SKU: 71341310745

"Madame De" 1953 DE VILMORIN, Louise

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"Madame De" 1953 DE VILMORIN, LouiseDE VILMORIN, Louise Marie Louise Lvque de Vilmorin (4 April 1902 26 December 1969) was a French novelist, poet and journalist. Vilmorin was best known as a writer of delicate but mordant tales, often set in aristocratic or artistic milieu. [64] pp. Collins 1953 Fifth Impression 8 1 4" x 5 1 4" Drawings by Ian Ribbons VG VG Her most famous novel was Madame de, published in 1951, which was adapted into the celebrated film The Earrings of Madame de

DE VILMORIN, Louise

Marie Louise Lévêque de Vilmorin (4 April 1902 – 26 December 1969) was a French novelist, poet and journalist. Vilmorin was best known as a writer of delicate but mordant tales, often set in aristocratic or artistic milieu.

[64] pp.

Collins

1953

Fifth Impression

8 1/4" x 5 1/4"

Drawings by Ian Ribbons

VG/ VG

Her most famous novel was Madame de..., published in 1951, which was adapted into the celebrated film The Earrings of Madame de... (1953), directed by Max Ophüls and starring Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux and Vittorio de Sica.

Tells the story of Madame de - 's earrings. This is a story of jewellery, of love, of denial, of society that aims to have the simplicity of a fairy tale and the elegance of an eighteenth century roman-a-clef.

THE story of the earrings of Madame de- begins with this observation: "Elegance rather than beauty was accorded the mark of merit in the circle of society to which Madame de- belonged." American readers who break into that charmed circle will no doubt agree that Madame de- was the most elegant of all women. Her manners were faultless, and her sensibilities exquisite. She deceived her husband like a lady, and he understood and forgave her like a true man of the world. Even her anonymity distinguished her: the author explains she wrote the book so quickly she had no time to give the heroine more than the dangling particle de.

Quickly written or not, Louise de Vilmorin's novelette is a perfect drawing room fable—a real jewel, as one of the characters might say in highest praise. And though the jewel is precious, it was cut with a rare economy of means. A complex story (recently made into a French movie) is told here in fifty-four pages of uncomplicated writing.

The theme of “Madame de” is deception: the web of falsehoods in which a fashionable woman can be caught, and drawn to tragedy. Madame de- cannot resist telling her rich and generous husband that her dresses cost half of what they actually did cost her. So to pay her debts she sells the heart-shaped diamond earrings which were a wedding present from Monsieur de- and pretends to lose them at a ball. The family jeweler who bought them believing Monsieur de- had some private money troubles suddenly finds himself in possession of jewels believed to have been stolen. He takes them to Monsieur de who buys them for the second time. Saddened by his wife's pretense, and the injury done his good name, he gives them to a mistress.

Before Moniseur de- is through he buys the earrings back three times, and they change hands on ten increasingly elaborate occasions Madame de- suffers at each exchange, until, abandoned by her ambassador-lover, she dies of sadness and pneumonia.

TRUE to Gallic tradition, both her husband and her lover are present for the deathbed scene, when her two hands gently open and disclose a diamond heart in each, “It was as though she had meant to give them away and she cared not to whom.

"'She is dead,' said Monsieur de-. 'Take this heart which she has given you, The other is her own. I will take charge of it.'

"Monsieur de- laid the other heart on the heart of his wife and then sent for the old nurse. Forthwith, the room was full of the rustle of skirts and the sound of wailing. The candles which had so often lit up her dinner parties now shone round her deathbed. Monsieur de- sent for his tailor, and, without telling him the reason, ordered some suits of mourning."

Madame de Vilmorin is at her best in this airy fantasy of manners. Her novel “Julietta” suggest that she is less gifted for bigger books; characterizations which seemed delightfully transparent in “Madame de” become opaque in a longer novel.

The least successful of these characters is the adolescent heroine, Julietta, who "spent her life in a world of her own invention." Escaping from her mother (a bourgeois lady) and her 54-year-old fiancé (a prince), Julietta takes refuge in the attic of Landrecourt (an intellectual). Here, she invents a world of her own so splendid that Landrecourt is dazzled and won—though his mistress-Rosie's exasperation with these goings-on deserves the reader's sympathy. In fact, the portrait of Rosie, in all her high-toned frivolity, is both the triumph and the symbol of Louise de Vilmorin's art.

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SKU: 71341310745

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rilakk
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 4
Fun read
Format: Kindle
I'm not really into mafia books but I love Roxy Collin's other series so I decided to give it a try. It had the same great romance, spice, swoon-worthy characters and exciting plot that are her signature. Arben was my favorite, although it was a bit sudden how quickly he changed from ignoring her to wanting to be pack. There were almost too many twists/layers of lies to keep track of but I'm looking forward to reading the other books. The only thing that detracted from the story for me was the need for a bit more proofreading. It was mentioned that Kelly is a female and male at different points, leading me to think she changed her mind at some point about the character's gender but didn't go back and edit it to align in all places. Like another reviewer pointed out, step siblings are different than half siblings. They are incorrectly referred to as step siblings because they (allegedly) share the same biological dad. There are a few other typos as well but those aren't a big deal.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2025
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Carmen Alicea
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 5
Stepbrothers, Secrets, and Sizzling Heat
Format: Kindle
Twisted Lies by Roxy Collins is a wild ride through family secrets, amnesia, and a steamy stepbrother romance. When Kelly discovers her life is built on lies, she ends up tangled with three alpha stepbrothers and an assassin who once helped her through a heat. The tension? Off the charts! The heat is real, and the complications are messy in the best way. Full of twists, secrets, and fated mates? You'll be hooked from page one! Love omegaverse drama with a dash of taboo? This one's for you!
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Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2024
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Ashley
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 3
Good read
Format: Kindle
The book has some good twists and turns, but truthfully I was so confused on some things. It didn't have a good flow for me personally. Not sure if it's due to typos or using him/her wrongly, but I thought Kelly was both a guy and a girl. Actually I still don't know, and it made me incredibly frustrated. It would refer to Kelley as him or he, and then again in another part of the story as her she and sister. On to the next book, I hope there is some clarity and a smoother flow. This is a slow burn, and I just don't know how much I care for the Alphas yet. Idk if I recommend.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2023
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75_SweetestBook
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
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This is amazing fast pace read that is full of plot twists and lies that keep getting bad. This is a story we’re a omega has been lied to by her mother and finds out that someone is slowing dieing. 3 alpha take the omega and feed her more lies so they can use her against her father so they can find their mate Kelly. This is a dark read and ends in a cliffhanger and so good.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2023
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trinityknt7
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★★★★★ 4
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This will keep you on your toes toes in a hot twisty mess. You want to love, hate and root for whom is the big question. I’m quickly getting the next book because it ends on a cliffhanger and damn, it’s got me ready to tear into it!
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