sister Helene, nicknamed "Nene" to meet Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. Helene's mother is hoping to have Helene and Franz Joseph married, and Elisabeth is coming to meet his younger brother. Yet when arriving, the Emperor is smitten by the beauty of Elisabeth and he chooses her to be his bride. Now she has a mix of feelings, of happiness, woe, and excitement. In April 1854 Elisabeth is sent to Vienna where she is to live in the Imperial Palace of Schonbrunn.
Then on April 24, 1854 sixteen-year-old Elisabeth was married to twenty-four-year-old Franz Joseph, making her Empress of Austria. The marriage wasn't picture perfect, and became strained. One great loss was when her son Crown Prince Rudolph commited suicide on January 30, 1889. Later on September 10, 1898 Empress Elisabeth was assassinated in Geneva, Switzerland. She was sixty. I thought this book was good. I was fascinated by Elisabeth's beauty and how she helped creat the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.