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The Countess
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The Countess Hardback - 2010

by Rebecca Johns

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From the publisher

Was the "Blood Countess" history's first and perhaps worst female serial killer? Or did her accusers create a violent fiction in order to remove this beautiful, intelligent, ambitious foe from the male-dominated world of Hungarian politics?
In 1611, Countess Erzsebet Bathory, a powerful Hungarian noblewoman, stood helpless as masons walled her inside her castle tower, dooming her to spend her final years in solitary confinement. Her crime--the gruesome murders of dozens of female servants, mostly young girls tortured to death for displeasing their ruthless mistress. Her opponents painted her as a bloodthirsty" skrata"--a witch--a portrayal that would expand to grotesque proportions through the centuries.
In this riveting dramatization of Erzsebet Bathory's life, the countess tells her story in her own words, writing to her only son--a final reckoning from his mother in an attempt to reveal the truth behind her downfall. Countess Bathory describes her upbringing in one of the most powerful noble houses in Hungary, recounting in loving detail her devotion to her parents and siblings as well as the heartbreak of losing her father at a young age. She soon discovers the price of being a woman in sixteenth-century Hungary as her mother arranges her marriage to Ferenc Nadasdy, a union made with the cold calculation of a financial transaction. Young Erzsebet knows she has no choice but to accept this marriage even as she laments its loveless nature and ultimately turns to the illicit affections of another man.
Seemingly resigned to a marriage of convenience and a life of surreptitious pleasure, the countess surprises even herself as she ignites a marital spark with Ferenc through the most unromantic of acts: the violent punishment of an insolent female servant. The event shows Ferenc that his wife is no trophy but a strong, determined woman more than capable of managing their vast estates during Ferenc's extensive military campaigns against the Turks. Her naked assertion of power accomplishes what her famed beauty could not: capturing the love of her husband.
The countess embraces this new role of loving wife and mother, doing everything she can to expand her husband's power and secure her family's future. But a darker side surfaces as Countess Bathory's demand for virtue, obedience, and, above all, respect from her servants takes a sinister turn. What emerges is not only a disturbing, unflinching portrait of the deeds that gave Bathory the moniker "Blood Countess," but an intimate look at the woman who became a monster.

Details

  • Title The Countess
  • Author Rebecca Johns
  • Binding Hardback
  • Edition First Edition
  • Pages 285
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Crown Publishing Group (NY), New York
  • Publication date 2010-10-12
  • ISBN 9780307588456 / 0307588459
  • Weight 1.14 lbs (0.52 kg)
  • Dimensions 9.44 x 6.44 x 1.11 in (23.98 x 16.36 x 2.82 cm)
  • Category Fiction - Historical
  • Library of Congress subjects Historical fiction, Biographical fiction
  • Library of Congress Catalogue Number 2010018031
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

About the author

REBECCA JOHNS is an assistant professor of English at DePaul University and a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Her first novel, "Icebergs, " was a finalist for the 2007 PEN/Hemingway Award.

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The Countess: A Novel
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The Countess: A Novel

by Johns, Rebecca

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Crown. First Edition. Very Good. With dust jacket. It's a well-cared-for item that has seen limited use. The item may show minor signs of wear. All the text is legible, with all pages included. It may have slight markings and/or highlighting.
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The Countess

The Countess

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New York: Crown Publishers, 2010. First Edition . Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Dj has very light edgewear. Light wear. Very lightly bumped corners. Mareker dot on bottom page edges. Page edges are tanned.
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The Countess

The Countess

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Crown Publishing Group (NY), 2010. Hardcover. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Countess

The Countess

by Johns, Rebecca

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
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The Countess

The Countess

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The Countess

Rebecca Johns

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The Countess
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The Countess

by Johns, Rebecca

  • Used
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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780307588456 / 0307588459
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Crown Publishing Group, The. Used - Good. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.
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The Countess
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The Countess

by Johns, Rebecca

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780307588456 / 0307588459
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Crown Publishing Group, The. Used - Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.
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The Countess: A Novel
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The Countess: A Novel

by Johns, Rebecca

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
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2010-10-12. First Edition. hardcover. Used: Good. 6.25x1.25x9.50. Buy with confidence. Excellent Customer Service & Return policy.
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The Countess: A Novel
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The Countess: A Novel

by Rebecca Johns

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Crown Publishers, 2010. FIRST EDITION. Hardcover. Like New/Like New. First Edition, First Printing. Not price-clipped. Published by Crown Publishers, 2010. Octavo. Hardcover. Book is like new with light spotting on page ends. Dust jacket is like new with light shelf wear. 100% positive feedback. 30 day money back guarantee. NEXT DAY SHIPPING! Excellent customer service. Please email with any questions. All books packed carefully and ship with free delivery confirmation/tracking. All books come with free bookmarks. Ships from Sag Harbor, New York.
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