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Daughter of Paris: The Diary of Marie Duplessis, France's Most Celebrated Courtesan
In out modern times, no prostitute could ever be celebrated. But in 19th century France, one courtesan created sensation not only through the scandalous deeds that sprung from her lifestyle but also through her death. Yet, what her contemporaries didn’t know was that her fame wasn’t born thanks to her beauty, but from a woman’s utter determination to overcome a childhood of endless torture, abandonment, and mistreatments; from a soul's desperate need to forget her past.
The story of Marie Duplessis, the woman behind masterpieces such as Alexandre Dumas Fils' The Lady with the Camellias and Verdi's Traviata, is the story of a peasant girl who surpassed all suppressions her era imposed on its women, to become one of the most famous individuals 19th century Europe had ever known.
The story of Marie Duplessis, the woman behind masterpieces such as Alexandre Dumas Fils' The Lady with the Camellias and Verdi's Traviata, is the story of a peasant girl who surpassed all suppressions her era imposed on its women, to become one of the most famous individuals 19th century Europe had ever known.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 26, 2019
737 people are currently reading
412 people want to read
About the author
A.G. Mogan
15 books34 followersA. G. MOGAN has always loved history and the personalities that were born of bygone eras. Her interest for the world and its people fueled her passion for human analytics. She’s used her knowledge to analyze people and their behavior throughout her adult career, including using her in-depth research to craft poignant biographical novels that readers eagerly devour.
When not studying great historical figures or long-lost stories from the past, she can be found at her home in Europe, enjoying the spoils of a wonderfully ordinary family life.
When not studying great historical figures or long-lost stories from the past, she can be found at her home in Europe, enjoying the spoils of a wonderfully ordinary family life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 6, 2020
Daughter of Paris, by A.G. Mogan, reads like a 19th century classic. The story of Marie Duplessis, based on her diary, is written with such finesse and color of language, that the experiences this young and beautiful woman undergoes, is a compelling and fulfilling read. Between the literary prose, we are taken back to a world of brutality, where a young girl is orphaned, bounces between different homes, is abused by her father and traded like cattle to be used by men many times her age. Despite the abuse, Marie Duplessis is a survivor. She becomes street smart, and soon realizes that her body is her greatest weapon against a patriarchal society where the rich, the elite, and even the "royalty" search out young women to unleash their lust upon. Marie learns the art of seduction, but she is also vulnerable, she yearns true love, and so, repeatedly falls into the same trap, the false affections of men infatuated with her beauty and not her soul. She becomes one of the great courtesans of Paris in the early 1800s, mingles with the highest and wealthiest of society, and in the story that ensues, we see the true duplicity, insensitivity and weakness of the human soul at work. The style and beauty of the writing makes the read as smooth and intoxicating as wine. Highly recommended.
September 19, 2024
A bit disappointing.
This is a novel, which pretends to be a fictional diary in which the French courtesan "Marie" Alphonsine Dupplessis, narrates the most important events of her life.
Her story begins with her childhood, filled with abandonment, violence, and neglect, Alphonsine never meets her mother, who ran away because Alphonsine's father beat her, so Alphonsine and her older sister Delphine grow up with distant relatives who are very poor. Eventually, the sisters are separated and Alphonsine is abandoned at age 12 because they can no longer support her, so she must live as a beggar, after many bitter experiences, Alphonsine gets a job, and although things improve a bit and it seems that she will have an honest but very humble life, like any country girl, her father has other plans, he basically prostitutes and sells her. That's how Alphonsine learns that her body is worth money, and money can buy EVERYTHING, she ends up in Paris, where Alphonse meets with her paternal relatives, they welcome her warmly and Alphonse is happy as never in her life, but at 15 years old being very beautiful, she catches the attention of an older man with some money. It is then that she is forced to makes the decision that will change the course of her life, she accepts the man as her "protector" (lover), he installs her in a small apartment and assigns her a modest monthly pension, this turns her into a fallen woman, and distances her from her family, but it also transforms her life, Alphonsine goes from being a poor country girl, to a well-dressed, free and independent young woman, but immediately she is consumed by luxury, ambition and the mismanagement of her finances, her lover can't pay all she wants and leaves her, but Alphonsine is not long in getting a new and better "protector", and then another, another and many more come and go from her life, some return, others do not, some leave deep marks on her, like her first great love who abandons her without a word, another with whom she has a child, another who uses her, another who denies his friendship but uses her to write a novel, and her last great love who shattered her pride.
As the years go by, Alphonsine becomes the most famous and sought-after courtesan in Paris, her lifestyle is more luxurious than that of a queen, but her life never ceases to be stormy and tragic.
Most of the chapters are narrated in the first person by her, but time to time we have chapters written by a friend of Marie who is also a journalist, Romain, he reflects on what Marie is going through, adds a little of his experience and judges certain things.
The first chapters are totally heartbreaking and hard to read, I read a couple of biographies of Alphonsine a while ago, and I knew that her childhood had been horrible, something that seems straight out of a horror movie, but I didn't expect to be so sad with this novel. I almost cried at times reading how an innocent girl was the victim of so much abandonment, so much lack of affection, lack of consideration, so much emotional and physical abuse, not only by her family but by an entire town. So if you're not ready to read something this strong, you should think twice before reading this book. However, something worth applauding is that the author handles this part of the story very well, she transmits the emotions, the longings, and the confusions of a girl, but without being explicit, especially what has to do with sexual abuse, the author doesn't go into grotesque details, and almost always gives only the information necessary for us to understand what she wants to tell us.
Now that's the first 35% of the book, what comes after is a lighter read as it tells us about her life in Paris, especially her career as a courtesan, here Alhponsine experiences not only pain, but also luxury, love, happiness etc. Unfortunately, this is where the novel began to disappoint me, which I regretted a lot because it was the part of the novel that I most wanted to read, but unfortunately it didn't work and it makes me not be able to give this book more than 3 stars, but of course I'm going to explain where it failed for me:
1) Alphonsine had many lovers (clients) although her career was very short, and generally, she had several lovers in the same period of time, most of them were very famous, either because of their noble title, their artistic career or their family lineage, so obviously it was impossible for the author to go into details of every relationship that Alphonsine had, especially because although they are famous, there is no exact record of how and when the relationships began or the exact end of them, BUT there are certain relationships that were important to the plot, and that the author does not bother to explore, for example Alphonsine's first love, the author tells us that it was her second protector, but the first man who taught her passion and tenderness, but also the man who made Alphonsine become a mercenary, and hate men, because seeking to protect his fortune, this man left Alphonsine without explanation, which broke her heart, my problem is that we are not told anything about that relationship, what made Alphonsine love him? What special virtues did he have? How was the farewell? How did Alphonsine discover that he would not return with her? What made their sex different and special for Alhponsine? NOTHING, everything is summarized in 4 lines. And that is how it was with most of Alphonsine's relationships, even the most important ones, in some cases there are not even conversations between them, the author only writes something like "we made love with our eyes" we became lovers, it's over (really even her great loves don't span a page). We are not allowed to get to know them or appreciate their relationship with her, we are not allowed to see how and why the relationships were different as time went by and with each man that came into her life, the worst thing is that the novel gives the impression that she does not know them either, and it may be true in some cases, if we consider that she was a courtesan, but in most cases, she spent years living with some of her lovers, and here she barely mentions them, that was frustrating to the core.
