Empress Bianca

by Lady Colin Campbell

Empress Bianca is a window into the lives of the wealthiest people in the world. It chronicles the rise of a young middle-class girl, for whom nothing is quite ever enough, into one of the leaders of international society. Cutting a swathe through social circles and gossip columns from the 1950's through today, Empress Bianca is a tale of charm, intrigue, romance, and cold-blooded murder, keeping readers immersed in a world into which most of us only ever get a glance, providing an opportunity to view international society the way insiders see it.

Genres: Fiction

464 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Lady Colin Campbell, (née Georgia Arianna Ziadie, known as Georgie), is a British writer, biographer, autobiographer, novelist, and television and radio personality, known for her biography of Diana, Princess of Wales, The Real Diana, as well as for other books on the Royal Family and wealthy people.

Campbell was born in Jamaica, the child of Michael and Gloria Ziadie. The Ziadie family is prominent in Jamaica, the descendants of six Maronite Catholic brothers who emigrated from Lebanon in the early 20th century; she says they have gone from being "revered to reviled to treasured as exotica." Her father was of royal Russian bloodline. His family were Greek Orthodox Catholic who had settled in Lebanon. Her mother came from English, Irish, Portuguese and Spanish ancestry. Her maternal great-grandmother, family name De Pass, was Sephardic Jew.

In 1974, she married Lord Colin Ivar Campbell, the son of Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll; she divorced him in 1975.

She is the mother of two adopted Russian-born sons, Dima and Misha. She lives in Kennington, UK.

Reviews

[Ga-ranimals! · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is alledgedly based on real-life socialite Lily Safra. If Safra indeed was involved in the treachery detailed in Lady Campbell's book, all one can say is DAAMMNN, GUUURRLLL. She is an undiscovered Bond villain.

[Mary Fleeman-lehr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Empress Bianca

I read that this is about Lily Safra in disguise. Very interesting and a real page turner. Now I’ll read the unauthorized biography of Miss Lily and see how they mesh

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read about this in an article in Vanity Fair by Dominick Dunne. If you can find that article - it’s shorter and better. Google Lily Safra. The book is very good too.

[Andijkl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story until the very end. the end was quick. even thought you knew what would happen - it needed a little more.

[Sophia Prades · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you in search of quick, juicy read and you love shows like "The Real Housewives"? If so, then this is for you!

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful account of Lily...and I am in love with Lady Colin...

[Christine.Darrington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Empress Bianca

I found parts of this book tediously and somewhat rushed at the end. I hoped to discover more about Manoli the son and Amanda his mother.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing story. Money can't always buy happiness.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read about this in an article in Vanity Fair by Dominick Dunne. Names are changed in the book.

[Christina Lloyd-Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

You just know it’s gonna be good when you know it was forced out of print.

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was like reading a breathless supermarket tabloid. I wasn't impressed with the writing style. Everything was flat. Characters with no real motivation. Sorry. I'm just annoyed. I read it (and finished it) because I'm doing the Around the World book challenge, and this is my Andorra.