Tagged: eleanor of aquitaine
The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
Eleanor of Aquitaine is a 12th century icon who has fascinated readers for 800 years. But the real Eleanor remains elusive.
This stunning novel introduces an Eleanor that all other writers have missed. Based on the most up-to-date research, it is the first novel to show Eleanor beginning her married life at 13.
Overflowing with scandal, passion, triumph and tragedy, Eleanor’s legendary story begins when her beloved father dies in the summer of 1137, and she is made to marry the young prince Louis of France. A week after the marriage she becomes a queen and her life will change beyond recognition . . .
Seeing as I really don’t know much about Eleanor of Aquitaine I’m not qualified to comment on the historical accuracy but I think it’s pretty exciting that The Summer Queen is based on new research into Eleanor’s life, including the fact that she was married at the tender age of 13. Also within this book, Chadwick uses the way Eleanor herself actually spelled her name: Alienor. It gives it a more authentic feeling and gives a little more recognition to the real historical figure that’s the centre of this novel.
First off, I was very impressed with the character of Alienor. She’s a very complicated person, much like the real historical figure. Her childhood was fairly carefree in Aquitaine but when her father died when she was a pre-teen, life definitely changed for the worst for her. She initially was enraptured with Louis when she married him at age 13 but throughout the story she becomes understandably frustrated with the utter lack of passion in her marriage. Louis really would have made a better monk than a husband, as she quips at one point. So in a bid to get out from underneath her overbearing mother-in-law and her bossy, stuffy husband she rebels in small ways by bringing bits of Aquitaine with her to court including its bright fashions and beautiful music. I liked how she desperately tried to find happiness despite an objectively terrible situation and when she actually achieved some measure of happiness after her divorce, she desperately clung to it. Having experienced years of misery, I really don’t blame her. She had to grow up pretty fast and had a pretty rough life up until she met and married Henry of Anjou. Even then, her happiness is only temporary.
The plot is not very fast-paced I must admit and I did struggle at some points. What saves The Summer Queen is Elizabeth Chadwick’s writing style, which both lends an air of authenticity to the work and makes things interesting enough to get readers through the long travel sections (particularly the section where Alienor is on the crusade with Louis). Sometimes even then the pacing drags the book down, however. But the book is interesting enough in general to get you through those really slow sections and to the very exciting events of Alienor’s life. She really was an incredible woman who was not allowed to be all that incredible until she achieved the legal independence she craved. Alienor definitely chafed under the expectations put upon her in France, especially since she was such a strong-willed and passionate woman. Even if you can’t get past the slow pacing, I thin kthe character of Alienor really carries the day.
Again, I can’t speak for the historical accuracy of this novel but I do believe Chadwick did more than enough research to lend an air of authenticity to the text. She has this way of writing that puts you right there along with Alienor from the beauty of Aquitaine to her brutal trip slogging through hostile territory to get to the Holy Land. She does admit to speculating about an affair between Alienor and one of her vassals because it cannot be proven but I feel she made a strong enough case to her readers so it didn’t feel like she was adding in intrigue for intrigue’s sake. I am a little skeptical of all that she has written because she uses “the Akashic Records…to fill in the blanks and explore what happened in the past from a psychic perspective.” That’s a little, um…unconventional…for me but she at least justifies her choices with more reliable historical records. That’s why I’m not going to say that her research is 100% reliable, both because I know so little about the period and the fact she uses a ‘psychic perspective’.
Her research methods aside, The Summer Queen is a great read even though it does drag in sections. The character of Alienor really does shine through and I think that if you love historical fiction and want to learn more about the famous queen, this is definitely a good book to pick up.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
The Secret Eleanor by Cecelia Holland
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
1151: As Duchess of Aquitaine, Eleanor grew up knowing what it was to be regarded for herself and not for her husband’s title. Now, as wife to Louis VII and Queen of France, she has found herself unsatisfied with reflected glory-and feeling constantly under threat, even though she outranks every woman in Paris.