And besides her lovers in general, all the characters, friends, companions, employees, family, come and go from the novel without further information, it is never explained what happens to them, why do they leave, where do they go, where are they? What do they do? Why did they move away? NOTHING, NOTHING is known, I thought that maybe in an epilogue they would tell us what happened to them but NOOOOO!!! The worst thing is that at the end, out of nowhere, people appear who had not even been mentioned and they turn out to be crucial... So the universe that this novel creates is extremely strange and does not work.
2) The diary format is a resource that many authors use to tell the life of historical figures, because it allows them to limit the story to their experiences and tell what they lived with more detail and feeling, but it rarely works, here not only does it not work, it is not even well done, this NEVER seems like a diary, apart from the first chapters, Alphonsine rarely expresses her feelings or her opinions, as one would expect in a diary, rather she makes far-fetched phrases that say nothing about her, she never expresses personal experiences, only general aspects of her career, the idea of having a SECRET personal diary like this, is to be able to put things in there that you would not dare to tell anyone or that you do not want to say, things that you find hard to tell others, or that embarrass you, but there is nothing like this here.
Now, why Romain? I understand that the author wants to have another point of view in the story, that's why she includes the chapters that "supposedly" a friend of Alphonsine narrates, but I don't understand the choice of Romain to be that other narrator, historically Romain existed, he was a journalist of little fame who said he was a friend of Alphonsine and who wrote a book about her, but besides his sayings Romain does not appear in any other source as a close friend of Alphonsine, not to mention that he never appeared during her illness, he did not help her in any way, in my opinion he only knew her superficially and briefly, he took advantage of that to sell a book like many others at that time, but Ok let's leave the history aside, in the novel Romain does not contribute ANYTHING to the story, it is assumed that they grew up in the same town and that his family always appreciated Alphonsine, but they never did ANYTHING for her, and Romain was not even her childhood friend, he does not care if she lives or dies, he doesn't even think about her, until they meet again years later she is already a famous courtesan, and even then she is the one who begs him to be friends, he accepts and out of nowhere she reveals very private secrets to him, why would she do that? It is not realistic or logical, I would expect her to be so eager for someone of more value like Marcel who was her first time, and the boy who gave her food when she needed the most, I don't know anyone better but also although Romain and Alphonsine lived in Paris and were "friends" Romain was never with Alphonsine they met a maximum of 5 times in the entire novel, so he doesn't know anything extra nor does he tell us anything NEW, all he does is reflect on what Alphonsine just said, or on Alphonsine's actions, and he doesn't even do it in an interesting way, because honestly her decisions are incomprehensible, I think that sometimes not even she could explain them, so what is he going to explain to us? an upper middle class man, who had no shortages, with all the options at his feet, with freedom and without problems?? NOTHING..... so he was not a very good narrator and honestly I don't understand why the author chose him, even Alphonsine's dead mother would have been a better choice.
3) Now to be honest Alphonsine is not an easy character to approach, she may seem bad from many points of view, she promoted infidelity and took advantage of men that sometimes were immature and inexperienced, but she didn't have many options, and men also took advantage of her, and somehow life led her to be what she was. So she was neither a villain nor a heroine, but both, but above all she was an intelligent woman, she was not the only courtesan of her time but she was the best, at only 18 she was already the most sought after and the best paid, what's more, she did not end badly with her ex lovers, they remained friends and were even good to her, she achieved that writers, musicians, nobles, politicians and merchants not only liked her, THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH HER!!!, she left more than one man bankrupt and that is not only achieved with beauty and youth, many more skills are required, intelligence, culture, discretion, tact etc....... NONE OF THAT is shown here, in the novel Alphonsine is more of a femme fatale, who destroys men with her beauty without many reasons, but besides her beauty and youth she does not show more virtues, her historical capacity to sustain any topic of conversation, is not seen here, she does not talk about culture, literature, history, we never see her entertain men, or captivate them and she is not even charming, rather she is capricious, moody, frivolous and foolish, I was surprised that super rich men crawled at her feet and forgave her everything, because honestly she does not have any virtues even as a lover, courtesans are supposed to be more than lovers, they were psychologists for their rich lovers and great company, Alphonsine in the novel is never interested in her lovers, nor in treating them well, we do not even see her conquer or attract any. I was also angry that her character had no development, the 15 year old Alphonsine who wants more dresses because they are pretty, is the same one we see at 23, it seems that NOTHING alters her, neither maturity, nor remorse, nor happiness NOTHING. Another thing is that we only see Alphonsine suffer, sometimes without reason, she goes from being a girl in rags to the best dressed woman in France, but that is barely mentioned. Do you really think she doesn't jump for joy when her fortune improves? That she doesn't celebrate going from being a beggar to having the best food, employees and a million-dollar house? Well, here that is not shown, she describes herself as melancholic all the time... 😑🙄😖
The worst thing is that the author does not give us nuances, Alphonsine always has a tendency to be bad, especially with people who do not deserve it, men who are good to her and who truly show her affection, support, help, and she is horrible with them for no reason, the author justifies everything with her childhood which works a couple of times but when we see her act good and soft with people who do not deserve it like Romain, or the count who uses her, then I did not understand ANYTHING...🤷 And God how it frustrated me, look, I know that sometimes people make bad decisions and we cling to them, but reading Alphonsine make bad decision after bad decision after bad decision annoyed me, she had so many good options, alternatives and she rejected all of them for no reason. And the way she changed her mind, just killed me, today she loved someone but tomorrow she hated him, but then she loved him, today she wanted a simple life but tomorrow she didn't and the next day she did and then she didn't... Today she wanted to be good, but she wasn't, but then she did but then she didn't etc...😵
I'm sorry but I have to be honest this isn't the Alphonsine I imagine, nor do I think this does justice to the historical character, I can't agree with this portrait, I expected to read a balance of bad and good, but all I got was a silly, capricious and impossible to understand woman, and although I'm sure she had a bit of all that, I know there was more in her.
As I said, Alphonsine is a complex character, perhaps impossible to understand, because her UNIQUE decisions respond to her circumstances, which were UNIQUE, but beyond the fact that her way of life was and still is reprehensible or questionable, there will always be a degree of admiration in me for her, she was born into absolute poverty, she was abandoned, mistreated, ignored, abused, and with almost no education, no connections, no money, no help, but she built herself, she cultivated herself, she learned, she understood and she overcame being a girl with rags and no shoes to become the most important courtesan in France, loved, idolized and still immortalized, who could not admire her beyond her methods? But here I never felt that admiration, rather I wanted to shake her for being so stupid and stubborn and that doesn't do her justice, the Alphonsine of history was so intelligent that she ended her love affairs on good terms, which was not easy, and she kept the most important men as allies, here she mistreats them, ignores them and ends badly with all of them, the real one got a noble title that she used to her advantage, here she doesn't even use it, the historical one kept a man in love until after her death, this Alphonsine of the novel barely had a friend who never held on when she needed him, the historical one was discreet and that's why she had more and more men after her, the Alphonsine of the novel, behaves vulgar, seduces men in public and uses a camellia to indicate that she is menstruating, IN THE THEATRE!!! First of all that's fiction and second, who could say that that is delicate, sexy and discreet? NONE
4) I know it's a novel, I can't expect much accuracy, and I can tell that the author did a lot of research, but I still found it strange that she deviated so much from some historical aspects, some I understand for creative reasons like the subject of the camellias, or the chronology of her love affairs that is not precise, but other aspects are besides inaccurate illogical, Alphonsine was a courtesan for about 8 years, she dealt with all kinds of men and they were all so stupid with her? DID NO ONE MISTREAT HER? .....
She neve have problema with the wives ???
Seriously, a person is convalescing from tuberculosis for 5 years? Without dying? In that time? WITHOUT INFECTING ANYONE!!!!!!¡? And you're telling me that a woman on the verge of death with a highly contagious and fatal disease in that time was having sex with a lot of men but no one got infected? And did they see her spit blood, turn pale, have diarrhea but they kept getting excited and wanting to buy her nights madly? MMMM NOP that's why she died with so many debts
, the last months of her life nobody was interested in her because she was not attractive, nor useful as a courtesan.......
5)Another thing that was greatly lacking for me, were the details about her life as a courtesan, and I'm not just referring to her love affairs, but to other interesting aspects such as:
The precaution against pregnancy, the subject is barely mentioned, and it was something that a courtesan could not take lightly, magically Alphonsine did not get pregnant during her first sexual encounters, which is not only illogical, considering that she could get pregnant, it is also absurd that being "the courtesan" of the moment, Alphonsine did not stop to consider what a pregnancy would be for her, (it could be very good or very bad), this happened long time ago but THERE WERE ways used to avoid pregnancy.
The beauty rituals that courtesans used: Beauty was a fundamental part, Alphonsine was naturally beautiful, BUT there were still many things that women in her time had to do to bring out their beauty and maintain it, many courtesans exercised, watched their food intake, applied very strange ointments, and even they believed that eating weird things helped them, here at most it is mentioned that she pinched her cheeks.....
The sometimes aggressive competition between courtesans: The courtesans were not always friendly with each other, and always competed, from clothes, jewelry and lovers, the competition could lead to physical aggression or fights, here some contemporary courtesans of Alphonsine are barely mentioned, not to mention any rivalry or discord, which is not real.
Sexual diseases? Alphonsine lived more than 2 centuries ago, BUT already then there was information and knowledge of diseases such as syphilis, in fact it is believed that she died from it, prostitutes and courtesans were better informed than other ladies in society about the dangers, and also had their own methods to take care of themselves, men, especially the rich ones, also knew the dangers, many were not aware but others were, and took precautions, here that is not even mentioned, which is crazy, do you really think that someone so sought after and well paid would not have a good reputation regarding her intimate health? Absurd.....
Now I'm not saying it's a bad book, it has some well-done things, I think the author manages to tell a story that is not easy, and although it is not the best narrative, it is not the worst, but I would be lying if I said that it lived up to my expectations.
This is a novel, which pretends to be a fictional diary in which the French courtesan "Marie" Alphonsine Dupplessis, narrates the most important events of her life.
Her story begins with her childhood, filled with abandonment, violence, and neglect, Alphonsine never meets her mother, who ran away because Alphonsine's father beat her, so Alphonsine and her older sister Delphine grow up with distant relatives who are very poor. Eventually, the sisters are separated and Alphonsine is abandoned at age 12 because they can no longer support her, so she must live as a beggar, after many bitter experiences, Alphonsine gets a job, and although things improve a bit and it seems that she will have an honest but very humble life, like any country girl, her father has other plans, he basically prostitutes and sells her. That's how Alphonsine learns that her body is worth money, and money can buy EVERYTHING, she ends up in Paris, where Alphonse meets with her paternal relatives, they welcome her warmly and Alphonse is happy as never in her life, but at 15 years old being very beautiful, she catches the attention of an older man with some money. It is then that she is forced to makes the decision that will change the course of her life, she accepts the man as her "protector" (lover), he installs her in a small apartment and assigns her a modest monthly pension, this turns her into a fallen woman, and distances her from her family, but it also transforms her life, Alphonsine goes from being a poor country girl, to a well-dressed, free and independent young woman, but immediately she is consumed by luxury, ambition and the mismanagement of her finances, her lover can't pay all she wants and leaves her, but Alphonsine is not long in getting a new and better "protector", and then another, another and many more come and go from her life, some return, others do not, some leave deep marks on her, like her first great love who abandons her without a word, another with whom she has a child, another who uses her, another who denies his friendship but uses her to write a novel, and her last great love who shattered her pride.
As the years go by, Alphonsine becomes the most famous and sought-after courtesan in Paris, her lifestyle is more luxurious than that of a queen, but her life never ceases to be stormy and tragic.
Most of the chapters are narrated in the first person by her, but time to time we have chapters written by a friend of Marie who is also a journalist, Romain, he reflects on what Marie is going through, adds a little of his experience and judges certain things.
The first chapters are totally heartbreaking and hard to read, I read a couple of biographies of Alphonsine a while ago, and I knew that her childhood had been horrible, something that seems straight out of a horror movie, but I didn't expect to be so sad with this novel. I almost cried at times reading how an innocent girl was the victim of so much abandonment, so much lack of affection, lack of consideration, so much emotional and physical abuse, not only by her family but by an entire town. So if you're not ready to read something this strong, you should think twice before reading this book. However, something worth applauding is that the author handles this part of the story very well, she transmits the emotions, the longings, and the confusions of a girl, but without being explicit, especially what has to do with sexual abuse, the author doesn't go into grotesque details, and almost always gives only the information necessary for us to understand what she wants to tell us.
