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Marianne #1
Une étoile pour Napoléon
La vie prodigieuse de Marianne d'Asselnat de Villeuneuve commence en Angleterre, dans le paisible domaine de sa tante Ellis Selton qui l'a recueillie après la mort de ses parents, guillotinés sous la Terreur.
Son adolescence prend fin brutalement le jour même où elle épouse le beau Francis Cranmere dont elle est secrètement éprise depuis longtemps. Au cours d'une nuit de noces effroyable, elle perd à la fois son amour, sa fortune et sa sécurité. Marianne doit fuir, abandonner tout ce qu'elle aime, revenir en France où règne l'homme qu'on lui a appris à haïr jour après jour : Napoléon.
Son adolescence prend fin brutalement le jour même où elle épouse le beau Francis Cranmere dont elle est secrètement éprise depuis longtemps. Au cours d'une nuit de noces effroyable, elle perd à la fois son amour, sa fortune et sa sécurité. Marianne doit fuir, abandonner tout ce qu'elle aime, revenir en France où règne l'homme qu'on lui a appris à haïr jour après jour : Napoléon.
608 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
9 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
About the author
Juliette Benzoni
304 books154 followersJuliette Benzoni, (Andrée-Marguerite-Juliette) was a French author and international bestseller in several genres, including historical romance, historical fiction, mystery and screenwriting. Named by the Media as the « Queen of History Novels » and « Daughter of Alexander Dumas».
Born 1920 in Paris and growing up in an upper-middle-class family. At the age of nine, she discovered her passion for history while looking at a photo of ‘Joan of Arc’. Benzoni studied at the Institut Catholique de Paris’, philosophy, law and literature. At the age of fifteen, her parents moved to Saint-Mandé where she lived until her death.
In 1941, she married a doctor from Dijon, and was soon mother of two children. During that period, she studied at the libraries of Dijon the History of the Dukes of Burgundy, where she stumbled on the Legend of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which would later inspire her for her Catherine series.
In 1950, her husband died and she went to Morocco, visiting relatives of her late husband and joined the editorial staff at a radio station and met her future husband, Colonel Count André Benzoni di Conza. They married in 1953, but because of the unstable political situation, she returned to Paris, while her husband was to join the 6th Regiment of Moroccan Spahis in Hué.
Back in Paris, she launched into journalism and worked for various Newspapers, Magazines and wrote for ‘Confidences’ historical articles and interviewed celebrities such as Jean Cocteau, Jean Marais, Erich von Stroheim and Maurice Chevalier.
In 1959, Gérald Gauthier, director of the Press Agency at Opéra Mundi, watched her in a popular television Quiz show and impressed by her historical knowledge about the Italian Renaissance asked her if she were able to write a historical romance series
in the style of Anne Golon's ‘Angélique’.
Benzoni affirmed, remembering her fascination for the ‘Order of the Golden Fleece’. Her research for that soon-to-become Bestseller took up three years and in 1963, 'Catherine, Il suffit d’un amour’ was published. The success was enormous and there followed in 1965, a Song called ‘Catherine, ma mie’ composed by Paul Amar, text by Juliette Benzoni.
The Catherine series was translated into 26 languages. Benzoni's Works includes: 3 Single Novels, 17 series, 18 self-contained short stories; 55 million Readers and 300 million books sold Worldwide. She was a huge fan of the books by Agatha Christie, Anne Perry and Ken Follet. In 1978 she received from the White House a letter by President ‘Ronald Reagan’ for the way she described in her Novel ‘The Lure of the Falcon’ the Independence War!
Four of her Bestsellers the ‘Catherine, Marianne, Le Gerfaut and La Florentine’ series were filmed for French television, for which she wrote the Screenplay, together with Jean Chatenet. Although her later works were not widely translated, in 1984, she was one of the top ten female French writers whose works were translated into English. Two weeks before her death in 2016, her last book ‘Le Vol du Sancy: Des carats pour Ava’? was published. It was the 15th adventure of her favourite hero Prince Aldo Morosini, a mystery series.
