The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire

This novel recreates a period in the history of our southern neighbor that few Americans know much about. It centers around the tragic figure of Maximilian, a Habsburg prince who for three years tried to establish himself as "emperor of Mexico" backed by the French army. When the French withdrew, his support collapsed. He was captured by Republican forces and executed. C.M. May has researched the period extensively and has an amazing ability to see through the eyes of her vast cast of characters. It includes princes and princesses, soldiers, servants, peasants, revolutionaries, diplomats and a small child, Augustin Iturbide, heir to a distinguished Mexican family stolen from his natural parents to be adopted by Maximilian. I was enormously impressed by the author's ability to bring the period to life and the sheer ambition of this novel. She inhabits the skin of each of her many characters. This is a very impressive feat of imaginative historical reconstruction.

Margaret Mitchell made readers care about the US Civil War from new perspectives -- the women caught there during and after the war. Once you start reading about Scarlett and Rhett, you just can't put the book down and never again are sometimes dull historical names like Sherman's March to the Sea ever the same. The same for C.M. Mayo's The Last Prince for same time period, but for Mexico, not the USA. Until I read this book, I thought of Mexico in the mid-19th Century as a confusing mess bracketed by Santa Ana laying siege to the Alamo, and a back and forth between Benito Juarez and a bizzare historical footnote of a "French" intervention to install monarchs from Europe in Mexico. But now, I have for those times a Scarlett and Rhett, a Melanie and Ashley - their real-life counterparts - to make sense of the big mess thanks to C. M. Mayo. Suddenly, I care, deeply, as Gone With the Winds readers do for Scarlett after Sherman marches through Atlanta that there was Alice Green, the mother of the "Last Prince" of Mexico, a young woman from Washington D.C., who rose up even stronger and braver than Scarlett to save the day not just for her family but also as it turned out, to ensure Mexicans would not be subjects of a crown but citizens of a republic. C.M. Mayo spent ten years digging out Alice's story long buried in archives from Vienna, Washington D.C., New York City, and Mexico City. Who knew until now how much Mexico owed to a young lady from Washington D.C.?

So often we are quick to categorize a people or nation with simple adjectives: third world, dull, uninteresting, poor, etc. C.M. Mayo simply explodes every previous perception of this most remarkable period in Mexican history. Completely ignored in the study of American history, France sought to establish an empire in Mexico while the storm of civil war raged in the United States. Mayo skillfully brings to life the principle characters of Carlota, Maximilian and the heartbreaking saga of Alice Green trapped by her own willingness to sacrifice her child for social prestige. Give yourself ample time to read the spellbinding story. When you read the last line, "The End", you will simply sigh and say, "Wow!"

We spend many years in history classes and most of us end up retaining the major themes and facts of US history, some European major events and a smattering of the rest of the world's story. Of course the 1860s were tumultuous years in America with the Civil War occupying the main stage for five years. But, how many of us are aware that just across the Rio Grande, Mexico was going through a similar upheaval and that the events are fascinating. C. M. Mayo relates an utterly absorbing story, putting faces, feelings and emotions into a intense, brief episode in Mexican History, when Archduke Maximilian I of Austria reigned as Emperor of Mexico for three years. This seemingly incongruous situation was the result of the bizarre intersection of European and Mexican politics. A group representing the conversative, monarchical movement in Mexico, took advantage of the chaos following the overthrow of Benito Juarez and with French support, offered the crown of Mexico to Maximilian, the younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. The imposition of a European royal court upon the political structure of 19th century Mexico is an interesting story in itself and Mayo tells it well. But, the author narrows her focus further by putting at the center two year old Augustin Iturbide y Green, the "last prince of the Mexican Empire." The childless Maximilian and Carlota decided to identify an "heir presumptive" and in 1865 selected the grandson of Mexico's first "emperor" Augustin Iturbide, as a means to increase acceptance of the struggling monarchy. Young Augustin's parents, Angel Iturbide and his American wife, Alice Green, welcomed the proposed arrangement. In return for this designation, the new heir was to be raised in luxury, educated in the best schools in Europe and groomed to become Maximilian's successor and restore the fortunes of the Iturbide family. But, when the child is actually cut off from all contact with his parents, and his parents forced to leave Mexico, Alice Green Iturbide begins a relentless campaign to reclaim her son, a quest that takes her to the court of Louis Napoleon and to the Vatican. Her quest, and the efforts of Maximilian and Carlota to retain their tottering throne make a spellbinding conclusion to this truly fresh and well-crafted novel. Satisfying historic fiction contains the best elements of any good novel: excellent writing, strong plot, conflict, believable characters and an interesting setting. C. M. Mayo has brought all of these elements together around an intriguing and completely mesmerizing story. The impact of the novel was very strong and that has led me to read some background articles, do further research and given me some ideas for my next trip to Mexico. Hat off to Ms Mayo for a job well done. I eagerly look forward to her next effort.

I thoroughly enjoyed C. M. Mayo's historical fiction The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire. The language was poetic and beautiful and I found myself lingering over this book rather than "gobbling it down." The characters were written with a sense of life and Mayo's style changed accurately with them. The ability to weave a story through the lens of so many social classes and personalities makes it all the more enjoyable to read. I especially enjoyed the differing perspectives on the political situation as it added great background knowledge. This story follows a strange period of Mexican history, and tells the tale of the political maneuvering which occurred behind the scenes. I was rather unfamiliar with this historical period, but found that Mayo blended the events seamlessly into the story line. Like only the best historical fiction writers can Mayo introduced this period to me and ignited a new interest to learn more!