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Catherine #6
A Snare for Catherine
From the Publisher's "Men wanted her... but only Arnaud possessed her. The proud, violet-eyed Catherine was a renowned beauty in war-torn 15th-century France, and together with Arnaud she lived and reigned in the duchy of Montsalvy. As the thunderous turmoil of the Hundred Years' War raged around them, Catherine and Arnaud were torn apart by a rush of events. While courageous Arnaud braved the dangers of war, the lovely Catherine was plunged into a struggle for her beloved Montsalvy--and her own safety--against a treacherous foe. In Catherine's adventure of peril and survival--and her fervent quest to become reunited with her beloved Arnaud--Juliette Benzoni has etched a towering, turbulent love story which comes brilliantly to life in the greatest traditionof epic romance."
362 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
6 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Juliette Benzoni
304 books155 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 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 2, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Will read the whole series.
August 14, 2024
Olihan tuo ihan ok... historiallinen seikkailu.
October 6, 2014
J'ai officiellement ma dose. La première partie du livre est ennuyeuse (puisque 'elle reste coincée au même endroit), ça s'arrange quand elle arrive à en sortir et honnêtement, Benzoni aurait pu sauver l'histoire si il n'y avait pas Arnaud.
Arnaud l'ingrat, Arnaud le brutal, l'insupportable mari belliqueux et délirant de jalousie (injustifiée). Arnaud qui fait toujours le contraire de ce qui est logique ou prudent. Arnaud qui ne vaut pas tout le mal qu'on se donne pour lui.
Dans "Le Temps d'aimer", le coup de la lèpre m'a fait hurler de désespoir (pas pour lui mais pour elle). Vraiment, j'étais estomaquée, j'en revenais pas, c'était vraiment l'ultime épreuve. C'était presque trop mais ça allait encore.
L'intrigue de "Piège pour Catherine" est de trop, en ce qui le concerne (et comme tout tourne toujours autour de lui... T_T)
SPOILERS
Qu'il ait tué le cousin de Catherine, ok, il avait toutes les raisons de le faire. Qu'il ait été emprisonné pour ça est parfaitement logique. Mais après cent cinquante pages à regarder son épouse archi dévouée courir se jeter aux genoux de machin et machine, quand elle obtient sa grâce et que soudain on apprend qu'il s'est ENFUI, se re-condamnant d'emblée et patati et patata...
IL POUVAIT PAS RESTER OU IL ETAIT POUR UNE FOIS DANS SA VIE, CE CON?!? Non, bien sûr que non, il fallait qu'il aille se remettre dans la merde dont on venait de le sortir, et si possible en entraînant avec lui toute sa famille, bien sûr, puisqu'à l'époque un homme disgracié condamnait femme et enfants à son propre sort. Et quand, contre toute attente, elle finit par le retrouver, monsieur s'est fait bandit, il viole, pille, tue, se hâte de retomber dans ses vieux travers et de reprocher à sa femme (pourtant fidèle, à une unique exception presque excusable) son adultère parce que oui, bien qu'elle lui ait tout donné et qu'elle lui ait consacré toute sa vie, qu'elle lui eusse prouvé son amour à (trop) maintes reprises et donné deux enfants, il suffit du premier ragot venu pour le convaincre qu'elle se tape les trois (TROIS!!!) types qui sont venus assaillir le château.
Au final, Catherine s'enfuit en laissant derrière elle Arnaud grièvement blessé. Et j'espère qu'il meurt. Vraiment. Je ne peux tellement plus l'encadrer que c'est au-dessus de mes forces : je ne lirai pas le dernier volume. Parce qu'il ne mourra pas, bien sûr.
Arnaud l'ingrat, Arnaud le brutal, l'insupportable mari belliqueux et délirant de jalousie (injustifiée). Arnaud qui fait toujours le contraire de ce qui est logique ou prudent. Arnaud qui ne vaut pas tout le mal qu'on se donne pour lui.
Dans "Le Temps d'aimer", le coup de la lèpre m'a fait hurler de désespoir (pas pour lui mais pour elle). Vraiment, j'étais estomaquée, j'en revenais pas, c'était vraiment l'ultime épreuve. C'était presque trop mais ça allait encore.
L'intrigue de "Piège pour Catherine" est de trop, en ce qui le concerne (et comme tout tourne toujours autour de lui... T_T)
SPOILERS
Qu'il ait tué le cousin de Catherine, ok, il avait toutes les raisons de le faire. Qu'il ait été emprisonné pour ça est parfaitement logique. Mais après cent cinquante pages à regarder son épouse archi dévouée courir se jeter aux genoux de machin et machine, quand elle obtient sa grâce et que soudain on apprend qu'il s'est ENFUI, se re-condamnant d'emblée et patati et patata...
IL POUVAIT PAS RESTER OU IL ETAIT POUR UNE FOIS DANS SA VIE, CE CON?!? Non, bien sûr que non, il fallait qu'il aille se remettre dans la merde dont on venait de le sortir, et si possible en entraînant avec lui toute sa famille, bien sûr, puisqu'à l'époque un homme disgracié condamnait femme et enfants à son propre sort. Et quand, contre toute attente, elle finit par le retrouver, monsieur s'est fait bandit, il viole, pille, tue, se hâte de retomber dans ses vieux travers et de reprocher à sa femme (pourtant fidèle, à une unique exception presque excusable) son adultère parce que oui, bien qu'elle lui ait tout donné et qu'elle lui ait consacré toute sa vie, qu'elle lui eusse prouvé son amour à (trop) maintes reprises et donné deux enfants, il suffit du premier ragot venu pour le convaincre qu'elle se tape les trois (TROIS!!!) types qui sont venus assaillir le château.
Au final, Catherine s'enfuit en laissant derrière elle Arnaud grièvement blessé. Et j'espère qu'il meurt. Vraiment. Je ne peux tellement plus l'encadrer que c'est au-dessus de mes forces : je ne lirai pas le dernier volume. Parce qu'il ne mourra pas, bien sûr.
October 24, 2013
J'ai beau lire et relire cette saga, je ne m'en lasse jamais.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews