Désirée by Annemarie Selinko

The novel is a historical fiction that follows the life of Désirée Clary, a young silk merchant's daughter from Marseille, who becomes romantically involved with a young Napoleon Bonaparte before he rises to power. After their relationship ends, Désirée finds herself navigating the complexities of French society during a turbulent period, eventually marrying Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, who later becomes King Charles XIV John of Sweden. The story, told through a series of fictionalized letters and diary entries, portrays Désirée's transformation from a naive girl into a mature woman and a queen, offering a unique perspective on the political and social upheavals of the Napoleonic era.

The 4918th greatest book of all time

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Total Points: 84

Since this book was first published in 1951, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 84.0.

This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.