French novel, The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles is a Bunch of Crock

Pancol's novel The Yellow Eyes… was a huge hit in France when it was 1st published in '06.  The novel is as subtle & predicable as the crocodile in pursuit of Capt. Hook; you know what's coming and whose going to get their comeuppance.  Josephine is the noble, hardworking, devoted mother of 2 daughters.  Josephine romanticizes about life in the 12th C; a time of nobles, more than focusing on the present.  Josephine's philandering husband leaves her for a younger & more attractive woman.  He leaves France with his mistress to raise crocodiles in Africa; a foolhardy scheme (selling their hides which makes me scream.)  Plain Josephine's sister Iris (eye analogy) is gorgeous, conniving & attention grabbing.  Iris will eat up anything or anyone that gets in her way.  Hortense & Zoe are Josephine's 2 daughters.  Hortense is the glamorous sister who emulates her Aunt Iris' go for the kill modus operandi.   The fairer & comparer of the 2 sisters runs parallel between generations.  The mother of Josephine & Iris is the matriarch of family dysfunction.  There is a ridiculous subplot involving Josephine's best  friend leading a double life as a commoner and secretive daughter to the Queen of England.  Does the damsel in distress overcome all obstacles to find happiness.  This is a beach book better eaten by a croc than read - later alligator.