Books: The Royal Physician’s Visit: Per Olov Enquist

Christian VII, King of Denmark in the latter half of the 18th century, was madder than a host of Hamlets. His minders hired an idealistic young physician to take care of him, but when the doctor used his access to the weak-minded King to take control of the nation–and to romance the hot-blooded young Queen–things went very rotten indeed. Enquist, a celebrated Swedish novelist, turns this actual historical incident into an enthralling fable of the temptations of power–and a surprisingly poignant love story.

–By Lev Grossman