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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
I read this book because I enjoyed the soundtrack for the Starz show, which seems like a silly reason to read a book, especially because I did not actually watch the Starz show and only listened to the soundtrack. But I also enjoy Italians so it seemed like a good move anyway.
Even though Catherine de Medici was born in Italian she was very French, and I have no love of anyone French except for Claude Monet. However, it was easy to read this book because her children were complete and utter train wrecks except for Margot. And this, I admit, was entertaining.
Also, one of the names of cities in this book sounds like "bleuaurgh" and it's hilarious. French is such a fake language.
One star has been removed because of France but four stars have been allowed to remain because this book was well written and her children were disasters.
Total score: 4/5 stars
Even though Catherine de Medici was born in Italian she was very French, and I have no love of anyone French except for Claude Monet. However, it was easy to read this book because her children were complete and utter train wrecks except for Margot. And this, I admit, was entertaining.
Also, one of the names of cities in this book sounds like "bleuaurgh" and it's hilarious. French is such a fake language.
One star has been removed because of France but four stars have been allowed to remain because this book was well written and her children were disasters.
Total score: 4/5 stars
Catherine was a loyal and ambitious woman who outmaneuvered all the men who wanted her to fail. But of course there was her role in Saint Bartholomew's day massacre and the Hugenant Catholic wars.
challenging
informative
challenging
informative
medium-paced
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
slow-paced
informative
informative
medium-paced
Amazing biography of the Renaissance’s greatest Queen Smother. I admit I started reading this after watching Starz’s “The Serpent Queen” but found it just as entertaining and informative as anything by Alison Weir. I knew relatively little of the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre and the French wars of religion (limited primarily to the French film “La Reine Margot” starring the incredible Isabelle Adjani) but this book greatly expanded my knowledge. Catherine’s “humble” origins (a Medici heiress — loaded, but not royal) and her ridicule as a dirty Italian when she first comes to France, her husband’s humiliatingly public affair with Diane de Poitiers, and her pathetic children’s moral and physical weakness all read as struggles she had to overcome to be the political powerhouse that she was. Definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in Renaissance history or powerful queens!