The Ladies of the Mediterranean Express

 

« In the hushed atmosphere of the turn of the century, with the silhouettes of the deposed empress, the Boni de Castellane and Sarah Bernhardt gliding hieratically by, Juliette Benzoni unfurls the successive veils of her novel of initiation with ease. Even when the police intrigue intertwines with the emotions of The young Bride, it is always with grace ».

 

Synopsis : The young Bride 1990 /Juillard




Summer 1902.... On a perched tree, Melanie was watching the ball given by her illustrious neighbor. The branch broke. Melanie fell at the feet of a handsome marquis.... She was fifteen years old. Her heart was beating for the first time. The Marquis married her. When, after the party, they reach their wagon-cabin of the Mediterranean-Express, she thought they were boarding for Kythera... It was not so. The Marquis spent "their" wedding night with a Spanish dancer... Melanie would like to die of shock. She wants to throw herself off the train when she is rescued by a very seductive enigmatic painter... It is the beginning of incredible adventures during which she will discover love, foil ignominious plots and attract the attention of a king... Passion, tears, emotion... The first volume of a great saga....
 


« In the hushed atmosphere of the turn of the century, with the silhouettes of the deposed Empress, the Boni de Castellane and Sarah Bernhardt gliding majestically by, Juliette Benzoni unfurls the successive veils of her novel of initiation with ease. Even when the police intrigue intertwines with the emotions of La Jene Mariée, it is always with grace.. »

~ Laurence Vida ~ [ Le Figaro
]

The comments in the edition France Loisirs La Jeune Mariée

A fascinating storyline:

«Albine is the kind of person whose beauty dazzles those around her. Narcissistic, vain and mischievous, she seems oblivious to the beautiful woman who lies dormant in Mélanie, her fifteen-year-old daughter... The rivalry between mother and daughter provides a passionate backdrop for this novel, which blends love and betrayal. »

~ Chance ! ~


Literature of escape

«
Anyone who loves a good getaway will certainly appreciate the first volume of this triology entitled Les Dames du Méditerranée-Express... Juliette Benzoni keeps up the suspense right to the end, and believe me, we can't wait to find out what fate awaits the slim and pretty Mélanie, a tigress with good intentions, capable of any trick in the book to escape the net in which she has found herself caught unwillingly. »

~ Famille Magazine ~




In this marvellous volume from France Loisirs, an exclusive illustrated dossier on the work, Juliette Benzoni gives us the background to the creation of these three different stories. It's packed with information and fun, and the author also talks about her own experience. Please follow the link to the page created for the occasion ►►here (text still in French)
 

Synopsis : The proud American 1991


Alexandra loved to travel. Her husband hated them. She wasn't a woman to beg. Then, one fine day in 1904, the beautiful American embarked on a luxury liner and headed for France. She had decided that this journey would be a delight. She wanted to perfect her culture, rob the couturiers, shine at balls and receptions, flirt "American style" without giving anything to the gentlemen too pressing...
But she didn't know that France is the land of love and that fate was going to put in its path the most beautiful man that the earth had ever carried....


To Jean des Cars, who awakened my passion for great trains, I dedicate Les Dames du Méditterannée-Express with friendship and gratitude...ℐℬ



Jean des Cars is a French historian, journalist and writer
 

Snopsis : The Princess Manchu 1991


Because of her love, Orchidée, the little Manchu princess, had forgotten China and the Empress Ts'eu-hi whom she betrayed to marry Edward. But, suddenly, she receives a terrible letter... Ts'eu-hi ordered her to return to China after stealing a brooch in Paris that belonged to the imperial family. Heartbroken, Orchidée steals the jewel. But the nightmare continues. The next day, Edward is murdered. And it is her whom the servants are accusing! Devastated, Orchidée flees. Direction Marseille, then.... On board the Mediterranean Express, she finally meets the providential man who might be able to help her...

Quote in this Novel :

« You can't walk looking at the stars with a stone in your shoe »
~Lao Tseu ~

The next publications in this series :



The France Loisirs edtions in 1991

The editions of Pocket 2001 [The series was previously published by Pocket 1992, 1993, 1997)



♣ The Integrale (all three books) by Pocket in 2013 & 2016

The saga was also translated in the Countries :

Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Russia.



The editions of Hungary, Slovenia and Russia



The Slovakia and Ukraine editions. In the case of Slovakia, I couldn't resist downloading two of the three covers because I love the fact that you can read the names of trains and shipping lines.



Dame Juliette takes the train...  (2016)



Juliette Benzoni, who passed away eight months ago, loved trains. Her heroes, at least those of the 20th century, liked to use this means of transport for rest, meditation and... crime. In this series of crime novels, the original edition of which was published twenty-five years ago, she has chosen to set the action directly on the Méditerranée Express, the Côte d'Azur train so loved by Gabrielle Chanel. There are three of them. They don't know it, but a character unites them. They come from France, the United States and China and find themselves at the heart of a drama that, as always with Benzoni, combines history, money, crime, jewels and wild love affairs. Between the fate of the Manchu princess, that of the proud American or the adventures of the young bride, all you have to do is choose your favourite heroine. Personally, I have a soft spot for the niece of Tseu-Hi - that's how the author spells her white jade medallion, her tumultuous love affairs, her bloody rivals and her Marco Polo-like travels. But the other two are just as endearing.
One of the most romantic series by the queen of historical fiction finally published in a single volume.

~ article by Vincent Meylan 2016 ~ [ Point de Vue]

TRIBUTE



THE TIME OF A JOURNEY...

Published in 1990 and 1991, this saga is one of the jewels in the oeuvre of the late Juliette Benzoni !

THE LADIES OF THE ORIENT - EXPRESS, VOLUME 1 TO 3 THE YOUNG BRIDE, THE PROUD AMERICAN, PRINCESS MANCHOU

The amorous adventures of fifteen-year-old Mélanie, from the evening in the summer of 1905 when, venturing in her nightdress into the garden of her aristocratic neighbour who was giving a ball, she fell by chance into the arms of the Marquis de Varennes...
Alexandra loves travelling. Her husband hates them. So, one day in 1904, the beautiful American embarked alone on a liner and set sail for France, determined to have fun. But little did she know that France was the land of love and that fate was about to throw her in the path of the most handsome man the world had ever known. Orchidée, the little Manchu princess, had forgotten all about China and her empress, who told her to go home. Heading for Marseille, then... on board the Mediterranean-Express, she finally meets the providential man.

~ Article by L'Actu Littéraire 2016 ~



As you can read in the article above, the series was reissued in 2016 by the Club, with the same original covers from Juillard 1991. The difference is that we no longer see the editiors Juillard's name...
 





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