Her Awards and Honours:
1973 the Alexandre Dumas Prix, for the Catherine and Marianne series.
1988, the Prix Littéraire « Louis Barthou » Silver Medal from the Académie Française for Felicia au soleil couchant.
1998, the Chevalier of the National Order of Merit Medal, by Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.
Born 1920 in Paris and growing up in an upper-middle-class family. At the age of nine, she discovered her passion for history while looking at a photo of ‘Joan of Arc’. Benzoni studied at the Institut Catholique de Paris’, philosophy, law and literature. At the age of fifteen, her parents moved to Saint-Mandé where she lived until her death.
In 1941, she married a doctor from Dijon, and was soon mother of two children. During that period, she studied at the libraries of Dijon the History of the Dukes of Burgundy, where she stumbled on the Legend of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which would later inspire her for her Catherine series.
In 1950, her husband died and she went to Morocco, visiting relatives of her late husband and joined the editorial staff at a radio station and met her future husband, Colonel Count André Benzoni di Conza. They married in 1953, but because of the unstable political situation, she returned to Paris, while her husband was to join the 6th Regiment of Moroccan Spahis in Hué.
Back in Paris, she launched into journalism and worked for various Newspapers, Magazines and wrote for ‘Confidences’ historical articles and interviewed celebrities such as Jean Cocteau, Jean Marais, Erich von Stroheim and Maurice Chevalier.
In 1959, Gérald Gauthier, director of the Press Agency at Opéra Mundi, watched her in a popular television Quiz show and impressed by her historical knowledge about the Italian Renaissance asked her if she were able to write a historical romance series
in the style of Anne Golon's ‘Angélique’.
Benzoni affirmed, remembering her fascination for the ‘Order of the Golden Fleece’. Her research for that soon-to-become Bestseller took up three years and in 1963, 'Catherine, Il suffit d’un amour’ was published. The success was enormous and there followed in 1965, a Song called ‘Catherine, ma mie’ composed by Paul Amar, text by Juliette Benzoni.
The Catherine series was translated into 26 languages. Benzoni's Works includes: 3 Single Novels, 17 series, 18 self-contained short stories; 55 million Readers and 300 million books sold Worldwide. She was a huge fan of the books by Agatha Christie, Anne Perry and Ken Follet. In 1978 she received from the White House a letter by President ‘Ronald Reagan’ for the way she described in her Novel ‘The Lure of the Falcon’ the Independence War!
Four of her Bestsellers the ‘Catherine, Marianne, Le Gerfaut and La Florentine’ series were filmed for French television, for which she wrote the Screenplay, together with Jean Chatenet. Although her later works were not widely translated, in 1984, she was one of the top ten female French writers whose works were translated into English. Two weeks before her death in 2016, her last book ‘Le Vol du Sancy: Des carats pour Ava’? was published. It was the 15th adventure of her favourite hero Prince Aldo Morosini, a mystery series.
Her Awards and Honours:
1973 the Alexandre Dumas Prix, for the Catherine and Marianne series.
1988, the Prix Littéraire « Louis Barthou » Silver Medal from the Académie Française for Felicia au soleil couchant.
1998, the Chevalier of the National Order of Merit Medal, by Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 14, 2010
What. A. Ride. I'm ready to start book two. Full review here,
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May 20, 2017
Difficult to be objective about books that you loved as a teenager, I used to devour these sort of books from the library and rereading them is great! I forgot though that these don't really finish so I going to have to track down the rest of the series.
November 1, 2017
Great story by Benzoni. Follows her wonderful style in the 'Catherine' series.
June 10, 2020
I just discovered Juliette Benzoni. This former journalist French writer is so good in creating these historical novel characters. I was literally transported into Napoleon Bonaparte's era.
