Clisson and Eugénie
Napoleon Bonaparte, Peter Hicks (trs.)
Clisson and Eugénie
Their eyes met... and they soon knew that their hearts were made for each other. Triumphant on the field of battle, Clisson turns his back on worldly success. He falls in love and marries and Eugénie, but how long will their love survive? The tragic story of Clisson and Eugénie reveals one of history's great leaders in his lesser known guise: as writer of fiction. Written in a Romantic style true to its period, the story offers the reader insights into how the young Napoleon viewed love, women and military life.
2.5 out of 5 based on 4 reviews
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Omniscore:
|
| Classification |
Fiction |
| Genre |
Classic Fiction |
| Format |
Paperback |
| Pages |
128 |
| RRP |
£7.99 |
| Date of Publication |
October 2009 |
| ISBN |
978-1906040277 |
| Publisher |
Gallic Books |
| |
Their eyes met... and they soon knew that their hearts were made for each other. Triumphant on the field of battle, Clisson turns his back on worldly success. He falls in love and marries and Eugénie, but how long will their love survive? The tragic story of Clisson and Eugénie reveals one of history's great leaders in his lesser known guise: as writer of fiction. Written in a Romantic style true to its period, the story offers the reader insights into how the young Napoleon viewed love, women and military life.
Reviews
The Times
Flora Fraser
“Although the text is brief, there is a wit and power about the writing and the characterisation that makes the reader regret that Napoleon Bonaparte did not write more fiction... thanks to the expertise of the translators, we have this very readable version that is true to the original and wonderfully well written. Clisson and Eugénie also sheds light on how Napoleon saw himself at this time — as a man attracted both by the life of reflection and that of action.”
24/10/2009
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The Financial Times
Adrian Turpin
“The editors desperately pad out this “definitive” version of the 17-page love story with a brazen 60 pages of commentary. Yet, as interesting as it is to witness the future emperor’s attempts at sentimental self-mythologising, as a literary decision it is difficult to make the case for pushing this manuscript to the crowded bookshops of today. Napoleon complex? If only.”
02/11/2009
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The Observer
Helen Zaltzman
“The melancholy tale of a besotted soldier and his young wife reads almost like a synopsis for a full-length novel... Combining some of Napoleon's favourite themes – war, love, suicide – the story has been pieced together from fragments of manuscript to provide a glimpse of what lay beneath the bicorn.”
29/11/2009
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The Daily Telegraph
Jonathan Keates
“There are moments when its author shows a certain talent for writing, especially when evoking Clisson’s doubts and susceptibilities. Otherwise Boney’s notorious impatience shows through. Passages of such supreme perfunctoriness as: 'He renounced all thought of glory. Months and years sped by like hours. They had children and remained deeply in love’, make us realise why novel-writing was not a viable career option for the Corsican Ogre.”
08/11/2009
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