Now that's the first 35% of the book, what comes after is a lighter read as it tells us about her life in Paris, especially her career as a courtesan, here Alhponsine experiences not only pain, but also luxury, love, happiness etc. Unfortunately, this is where the novel began to disappoint me, which I regretted a lot because it was the part of the novel that I most wanted to read, but unfortunately it didn't work and it makes me not be able to give this book more than 3 stars, but of course I'm going to explain where it failed for me:
1) Alphonsine had many lovers (clients) although her career was very short, and generally, she had several lovers in the same period of time, most of them were very famous, either because of their noble title, their artistic career or their family lineage, so obviously it was impossible for the author to go into details of every relationship that Alphonsine had, especially because although they are famous, there is no exact record of how and when the relationships began or the exact end of them, BUT there are certain relationships that were important to the plot, and that the author does not bother to explore, for example Alphonsine's first love, the author tells us that it was her second protector, but the first man who taught her passion and tenderness, but also the man who made Alphonsine become a mercenary, and hate men, because seeking to protect his fortune, this man left Alphonsine without explanation, which broke her heart, my problem is that we are not told anything about that relationship, what made Alphonsine love him? What special virtues did he have? How was the farewell? How did Alphonsine discover that he would not return with her? What made their sex different and special for Alhponsine? NOTHING, everything is summarized in 4 lines. And that is how it was with most of Alphonsine's relationships, even the most important ones, in some cases there are not even conversations between them, the author only writes something like "we made love with our eyes" we became lovers, it's over (really even her great loves don't span a page). We are not allowed to get to know them or appreciate their relationship with her, we are not allowed to see how and why the relationships were different as time went by and with each man that came into her life, the worst thing is that the novel gives the impression that she does not know them either, and it may be true in some cases, if we consider that she was a courtesan, but in most cases, she spent years living with some of her lovers, and here she barely mentions them, that was frustrating to the core.
And besides her lovers in general, all the characters, friends, companions, employees, family, come and go from the novel without further information, it is never explained what happens to them, why do they leave, where do they go, where are they? What do they do? Why did they move away? NOTHING, NOTHING is known, I thought that maybe in an epilogue they would tell us what happened to them but NOOOOO!!! The worst thing is that at the end, out of nowhere, people appear who had not even been mentioned and they turn out to be crucial... So the universe that this novel creates is extremely strange and does not work.
2) The diary format is a resource that many authors use to tell the life of historical figures, because it allows them to limit the story to their experiences and tell what they lived with more detail and feeling, but it rarely works, here not only does it not work, it is not even well done, this NEVER seems like a diary, apart from the first chapters, Alphonsine rarely expresses her feelings or her opinions, as one would expect in a diary, rather she makes far-fetched phrases that say nothing about her, she never expresses personal experiences, only general aspects of her career, the idea of having a SECRET personal diary like this, is to be able to put things in there that you would not dare to tell anyone or that you do not want to say, things that you find hard to tell others, or that embarrass you, but there is nothing like this here.
Now, why Romain? I understand that the author wants to have another point of view in the story, that's why she includes the chapters that "supposedly" a friend of Alphonsine narrates, but I don't understand the choice of Romain to be that other narrator, historically Romain existed, he was a journalist of little fame who said he was a friend of Alphonsine and who wrote a book about her, but besides his sayings Romain does not appear in any other source as a close friend of Alphonsine, not to mention that he never appeared during her illness, he did not help her in any way, in my opinion he only knew her superficially and briefly, he took advantage of that to sell a book like many others at that time, but Ok let's leave the history aside, in the novel Romain does not contribute ANYTHING to the story, it is assumed that they grew up in the same town and that his family always appreciated Alphonsine, but they never did ANYTHING for her, and Romain was not even her childhood friend, he does not care if she lives or dies, he doesn't even think about her, until they meet again years later she is already a famous courtesan, and even then she is the one who begs him to be friends, he accepts and out of nowhere she reveals very private secrets to him, why would she do that? It is not realistic or logical, I would expect her to be so eager for someone of more value like Marcel who was her first time, and the boy who gave her food when she needed the most, I don't know anyone better but also although Romain and Alphonsine lived in Paris and were "friends" Romain was never with Alphonsine they met a maximum of 5 times in the entire novel, so he doesn't know anything extra nor does he tell us anything NEW, all he does is reflect on what Alphonsine just said, or on Alphonsine's actions, and he doesn't even do it in an interesting way, because honestly her decisions are incomprehensible, I think that sometimes not even she could explain them, so what is he going to explain to us? an upper middle class man, who had no shortages, with all the options at his feet, with freedom and without problems?? NOTHING..... so he was not a very good narrator and honestly I don't understand why the author chose him, even Alphonsine's dead mother would have been a better choice.
3) Now to be honest Alphonsine is not an easy character to approach, she may seem bad from many points of view, she promoted infidelity and took advantage of men that sometimes were immature and inexperienced, but she didn't have many options, and men also took advantage of her, and somehow life led her to be what she was. So she was neither a villain nor a heroine, but both, but above all she was an intelligent woman, she was not the only courtesan of her time but she was the best, at only 18 she was already the most sought after and the best paid, what's more, she did not end badly with her ex lovers, they remained friends and were even good to her, she achieved that writers, musicians, nobles, politicians and merchants not only liked her, THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH HER!!!, she left more than one man bankrupt and that is not only achieved with beauty and youth, many more skills are required, intelligence, culture, discretion, tact etc....... NONE OF THAT is shown here, in the novel Alphonsine is more of a femme fatale, who destroys men with her beauty without many reasons, but besides her beauty and youth she does not show more virtues, her historical capacity to sustain any topic of conversation, is not seen here, she does not talk about culture, literature, history, we never see her entertain men, or captivate them and she is not even charming, rather she is capricious, moody, frivolous and foolish, I was surprised that super rich men crawled at her feet and forgave her everything, because honestly she does not have any virtues even as a lover, courtesans are supposed to be more than lovers, they were psychologists for their rich lovers and great company, Alphonsine in the novel is never interested in her lovers, nor in treating them well, we do not even see her conquer or attract any. I was also angry that her character had no development, the 15 year old Alphonsine who wants more dresses because they are pretty, is the same one we see at 23, it seems that NOTHING alters her, neither maturity, nor remorse, nor happiness NOTHING. Another thing is that we only see Alphonsine suffer, sometimes without reason, she goes from being a girl in rags to the best dressed woman in France, but that is barely mentioned. Do you really think she doesn't jump for joy when her fortune improves? That she doesn't celebrate going from being a beggar to having the best food, employees and a million-dollar house? Well, here that is not shown, she describes herself as melancholic all the time... 😑🙄😖
The worst thing is that the author does not give us nuances, Alphonsine always has a tendency to be bad, especially with people who do not deserve it, men who are good to her and who truly show her affection, support, help, and she is horrible with them for no reason, the author justifies everything with her childhood which works a couple of times but when we see her act good and soft with people who do not deserve it like Romain, or the count who uses her, then I did not understand ANYTHING...🤷 And God how it frustrated me, look, I know that sometimes people make bad decisions and we cling to them, but reading Alphonsine make bad decision after bad decision after bad decision annoyed me, she had so many good options, alternatives and she rejected all of them for no reason. And the way she changed her mind, just killed me, today she loved someone but tomorrow she hated him, but then she loved him, today she wanted a simple life but tomorrow she didn't and the next day she did and then she didn't... Today she wanted to be good, but she wasn't, but then she did but then she didn't etc...😵
I'm sorry but I have to be honest this isn't the Alphonsine I imagine, nor do I think this does justice to the historical character, I can't agree with this portrait, I expected to read a balance of bad and good, but all I got was a silly, capricious and impossible to understand woman, and although I'm sure she had a bit of all that, I know there was more in her.
