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john_lenin 's review for:
A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century
by Barbara W. Tuchman
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
A Distant Mirror is sometimes fascinating, while horribly repetitive at others. There are themes to its chapters, but they’re unclear and serve only to aggravate an already erratic flow. I happened to listen to the audiobook version, and the narrator (bless her soul) did nothing to improve the story. She talks fast, never breaking for a breath, in a high-pitched, monotone voice devoid of expression. The subject matter is well-researched, and the author is clearly passionate, but its presentation doesn't land well. The setting is mainly focused on the French, and occasionally British, nobility during the later 3/4 of The Hundred Years War, setting various stories in an almost scandalous tabloid style. Early on in the book, it’s stated the focus is on the French noble Enguerrand VII de Coucy. While his presence gravitates around certain events throughout the book, he’s ultimately a forgettable figure. The plague sections are excellent, yet they’re weighed down by numerous tales of repetitive battles, presented with little buildup or explanation, along with one too many needless tales about which duke was coveting which lord's niece before she ran off with the prince from the next town over only for both to perish at the hands of a dozen disgruntled serfs. Those who may have studied the period might find enjoyment, but to the armchair historian or casual Sunday reader, this one isn’t for you.