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jac_85's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
CW Gortner books are always fantastic. The time it took me to finish this one is NOT the writing, just my brain.
And I felt like I already "knew" Catherine from other HF books from the same time period, different monarch.
She's badass
And I felt like I already "knew" Catherine from other HF books from the same time period, different monarch.
She's badass
elisebweir's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
jgintrovertedreader's review against another edition
4.0
Catherine de Medici. I picked this up not knowing exactly who she was, knowing only that if she was "de Medici," there would be lots of the drama that make the best historical fiction. Her parents died when she was young; she was held hostage in a convent in Florence when the Medicis were overthrown; and her uncle, Pope Clement VII, married her off to the second son of King Francis I of France when she was only fourteen years old. Her life in the French court was not easy.
Catherine is fascinating. I found myself Googling her to find out more once I finished because I just hadn't quite gotten my fill yet. These are her "confessions," so we are given full access to her thoughts. I loved watching her grow from a slightly spoiled girl, to a frightened girl, to a young wife, to a woman in her prime and at the height of her glory. Gortner took the approach that some of the bad things that happened during her reign were due to others' actions rather than any complicity on her part. That made it easier to understand her motivations, but it also made her seem like a bad ruler. She had no control over her court, she ignored threats when she should have taken preemptive action, and she didn't think through all the implications of what she did.
Politics play a fairly large part in the book, and I didn't always follow why things were happening. I don't think that I'm someone who would ever be good at intrigue. At most I might think one step ahead of where I am. So when Catherine was making deals, or she all of a sudden had to support one faction over another, or she chose whether to assassinate someone or not, I did not always follow. That could just be me though.
A little feminist preaching here. At the time when Catherine had power (1560-1589), there were so many other powerful women. Elizabeth I, Mary Stuart, Jeanne III of Navarre, and maybe even others. So why were women as a whole still treated as brood mares? I just don't get it.
Catherine's daughter Margot was incredibly interesting. Oh, I wanted to slap her, but I would love to read more about her.
This family could give the Tudors a run for their money. Holy cow. Maybe one ruler didn't have six wives and change the face of Christendom, but the personal drama? They had it. I was trying to tell my husband all about who was sleeping with who, who killed who, how many rulers France went through in this time, who they fought with, who they made peace with, and I just kept going on and on and on. I'm glad I didn't live then, but it is fascinating to read about those times.
If you're looking for some of that intrigue and drama the Tudors were famous for, but you're maybe a little tired of the Tudors themselves, give this one a try. I think you'll like it.
I received this book from the publicist for review.
Catherine is fascinating. I found myself Googling her to find out more once I finished because I just hadn't quite gotten my fill yet. These are her "confessions," so we are given full access to her thoughts. I loved watching her grow from a slightly spoiled girl, to a frightened girl, to a young wife, to a woman in her prime and at the height of her glory. Gortner took the approach that some of the bad things that happened during her reign were due to others' actions rather than any complicity on her part. That made it easier to understand her motivations, but it also made her seem like a bad ruler. She had no control over her court, she ignored threats when she should have taken preemptive action, and she didn't think through all the implications of what she did.
Politics play a fairly large part in the book, and I didn't always follow why things were happening. I don't think that I'm someone who would ever be good at intrigue. At most I might think one step ahead of where I am. So when Catherine was making deals, or she all of a sudden had to support one faction over another, or she chose whether to assassinate someone or not, I did not always follow. That could just be me though.
A little feminist preaching here. At the time when Catherine had power (1560-1589), there were so many other powerful women. Elizabeth I, Mary Stuart, Jeanne III of Navarre, and maybe even others. So why were women as a whole still treated as brood mares? I just don't get it.
Catherine's daughter Margot was incredibly interesting. Oh, I wanted to slap her, but I would love to read more about her.
This family could give the Tudors a run for their money. Holy cow. Maybe one ruler didn't have six wives and change the face of Christendom, but the personal drama? They had it. I was trying to tell my husband all about who was sleeping with who, who killed who, how many rulers France went through in this time, who they fought with, who they made peace with, and I just kept going on and on and on. I'm glad I didn't live then, but it is fascinating to read about those times.
If you're looking for some of that intrigue and drama the Tudors were famous for, but you're maybe a little tired of the Tudors themselves, give this one a try. I think you'll like it.
I received this book from the publicist for review.
giada_andolfo's review against another edition
5.0
Un bellissimo romanzo che narra la vita di Caterina de Medici. Nonostante i due errori madornali che ho trovato ( vedi l'uso del termine dandy fuori contesto, dato che esso viene usato nel 1800 durante la Restaurazione francese e non durante il 1500
sassyporcupine's review against another edition
4.0
This was a well done book. Fast paced but taught me a lot about a war I didn't know much about, the war between the Catholics and the Huguenots. I liked that the author added a section at the end to clarify what was fact and fiction. Would recommend.
sarahcvo's review against another edition
3.0
A little trashy, as many of these historical novels tend to be, but still enjoyable for bringing 16th century France to life. I didn't know a lot about Catherine de Medici before, but I liked that this book made a traditional villain sympathetic (or at least understandable) without whitewashing the horrible things that happened during her reign.
everdene's review against another edition
5.0
When I picked up this book I thought I would be reading a completely fictional story with fantasy elements loosely using Catherine's name/story as a set. This was definitely not the case and it's actually a pretty accurate biographical tale of an (in my opinion) amazing woman and her family.
I love what C.W. Gortner has done to this story, every character felt like they could have been exactly how he describes them. They read completely human.
The story didn't need the magical elements, they actually took me a bit out of the story and didn't add much to the plot in my opinion. Since the author says he mostly made them up I felt it could have been left out. But then again, the promise of witchcraft on the cover made me buy the book so I'm actually glad.
I will definitely read more by this author.
I love what C.W. Gortner has done to this story, every character felt like they could have been exactly how he describes them. They read completely human.
The story didn't need the magical elements, they actually took me a bit out of the story and didn't add much to the plot in my opinion. Since the author says he mostly made them up I felt it could have been left out. But then again, the promise of witchcraft on the cover made me buy the book so I'm actually glad.
I will definitely read more by this author.
retrana2011's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, this book was a quick, light easy read. It is written in the first person (which I don't prefer) and keeps you engrossed in the fates of all the characters. However, I had a hard time relating to Catherine's feelings for her husband and children. She seemed particularly concerned with her husband's love (why??) and not as concerned with how her children turned out as individuals - and it's impossible to know whether this is the case historically (having not read any of the journals on which this novel is based).