Chapter 1 – The Imperial Siblings

Despite my efforts to keep the number of characters as low as possible, a reader may still feel somewhat confused when trying to orientate among the counts and princes, ladies-in-waiting, courtiers and high-born visitors. Owing to the historical context, it is indeed quite a crowded narrative. Let us begin by introducing the Imperial family. During […]

Chapter 1 – Archduchess Marianne’s Illness

Archducess-Maria-Anna-of-Austria

What an unpromising start for a novel: the death of the protagonist in the very first chapter! It looks as though the story is over before it has any chance to begin. A reader encounters Archduchess Marianne at a turning point in her life, brought about by a nearly lethal illness during Holy Week in […]

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