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Eugenie
France, 1759
Whilst the commoners plan to rise up against the hated aristocracy, two sisters – Eugénie and Pélagie – are thrown into a bitter battle of their own.
Eugénie is a reckless narcissist whose charm and beauty casts a fatal spell on all those around her.
Pélagie is her ruthless and scorned sister, who pays a terrible price for ambition.
Their lives are torn apart by one man and the soon find themselves divided by conflicting ideals of honour and love.
What began as a scandalous notion quickly becomes a reality of revenge and deceit as Eugénie embarks on a forbidden relationship with one of France’s most cruel nobles.
Driven purely by passion, she defies both Pélagie and her father, leaving a web of bitterness and loathing behind her.
Swept away on a tide of jealousy and lust, they are all blind to the deadly darkness that is creeping over them — the shadow of the guillotine.
With France in ruins, they are forced to accept that nothing will ever be the same again…
‘Fresh, vivid, exciting and enthralling … This is a fine book’ - The Sphere
‘A book remarkably alike for its vividness and for its historical perspective’ - Daily Express
Marjorie Bowen was born in 1885 and is one of many pseudonyms the writer Margaret Gabrielle Vere Campbell Long used. She was one of Britain’s most prolific authors of the twentieth century. Writing was more than just a her works were the primary source of financial support for her family. Between 1906 and her death in 1952, Bowen wrote over 150 books, garnering much acclaim for her popular histories and historical and Gothic romances. Alongside masterful descriptions and concise, efficient prose, she deftly rendered larger-than-life subjects in the minds of her readers. To this day, aficionados of the genres covet Bowen’s work. Her other titles include The Sword Decided , Mary Queen of Scots , The Queen’s Caprice , The Governor of England , Mistress Nell Gwynn and Dickon .
Whilst the commoners plan to rise up against the hated aristocracy, two sisters – Eugénie and Pélagie – are thrown into a bitter battle of their own.
Eugénie is a reckless narcissist whose charm and beauty casts a fatal spell on all those around her.
Pélagie is her ruthless and scorned sister, who pays a terrible price for ambition.
Their lives are torn apart by one man and the soon find themselves divided by conflicting ideals of honour and love.
What began as a scandalous notion quickly becomes a reality of revenge and deceit as Eugénie embarks on a forbidden relationship with one of France’s most cruel nobles.
Driven purely by passion, she defies both Pélagie and her father, leaving a web of bitterness and loathing behind her.
Swept away on a tide of jealousy and lust, they are all blind to the deadly darkness that is creeping over them — the shadow of the guillotine.
With France in ruins, they are forced to accept that nothing will ever be the same again…
‘Fresh, vivid, exciting and enthralling … This is a fine book’ - The Sphere
‘A book remarkably alike for its vividness and for its historical perspective’ - Daily Express
Marjorie Bowen was born in 1885 and is one of many pseudonyms the writer Margaret Gabrielle Vere Campbell Long used. She was one of Britain’s most prolific authors of the twentieth century. Writing was more than just a her works were the primary source of financial support for her family. Between 1906 and her death in 1952, Bowen wrote over 150 books, garnering much acclaim for her popular histories and historical and Gothic romances. Alongside masterful descriptions and concise, efficient prose, she deftly rendered larger-than-life subjects in the minds of her readers. To this day, aficionados of the genres covet Bowen’s work. Her other titles include The Sword Decided , Mary Queen of Scots , The Queen’s Caprice , The Governor of England , Mistress Nell Gwynn and Dickon .
- GenresHistorical Fiction
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 18, 2013
5 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Marjorie Bowen
461 books85 followersMarjorie Bowen (pseudonym of Mrs Gabrielle Margaret V[ere] Long née Campbell), was a British author who wrote historical romances, supernatural horror stories, popular history and biography. Her total output numbers over 150 volumes with the bulk of her work under the 'Bowen' pseudonym. She also wrote under the names Joseph Shearing, George R. Preedy, John Winch, Robert Paye, and Margaret Campbell. As Joseph Shearing, she wrote several sinister gothic romances full of terror and mystery. Many of these stories were published as Berkley Medallion Books. Several of her books were adapted as films. Her books are much sought after by aficionados of gothic horror and received praise from critics.
Bowen's alcoholic father left the family at an early age and was eventually found dead on a London street. After this, Bowen's prolific writings were the chief financial support for her family. She was married twice: first, from 1912-16, to a Sicilian named Zefferino Emilio Constanza, who died of tuberculosis, and then to one Arthur L. Long. Her first novel was The Viper of Milan (1906), after which she produced a steady stream of writings until the day of her death on 23rd December 1952. Her last, posthumous, novel was The Man with the Scales (1954).
Bowen's alcoholic father left the family at an early age and was eventually found dead on a London street. After this, Bowen's prolific writings were the chief financial support for her family. She was married twice: first, from 1912-16, to a Sicilian named Zefferino Emilio Constanza, who died of tuberculosis, and then to one Arthur L. Long. Her first novel was The Viper of Milan (1906), after which she produced a steady stream of writings until the day of her death on 23rd December 1952. Her last, posthumous, novel was The Man with the Scales (1954).
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 29, 2017
Published in 1917 (originally titled The Third Estate) and set during the French Revolution, Eugenie by Marjorie Bowen introduces us to two sisters, Eugenie and Pélagie Haultpenne. Pélagie, the eldest, is heiress to a fortune and, at the beginning of the book, is engaged to a handsome young nobleman, the Marquis de Sarcey. As soon as the Marquis sees her beautiful sister Eugenie, however, Pélagie is forgotten. Can he find a way to be with Eugenie without giving up his claim to the Haultpenne fortune?
I have read a few of Marjorie Bowen’s other historical novels and have found them to vary widely in style and quality. This is not one of the better ones, but it’s still an entertaining read. The historical aspect of the story is interesting; it focuses less on the Revolution itself than on the factors leading to it, such as the Estates General and the role of the Comte de Mirabeau. This is a novel that you would read more for the plot than because you wanted to learn some history, though. It reminded me slightly of Louisa May Alcott’s A Long Fatal Love Chase; it’s fun, as long as you don’t mind lots of melodrama, swooning heroines and an anti-hero who is “a creature expert in every vice, used to every dishonour, useless, arrogant, a parasite on the labour of others!”
I have read a few of Marjorie Bowen’s other historical novels and have found them to vary widely in style and quality. This is not one of the better ones, but it’s still an entertaining read. The historical aspect of the story is interesting; it focuses less on the Revolution itself than on the factors leading to it, such as the Estates General and the role of the Comte de Mirabeau. This is a novel that you would read more for the plot than because you wanted to learn some history, though. It reminded me slightly of Louisa May Alcott’s A Long Fatal Love Chase; it’s fun, as long as you don’t mind lots of melodrama, swooning heroines and an anti-hero who is “a creature expert in every vice, used to every dishonour, useless, arrogant, a parasite on the labour of others!”
Displaying 1 of 1 review