Following the life of Josephine Bonaparte, from her birth in Martinique to her death in France, this biography gives insight into the woman behind the man, Napoleon. Knapton shows Josephine in her true light, neither praising nor criticizing her, but allowing the reader to draw his own conclusions.
Through the use of many primary sources, including various letters involving Josephine, the story of the troubled life of an empress emerges. Though known for her life under the shadow of Napoleon, Knapton focuses most of his research on Josephine, the woman, with emphasis on her life before and after Napoleon.
The book is the story of Josephine, but the reader learns about the days of the French Revolution and its aftermath as he follows the story of one of the greatest women of the nineteenth century. Under the Terror, Josephine was imprisoned for her connections to her former husband, Alexander. The story of their life together is truly a story of the Revolution and its horrors, though it began as a means to set the people free.
Knapton uses the biography of Josephine in two ways. First, he contributes to historical scholarship by presenting her life in a way that was not done before. He shows Josephine, in all her majesty and with all her flaws, in a more human light. Secondly, he uses the biography to tell the story of a society in social upheaval and cultural ferment. Tracing the life of Josephine is following the story of the French from the monarchy, through the Revolution and the Terror, on to Napoleonic France, and the restoration of the monarchy.
The book is well-researched and presented in a way that can be read by the scholar and the lay-person alike. The drama of the story mixed with the history of France makes this an excellent read.

She was not the most beautiful woman in Paris, nor was she the most intelligent. Her music, art, and wardrobe was good but never tip-top. But she had the combination of qualities which made her the most captivating and powerful woman in Thermidorian France. Her ability to influence Napoleon caused, in turn, an influence on French history itself. Age, her biggest enemy, finally overtook her and in the process led to divorce. Napoleon himself was the big loser in the divorce because is ego was freed from her control which then led to disaster.

Knapton's documentation, analysis of sources, measured interpretation of women's politics is the strength of this biography. After finishing the book, the reader feels that he knows well Josephine, her environment, and the craft of historical interpretation as well.