April 22, 2015
I enjoyed this book - 3.5 stars. I was not a fan at all of Benzoni's series Catherine, and never would have read this book if it wasn't recommended to me by my GR friend Mary (thank you Mary!). I will read book 2. I'm confounded as to why books at this time (1940-60) of French origin (like one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE series 'Angelique') have the most ridiculous and (I hate this word but it fits) cheesy covers. Don't let that put you off. It's nothing monumental but it's a good book and an easy read and sometimes that hits the spot.
June 21, 2023
Many years ago, I read this book right after I had fallen in love with Juliette Benzon’s first heroine ‘Catherine’. I did not know at that time, that her Publisher ordered her to write a series in honour of 'Napoleon Bonaparte’s' upcoming bicentennial in 1969.
We always have our preferences and that is what happened to me with ‘Marianne d’Asselnat de Villeneuve’.
But I did this book wrong or I was too young yet to read it, as I admit now. The way the author was able to create a very different heroine after her 'Catherine de Montsalvy' says everything about her genius.
The book starts right off with a bang. The man of her dreams turns out to be a scoundrel and events come crashing down on the young bride’s wedding night...
If you love an excellent written Historical fiction adventure this is your book. Our heroine flees to France and reaches in a detour 'Paris', where she was born eighteen years before into an aristocratic family, that of the ‘Marquis Pierre and Anne d’Asselnat de Villeneuve. Her parents sent to the Guillotine during the’ Reign of Terror’ - the infant only saved because her Godfather, a cousin of her father, was able to flee with the baby to her English aunt, the ancestral home of her mother. She grew up to hate the French and especially their Emperor ‘Napoléon Bonaparte I’.
It would be too much to tell why our heroine fell in love with Napoléon of all people! The author takes us on a voyage of bygone times in her inimitable way - and playfully brings to life many of the historical personalities at the time of the Napoleonic era.
Someone wrote here on Goodreads that this book has no history at all! I have to say that this person probably had a window seat in history at school. I took the trouble to search for these historical names on the internet and found them all! The way 'Benzoni' cleverly included trivialities like the magnificent diamond 'Regent', (can be seen nowadays at the Louvre) the famous tailor ‘Louis Hippolyte Leroy’, ‘Talleyrand’, ‘Empress Josephine’ Fouché, the Minister of the Police to name a few, is simply fascinating and even instructive. After all, not all her future Readers were from France and grew up with these names.
The first adventure of ‘Marianne, a Star for Napoléon' ends with a great Cliffhanger… the Readers back in 1969 had to wait another two years until the next book came out… whereas we can go to the Library or buy the missing books via the Internet…
Of course, it should be revealed that not only the mighty emperor fell in love with Marianne... this much is revealed, this new heroine, shaped by strokes of fate, knows how to defend herself, even with the weapons of a woman....
We always have our preferences and that is what happened to me with ‘Marianne d’Asselnat de Villeneuve’.
But I did this book wrong or I was too young yet to read it, as I admit now. The way the author was able to create a very different heroine after her 'Catherine de Montsalvy' says everything about her genius.
The book starts right off with a bang. The man of her dreams turns out to be a scoundrel and events come crashing down on the young bride’s wedding night...
If you love an excellent written Historical fiction adventure this is your book. Our heroine flees to France and reaches in a detour 'Paris', where she was born eighteen years before into an aristocratic family, that of the ‘Marquis Pierre and Anne d’Asselnat de Villeneuve. Her parents sent to the Guillotine during the’ Reign of Terror’ - the infant only saved because her Godfather, a cousin of her father, was able to flee with the baby to her English aunt, the ancestral home of her mother. She grew up to hate the French and especially their Emperor ‘Napoléon Bonaparte I’.
It would be too much to tell why our heroine fell in love with Napoléon of all people! The author takes us on a voyage of bygone times in her inimitable way - and playfully brings to life many of the historical personalities at the time of the Napoleonic era.
