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Tales Of Passion Tales Of Woe |
Author: Sandra Gulland
Published: 1999-11-16 |
List price: $14.00
Our price: $19.76
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As of: January 07th, 2009 07:23:10 PM
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Customer comments on this selection.
 Obsessed!
I'm obsessed with the trilogy. I read the first one in a couple weeks and the second one in a couple days...I'm on the third one now and I must say I'm procrastinating because I just don't want it to end! Sandra Gulland's writing is extraordinary. I can't wait to read Mistress of the Sun...although she has me so mesmerized by Josephine it makes me want to pick up other books to learn more about her. She's amazing!
Excellent
I love this series and am not looking forward to it ending. However, I am excited to get started reading the third book in this series having finished the first and second books. These books read so easily and the reader is drawn into Josephine's life -- the reader begins to feel like they truly know this woman.
If you like to read Historical Fiction then this series is definately for you!
Really compelling story of Josephine
Whether this piece of historical fiction sticks to the facts or not, I don't know, but the drama and empathy one feels in reading it makes you want to have known Josephine first hand. A delightful and compelling read.
A magnificent, poignant look into Napoleon Bonaparte's wife!
I read The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B a few years ago and hadn't thought of reading the second volume until now. Well, in all fairness, I hadn't known there was a second installment until now. This historical figure has always intrigued me for being the wife of one of the most powerful military commanders in history. Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe is another intriguing and insightful historical/biographical novel centered on the woman who shared her life with the man responsible for the European wars of late eighteenth century to early nineteenth century. This novel covers the couple's stay in Italy during 1786 to 1800. In diary form, Josephine tells us about Bonaparte's self-declaration as First Counsel and becomes all the more powerful while she deals with her in-laws who had taken an instant dislike to her and try to ruin her reputation with lies and careful plotting. And through her many trials, she never loses her desire to help others in spite of having a compulsive need to shop and then hide her debts and expenses. And then she moves the reader when she realizes that she's developed feelings for her husband. There are various twists throughout the novel.
Sandra Gulland paints a true and compelling picture of the historical Empress. She makes her likeable and yet conflicting and complex at the same time. Her trials with her in-laws are the most difficult ones for her and you feel her struggles while applauding her strength for enduring them with the patience of a saint. I also like how the author describes the ever-changing roles in Josephine's life as her husband gains political power and becomes a formidable figure in Europe. The historical accuracy is quite impressive and the footnotes were very insightful. I often don't like footnotes in fiction because they distract me from the story, but in this case I found them to be integral to the overall book because I learned things about Bonaparte that I hadn't known about before. I read The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B a few years ago and cannot remember every detail, but I do know that I wasn't able to appreciate Josephine B back then as I do now with this one. Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe is a great second offering in what is so far a great trilogy. Sandra Gulland has impressed me with this wonderful book and I look forward to reading The Last Great Dance on Earth, which will pick up when Bonaparte moves to the Tuileries Palace. I hope that this third and last installment will also cover all of the Napoleonic wars, Bonaparte's exile to Elba and his reinstallment on the throne of France, which leads to the battle of Waterloo. I can't wait to read Gulland's version of Josephine B and her insights during those events! (Though I think Josephine died the year before Waterloo.) Anyway, I recommend this wonderful book, right after you read The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.
NAPOLEON AND JOSEPHINE, A LOVE STORY
Two days after Josephine's marriage to the funny little Corsican (on March 9, 1796), Napoleon leaves Paris to take command of the Army of Italy. Three and a half months later Josephine is summoned to Milan by Bonaparte. She leaves her beautiful home, her friends, and most importantly, her children for almost two years. During this period she must spend time with her husband's horrible mother and siblings and endure the most unbelievable and torturous therapies in order to get pregnant.
TALES OF PASSION, TALES OF WOE is book two in Sandra Gulland's trilogy about the life of Josephine Bonaparte. This novel only covers four years--the period between Josephine's marriage in 1796 through February, 1800 when the Bonapartes move to the Tuileries Palace. This takes place after the big Coup d'Etat when Napoleon overthrows the Directors and declares himself as First Counsel. In between the pages, written as a diary and peppered with a multitude of historical footnotes, we find Josephine, as usual, trying to help others. She continues to show exceptional patience when dealing with her offensive in-laws (who are constantly plotting against her, taking money from her and who spread lies about her). She also shops and shops and spends way too much money and then tries to find ways to cover her debts. She also is slowly falling deeply in love with her younger husband.
I really enjoyed reading this historical novel about characters I have always been intrigued with. TALES OF PASSION is not only beautifully written but is quite the page-turner. Included in this book are actual letters written by Bonaparte to the love of his life. Even though I know the tragic ending of this love story, I am still looking forward to book number three to see how it all transpires.
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