As I said, Alphonsine is a complex character, perhaps impossible to understand, because her UNIQUE decisions respond to her circumstances, which were UNIQUE, but beyond the fact that her way of life was and still is reprehensible or questionable, there will always be a degree of admiration in me for her, she was born into absolute poverty, she was abandoned, mistreated, ignored, abused, and with almost no education, no connections, no money, no help, but she built herself, she cultivated herself, she learned, she understood and she overcame being a girl with rags and no shoes to become the most important courtesan in France, loved, idolized and still immortalized, who could not admire her beyond her methods? But here I never felt that admiration, rather I wanted to shake her for being so stupid and stubborn and that doesn't do her justice, the Alphonsine of history was so intelligent that she ended her love affairs on good terms, which was not easy, and she kept the most important men as allies, here she mistreats them, ignores them and ends badly with all of them, the real one got a noble title that she used to her advantage, here she doesn't even use it, the historical one kept a man in love until after her death, this Alphonsine of the novel barely had a friend who never held on when she needed him, the historical one was discreet and that's why she had more and more men after her, the Alphonsine of the novel, behaves vulgar, seduces men in public and uses a camellia to indicate that she is menstruating, IN THE THEATRE!!! First of all that's fiction and second, who could say that that is delicate, sexy and discreet? NONE
4) I know it's a novel, I can't expect much accuracy, and I can tell that the author did a lot of research, but I still found it strange that she deviated so much from some historical aspects, some I understand for creative reasons like the subject of the camellias, or the chronology of her love affairs that is not precise, but other aspects are besides inaccurate illogical, Alphonsine was a courtesan for about 8 years, she dealt with all kinds of men and they were all so stupid with her? DID NO ONE MISTREAT HER? .....
She neve have problema with the wives ???
Seriously, a person is convalescing from tuberculosis for 5 years? Without dying? In that time? WITHOUT INFECTING ANYONE!!!!!!¡? And you're telling me that a woman on the verge of death with a highly contagious and fatal disease in that time was having sex with a lot of men but no one got infected? And did they see her spit blood, turn pale, have diarrhea but they kept getting excited and wanting to buy her nights madly? MMMM NOP that's why she died with so many debts
, the last months of her life nobody was interested in her because she was not attractive, nor useful as a courtesan.......
5)Another thing that was greatly lacking for me, were the details about her life as a courtesan, and I'm not just referring to her love affairs, but to other interesting aspects such as:
The precaution against pregnancy, the subject is barely mentioned, and it was something that a courtesan could not take lightly, magically Alphonsine did not get pregnant during her first sexual encounters, which is not only illogical, considering that she could get pregnant, it is also absurd that being "the courtesan" of the moment, Alphonsine did not stop to consider what a pregnancy would be for her, (it could be very good or very bad), this happened long time ago but THERE WERE ways used to avoid pregnancy.
The beauty rituals that courtesans used: Beauty was a fundamental part, Alphonsine was naturally beautiful, BUT there were still many things that women in her time had to do to bring out their beauty and maintain it, many courtesans exercised, watched their food intake, applied very strange ointments, and even they believed that eating weird things helped them, here at most it is mentioned that she pinched her cheeks.....
The sometimes aggressive competition between courtesans: The courtesans were not always friendly with each other, and always competed, from clothes, jewelry and lovers, the competition could lead to physical aggression or fights, here some contemporary courtesans of Alphonsine are barely mentioned, not to mention any rivalry or discord, which is not real.
Sexual diseases? Alphonsine lived more than 2 centuries ago, BUT already then there was information and knowledge of diseases such as syphilis, in fact it is believed that she died from it, prostitutes and courtesans were better informed than other ladies in society about the dangers, and also had their own methods to take care of themselves, men, especially the rich ones, also knew the dangers, many were not aware but others were, and took precautions, here that is not even mentioned, which is crazy, do you really think that someone so sought after and well paid would not have a good reputation regarding her intimate health? Absurd.....
Now I'm not saying it's a bad book, it has some well-done things, I think the author manages to tell a story that is not easy, and although it is not the best narrative, it is not the worst, but I would be lying if I said that it lived up to my expectations.
August 21, 2020
Excellent!
Thoroughly enjoyable historical fiction based in the life of the famous Parisian courtesan, Marie DePlessis. Well paced read, with well crafted, believable, characters.
Thoroughly enjoyable historical fiction based in the life of the famous Parisian courtesan, Marie DePlessis. Well paced read, with well crafted, believable, characters.
July 31, 2020
A fun story with Paris of the late 19th century as backdrop.
February 1, 2020
Take a step back into the 19th century by reading A. G. Mogan’s latest novel, “Daughter of Paris,” an easy literary slide into the world of Charles Dickens and Alexandre Dumas. A time when there was no middle class; only the rich elite and the desperately poor. It is into this world which Alphonsine Plessis was born. Her father was a despicable brute who beat his wife until she fled to save her life and passed on her two daughters to relatives for their care. As a result, the father’s focus turned towards the daughters and made their world even darker.
The author chose an interesting method to tell the story by juxtaposing the thoughts of the protagonist, Alphonsine Plessis, who will grow to become Marie Duplessis, against those of her dear friend, but never to be lover, Romain Vienne. Romain’s views, in many cases, provide context to highs and lows experienced by Alphonsine/Marie.