Someone wrote here on Goodreads that this book has no history at all! I have to say that this person probably had a window seat in history at school. I took the trouble to search for these historical names on the internet and found them all! The way 'Benzoni' cleverly included trivialities like the magnificent diamond 'Regent', (can be seen nowadays at the Louvre) the famous tailor ‘Louis Hippolyte Leroy’, ‘Talleyrand’, ‘Empress Josephine’ Fouché, the Minister of the Police to name a few, is simply fascinating and even instructive. After all, not all her future Readers were from France and grew up with these names.
The first adventure of ‘Marianne, a Star for Napoléon' ends with a great Cliffhanger… the Readers back in 1969 had to wait another two years until the next book came out… whereas we can go to the Library or buy the missing books via the Internet…
Of course, it should be revealed that not only the mighty emperor fell in love with Marianne... this much is revealed, this new heroine, shaped by strokes of fate, knows how to defend herself, even with the weapons of a woman....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2020
I read this book when I was quite young in Finnish and loved it, and when I found it in English I had to re-read it to see if I still liked it. I still think it's a good read, but not as magical as when I read it when a young teen. I would still recommend this book for those who are into historical romance.
December 24, 2011
Sympathique romance sous l'Empire, qui ne manque pas de rebondissements. Un peu trop romancé à mon goût.
April 20, 2024
Magisch! Zauberhaft!! Einfach wunderbar!!!
Ich las diesen Roman zum ersten Mal vor einer Ewigkeit, als ich siebzehn Jahre alt war (so alt wie die Heldin). Dieses Buch hat mich damals so sehr verzaubert, wie kein anderes es jemals mehr schaffen sollte. Gott, war ich in Napoleon verliebt (und bin es immer noch)! Die abenteuerliche Geschichte einer jungen Frau, die dem faszinierensden Mann des 19.Jahrhunderts begegnet und für (leider nur) kurze Zeit seine Geliebte wird! Ganz im Stil der "Angélique" Romane erzählt, fesselt diese Geschichte von Anfang an. Warum gibt es heute solche magischen Romane nicht mehr?! Für mich war diese ein Buch ein Leseerlebnis, das ich nie vergessen werde! Merci! "Marianne, ein Stern für Napoleon"
Ich las diesen Roman zum ersten Mal vor einer Ewigkeit, als ich siebzehn Jahre alt war (so alt wie die Heldin). Dieses Buch hat mich damals so sehr verzaubert, wie kein anderes es jemals mehr schaffen sollte. Gott, war ich in Napoleon verliebt (und bin es immer noch)! Die abenteuerliche Geschichte einer jungen Frau, die dem faszinierensden Mann des 19.Jahrhunderts begegnet und für (leider nur) kurze Zeit seine Geliebte wird! Ganz im Stil der "Angélique" Romane erzählt, fesselt diese Geschichte von Anfang an. Warum gibt es heute solche magischen Romane nicht mehr?! Für mich war diese ein Buch ein Leseerlebnis, das ich nie vergessen werde! Merci! "Marianne, ein Stern für Napoleon"
December 3, 2025
Aaay que libro mas bueno, fue una telenovela!! Pero en el buen sentido, me gustó mucho. Amé a Marianne, no me sentí aburrida y el final te deja enganchada!!! Jason te amo ojala se quede con él, pero ay dioh mio son 6 libros de esto haajaj, bueno al menos se quede este es laaargo más por la introducción a todo el mundo de la protagonista y es que esta chica salía de una para meterse en otra. Me encantó que utilizara la historia de Napoleon, amo esto en la historia 😍… definitivamente continuaré esta serie🫶🏽🫶🏽
June 21, 2023
I have greatly enjoyed re-eading the story of Marianne d'Asselnat at the time of Napoleon Bonaparte.
How wonderful that the new Publisher restored loads of missing text - whole chapters in some cases that weren’t translated in 1969 !
To all those who read the books like me in the Seventies and loved them, do yourself the pleasure and get the re-issued adventure. The story has lost none of it's charm, Marianne is a heroine as we wish them to be.
