
Sisi
Empress on Her Own: A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Elizabeth Knowelden
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By:
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Allison Pataki
About this listen
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.
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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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Story
On the flight to their "babymoon" in Hawaii before their first child arrived, Allison Pataki's husband turned to her to ask if his eye looked strange, and then suddenly lost consciousness. After making an emergency landing, they discovered that Dave, a lifelong, healthy athlete and orthopedic surgery resident at Rush Medical School in Chicago, had suffered a rare, and often fatal, stroke. Dave was one of the lucky ones though, and he survived, but the man who woke up from his coma was not the same man Allison had fallen in love with at Yale.
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A Most Remarkable and Inspirational Story
- By Heidi on 06-19-18
By: Allison Pataki, and others
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Where the Light Falls
- A Novel of the French Revolution
- By: Allison Pataki, Owen Pataki
- Narrated by: Bruce Mann
- Length: 14 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Three years after the storming of the Bastille, the streets of Paris are roiling with the spirit of revolution. The citizens of France are enlivened by the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. The monarchy of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette has been dismantled - with the help of the guillotine - and a new nation is rising in its place. Jean-Luc, an idealistic young lawyer, moves his wife, Marie, and their infant son from their comfortable life in Marseille to Paris in the hopes of joining the cause.
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An enjoyable listen
- By missgrundy on 01-19-18
By: Allison Pataki, and others
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Finding Margaret Fuller
- A Novel
- By: Allison Pataki
- Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik
- Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Young, brazen, beautiful, and unapologetically brilliant, Margaret Fuller accepts an invitation from Ralph Waldo Emerson, the celebrated Sage of Concord, to meet his coterie of enlightened friends. There she becomes “the radiant genius and fiery heart” of the Transcendentalists, a role model to a young Louisa May Alcott, an inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Hester Prynne and the scandalous Scarlet Letter, a friend to Henry David Thoreau as he ventures out to Walden Pond . . . and a muse to Emerson. But Margaret craves more than poetry and interpersonal drama.
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I must’ve missed this group of thinkers in high school being friends
- By Liesl on 04-20-24
By: Allison Pataki
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The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post
- A Novel
- By: Allison Pataki
- Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik
- Length: 14 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds.
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That's 10 hours of my life I'll never get back
- By Andrea L. Helms on 03-30-22
By: Allison Pataki
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The Rebel Empresses
- Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France, Power and Glamour in the Struggle for Europe
- By: Nancy Goldstone
- Narrated by: Tamsin Kennard
- Length: 19 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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When they married Emperors Franz Joseph and Napoleon III, respectively, Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France became two of the most famous women on the planet. Not only were they both young and beautiful—becoming cultural and fashion icons of their time—but they played a pivotal role in ruling their realms during a tempestuous era characterized by unprecedented political and technological change. Fearless, adventurous, and independent, Elisabeth and Eugénie represented a new kind of empress—one who rebelled against tradition and anticipated and embraced modern values.
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Excellent book!
- By Kayleigh on 03-04-25
By: Nancy Goldstone
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The Empress
- A Novel
- By: Gigi Griffis
- Narrated by: Ellie Rose Boswell, Dominic Burgess
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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The year is 1853, and Princess Elisabeth “Sisi” of Bavaria has been very clear: She will wait for the head-over-heels love the poets speak of, or she will have no love at all. Just because her older sister, Helene, is eagerly heeding their mother’s advice and preparing to marry Emperor Franz of Austria does not mean Sisi must also subject herself to such a dutiful existence. Sisi knows there is more to life than luncheons and corsets—if only someone would let her experience it all firsthand.
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Just half of the story
- By rhon on 07-11-24
By: Gigi Griffis
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American Duchess
- A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt
- By: Karen Harper
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Karen Harper tells the tale of Consuelo Vanderbilt, her “Wedding of the Century” to the duke of Marlborough, and her quest to find meaning behind “the glitter and the gold”.