To quote Romain about Alphonsine:
“Alphonsine was only twelve years old when the encounter with the ogre happened and it was not by any means an isolated incident. Child abuse in the countryside was rampant in those days and for some hypocritical reason, girls Alphonsine’s age weren’t regarded as children. In an age that deemed a twenty-year-old young woman a spinster, it’s not surprising that this was an accepted perception. Consider that in this year alone almost one thousand children were abandoned in our region and it becomes easy to imagine what was happening to those unfortunate little wretches. Poor Alphonsine… her association with those drunken brutes, and their uncontrolled cravings, truly proved to be her undoing. She had understood. She had seen. Her education in vice had begun.”
Her father sold to her to an ancient monster for a small purse of coins. Alphonsine struggled to make sense of her life, but she was a survivor.
To quote Alphonsine:
“I entered it still a child and left it a broken grownup…
The fact that this change happened on my thirteenth birthday further strengthens my belief in the Devil. It is as if a wicked higher power decided this birthday should be the most important cornerstone of my life. I shall always, from now on, believe Evil truly exists. I have ceased to believe in goodness…
My inner voice whispers in my head… Didn’t you see yourself as a seductress paying for food with your body? Maybe…
Man up! I look at the twenty-franc coin the satyr placed in my hand before he let me go. If you cannot beat them, you might as well join them. “
Romain comes to her defense:
“It would be a grave injustice to judge the conduct of Marie Duplessis – born Alphonsine Plessis – with the inexorable logic of cold and ruthless reason, without considering the facts beyond her control, facts of revolting brutality, of which she was the victim…
I knew her better than anyone she ever met, being the only person who knew everything about her anguished childhood…
An implacable fatality weighed on Marie from the day of her birth. The evil done to her was irreparable. In vain, she tried, without proper direction and effective protection, to fight against her destiny. In vain she exhausted her strength and courage fighting the dizzying power of the temptations that finally crushed her will.
But alas! You, my friends, be the judges.”
Although the book falls outside the genres that I typically read, I enjoyed the ride. I think anyone who enjoys reading books with setting in the early- to mid-19th century (e.g., Dickens, Dumas, etc.) will find this book a great read. I highly recommend this book. It has the same readability and quality as the author's other books.
The author chose an interesting method to tell the story by juxtaposing the thoughts of the protagonist, Alphonsine Plessis, who will grow to become Marie Duplessis, against those of her dear friend, but never to be lover, Romain Vienne. Romain’s views, in many cases, provide context to highs and lows experienced by Alphonsine/Marie.
To quote Romain about Alphonsine:
“Alphonsine was only twelve years old when the encounter with the ogre happened and it was not by any means an isolated incident. Child abuse in the countryside was rampant in those days and for some hypocritical reason, girls Alphonsine’s age weren’t regarded as children. In an age that deemed a twenty-year-old young woman a spinster, it’s not surprising that this was an accepted perception. Consider that in this year alone almost one thousand children were abandoned in our region and it becomes easy to imagine what was happening to those unfortunate little wretches. Poor Alphonsine… her association with those drunken brutes, and their uncontrolled cravings, truly proved to be her undoing. She had understood. She had seen. Her education in vice had begun.”
Her father sold to her to an ancient monster for a small purse of coins. Alphonsine struggled to make sense of her life, but she was a survivor.
To quote Alphonsine:
“I entered it still a child and left it a broken grownup…
The fact that this change happened on my thirteenth birthday further strengthens my belief in the Devil. It is as if a wicked higher power decided this birthday should be the most important cornerstone of my life. I shall always, from now on, believe Evil truly exists. I have ceased to believe in goodness…
My inner voice whispers in my head… Didn’t you see yourself as a seductress paying for food with your body? Maybe…
Man up! I look at the twenty-franc coin the satyr placed in my hand before he let me go. If you cannot beat them, you might as well join them. “
Romain comes to her defense:
“It would be a grave injustice to judge the conduct of Marie Duplessis – born Alphonsine Plessis – with the inexorable logic of cold and ruthless reason, without considering the facts beyond her control, facts of revolting brutality, of which she was the victim…
I knew her better than anyone she ever met, being the only person who knew everything about her anguished childhood…
An implacable fatality weighed on Marie from the day of her birth. The evil done to her was irreparable. In vain, she tried, without proper direction and effective protection, to fight against her destiny. In vain she exhausted her strength and courage fighting the dizzying power of the temptations that finally crushed her will.
But alas! You, my friends, be the judges.”
Although the book falls outside the genres that I typically read, I enjoyed the ride. I think anyone who enjoys reading books with setting in the early- to mid-19th century (e.g., Dickens, Dumas, etc.) will find this book a great read. I highly recommend this book. It has the same readability and quality as the author's other books.
May 6, 2020
A brilliant depiction of courtesan life in mid-19th Century France.
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2020
Ms. Mogan effortlessly transports the reader into that charming Parisian world of courtesan nightlife and culture, a world long lost to time. The writing is reminiscent of the grand balls of Tolstoy's War and Peace which creates a special attraction for me:
"Café de Paris is especially pleasant tonight. Designed to
look like an aristocratic family house, it has all the elements
necessary to make you feel at home, yet in the company of
so many brilliant minds and coveted riches. The burning
candles and lit oil lamps reflecting their golden light in the
grand mirrors persuade you into believing you must have
stepped into a different world. A world of illusions, of
infinite possibilities. The food at Café de Paris is out of this
world, too."
"The concierge opens the magnificent door to the grand
salon of the Opera to let us in. As he does so, he lets out, like
birds from a cage flying desperately and confusedly in all
directions, an array of contrasting sounds and impressions.
There are over three thousand men masquerading in
the dimly lit place, some dancing, some chatting, some
smoking perfumed cigars. Above them, a sea of ladies in
black dominoes and assorted masks fill the numerous boxes,
laughing, fanning themselves, and throwing fugitive glances
downstairs. Enveloping them all is the lively music coming
from the orchestra playing in one of the corners of the grand
salon.
Shortly after our arrival the grand galoppe begins. A
gentleman grabs my hand, another grabs Madame Judith’s
and they haul us about the room, whirling us madly and
passionately. The laughter coming from the lips of about
five hundred figures dancing the grand galoppe intoxicates
me, and for a moment, I let go my melancholy. I begin
laughing, a laughter that seems to spring from the bottom of
a being I thought lost. It is as if I am a child again and all
troubles and worries are but distant chimeras I know
nothing about.
As I spin, guided by the gentleman’s agile hand, my eyes
fall on a group of distinguished looking men, who stare at
me with inquisitive eyes. They whisper in each other’s ears,
nodding their heads and smiling.
The grand galoppe comes to a sudden end and I guide
Madame Judith toward the door to catch our breath."
Ms. Mogan explores the tragic life of Marie Duplessis with consummate skill. Check it out for a great reading experience.
