DIGVIJAY

THE NOVEL BEGINS WITH THE NAPOLEAN`S ENTRY IN THE POLITICAL SCENARIO AND HIS ROLE AS A COMMANDER. IT PROGRESSES WITH HIS VICTORIES OVER THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, HIS UNSUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN IN RUSSIA, HIS DEFEAT IN THE BATTLE OF LEIPZIG, HIS EXILE ON THE ISLAND OF ELBA, HIS LAST DEFEAT AT THE WATERLOO AND HIS TWILIGHT DAYS IN THE BRITISH IMPRISONMENT. THE POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE IN THE NOVEL IS FULL OF INTRIGUES AND INTRICACIES, THE STRATEGIES AND DIPLOMACIES, GRID AND ANGER, LOYALTY AND DECEPTIONS, WAR AND PEACE. THE AUTHORS HAVE BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED NAPOLEAN`S TENDER, DELICATE LOVE AFFAIRS AND THE PROMISES AND COMPROMISES HE HAD TO MAKE. THE DESCRIPTIONS OF HIS DEFEAT AT THE WATERLOO, HIS UNSUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN IN RUSSIA AND HIS LONELY LAST DAYS ON SAINT HELENA ISLAND ARE EXTREMELY TOUCHING. NAPOLEAN HAD A VERY SHORT STATURE COMPARED TO AN AVERAGE EUROPEAN, HE WAS NEITHER AN EXPERT HORSE RIDER NOR A SHARP SHOOTER, STILL HE WON 40 BATTLES. HE KNEW WHERE TO ATTACK. THE AUTHORS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED HIS AMAZING PRESENCE OF MIND, HIS FAST CALCULATIONS IN HANDLING THE ARMY AND HIS POSITIVE APPROACH TOWARDS CHALLENGES. SO IT IS RIGHTLY SAID THAT `HE CAME, HE SAW.. AND HE CONQUERED!` HE HAD TREMENDOUS WILL POWER, SELF CONFIDENCE AND EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP QUALITIES. HE NEVER GUIDED HIS ARMY FROM THE BACKGROUND BUT ALWAYS KEPT HIMSELF ON THE FOREFRONT. THE AUTHORS HAVE DONE JUSTICE TO NAPOLEAN BY DEPICTING HIM NOT MERELY A POLITICAL LEADER OR A GENERAL BUT ALSO AS A SOCIAL REFORMER, THE FOUNDER OF THE FAMOUS `CIVIL CODE` AND THE `CENTRAL BANK OF FRANCE.` THOUGH HE HAD FAILED IN CONQUERING THE WHOLE WORLD, HE CONQUERED THE MINDS OF HIS SOLDIERS AND THE FRENCHMEN.