I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are min

This is a debut English language book and what a debut

Historical fiction is my favourite genre so was thrilled to be able to read this. I have very little knowledge of Mexican history and this is wonderfully researched and beautifully descriptive.

An absolute joy to read
I very rarely give 5 stars but this justifiably is worth it

Complicated sentence phrasing and forced descriptions and back story break the narrative. I couldn’t get into this story.

This just wasn't my cup of tea. No matter how interested I am in reading historical novels, this was not the one to start with. The POV switches made following the storyline very difficult and I at times did not agree with certain terminology. DNF

I understand that historical accuracy and fiction are hard to combine, especially when you’re trying to stick to a timeline and out thoughts into historical characters heads. But this was boring. I struggled to get through it. When compared to books like Sisi that attempt to do the same it was a downright disappointment. I feel like if the author had tried to bend the timelines/characters a little outside their historical knowledge it A have been a much better book. The thoughts and historical actions just didn’t like up. The descriptions, background, and characters were all well written, and overall it was enjoyable but it wasn’t entertaining unless you enjoy reading history textbooks. It read like someone tried to shove a history textbook into a novel.

I love historical fiction! This book did not disappoint. What an amazing story the author told. Thank you NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for the ARC.

Charlotte of Belgium and Maximilian of Austria are victims of history. Napoleon III appoints them as Emperor and Empress of Mexico in a bid to establish a European presence in the Americas. Regarded as outsiders from the start, the odds are against their being accepted by those they presume to rule. Nationalist rebels plot their demise. Charlotte and Maximilian are not married in the physical sense; both seek lovers. Despite this, she embarks on an arduous and fruitless journey to get financial and military aid for her husband from the European leaders. Laura Martinez-Belli has written a fictional account of this woman, using historic figures, both those who pledge their lives to her and her husband and those who work against them. Circumstances leading to his assassination and her descent into madness, along with rumors of illegitimate children, are depicted. Readers are advised to pay close attention to the chapter dates provided.

Refreshing historical novel of a little known time of the short lived Second French Intervention in Mexico. Martinez-Belli brilliantly portrays the tragic story Empress Carlotta of Mexico, daughter of Leopold I and wife of Emperor Maximillian. A page turner.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction so I was excited to read this one and it definitely didn't disappoint. The Empress is a sweeping historical fiction based on the life of Carlota, The Empress of Mexico.

Through this novel we we learn the history of Princess Charlotte of Belgium who marry's Maximilian von Habsburg, the Archduke of Austria.at just 17 and how she becomes Carlota, The Empress.

Napolean III wants to instil a Monarchy in Mexico after taking control of the country and Maximilian is pushed to take up this post. Charlotte is struggling in a loveless marriage and feeling isolated and frustrated and she believes the move to Mexico will be the the fresh start for herself and her husband. With the ambitious Charlotte's encouragement, Maximilian and Charlotte embark on the voyage to Mexico and are placed on the throne. They would now be known as Maximilian and Carlota, Emperor and Empress of Mexico.

Life in Mexico becomes a constant frustration for Carlota. Her husband is constantly away dealing with trivial matters and rumours swirl that she is unable to bare children while her husband seems to prefer the company of men.

Unrest is swirling around them and Napolean III refuses to hear Carlota's pleas for help, as it is she who is fighting to keep the monarchy alive in Mexico and trying to do what she believes is right for the Mexican people.

What follows is a tragic story of betrayal by those closed to the Empress. We feel this amazingly strong and resilient woman lose her grip on reality as those around her seek to destroy her and all that she holds dear.

The author does a spectacular job of entwining historical facts and timelines into the story and whilst at times I got a little confused by so many different characters appearing throughout the story, this was more from my own lack of knowledge of this period in time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it has left me wanting to learn more about The Empress Carlota and her life.

If there is an audiobook version of this, I hope Dana Schwartz reads it. I first learned about Carlota through the Noble Blood Podcast, and when I was reading Tsarina, I felt like I was reading a transcript of that podcast. In case I need to be explicit, I LOVE Schwartz's podcast. There wasn't enough dialogue for my liking, but that just gives it a non-fiction feel. While I personally had trouble staying focused while reading, I think anyone interested in history would love to read (or listen) to this book!

Empress, a work of historical fiction, concerning Mexico and the second empire. The rulers of this empire was Maximillian an Archduke of Austria and a brother of the Emperor of Austria and Charlotte a princess of Belgium and cousin of Queen Victoria. Maximillian and Charlotte were invited by the French Emperor Napoleon III and the conservative party in Mexico to engage in a bit of empire building in the Americas and establish the second empire in Mexico. By doing this Max and Charlotte would become Emperor and Empress of Mexico and by extension lead busier and more fulfilling lives which up until then had been pretty aimless and boring. Çharlotte, trapped in a dynastic and lifeless marriage, really came into her own in Mexico, finding her strengths and her voice. I enjoyed her development in this novel. This book has a full cast of charecters, some historical and some not, that support Max and Charlotte on their ill fated adventure and make for very good reading. I liked that the book concentrated on Charlotte and did not have too many characters as many historical novels do, trying to mention everyone involved plus a few made up ones, making it almost impossible to keep straight who is who unless you are already familiar with the history which I was not. I also liked the way the author mentioned What else was going on in the world at the time to orient to the time these events were taking place. What I did not like we're the flashbacks in time which I am not a fan of as I much prefer a straight forward story. I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review. The book captured my imagination and I read it in about two days. This book also has a bibliography if you wish to read more about Maximillian and Charlotte.

Sweeping tale of Empress Charlota of Mexico, weaving together the history of her reign and fall. Brilliantly told multiple person narrative weaves together the sub plots of Charlota's life. Truely fascinating read for those who this is the first glimpse of the Victorian Era.

Solid historical fiction novel about a less well known (to me) historical figure. Novel in translation.

The Empress by Laura Martinez-Belli is an excellent translated historical fiction featuring the tragic life and story of Carlota Empress of Mexico (Charlotte of Belgium).

I have to admit, I did not make the association between Carlota and Charlotte, the daughter of King Leopold I of Belgium and his second wife. Of course, after reading this, I had to research as much as I could about this tragic woman. Life was difficult for any woman at this time, and Carlota had her work cut out for her. Unfortunately, there were so many external factors that were beyond her control, that helped add to her downfall.

This is an excellent translation that was thoroughly engaging, easy to understand and follow, and kept my interest throughout. What more could one ask from a historical fiction novel?!

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR account immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

A well-researched story on a subject I knew absolutely nothing about--which is exactly what I like to get from historic fiction. Martinez-Belli humanizes royalty without making them caricature.