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allegra_j's review against another edition
1.0
Picked it up because it was recommended by the author of Game of Thrones. Put it down because it bored me. There was too much "I think she thinks you think" intrigue. Show me rather than tell me.
cleheny's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed The Iron King, but I didn't care for the way Druon just told me what his characters' motivations were instead of showing me. Perhaps because this is the second in the series, and characters are already established, there was far less of that. What did strike me, however, is that Druon doesn't seem to know how to write a young woman. His depiction of Mahaut is interesting; I'd like to read more about her because she shows some character. But the way he writes Marguerite and Blanche, Marie de Cressay, and Clemence of Hungary is a bit dull. They all appear to live for nothing other than love or their romantic idea of it. The older women, such as Marie's mother or Clemence's grandmother, Marie of Hungary, have more dimension. Of course, one can argue that young woman of the time had few options, and marriage was generally it, so much of their attention would be focused on that aspect of their life, while older women--who presumably have married and had children--would begin to expand their interests and pay attention to other matters. There's some justice in that, but the idea that none of the young women in the book see beyond the marital/romantic is disappointing. Certainly Marguerite and Blanche, incarcerated and abandoned, have the greatest cause to be focused only on themselves and their loneliness. But they weren't particularly well-rounded in The Iron King, either.
sebuktegin's review against another edition
5.0
The series is great, a real page turner, except to last book, couldn't bear to read the last book, hated it
natyjaeger's review against another edition
4.0
Totally gave me Wolf Hall plus GoT vibes. This was so interesting and intriguing! I didn't like the parts with Gucci, but I'm cheering for Isabella and Robert. The scheming of Robert is the best part.
chevalier716's review against another edition
4.0
Great historical fiction. The only one I have seen that has end notes. I hope they publish the whole series in English.
jsupersan's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve been searching high and low (not that intense tbh) for a good historical fiction series and I finally found one! I can see why George RR Martin found inspiration from this series for A Song of Ice and Fire. While there’s not too much character building in this book, the court intrigue, plotting, multiple POVs, and curses upon others make up for it.
With major players dropping like flies in the first book I’m excited for what the rest of the series has to offer.
With major players dropping like flies in the first book I’m excited for what the rest of the series has to offer.
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