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2020
Ms. Mogan effortlessly transports the reader into that charming Parisian world of courtesan nightlife and culture, a world long lost to time. The writing is reminiscent of the grand balls of Tolstoy's War and Peace which creates a special attraction for me:
"Café de Paris is especially pleasant tonight. Designed to
look like an aristocratic family house, it has all the elements
necessary to make you feel at home, yet in the company of
so many brilliant minds and coveted riches. The burning
candles and lit oil lamps reflecting their golden light in the
grand mirrors persuade you into believing you must have
stepped into a different world. A world of illusions, of
infinite possibilities. The food at Café de Paris is out of this
world, too."
"The concierge opens the magnificent door to the grand
salon of the Opera to let us in. As he does so, he lets out, like
birds from a cage flying desperately and confusedly in all
directions, an array of contrasting sounds and impressions.
There are over three thousand men masquerading in
the dimly lit place, some dancing, some chatting, some
smoking perfumed cigars. Above them, a sea of ladies in
black dominoes and assorted masks fill the numerous boxes,
laughing, fanning themselves, and throwing fugitive glances
downstairs. Enveloping them all is the lively music coming
from the orchestra playing in one of the corners of the grand
salon.
Shortly after our arrival the grand galoppe begins. A
gentleman grabs my hand, another grabs Madame Judith’s
and they haul us about the room, whirling us madly and
passionately. The laughter coming from the lips of about
five hundred figures dancing the grand galoppe intoxicates
me, and for a moment, I let go my melancholy. I begin
laughing, a laughter that seems to spring from the bottom of
a being I thought lost. It is as if I am a child again and all
troubles and worries are but distant chimeras I know
nothing about.
As I spin, guided by the gentleman’s agile hand, my eyes
fall on a group of distinguished looking men, who stare at
me with inquisitive eyes. They whisper in each other’s ears,
nodding their heads and smiling.
The grand galoppe comes to a sudden end and I guide
Madame Judith toward the door to catch our breath."
Ms. Mogan explores the tragic life of Marie Duplessis with consummate skill. Check it out for a great reading experience.
June 30, 2024
I picked this book up out of curosity about a courtesan who died far too young. I wanted to know who she was, and how she became so famous. This story did a great job of telling the tale of this poor, orphaned little "nobody" who pulled herself up out of the mud. Sadly, it was only through her looks that she was able to pull herself up from her tragic childhood. I almost cried when I read how her father sold her to an old man for money. Then, this hungry, hopeless little girl was cast out into the street.
I loved the way the story was written. This story was crafted so beautifully. It was easy to understand. However, I could not come to love this young woman. I admired her strength, but I hated how greedy she became. I hated how she treated her last husband. So, beautifully told story about a tragic, confused young woman.
I loved the way the story was written. This story was crafted so beautifully. It was easy to understand. However, I could not come to love this young woman. I admired her strength, but I hated how greedy she became. I hated how she treated her last husband. So, beautifully told story about a tragic, confused young woman.
July 17, 2020
What a mystified, cruel, and flamboyant life! I was so glad to read of this young lady who endured so much internal pain both physically, mentally, and psychologically. How can one go on with such adversities without losing their mind or falling into drugs. I loved all the details that the author incorporated to share such a fragile yet touching story. I can imagine all the luxury and lifestyle that Marie shortly enjoyed. Marie was trapped and had no choice but to prevail in a lifestyle that she was forded to undertake and conquer with her beauty in order to survive. This book took me through an emotional rolled coaster ride where I found myself wanting to help Marie at times. It's a must read for younger generations who take life for granted.
February 10, 2022
A. G. Mogan has written yet another gripping and heartwrenching story that pulls the reader into the deepest thoughts and actions of the characters. Daughter of Paris deserves nothing less than a five-star review.
As a child, Alphosine was unwanted, unloved, used, sold, and tossed around like bag of rotten potatoes. When she discovered that money could buy anything, she found a way to offer her services to men with bulging pockets to become Marie Duplessis, the most celebrated courtesan of all. But the finest clothes, most expensive jewels, and grandest apartments still did not satisfy a woman who wanted more than anything to be loved. The life of this brillient, sometimes cunning woman. was tragic. I am still haunted by her story.
As a child, Alphosine was unwanted, unloved, used, sold, and tossed around like bag of rotten potatoes. When she discovered that money could buy anything, she found a way to offer her services to men with bulging pockets to become Marie Duplessis, the most celebrated courtesan of all. But the finest clothes, most expensive jewels, and grandest apartments still did not satisfy a woman who wanted more than anything to be loved. The life of this brillient, sometimes cunning woman. was tragic. I am still haunted by her story.
January 16, 2020
An illuminating read
I wasn’t sure that I would be engaged by the subject of this book but my fears were dispelled within the first few pages. A.G. Mogan has a remarkable ability to get under the skin of a character and by the end of the book I had a thorough understanding of Marie Duplessis’s motivations and the reasons behind them; significantly adding to what is a fascinating biography. I really enjoyed the book and there was an added bonus; I love the opera La Traviata and future performances will be even more enjoyable now that I understand the main character so much better.
I wasn’t sure that I would be engaged by the subject of this book but my fears were dispelled within the first few pages. A.G. Mogan has a remarkable ability to get under the skin of a character and by the end of the book I had a thorough understanding of Marie Duplessis’s motivations and the reasons behind them; significantly adding to what is a fascinating biography. I really enjoyed the book and there was an added bonus; I love the opera La Traviata and future performances will be even more enjoyable now that I understand the main character so much better.
May 25, 2021
She was the inspiration for "La Traviata"....an anti-heroine whom you cannot help caring about due to her destitute, miserable childhood and abusive father.
Although she feels she has "made herself into an independent woman" any woman forced to rely on favors, "protectors" as they call them in exchange for her body is hardly independent. It was quite shocking to read her rationalizations for her choices and sad to see her transform into a manipulative, emotionally stunted person.
This book is also quite the statement on not only the rights of women but the dangers, the injustice, of a class society.
Although she feels she has "made herself into an independent woman" any woman forced to rely on favors, "protectors" as they call them in exchange for her body is hardly independent. It was quite shocking to read her rationalizations for her choices and sad to see her transform into a manipulative, emotionally stunted person.
This book is also quite the statement on not only the rights of women but the dangers, the injustice, of a class society.
January 12, 2021
Heartbreaking
Young Marie, so beautiful and full of life, never finds the one thing she most desires, unconditional love. It’s a rare thing and allusive. Many of us, too, look for it. It’s only from God that we find it. Marie lived a fast paced life and loved all the sensual and worldly things available to her. She must have been an incredible young woman to have inspired great authors to write about her. Because they did write of her, she lives on today in history. She would have been astounded and amazed by that. Maybe it would have comforted her.
