Josephine's Garden

When Rose de Beauharnais is released from prison at the end of the French Revolution in 1794 she little suspects that she will one day be Empress of France and known as Josephine. In the novel Josephine's Garden, Sephanie Parkyn continues her exploration of French history from the end of the eighteenth century to early nineteenth century by interweaving the story of Josephine Bonaparte with that of Anne, wife of the botanist Felix Lahaie, and Marthe, wife of savant Jacques de Labillardiere. 

When Josephine marries the soldier, Napoleon Boneparte, she discovers a dilapidated house by a lake with the sad name of Malmaison and decides there and then that the house should be restored and that the gardens will be her project. The plan is to make them the best gardens in France and include examples of the variety of exotic plants brought back to France by French explorers. She needs assistance to fulfill her plan so enlists the skills of Felix Lahaie who had recently returned from a four year voyage to New Holland and nearby islands. 

There are a number of themes in this book. One is the rivalry between the botanists and Josephine to be able to propagate plants from the other side of the world in France. Another theme is the quest for political power and also the need for political stability. The French Revolution did not remove the the political tensions in the country which increase as Napoleon rises to power and sets out to expand French territory in Europe and also makes himself Emperor. A third theme looks at the lives of women who have difficulty becoming pregnant for a variety of reasons.

Stephanie Parkyn has created another novel bringing to life the lives of individuals trying to survive firstly during the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Wars. Her first novel was Into the World and the third novel is the recently published The Freedom of Birds.

Into the World

Into the World by Stephanie Parkyn is based on the life of a real person - Marie-Louise Victorie Giradin (1754-1794). On 28 September 1791 disguised as a ship's steward, Louis Giraden boarded the Researche, one of the two ships sent out by the French King to search for La Perouse's two ships that had disappeared when exploring territories in the Paccific Ocean near New Holland. 

For the next four years Marie-Louise strived to maintain her identity as a man during the expedition. She had untaken this voyage as there was no future for her as an unmarried mothers in France, particularly during the uncertain times of the French Revolution (1789-1799). Marie-Louise planned to use her earnings to support a new life with her son who she would reclaim on her return to France. However, at least one person aboard the ship knew her true identity.

 As well as the search for La Perouse, the ship carried botanists charged with collecting whatever items could be found to bring back to France. Cartographers were also aboard to chart the south coast of Australia while astronomers were to study the southern hemisphere skies. Tensions often arose between those on board as to whose interests should be persued. There were also tensions, on occasion, between those who supported the King and Republicans aboard the ship.

The novel is written from the perspective of Marie-Louise but we also learn of other real people who were on the ships, especially the thoughts of the French explorers. The book provides an insight into an often dangerous time in history as well as providing a possible picture of life aboard a sailing ship travelling into the unknown.

The author located limited reference to Louis Giradin in a number of private journals written by crew members and scientists, particularly the published journal of Jacques-Julien Labillardiere, which provided background information for the novel. 

Australian Dictionary of Biography - Marie-Louise Victoire Giradin

Louis Giradin - Museum of Western Australia

Marie Louise Victoire Giradin- The first European woman to visit Tasmania

Australian Dictionary of Biography - Jean Francoise de Galaup La Perouse

The Freedom of Birds

The Freedom of Birds by New Zealand author, Stephanie Parkyn, is set in Europe during the early years of the nineteenth century. We first meet the main characters, Remi, Pascale and Saski in 1807. When young children, they had all been deserted by their mothers and spent their early lives living with entertainers in theatres or in a circus. By 1812 they have joined forces and formed an entertainment act performing in towns to earn money for food and board as they move from town to town. They eventually find a safe haven in Venice but this is shortlived when Napoleon's army is on the retreat and it becomes obvious that Remi and Pascale, being French are putting friends in danger. They resolve to return to France.

The relevance of this story to today is increasingly apparent with Russia presently encroaching into Ukraine's territory. Some of the conflicts that have existed in Europe for centuries are highlighted in the book. Napoleon began his retreat from Moscow in 1812 and during the next two years gradually returned with his army to France. As the French army retreated young men were captured to add to its military forces.

Against the background of an ever changing political landscape, this novel explores the relationships between the three main characters as they attempt to survive in an often cruel world and also attempt to discover a little about their early life. It also shows the working of theatre, storytelling and trends in the entertainment industry at the time. Some of the characters that appear in Stephanie Parkyn's previous novels - Into the World and Josephine's Garden - appear in this story. Although the story in this book stands on its own it could be seen to be an advantage to have read the previous two novels.