Description
Set in the volatile court of 18th-century Denmark, this novel opens with the appointment of Johann Friedrich Struensee as royal physician to King Christian VII—an intelligent ruler shadowed by instability and a lifelong hunger for “enlightenment.” As Struensee’s progressive ideas and personal charisma win trust, they also ignite dangerous rivalries, drawing him into the intimate orbit of Queen Caroline Mathilde and forcing him to navigate a world where reform and desire are inseparable from power. Enquist’s brisk, lucid, and sharply observant style brings emotional, political, and spiritual currents into vivid focus, revealing how love can become both refuge and weapon. At its heart, the story examines the fragile boundary between sanity and control, the costs of idealism in a corrupt system, and the human consequences of betrayal at the highest level.
Available Editions
paperback
Washington Square Press
Published Nov 19, 2002
320 pages
ISBN: 9780743458030
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Details
First Published
2001
Language
eng
Translation
From: swe
Content Warnings
No content warnings identified.