Author María Pilar Queralt, a professional historian, uses a "highly sensitive and refined style" to portray the Queen's internal struggle against a public that rejected her in favor of the late, beloved Queen María de las Mercedes.

A hallmark of Queralt's work is her focus on rehabilitating women's roles in history, transforming a figure often seen as cold and distant into a deeply human protagonist.

Unlike many historical biographies, this novel focuses on the often-overlooked period of María Cristina's life before she became the long-serving Regent of Spain, specifically her first six years at court.

The story spans from her courtship in the Schönbrunn Palace in Austria to the complex political and social environment of 19th-century Madrid.