Young Marie, so beautiful and full of life, never finds the one thing she most desires, unconditional love. It’s a rare thing and allusive. Many of us, too, look for it. It’s only from God that we find it. Marie lived a fast paced life and loved all the sensual and worldly things available to her. She must have been an incredible young woman to have inspired great authors to write about her. Because they did write of her, she lives on today in history. She would have been astounded and amazed by that. Maybe it would have comforted her.
May 20, 2020
A passionate book
I have just finished this book moments ago. My mind is still coming down from the feeling you get when you have read something that consumed you. I found myself highlighting quotes to reflect on later. The book is written by the point of view of Marie Duplessis. Every so often her childhood friend Romain will interject with his thoughts and observations. He knew her best. This biographical novel based on Marie's diaries will not disappoint you.
I have just finished this book moments ago. My mind is still coming down from the feeling you get when you have read something that consumed you. I found myself highlighting quotes to reflect on later. The book is written by the point of view of Marie Duplessis. Every so often her childhood friend Romain will interject with his thoughts and observations. He knew her best. This biographical novel based on Marie's diaries will not disappoint you.
September 26, 2020
It is a tale that is common in history
When one has no family, no guiding light, no trade or profession, what is one to do? If you are female, you sell to the highest bidder. That is the basis for this interesting story of a famous Parisian courtesan, Maria DuPlessis. Her life is short, and she does pack a lot into it, but for what purpose? The reader is left a bit bereft, but also wondering, was there another alternative for this young woman to pursue?
When one has no family, no guiding light, no trade or profession, what is one to do? If you are female, you sell to the highest bidder. That is the basis for this interesting story of a famous Parisian courtesan, Maria DuPlessis. Her life is short, and she does pack a lot into it, but for what purpose? The reader is left a bit bereft, but also wondering, was there another alternative for this young woman to pursue?
May 7, 2020
I pick this up thinking it was history, but turns out to be a novel. About an abused child who becomes and becomes a well known courtesan of Paris, sought out by many. Based on the story of Camille.
Disappointing, but that's because I a) thought I was getting a biography, and b) disliked the main character.
Disappointing, but that's because I a) thought I was getting a biography, and b) disliked the main character.
October 3, 2022
Nature v.s. Nurture
This book is a shiny example of the nature versus nurture theory. Truly Marie Duplexes was a victim of an ongoing lack of nurture from childhood through her adult life. It's interesting that she never lost her inner humanity even though her outer persona could be unkind, cold and calculating at times. Great reading!
This book is a shiny example of the nature versus nurture theory. Truly Marie Duplexes was a victim of an ongoing lack of nurture from childhood through her adult life. It's interesting that she never lost her inner humanity even though her outer persona could be unkind, cold and calculating at times. Great reading!
February 22, 2020
CAPTIVATING
Marie's short life was certainly full of twists and turns and this has been brilliantly captured by AG Mogan. A captivating book about a woman who survived and blossomed against all odds. Well worth the read.
Marie's short life was certainly full of twists and turns and this has been brilliantly captured by AG Mogan. A captivating book about a woman who survived and blossomed against all odds. Well worth the read.
March 28, 2020
Fascinating
I didn't realize until I was half way through that this was about a real person. Extremely well written about the fascinating and extraordinary life of a very unique woman. Book is hard to put down and you will not be disappointed.
I didn't realize until I was half way through that this was about a real person. Extremely well written about the fascinating and extraordinary life of a very unique woman. Book is hard to put down and you will not be disappointed.
November 13, 2020
A sad story for a child to endue when she was so young yet I didn't find Marie to be that likable. As she got older, I lost some interest in the book as she was not really a nice person. Definitely a sad person but never really tried to change. It was just ok for me.
March 9, 2021
Surprisingly fascinating work
Was not expecting to be so captivated by the tormented but fascinating heroine. That I was is a tribute to the author and her literary skills and her compassionate understanding of the glorious yet tragic young woman at the heart is this work.
Was not expecting to be so captivated by the tormented but fascinating heroine. That I was is a tribute to the author and her literary skills and her compassionate understanding of the glorious yet tragic young woman at the heart is this work.
March 9, 2024
This was such a disappointment. Do not waste your money, but more importantly, your time. If you want to know about the famous courtesan Marie Duplessis, try Wikipedia. This was word salad, disjointed mess of a book.
March 9, 2024
absolutely read you look forward to reading and sad that it’s over
Amazingly written! Now going to look for more books by this author. I’m sad the book is finished as I looked forward to my reading time!
Amazingly written! Now going to look for more books by this author. I’m sad the book is finished as I looked forward to my reading time!
March 23, 2025
Entertaining.
I enjoyed reading this book however it would be a bit repetitive and uneventful at times. Perhaps the best part was when the main character was dying. This is when the narrative became interesting.
I enjoyed reading this book however it would be a bit repetitive and uneventful at times. Perhaps the best part was when the main character was dying. This is when the narrative became interesting.
October 1, 2025
An Excellent Read
This was a story that needed to be told. In her own way she was a heroine. They say only the good die young. Despite her treacherous childhood she managed to live life on her terms.
This was a story that needed to be told. In her own way she was a heroine. They say only the good die young. Despite her treacherous childhood she managed to live life on her terms.
February 21, 2020
A very interesting viewpoint of a tragic story
A very interesting view of a tragic story from the viewpoint of a close friend. The story is well written and engaging.
A very interesting view of a tragic story from the viewpoint of a close friend. The story is well written and engaging.
August 7, 2020
Marie Duplessis lived in the mid-1800s and her story tells of how she was groomed into the world of rich men who paid for the attention of beautiful women.
October 1, 2020
EXCELLENT book
WONDERFUL Book stayed true to the time period and historically correct i enjoyed reading it very much will look for more titles by her.
WONDERFUL Book stayed true to the time period and historically correct i enjoyed reading it very much will look for more titles by her.
January 9, 2021
History lesson
Love Opera LaTraviata, this was the background for the Opera and the book by A Dumas “the lady of the camellias”.
Love Opera LaTraviata, this was the background for the Opera and the book by A Dumas “the lady of the camellias”.
February 9, 2021
Very good book
Enjoyable book, I enjoyed every minute of this book. Thank you for writing a interesting book. It kept me interested to the very end.
Enjoyable book, I enjoyed every minute of this book. Thank you for writing a interesting book. It kept me interested to the very end.
February 18, 2021
Excellent
Very Engaging I couldn't put it down The author is extremely talented And I can't wait to read all her other books
Very Engaging I couldn't put it down The author is extremely talented And I can't wait to read all her other books
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