Napoleon’s Last Island cover art

Napoleon’s Last Island

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Napoleon’s Last Island

By: Tom Keneally
Narrated by: Edwina Wren
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $42.99

Buy Now for $42.99

About this listen

Whilst living in exile on St Helena, Napoleon exerted an extraordinary influence on young Betsy Balcombe. How did she get from Napoleon's side to the Australian bush?

Betsy Balcombe as a young woman lived with her family on St Helena. They befriended, served and were ruined by their relationship with Napoleon. To redeem the family's fortunes, William Balcombe, Betsy's father, betrayed Napoleon and accepted a job as the colonial treasurer of NSW, bringing his family with him. William never recovered from the ups and downs of association with Napoleon. His family, however, flourished in Australia and remained renowned pastoralists in Victoria.

Tom Keneally, with his gift for bringing historical stories to life, shares this remarkable friendship and the beginning of an Australian dynasty.

©2015 The Serpentine Publishing Company (P)2015 Bolinda Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction War & Military Military War British Empire

Critic Reviews

"[Narrator Edwina] Wren’s smooth and soothing tones draw the listener into this detailed first-person account.... Keneally’s fans will devour this enchanting novel of Napoleon’s last days." ( AudioFile)
All stars
Most relevant  
Story interesting but a bit slow. Narrator does well giving it life. Napoleon has become a more interesting historical figure, thanks to this book.

OK but not Keneally's best

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I love Tom Keneally writing. His insights into human nature are amazing and yet never overworked.

fantastic story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Some interesting details of Napoleon's time on St Helena and his relationships with the Balcombes and various administrators but too much blah blah blah. If Kenealy was trying to express the tedium of life on a far flung island of exile...then success. Some memorable scenes being the description of the Briars, the race won on OGF's horse and the 'splendid green dress'. Also which parts were from the original diary?

Love the era and the author but...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Typically well written novel by Tom Keneally of Napolean's time in capture on the remote island of St Helena. It is well researched and describes the vibrant relationships with a family and various people during that time. It is beautifully crafted and a fascinating read. The narration was excellent. Highly recommended.

Fascinating story of Napoeons last years

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.