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Sisi cover art

Sisi

By: Allison Pataki
Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden
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Summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A sweeping historical novel that tells the dramatic story of Sisi, the empress of Austria-Hungary who fought for her family, her people, and her empire in a changing world

“Irresistible—completely impossible to put down . . . Allison Pataki reimagines the reign of the nineteenth-century Princess Diana in this stunning book.”—Michelle Moran, bestselling author of Rebel Queen

Married to Emperor Franz Joseph, Elisabeth—fondly known as Sisi—captures the hearts of her people as their “fairy queen,” but beneath that dazzling persona lives a far more complex figure. In mid-nineteenth-century Vienna, the halls of the Hofburg Palace buzz not only with imperial waltzes and champagne but with temptations, rivals, and cutthroat intrigue. Feeling stifled by strict protocols and a turbulent marriage, Sisi finds solace at her estate outside Budapest, where she rides her beloved horses and enjoys visits from a man with whom she’s unwittingly become enamored. But tragic news brings the empressout of her fragile seclusion, forcing her to return to her capital and a world of gossip, envy, and sorrow where a dangerous fate lurks in the shadows.

Through love affairs and loss, dedication and defiance, Sisi struggles against conflicting desires: to keep her family together, or to flee amid the collapse of her suffocating marriage and the gathering tumult of the First World War. In an age of crumbling monarchies, the empress fights to assert her right to the throne beside her husband, to win the love of her people and the world, and to save an empire. But in the end, can she save herself?

Featuring larger-than-life historic figures such as Bavaria’s “Mad King Ludwig” and the tragic Crown Prince Rudolf, and set against many of Europe’s grandest sites—from Germany’s storied Neuschwanstein Castle to England’s lush shires—Sisi brings to life an extraordinary woman and the romantic, volatile era over which she presided.

©2016 Allison Pataki (P)2016 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“[Allison] Pataki successfully juggles numerous political and personal plot lines while maintaining her focus on a fascinating central character. Extensive notes reveal the author’s attention to detail and explain where the novel diverges from the historical record. . . . Readers of Pataki’s first book will want to know the rest of Sisi’s story, but this novel stands on its own for historical fiction fans.”Library Journal

Sisi is a deeply moving book about a complex character.”BookPage

“A satisfying saga of the late Habsburg period.”Kirkus Reviews

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Beautifully read!

I would highly recommend this book. It gives such an insight into Empress Elizabeth of Austria’s life.

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lovely book

fantastic narrator , lovely book, very interesting to listen , highly recommend it .

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Sisi

The overall enjoyment was enriched by a very good narrative, spoiled slightly by a few jumps in the recording

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great story well rwad

sorry that it came to an end but a satisfactory one though , loved it

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Beautifully written stirring book

Gorgeously written historic novel. A wonderful mix of fact with sympathetically added fiction. A guess at what might have transpired between the events we know to be true. A lovely book, the writing is beautifully descriptive and emotive - I cried, laughed, and totally loved Sisi. I got a true sense for who she was and how complicated her life was.

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