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slb80's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
nextfavoritebook's review against another edition
This book was really well written, but SO LONG. I just never could finish it.
mum2m1l2c3p4's review against another edition
5.0
Really fascinating. I love learning about earlier monarchs, and Ms Chadwick's take on Eleanor's story is quite realized with her research.
zipperhead's review against another edition
3.0
An ok book. It would drag along for a bit then pick up with some fast pace. Only to revert back to dragging along.
giovannadevito00's review
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kimberwood's review against another edition
5.0
I love a good historical fiction, especially one focused on a strong queen! I didn't know anything about Eleanor of Aquitaine, and obviously this is a fictitious account of her life, but it was a great read nonetheless. It's been a while since I dove into a good series on royal history (my all time favorite wheelhouse,) and so I'm excited to continue with the next book and keep learning about this incredible woman of history.
mellanclear's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
dani_sherlock's review against another edition
3.0
I had high hopes for this book and sadly it did not live up to expectations. The book was well researched and I also appreciated that the author explained in the afterword where she had deviated from historical facts and for what reasons. I enjoyed the pacing of this book. These two aspects meant that I did enjoy the book overall however...
I felt that the writing was full of clichés which really detracted from my enjoyment of the book. Phrases such as "made her feel bright inside her heart" were jarring. This also made the characters lack authenticity. I found the characters were also caricatured; they also didn't much over the course of the story.
I was looking for a new historical novelist to read and might give one more a try but this one wasn't for me.
I felt that the writing was full of clichés which really detracted from my enjoyment of the book. Phrases such as "made her feel bright inside her heart" were jarring. This also made the characters lack authenticity. I found the characters were also caricatured; they also didn't much over the course of the story.
I was looking for a new historical novelist to read and might give one more a try but this one wasn't for me.
klherring's review against another edition
3.0
This was my first Chadwick novel and I wasn't sure what to expect. I love historical fiction, but hate those that fall into the category of historical romance. I was anxious that this might slide a little into that realm and was really pleased to find that it did not. I haven't read much about Eleanor of Aquitaine, and so this was an educational read for me. While I enjoyed, I did find it a little tedious at times, though I can't say what really caused my interest to lapse. However, I think I will enjoy reading the rest of this serious and other works by this author. Nice work and well researched!