I had to pick my feet up while reading that review. Quite over the top in many respects, and sprinkled with errors. For instance, the British deliberately subsidized the Austrians after Marengo on the assumption that the Austrians had a better than decent chance against the French in Bavaria, a precursor to the Trachenberg plan, perhaps. And last time I looked, the Chouans were certainly not from the Catholic southwest of France, unless of course Brittany and Maine just moved geographically speaking. There are a few more, but you get the point.

And "terrorist cells?" Mon Dieu! When will folks ever learn?

The book itself is definitely intent on slathering the British with as much mud as possible for their dastardly attempts to remove Bonaparte one way or another up through the Cadoudal Plot, and then infrequently after the coronation. The review also follows that lead to the point I found it absolutely risible, and more like something I'd expect to read in a fanfic magazine. Oh, wait...

I prefer my history--and my review of history books--to have a bit more balance and far less hyperbole. And no, hyperbole--and errors, and 21st-century anachronisms--do not always sell books.