Book Notes: The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire

I am enthralled with this book! The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C. M. Mayo is a historical novel of the best kind -- a tale based on history, not merely set in historic times -- about how Maximilian, the Hapsburg Emperor of Mexico, "adopted" the grandson of the first Mexican Emperor. There are so many characters telling the tale from their own point of view -- everyone from the Emperor to the scullery maid to the toddler prince himself -- and such a complicated plot! It has me hanging on every page. Lots of adventure and detail; great, clean writing that doesn't get in the way of the story. And all about a sliver of European/New World history that I know nothing about and am intrigued by. This is the kind of novel to get lost in. I only wish I had some kind of winter get-away like a mountain weekend or Spring Break so I could hunker down with this and read it straight through. As it is, I have to get in ten or 15 minutes am and pm and it is barley enough to keep me going.