Customer Reviews
Edith Wharton revisited? - By: aapjebaapje, 22 Oct 2003 
If you like Edith Wharton, you’ll enjoy this book too.
It is almost two booksin one. The first part setin France is excellent & a novelin itself.
The second, setin the USA, is really a biography of the Field family. Enjoyablein its own way but not really a story, more a denouement of the first part of the book.
I think this may be more enjoyable for Americans than English because the Field family is part of their history but nevertheless, well worth a read.
Edith Wharton revisited? - By: aapjebaapje, 22 Oct 2003 If you like Edith Wharton, you’ll enjoy this book too.
It is almost two booksin one. The first part setin France is excellent & a novelin itself.
The second, setin the USA, is really a biography of the Field family. Enjoyablein its own way but not really a story, more a denouement of the first part of the book.
I think Americans would find this more engaging than I did, as an English woman, but nevertheless well worth a read.
AN AMAZING STORY ABOUT A WOMAN WHO ROCKED A NATION... - By: Lawyeraau, 21 Feb 2003 
This is a well-written fictionalization of the life of Henriette Deluzy-Desportes, who happens to be the author's great aunt by marriage. In her day, Ms. Deluzy-Desportes was the most notorious womanin France. This is her story, the story of a notorious governess who would leave France under a cloud & emerge triumphantin America.
The author recounts a drama & scandal that beset Francein the midst of the nineteenth century. It revolved around the household of the Duc & Duchesse de Praslin, the family who had engaged the services of Ms. Deluzy-Desportes as governess to their young children. Once ensconcedin the household, she quickly realized that there was a problem between the Duc & Duchesse de Praslin. The Duchess, an impetuous & passionate woman of Corsican descent, was slightly unhinged, perhaps by madness & her passion for the Duc, who clearly was no longer interestedin herin the wayin which she wished.
Ms. Deluzy-Desportes & the Duc developed a close, though platonic, relationship, because of their mutual interestin the Praslin children, an interest that the Duchesse did not seem to share. She perceived their closeness as a threat & her jealousy knew no bounds. The Duc & Ms. Deluzy-Desportes did not, however, always act circumspectly, & the gossips of France had a field day, attributing to them an affair that had no basis,in fact. This gossip added to the already existing tensionin the Praslin household, which was a seething cauldron of emotions, until the day would come when Ms. Deluzy-Desportes would be dismissed with a promise of a letter of recommendation from the Duchesse. When the promised letter never came, the Duc was outraged by the perfidy of the Duchesse. Shortly thereafter, the Duchesse met with a tragic end, & the Duc & governess were under suspicion of murder.
What happens to each of them makes for a gripping narrative. The tragic circumstances with which Ms. Deluzy-Deportes met made her one of the most hated womenin France. When her lifein France became impossible, like many others she sought refugein the New World. What was to happen to herin America had the makings of a fairytale. Her life would never be the same. This is a beautifully written story about a woman beset by the vicissitudes of life, but who emerged triumphant when all was said & done. It makes for a marvelous & fascinating story that will keep the reader riveted to the pages. Bravo!
AN AMAZING STORY ABOUT A WOMAN WHO ROCKED A NATION... - By: Lawyeraau, 05 Nov 2002 This is a well written fictionalization of the life of Henriette Deluzy-Desportes, who happens to be the author's great aunt by marriage. In her day, Ms. Deluzy-Desportes was the most notorious womanin France. This is her story, the story of a notorious governess who would leave France under a cloud & emerge triumphantin America.
The author recounts a drama & scandal that beset Francein the midst of the nineteenth century. It revolved around the household of the Duc & Duchesse de Praslin, the family who had engaged the services of Ms. Deluzy-Desportes as governess to their young children. Once esconcedin the household, she quickly realized that there was a problem between the Duc & Duchesse de Praslin. The Duchess, an impetuous & passionate woman of Corsican descent, was slightly unhinged, perhaps by madness & her passion for the Duc, who clearly was no longer interestedin herin the wayin which she wished.
Ms. Deluzy-Desportes & the Duc developed a close, though platonic, relationship, because of their mutual interestin the Praslin children, an interest which the Duchesse did not seem to share. She perceived their closeness as a threat & her jealousy knew no bounds. The Duc & Ms. Deluzy-Desportes did not, however, always act circumspectly, & the gossips of France had a field day, attributing to them an affair that had no basis,in fact. This gossip added to the already existing tensionin the Praslin household, which was a seething cauldron of emotions, until the day would come when Ms. Deluzy-Desportes would be dismissed with a promise of a letter of recommendation from the Duchesse. When the promised letter never came, the Duc was outraged by the perfidy of the Duchesse. Shortly thereafter, the Duchesse met with a tragic end, & the Duc & governess were under suspicion of murder.
What happens to each of them makes for a gripping narrative. The tragic circumstances with which Ms. Deluzy-Deportes met made her one of the most hated womenin France. When her lifein France became impossible, like many others she sought refugein the new world. What was to happen to herin America had the makings of a fairytale. Her life would never be the same. This is a beautifully written story about a woman beset by the vicissitudes of life, but who emerged triumphant when all was said & done. It makes for a marvelous & fascinating story that will keep the reader riveted to the pages.
An unforgetable read from years ago - By: , 03 Apr 1999 I read this book years & years ago... & over & over again. It was such a friend that I would just visit it on the shelf at the library. And then, suddenly, years & years later, it occurs to me that I might just OWN a copy of it. And a title search here at Amazon.com brought it to the surface. I can't wait to again greet this old friend. It is a wonderful story; the title can be a motto for living.
