If coincidences worry you then walk away now for this absurdly eventful novel turns upon such things repeatedly. Every chapter contains enough excitement for a single novel as our unbelievably beautiful multi-talented heroine meets some terrible fate only to escape her inevitable doom in a style reminiscent of a B-movie short. But be warned that this is just half the original novel and it ends abruptly. Pity me, dear reader, upon my discovery that what I thought to be volume 2 of this story turned out to be the second novel and thus the third book in this Pan reprint of the English translations. Now I must find that other half to see how Marianne can escape the machinations of the Duc d'Otranto and Talleyrand and whether she will reconcile with the American adventurer who behaved so honourably towards her but was met with insult. ( )