Customer Reviews

The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. : A Novel

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I'm not a big fan of the whole 'history via a character's diary' thing. But I grabbed this book on a whim and was quickly absorbed. Sandra Gulland makes her Josephine so real and lovable--she's not the out-of-reach French Empress who happened to cheat on Napoleon. Josephine is actually a very real, warm person with insecurities and loneliness and the same troubles that any of us would have. Her marriage is rough, she has to move far away from home, she worries about having the money for her children's education. You laugh, cry, and worry right along with Rose/Josephine.

The historical details in this are wonderful as well. It's obvious that Sandra Gulland put a lot of research into her book, and it certainly pays off. I immediately ordered the second and third book, and was not disappointed in any of them.

I recommend ordering the entire trilogy immediately. Trust me when I say you'll rip through all three in a record pace. They're that good.

I applaud Gulland, the author, for choosing a lesser-studied historical figure and taking the time to write such an interesting (fact-based) fiction about her.

Told in the form of diary readings by and correspondence to Josephine (aka "Rose"), this first of three volumes discusses her early life, adolescence, first marriage, children, imprisonment, and reluctant relationship with Napoleon. During these years, Josephine was surrounded by revolution, intrigue, love, fear, and poverty.

Gulland bases the story on her years of reasearch. Her respect for Josephine and the historical period shows in her richly-crafted descriptions. I was entertained by many of the interesting tid-bits of information about he medical practices and beauty rituals of the day. (I am incredibly thankful that I was born in the 20th century!)

This is one of those books I had difficulty putting down. Each diary reading seemed to bring about a revalation which urged me to read on further. I felt like a voyeur -- spying into the life of Josephine by reading her most private thoughts.

My only criticism has to do with the pace of the book. At points the story zoomed forward, at other points it sputtered slowly ahead. Rather than pointing a finger at the author, I would likely attribute this varying pace to the subject matter. (Afterall, Josephine's life -- while interesting -- was not always at full throttle.) I expect that the pace will stay more consistent in volume 2, as it covers the most historically active part of Josephine's life.

Speaking of the second volume, I have already purchased it. I can't wait to see what else is in store. Happy reading!

A friend of mine read this book while on vacation in Hawaii. He loved it so much he immediately went to the bookstore to buy the second and third books in this trilogy. I had never heard of the book or the author, nor was I interested in the life of Josephine Bonaparte, but his enthusiastic praise was enough of an endorsement for me.

He was right. This is a book you will lose yourself in. Sandra Gulland has done an enormous amount of research on her subject, Josephine Bonaparte, a.k.a. Rose. It is very entertaining, as well as educational. Gulland's Josephine is a classy, gracious diplomat who helped shape history. When faced with a dilemma after reading this book, you will find yourself asking "What would Josephine do?" The book is written in diary format, and spans the time from Josephine/Rose's adolescence in Martinique, through the French Revolution, and up until the beginning of her relationship with Napoleon. Each chapter leaves you eager for the next one, and growing more and more fond of Josephine along the way.

When a friend presented Sandra Gulland's Josephine trilogy to me as a gift, I was somewhat dubious. But that night, I opened the front cover, read the first page, and was immediately drawn in to the world of Rose, the girl from Martinique who grew up to survive the Terror of the French Revolution and become Josephine, the wife of Napolean Bonapart.

I understand Sandra Gulland is a complete Francophile and researched tirelessly to bring together the details of the events described in the book. Choosing the first person would have been an excellent narrative technique regardless, but to transform it into a personal diary is incredibly courageous. It is as if Gulland has channeled Josephine herself, convincing us(as well as Arthur Golden did in Memoirs of a Geisha) that the author is completely absent, and the story is quite possibly a genuine artefact.

Gulland has weaved a spell on every page of the book, convincing us we are privvy to the private musings of one of the most famous women of all history. What's more, her conversational descriptive approach forms Josephine, her family, her friends and the events of the French Revolution in such a way that makes them entirely three dimensional. Each character is well defined, as if they dictated their conversations, their quips and their comments directly to Gulland for reproduction on the page.

The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. is pacey, never boring, always compelling, an absolute page turner. When I finished it, I paused a few days to take in the magnitude of the events of the final pages - Josephine's marriage to Bonapart. I dared not even scan the cover of another book lest the spell I believed I had fallen under was broken. Then I plunged into book two...

Wow!!! What a wonderfully enjoyable book Sandra Gulland has written . . . I have always been quite interested in European History, but anytime I bought a book about any historical figure or period I felt as if I they were too . . . too . . . well I can't find the exact expression for what I felt they were like but they never suceeded in taking me, the reader, into the world of the story.

Not so with Jospehine B. I was instantly swept up in her world - her fears, her troubles, her triumphs, her heartbreak. The diary format works like a charm!!!

I could not put it down . . .

My only adive besides buying the book is to wait until @ least the 2nd volume comes out - then you won't be suffering like I am waiting for the 2nd volume to come out and the 3rd? Forget about the 3rd - it's not slated until November 2000 - AARGH!!!!

As a fan of historical fiction, I found this book extremely absorbing. It is written in very readable prose, the French in it is always correct, and the story a captivating one, sometimes it's hard to believe that the protagonist actually existed! Josephine is portrayed as a real woman who endures hardship and still manages to hold on to compassion and love for others less fortunate than herself, she is a woman whose influence is powerful, a "modern" woman to be admired today. I highly recommend this novel, especially for book clubs, and look forward to reading the sequel. This one is hard to put down!

The book, written in diary format, documented the early life and formative years of Rose Tasher (aka Josephine Bonaparte). The only knowledge I had about this woman prior to reading this book was that she was Napolean's wife. Afterwards, I was truly enlightened and amazed to learn she was born a creole in Martinique.

Gulland provides an historical perspective of a young woman growing up in the Carribean, and her dreams for the future in a "magnificent" land. The author does much justice to historical timelines by including accurate references to mysticism, fortune-telling, local customs and development of young love and young dreams. Truly a delight to read.

This first book in Sandra Gulland's trilogy about the life and times of Josephine and Napoleon is wonderful, the second in the series is better, and the third will not let you sleep till you're done with it! There is a cautionary note at the end of the last book that warns that this subject is addictive. The warning came too late for me! The most incredibly wonderful historical writing since Michael Grant's Cleopatra.

This was a wonderful book, filled with fabulous tidbits of French life. An example would be-did you know that women used mouse fur to enhance their eyebrows? This is a wonderfully researched book. Besides being great to read it would make a wonderful reference book for someone writing a report, or learning about the French Revolution. The author gives you a true insight into who, what, when, where and why. While this is about a woman, this book would also be a great read for a man with its' explanation of the war and jails of the period. The entire book is footnoted. I've never read a more insightful book about any of the Bonapartes.

I only recently heard about this popular series of books on Josephine Bonaparte. I started reading this first one and could not put it down. I was immediately drawn into the young girl's life as she experiences one setback after another all the while remaining the strong, dignified individual that she is. My friends were right--Josephine B. had an amazing life that was very tragic and heart-wrenching yet inspirational and full of love.

This is a real page-turner. I felt as if I were peeking into a friend's diary and becoming hooked on her stories. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. After devouring this book in only two days, I decided to purchase the 2nd and 3rd books in the series. I know I won't be disappointed. Buy this book and you won't be disappointed either. Enjoy!