How wonderful that the new Publisher restored loads of missing text - whole chapters in some cases that weren’t translated in 1969 !
To all those who read the books like me in the Seventies and loved them, do yourself the pleasure and get the re-issued adventure. The story has lost none of it's charm, Marianne is a heroine as we wish them to be.
May 7, 2018
Мое знакомство с Марианной состоялось! Книга замечательная, захватывает почти с первых страниц. Очень жаль бедную молоденькую девушку на которую сразу так много всего обрушилось. После её слов в риге: "Поймите...мне только семнадцать лет" слезы на глазах выступили. Вызывает злость то количество мужчин, которые использовали девушку в своих целях: Франсис, Жан Ледрю, Фуше, Талейран... Не знаю смогла бы я на её месте вновь доверять противоположному полу. Личность Бофора для меня неоднозначна, не могу определиться с отношением к нему. После игры в карты он мне разумеется отвратителен, по приезду в Париж - безразличен, его настойчивое предложение уехать в "свободную" страну вызывает легкое раздражение. Но, спасая Марианну из каменоломен Шайо и позднее рискуя жизнью ради спасения Бонапарта, он заслужил мое уважение и симпатию. Даже жалко его стало, парень получил пулю, а ему намекнули, чтобы убирался. Но намеки на его возможное возвращение, которые автор делает в конце книги, меня совсем не радуют. Наполеон представлен очень колоритной фигурой, и пока что это мой любимый мужской персонаж, хоть он и наделен кучей недостатков, в частности меня ужасно бесили приступы его гнева в третьей части. Почти в каждой главе! Марианна... некоторые вещи в её поведении я безусловно осуждаю, но...никогда не была (и слава Богу!) на её месте и не знаю как повела бы себя сама. Психика вещь непредсказуемая. Отдельное спасибо автору за прекрасно переданную атмосферу эпохи. Так и вижу перед собой Париж времен Империи, с его особняками и кофейнями. Приемы, знаменитых маршалов в великолепной форме, женщин в прекрасных платьях в стиле ампир. А еще у Бенцони великолепный юмор, некоторые фразы просто запали в голову и вызывают улыбку даже сейчас. В общем, моя оценка очевидна.
November 27, 2018
I stumbled onto this series while browsing in my local library.
August 15, 2021
Le premier livre de Juliette Benzoni que j'ai lu.
June 30, 2024
Saucy historical novel I read in my teenage years and just re-read - still saucy!
June 11, 2020
I was rather enjoying this. The story line is rather fast paced and the heroine, Marianne, so long as I could get past her being like the female version of James Bond (has an unbelievable list of accomplishments and is breathtakingly good looking), has a dynamic character who is scheming how to get herself out of perilous situations. Her adventures were interesting, if implausible, and it was fulfilling what I wanted from this book. - An adventure historical novel with romantic sidelines. And then... she falls in love with a character I hated. Whether the reader is supposed to hate him I'm not sure but Marianne lost all individuality from that point on and just went along with him. It really irritated me and from that point on I noticed all the other faults that I was skimming over while distracted by the plot.
November 26, 2017
Книга заинтересовала, поэтому буду читать продолжение. Понравилось внимание писательницы к деталям, которые помогли максимально передать дух эпохи Наполеона и французского общества. Немного необычно было читать про Наполеона, как героя- любовника - обычно в других романах его рисуют сплошь черными красками. Понравилась и героиня. Иногда правда удивлялась её наивности по отношению к некоторым мужчинам, но с другой стороны в 17 лет мало кто отличается мудростью. Вообщем, любителям приключений и исторических романов - советую.
August 31, 2010
A gambling man gambles away his wife on his wedding night.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2012
Mon tout premier Benzoni, çà ne s'oublie jamais.
November 18, 2013
Ce premier tome focalise sur la relation amoureuse de Marianne avec Napoléon.
March 23, 2017
Read this book in a HORRENDOUS translation in Russian. I think I would have liked the story had I read a better translation, but this one was simply laughable.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews