Customer Reviews

Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book starts after Josephine and Napolean are married. It gives a deep insight into their marriage, their quarrels, and how they shaped and liberated France. While it is a love story, it isn't terribly gushy. It has its footholds in reality, making it a pleasant read for a man. It touches briefly upon war, but primarily explains the preparations and after effects. It doesn't really go into what happened on the fields. The author filled this book with so many facts that it would make a great reference. It would also give a highschool student who was anti-learning about history a different view, perhaps even peak their interest. The entire book is footnoted.

I was a nervous wreck waiting for "Tales of Passion..." to be released. And when it arrived in NY stores, I had a salesclerk pull it right from the shipping boxes! It took me 3 days to complete this fabulous continuation of Josephine's life. I had feared it wouldn't even compare to the first, but now I can't decide which one I LOVE more. I haven't been this excited about a book since Memoirs of a Geisha (which I read 3 years ago.) I'll be in withdrawl from now until Part III. Hurry up Ms. Gulland! What will I do when its over!

A wonderful book, far more interesting than the first volume. Once you begin to read the first words of this book, you will be slowly hypnotised into her world. You will be transformed into Josephine herself and relive the wars, the romance, the terror, her emotions and thoughts. A three dimensional feeling will overcome you, and suddenly you'll find that you are imprisoned in the world of the past; deep in a dark winter night in a jasmine-scented room, writing a letter with the light of a single candle where you can only hear the sound of the fire crackling and the cold wind rustling. And you WON'T want to return. You will bring Josephine to your dreams, in a mysterious night in the alluring melancholic music of a harp. Oh, it's completely mesmerizing!

Absolutely mesmerizing. This is a book that invades your mind and soul completely. Historically rich, refreshing, provocative yet deep. Unique perspective on a subject often ignored in history- the role of the significant other. Definitely one of the best historical fiction books I've read.

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.

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.

Sandra Gulland's trilogy on Josephine Bonaparte is brilliant. I absolutely adored all three, falling madly in love with the characters. I actually cried at the end of "The Last Great Dance on Earth", which may sound silly considering we all know how it ends; however, never before have historical figures been so human. I highly recommend all three of these books.

This is the second novel in the Josephine Trilogy; here the story takes us to the beginning of Josephine's marriage to Napoleon. We are witness to the horrid and formidable Bonaparte clan, In-laws that would make anyone think twice about marriage, and the rise of Napoleon's power. Through Sandra Gulland, Josephine brings us into her world as she deals with her new and ever evolving role in society. It is an interesting and refreshing point of view, which Gulland brings to the pages. We see history through human eyes and actually experience this period time. If the Napoleonic Wars are of interest to you, or you enjoy getting a sense of history and a different society I highly recommend this book. Gulland makes Josephine real to us, sometimes we want to shake her, and sometimes we want to congratulate her. Always we want to sympathize with her.

While not as engrossing as the first of the series, this book still successfully draws the reader into the intrigue filled & interesting world of Josephine Bonaparte. The author does a good job of recreating so many of the pivotal moments in the Bonaparte's life without loosing the personal insight of Josephine.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

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!