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    Home » Blog » Book Club

    The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki

    Published: Aug 31, 2017 · Modified: Aug 20, 2022 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Book Club Kit for The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki includes book club discussion guide and party menu.

    A copy of The Accidental Empress sits on a table.

    It's Back to School Season.

    Since the kiddos are doing their learning and growing in the classroom, I thought it would be fun to delve into some historical fiction for us this September.

    Last year everyone seemed to enjoy America's First Daughter so this year we're going "across the pond" into Austria with The Accidental Empress.

    Peanut Blossom Book Club

    This book was our official September 2017 pick for the Peanut Blossom Book Club.

    Want to see what we're reading today? Check out our book club book list here.

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      What is The Accidental Empress About?

      "The year is 1853, and the Habsburgs are Europe’s most powerful ruling family. With his empire stretching from Austria to Russia, from Germany to Italy, Emperor Franz Joseph is young, rich, and ready to marry.

      Fifteen-year-old Elisabeth, “Sisi,” Duchess of Bavaria, travels to the Habsburg Court with her older sister, who is betrothed to the young emperor. But shortly after her arrival at court, Sisi finds herself in an unexpected dilemma: she has inadvertently fallen for and won the heart of her sister’s groom. Franz Joseph reneges on his earlier proposal and declares his intention to marry Sisi instead.

      Thrust onto the throne of Europe’s most treacherous imperial court, Sisi upsets political and familial loyalties in her quest to win, and keep, the love of her emperor, her people, and of the world.

      With Pataki’s rich period detail and cast of complex, bewitching characters, The Accidental Empress offers “another absolutely compelling story” (Mary Higgins Clark) with this glimpse into one of history’s most intriguing royal families, shedding new light on the glittering Hapsburg Empire and its most mesmerizing, most beloved “Fairy Queen."

      Go grab a copy of The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki.

      The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki Book Club Questions

      I believe the best book club questions to spark a lively discussion in your group help readers make personal connections to the story.

      You can read about how to write the best book club questions on your own here, but hopefully these will get you started!

      Question 1:

      What did you think of this month's pick? Would you have chosen it on your own?

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 2:

      Raise your hand if you're dying to visit Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna!

      Has anyone here been lucky enough to do that yet? I'd love if you'd take the time to post one of your own pictures.

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 3:

      Which of Sisi's castles would you most like to live in and why?

      The castles featured in The Accidental Empress by Alison Pataki

      Featured from top to bottom:

      1. Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna
      2. Possenhofen Castle, her hometown
      3. Kasiervilla, summer home in Bad Ischl
      4. Hofburg Palace, Vienna
      5. Godollo Palace, Budapest
      6. Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 4:

      Franz commissions Johann Strauss to compose a waltz as a gift for Sisi.

      Were you curious about the waltz itself?

      Do you listen to classic music?

      I looked up their waltz and found this amazing video that shows dancers performing within the castle in Vienna:

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 5:

      Sisi presents her husband with a very "risqué" for the time painted portrait of herself which he hangs in his private study. (Image on Left Below.)

      I think this is very similar to today's modern boudoir photography sessions.

      I love the tasteful work being done by Boudoir by Casey Hendrickson Photography who shows a variety of real women in her portfolio. (Sample Image on Right.)

      A side by side comparison of a historical portrait of Empress of Austria next to a modern day photograph of a boudoir session.

      Would you ever consider posing for something like this if only your partner would see it?

      Check out Casey's portfolio here, you might be surprised at how modest many of the images are.

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 6:

      Who here is more grateful for their own mother-in-law after reading about Aunt Sophie??

      What would you done in Sisi's place after the births of her first 3 children?

      Could you have stood up to Sophie?

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 7:

      Sisi's beauty comes at the price of a very intense regimen for her hair and skin every night.

      On a scale of 1 - 10, how does your own beauty regimen compare?

      1 = "I'm as busy as the scullery maids, who has time for that nonsense?"
      10 = "Bring me the egg yolks, olive oil, lavender essential oils and a personal handmaiden to put feathers and flowers in my braids."

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 8:

      If you were coming to my house to discuss the book, I would so make an Apple Strudel for us to share.

      Would you:
      A) Take one delicate bite and then pass a la Sisi.
      B) Gobble the whole thing down and ask for some chocolate like Aunt Sophie.
      C) Pass and go have a beer with Franz.

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 9:

      "Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least." - Goethe

      I loved the author's use of quotes from Sisi's favorite plays (Midsummer Night's Dream) and books (Goethe) throughout the story but the quotes from Goethe were my favorite.

      I've never read him myself, but I've been checking him out on Amazon and I'm tempted to give it a try. Anyone here read him maybe in high school or college?

      This quote in particular stood out to me.

      How true it is when applied to family and work/life balance in today's world!

      Are you more of a Goethe or Shakespeare person?

      Would you rather read a book or see a live performance of a Shakespeare play?

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 10:

      Does The Accidental Empress lead you to believe that Sisi convinced Franz to let Hungary have it's independence because she thinks it is the right thing to do or was it because of her love for Andrassy?

      Here is his featured on the left, and her Hungarian coronation is on the right.

      Is that him in the left of the coronation picture??

      See the online discussion and portraits here.

      Book Club Party Menu

      For the book club party treat, if a homemade apple strudel is out of your league, these easy apple desserts are far easier and still just as delicious!

      • A square of crumble apple pie bar has a drizzle of caramel over the top and a fork to the side.
        Crumble Apple Pie Bars
      • A freezer-friendly metal pan holds an 8x8-inch apple crisp with crumble topping.
        Freezer Friendly Apple Crisp
      • Tiered cake plate serves squares of apple butterscotch bars with an oat crumble topping.
        Fresh Apple Butterscotch Bars
      • A square slice of apple cake topped with soft frosting and pecans sits in front of the metal baking pan it came from. A bite is missing.
        Make-Ahead Apple Cake

      You May Also Enjoy

      If you enjoyed this book, you'd likely enjoy these other fun book club picks from through the years:

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        A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff
      • Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
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        The Best Royal Romance Books
      • A collage of 4 photos of historical fiction books about the American Revolution
        Best Historical Fiction About the American Revolution

      More Best Book Club Picks

      • A copy of People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry sits on a table.
        People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
      • A copy of Pretty Things by Janelle Brown sits on a table.
        Pretty Things by Janelle Brown
      • A copy of The Reading List sits on a table surrounded by other books.
        The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
      • A cover of the book What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon
        What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

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      1. Justine Hill

        September 15, 2017 at 10:37 am

        The Accidental Empress sounds like a fabulous book! Thank you for this suggestion as I'm always looking for something new to read. If you like historical fiction/historical fantasy, look in to “Graced 1943” by Courtney Milford. It's part of her The Grace Family Chronicles series, http://courtneybooks.com/. Thanks again for this book idea!

        Reply

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