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Surprisingly interesting life
- By labradoodler on 07-24-19
By: Karen Harper
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The Romanov Brides
- A Novel of the Last Tsarina and Her Sisters
- By: Clare McHugh
- Narrated by: Yelena Shmulenson
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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They were granddaughters of Queen Victoria and two of the most beautiful princesses in Europe. Princesses Alix and Ella were destined to wed well and wisely. But while their grandmother wants to join them to the English and German royal families, the sisters fall in love with Russia—and the Romanovs.
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Captivating and delightful
- By Anonymous on 03-16-24
By: Clare McHugh
What listeners say about Sisi
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- Mary Smiroldo
- 04-08-22
High Hopes
I really did have high hopes for Sisi by Allison Pataki. I enjoyed the story for the most part. I was hoping for more actual history of the the Habsburg Empire, and less romance novel. At times, it read like a cheap, drugstore Harlequin. Making those times even worse was Elizabeth Knowelden’s narration. There were moments throughout the reading that I felt like a third grader being read to by my teacher. At other times, I was being sung to, while still at other times, I felt like I was in Drama 101. If you are at all interested in listening to this novel, I strongly suggest you listen to the sample provided by Audible. Even after doing so myself, I was highly disappointed in the narrator.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Holly Dee
- 01-15-19
Beautiful!
A fascinating story about Empress Sisi's last decades. We're traveling to Austria this year, and this was an excellent and entertaining way to learn about one of Austria's notable people. The narration was also lovely. Highly recommend.v
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1 person found this helpful
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- Kirsten Bristol
- 09-17-18
wonderful
beautifully written beautifully read very good book highly recommend love the ending and how it gives additional historical information about the characters within the book
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1 person found this helpful
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- Tina
- 03-20-24
This book is much more than the love story of an empress.
I was impressed by the author’s research and attention to detail, the connections of the past to our present day, how royal families drove so much of history and how at this time we continue be affected by them.
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-08-23
Sad ending
We followed Luigi through the whole book and then was left hanging at the end. Did they catch him?
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- Marley
- 12-08-24
I truly adored this romantic tragedy
I was in a rut until I found this book series!!! I enjoyed being taken into the world of Empress Elisabeth Sisi, her tragic life was so luxurious yet her restlessness had a peaceful ending.
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- Kristin Z
- 06-26-16
Loved this!!
Not only is the author amazing, but the narrator as well! Had me all caught up in the emotion and made me feel like I Was actually there!
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2 people found this helpful
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- Svetlana LeedsÂ
- 03-29-16
Interesting historical perspective
This was historically a good book but the story line is missing a punch line and is a bit dry at times.
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2 people found this helpful
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- KATHY OLSEN
- 07-12-17
loved this book
I really enjoyed the history but mostly the story told from Sisi's perspective. I also read The Fortune Hunter and I liked how the two books intersected
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- Lucy lu
- 03-11-21
DEEPLY MOVING AND ENLIGHTENING
So much to say about this most memorable historical novel on so many different levels!!!
So beyond a real and lifelong love story ..... So applicable to our most current version of the Megan and Prince Harry controversy, being conceived and written long before the Megzit furore, but perhaps they should have read it in the beginning for a better understanding of the future of such an alliance!!!
Personally, I have been delving into many historical novels, particularly European and English where I have been spending over 30 years before returning to live in the US. I am finding so many parallels in history (which I never found interesting at school) to current problems and situations in life today which we seem to think are all new to us! History is always repeating itself!!! We are not the first to encounter very similar situations, but never seem to learn from looking back!! The 1st World War , and it's inception was known to me, but the 2 volumes of the lives of the real people who were instrumental in that history, truly make lifelike and fascinating reading/listening !!!
I always appreciate the author ending with the confession of what was documented and what was personally imagined ...
Finally, the description of the passing of the Empress Elizabeth was so beautiful and descriptive of the tone of death I will hope to imagine for myself and my loved ones!!!!
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