The Passing Star: A historical saga based on the life of Eleonora Duse

by Jean Stubbs

A compelling biographical novel about the life and loves of stage legend Eleonora Duse. Perfect for fans of Victoria Hislop, Lucinda Elliot, Barbara Erskine and Alison Weir.From humble beginnings to glittering stardom… but will Eleonora ever be truly happy?19th-century ItalyBorn to impoverished travelling actors, Eleonora Duse looks to the stars and dreams of greater things. The quiet, unremarkable little girl doesn’t seem like a star in the making … but when she takes to the stage, everyone is astonished.As her talent grows, she blossoms into an incandescent stage presence whose natural acting style breaks all the rules, yet endlessly captivates her public.Soon ‘la Duse’ is a household name as her acclaim comes to rival even that of even the great Sarah Bernhardt.But behind the applause and the bouquets, her private life is a rollercoaster driven by changing loves, rash decisions and bouts of melancholy.Can Eleonora find true happiness despite herself? Or is it only a matter of time before she self-destructs?THE PASSING STAR is a historical biographical saga of the life of Eleonora a complex and compelling stage luminary who changed the face of theatre forever.‘This superior biographical novel does justice to the tragic life of the great Italian actress’ – New York Times

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 15, 2021

About the author

Aka Emma Darby

Jean was born in Lancashire and educated in Manchester. She has written many novels and short stories for magazines and collections, several of which have been adapted for radio and television. She has lived for more than twenty years in a cottage in Cornwall, England, with her husband.