The Royal Physician's Visit
An international sensation, The Royal Physician's Visit magnificently recasts the dramatic era of Danish history when Johann Friedrich Struensee -- court physician to mad young King Christian -- stepped through an aperture in history and became the holder of absolute power in Denmark. His is a...
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An international sensation, The Royal Physician's Visit magnificently recasts the dramatic era of Danish history when Johann Friedrich Struensee -- court physician to mad young King Christian -- stepped through an aperture in history and became the holder of absolute power in Denmark. His is a gripping tale of power, sex, love, and the life of the mind, and it is superbly rendered here by one of Sweden's most acclaimed writers. A charismatic German doctor and brilliant intellectual, Struensee used his influence to introduce hundreds of reforms in Denmark in the 1760s. He had a tender and erotic affair with Queen Caroline Mathilde, who was unsatisfied by her unstable, childlike husband. Yet Struensee lacked the subtlety of a skilled politician and the cunning to choose enemies wisely; these flaws proved fatal, and would eventually lead to his tragic demise.
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Format: paperback
ISBN:
9781468303391 (1468303392)
ASIN: B00DPNXUOC
Publish date: December 19th 2012
Publisher: Overlook TP
Pages no: 312
Edition language: English
Category:
Novels,
Literature,
European Literature,
Cultural,
Historical Fiction,
Health,
Roman,
Medicine,
Scandinavian Literature,
18th Century,
Denmark,
Sweden,
Swedish Literature
4.5 Stars.I love books that bring history to life and what an utterly fascinating and compelling read based on historical fact The Royal Phsician's Visit was. It tells the story of King Christian VII of Denmark, his young Queen Caroline Mathilda of England and his Physician Johann Friedrich Struens...
This is historical fiction at its best; with both feet placed on the solid ground of facts, Enquist has succeeded in writing a very thrilling and yet historically correct novel. I have always been very fascinated with the grim tale of the English Princess, the German doctor and the Danish King, and ...
Full-time: this is very much the News of the World/Sunday Sport way of recounting history; it could have been thumped together by a conglomerate of Hugh Hefner/a road drill/Samuel Beckett and David Bowker. How I wish this period could be given the Antonia Fraser touch.Anyway, I finished and went on ...
NO SPOILERSOn completion: WOW - what a way to learn history! This reads like a horror story or a political crime novel. But NO!, this is history. I applaud Per Olov Enquist's talents. He presents all the facts, all the events of the "Danish Struensee Era", and yet not once do you feel you are readin...
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