Napoleon Bonaparte, the great French military leader, was one of the most feared names in all of Europe. By 1807 this mighty leader ruled as “absolute Lord of Europe,” and began to turn his attention towards two powers who had yet to submit to his command: Great Britain and Portugal (6). In Laurentino Gomes’ book, 1808: the flight of the emperor: how a weak prince, a mad queen, and the British navy tricked Napoleon and changed the new world, the author explores the gripping tale of how the Portuguese royal family fled their homeland in order to escape Napoleon’s invasion, and retreated to rule from their prized colony of Brazil. Gomes, a Brazilian journalist and writer, attempts to analyze the causes and journey of the royals to Brazil,…show more content… Using captivating language, and in the context of the real-life sensational story, Gomes’ book stands out as an exciting work of non-fiction. In addition to a thrilling story, the book is very well-researched, and well-written. Throughout the work, Gomes uses a plethora of primary sources to supplement his claims, and other historians’ work on the royals and their activities. Specifically, the continuous use of the Royal Archivist, Luiz dos Santos Marrocos, who lived in Río di Janeíro for ten years was extremely important for understanding the situation in Brazil. Marrocos kept a regular correspondence with numerous family members, and overall his 186 letters provided a main source of context for the reader. (41). These letters and excerpts also provided invaluable first-hand accounts that add to the credibility of Gomes’ arguments and explanations. Furthermore, Gomes uses many other historians to bolster his viewpoints, and gives thorough explanations to all of his points throughout the book. For example, on page twenty-one, Gomes methodically explores how the Portuguese combined with British forces could have fought off the French invasion had they stood their ground. In addition to his organization, Gomes seems like a non-biased source throughout the book. Although he is a Brazilian journalist and author, he attempts to provide all sides of the viewpoint on any situation. For example, while most dismiss Carlota as a crass, ugly woman, Gomes presents the viewpoints of other historians to give a full perspective of the complex individual. In all, Gomes’ book was a captivating work. The book was overall extremely well-written, researched, and overall very informative. The use of language was easy to understand, and the separation of chapters into three main sections made the book easy to follow in the
