It’s the castle that the Disney World Castle is based on. I went for a tour of Ludwig’s most famous castle, Neuschwanstein. I decided to write about Ludwig and Sisi because I went on vacation to Germany and the Czech Republic in 2014. What drew you to write a historical fiction novel about nineteenth-century royals? You’ve mentioned previously that you’re compelled to write about what you want when it comes to your interests and obsessions.

Something I admire about your work is the sense of “limitless” possibility that accompanies your characters and narratives. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. I spoke with her about trying new things as a writer, why she decided to focus on Ludwig and Sisi, and what examining historical figures might tell us about our present moment. Jemc, who teaches Creative Writing at UC San Diego, is the author of My Only Wife, The Grip of It, and False Bingo, which won the Chicago Review of Books Award for fiction in 2017. Jemc invokes sympathy for the cousins while also calling to attention the way their combined unhappiness brought suffering to those around them and their kingdoms. Although this book is fiction, the intensive research that went into this novel is evident on the page. Behind Sisi’s beautiful face is a depressed and isolated mother struggling to find solace. Ludwig champions art and architectural feats above all else. Between such bookends is a human struggle for meaning and fulfillment. This tragicomedy follows the lives of King Ludwig of Bavaria and Empress Sisi of Austria from the beginning of their respective reigns to their untimely deaths. With Speculation into the Mysterious Nature of Their Deaths., offers a fresh take. Many films, television shows, and books have imagined the life of the ruling class from their point of view, but Jac Jemc’s latest novel, Empty Theatre: Or the Lives of King Ludwig II of Bavaria and Empress Sisi of Austria (Queen of Hungary), Cousins, in Their Pursuit Of Connection and Beauty Despite the Expectations Placed on Them Because of the Exceptional Good Fortune of Their Status as Beloved National Figures. Royalty is an enduring topic in popular culture, from beloved animated princesses to historical monarchs and their tourist-inviting palaces.

The Grip of It by Jac Jemc