1812. Napoleon Bonaparte intends to conquer Europe. The de Staël family intend to stop him.
Albertine, the daughter of scandalous writer Germaine de Staël, embarks on a quest against absolutism. The rulers of Russia, Sweden, and England must band together to defeat Napoleon. Albertine herself struggles to thrive under the scrutiny of her opium-addicted mother. When the question of marriage arises, she must navigate between love and status.
Albert, Albertine’s older brother, has never fit in with his family. They are brilliant and pretentious; he is blunt and trouble-seeking. Soon, Albert finds a companion in the driver of the coach. Might their forbidden bond be their salvation-or their ruin?
With the fate of Europe at stake, the de Staëls go on an escapade from Vienna to Saint Petersburg, from stormy seas to stormy nights. They befriend not only royalty, but literary genius in the shape of Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, and Mary Shelley.
The de Staël Escapades is available as ebook and paperback. You can find it here:
Quotes from Goodreads reviews:
I could hardly put this book down. It is so well told and so very interesting. It was daunting when I first read the list of characters and I thought how would I remember everyone. Well when it is well written it’s easy. The ebb and flow of the story and the interweaving of the characters was exceptional. I wish I could have read it in one sitting. It was hard to put down!
/ Laurel
Wow, this really was such a wonderful book. I have spent the past two days just binging it, and I regret nothing! The quality of writing is absolutely spectacular. Despite coming out just yesterday, it gives the feel of a classic that was written in the 1800s. This is something that most works of historical fiction, while amazing, fail to achieve. It was a unique experience to not only read a book about France in the 1800s, but also to feel like you were living through that period in time yourself. The amount of research and time put into creating an accurate depiction of the de Staël family and their travels is astounding, and I applaud Hillbom for that dedication.
/ Say
Saga does it again! A wonderfully written historical fiction now set in Napolean’s France. With a wide cast of characters and many perspectives, it gives you a glance of what the de Staëls’ life could have been. With adventure, romance and politics it makes for a great story.
/ Frey
This is the second Hillbom book I’ve had the pleasure of reading and it really is such an interesting story. I didn’t know much about this part of history but having a little glimpse of it while getting to know the de Staël family. Their dynamic was messy and non-traditional and I really was interested in Albertine. I was happy and thrilled and so so sad throughout the course of the story. I don’t read a ton of historical fiction anymore but this one put me in the mood for more.
/ Sam
If you love historical fiction and reading about a scandalous family I highly recommend this book! I haven’t read a whole lot of historical fiction yet but this book makes me want to dive deeper into this genre!
/ Nephilim
Saga Hillbom 