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cosmith2015's review against another edition
4.0
I don't read many biographies (this being the third in the past six years) so I don't have much of an opinion about the book or how it was written.
I enjoyed reading it and it was easy to get sucked into the past. The other two biographies I read (one about Queen Elizabeth's I early reign and Eleanor of Aquitaine) seemed a bit of hassle. I would have to force myself to sit down and read it. I didn't feel that way with this book at all. I appreciate Ms. Goldstone incorporating the reasons why the events played out (aka super companies collapsing, how the war between France and England affected Naples, etc) and the emphasis on how important the pope was during medieval times.
I wish that she had taken other spellings for people whom had the same name (she did this with Jeanne). It would've helped kept the people straight. I also wish we could've seen more of Joannas administration/ laws. Most of the book was focused on her relationship with her relatives and the pope.
I enjoyed reading it and it was easy to get sucked into the past. The other two biographies I read (one about Queen Elizabeth's I early reign and Eleanor of Aquitaine) seemed a bit of hassle. I would have to force myself to sit down and read it. I didn't feel that way with this book at all. I appreciate Ms. Goldstone incorporating the reasons why the events played out (aka super companies collapsing, how the war between France and England affected Naples, etc) and the emphasis on how important the pope was during medieval times.
I wish that she had taken other spellings for people whom had the same name (she did this with Jeanne). It would've helped kept the people straight. I also wish we could've seen more of Joannas administration/ laws. Most of the book was focused on her relationship with her relatives and the pope.
zenithharpink's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Wow, what a fascinating read! Joanna's life was tragic and exhausting, but her perseverance is inspiring. The treachery was everywhere, but she was a savvy politician and admirable leader. The interference of the Church was staggering, and an interesting difference from my readings on English royalty.
I recommend to all fans of history, particularly European history of royalty and/or the Catholic church. This is well-researched, expertly laid out, and well-narrated.
I recommend to all fans of history, particularly European history of royalty and/or the Catholic church. This is well-researched, expertly laid out, and well-narrated.
aemkea's review against another edition
4.0
I won a copy. Can't wait to read it.
Edit: So, I read the book. I thought it was quite interesting! I hadn't heard of the queen beforehand, so I liked the chance to explore another facet of history. And its set in one of those 'ages' (generalization, I know, bear with me) that I always find FASCINATING. The book itself was a little dry, but for a free read, well worth the trouble.
Edit: So, I read the book. I thought it was quite interesting! I hadn't heard of the queen beforehand, so I liked the chance to explore another facet of history. And its set in one of those 'ages' (generalization, I know, bear with me) that I always find FASCINATING. The book itself was a little dry, but for a free read, well worth the trouble.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
‘Joanna was under no illusions as to the magnitude of the forces working against her. At stake was her crown, her kingdom, and her head. She rose from her throne and began to answer the charges. She was twenty-two years old.’
On March 15, 1348, 22-year-old Joanna I, queen of Naples, stood trial for the murder of her husband before the pope and his court in Avignon. She was the chief suspect in the murder of her cousin and husband, Prince Andrew of Hungary. She was married to him for political advantage when she was seven years of age, and he was six. Twelve years later he was brutally assassinated, and her in-laws accused her of his murder. Against enormous odds, she won her acquittal and returned home to Naples where she ruled for more than thirty years until she was herself murdered.
This is one of those rare cases where I bought a book because of its cover. Alas, it languished on the slopes of Must-Read Mountain for some years before I picked it up again and read it. I was intrigued. The book tells me that Joanna was the only female monarch of her time to rule in her own name. While her notoriety was a consequence of her husband’s murder, she was also admired because of her dedication to her subjects. I was particularly interested to learn that in addition to building hospitals and churches, Joanna encouraged the licensing of female physicians.
Joanna married four times in total. Unfortunately, her three children each died young. Joanna attempted to secure the succession of her throne by marrying her niece Margaret to her cousin Charles Durazzo. She died after changing her mind in favour of Louis I Anjou. While Charles Durazzo claimed that Joanna died of natural causes, many believe that he had her murdered.
A long reign, punctuated by crisis after crisis.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
sbauer378's review against another edition
4.0
This is a very detailed look into the life of a remarkable woman, especially for the time period she lived in. Honestly, if men and the Catholic Church would just let women reign in peace, imagine how much better off the world would be.
It was a little difficult to keep all the people straight but that's on them for constantly naming their kids the same damn thing. I constantly referred back to the genealogy charts at the beginning of the book.
It was a little difficult to keep all the people straight but that's on them for constantly naming their kids the same damn thing. I constantly referred back to the genealogy charts at the beginning of the book.
xxstefaniereadsxx's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.0
Joanna was born around 1325 to Charles, Duke of Calabria and Marie of Valois. Her grandfather was Robert the Wise, King of Naples. He appointed her his heir upon the untimely death of her father. Upon Robert's death, Joanna became Queen Joanna I. She married Andrew of Hungary, though she did not seem to care for him much. She controlled all of the finances, and banned him from entering her room without permission. They only met at state functions. There were a lot of conflicts during her reign, which I will not go into detail about here, but it was absolutely filled with drama and intrigue. She wound up marrying three more times after the death of her first husband, Andrew. Her death was a bit shocking to me.
I really enjoy Nancy Goldstone's works, and I also enjoy her social media presence. She does a great job on her research, and I like the way she conveys the facts into an interesting story. She makes these historical figures and their activities somewhat relatable as people, which is another thing that I really like. I hadn't learned much about Joanna I up to this point, so this book was exceptionally valuable to me. If you are unfamiliar with this author, I would strongly suggest checking into her work.
I really enjoy Nancy Goldstone's works, and I also enjoy her social media presence. She does a great job on her research, and I like the way she conveys the facts into an interesting story. She makes these historical figures and their activities somewhat relatable as people, which is another thing that I really like. I hadn't learned much about Joanna I up to this point, so this book was exceptionally valuable to me. If you are unfamiliar with this author, I would strongly suggest checking into her work.