Then, standing beside her much older husband in the course of a court ceremony, Eleanor locks eyes with a man-hardly more than a boy, really- across the throne room, and knows that her world has changed irrevocably…
He is Henry D’Anjou, eldest son of the Duke of Anjou, and he is in line, somewhat tenuously, for the British throne. She meets him in secret. She has a gift for secrecy, for she is watched like a prisoner by spies even among her own women. She is determined that Louis must set her free. Employing deception and disguise, seduction and manipulation, Eleanor is determined to find her way to power-and make her mark on history.
How do you turn a woman who left an incredible mark on history by daring to choose her husband, who set a new standard for women in power into a shallow, conniving, backstabbing, whiny little girl? After reading The Secret Eleanor I’m still not too sure, but Cecelia Holland somehow managed it.
As you’ve probably guessed, this book was a complete letdown. I expected to admire Eleanor because in history she really was a strong, intelligent and cunning woman. I didn’t expect the whiny, self-centred creature that Cecelia Holland portrayed her as. How could this woman have done half of the things she did in real life if she was as Holland imagines her? Answer: she couldn’t and that’s why her portrayal falls flat.
There has to be a strong suspension of disbelief to finish this book because we learn that Eleanor while Eleanor was pregnant with Henry’s child her sister Petronilla impersonated her. This I highly doubt. Sisters can look alike, it’s true, but very rarely can someone truly copy another person’s mannerisms and vocal patterns. Even when they’re close sisters. Honestly, if this scenario had been true, someone would have noticed and outed the whole conspiracy. As it was, everyone within Eleanor’s inner circle knew so it’s pretty safe to say that in real life, someone would have squealed.
I could look past the implausible scenario if the rest of the book was well written, but it was not. The plot seems to jump all over the place as we follow the different characters through their journeys. Claire, the young maidservant, randomly seems to get quite a bit of page time in the last third of the book. Eleanor all but disappears from the narrative as Petronilla takes over her role. Sometimes there seems to be neither rhyme nor reason as to why Cecelia Holland changed points of view other than in a desperate attempt to move the plot along. It didn’t work.
Basically, if you’re even vaguely interested in Eleanor of Aquitaine this book is not for you. I honestly wish I hadn’t wasted my money on it.
I give this book 1/5 stars.
Eleanor: Crown Jewel of Aquitaine by Kristiana Gregory
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
June 24th
Such excitement…the horsemen announced travelers, and Count Geoffrey of Anjou arrived an hour later with some of his chevaliers. Petra and I peered from the stairs down to the great hall and saw the visitors. I decided we must put on our loveliest dresses right away. the count is taller and even more striking than Father…Geoffrey the Handsome is our name for him. When he pushed back his hood of chainmail, his hair fell to his shoulders in brown curls. the tunic over his armor was blue with a golden crest. He and Father greeted each other warmly…
The reason for Count Geoffrey’s visit? He has invited Father to go to war. He is just twenty-three years old and needs help invading Normandy.
And without thinking twice, Father said yes! I worry he has made another terrible decision….
I’ve heard quite a bit about Eleanor of Aquitaine, but never actually knew much about her life and the times she lived in. Well, finally Kristiana Gregory has remedied that in a book aimed at kids 8-13. The early years of Eleanor are not quite as exciting as her later years, as we learn in the Historical Note, but it was nice to see things from her perspective.
I personally would have liked a little more description of daily life at the castle, but I can understand why Kristiana Gregory did not include more (it would have turned into a lecture). In Eleanor: Crown Jewel of Aquitaine we don’t really see Eleanor’s love of books and literature, even though she was a huge patron of the arts later in life. Still, I loved seeing the strong relationship between her and her sister that lasted into adulthood. Sadly, the book ended just when things were getting interesting, what with her marriage to Prince Louis and all.
Eleanor: Crown Jewel of Aquitaine is well written and entertaining, but it’s certainly one of the shorter books in the Royal Diaries series. Still, overall it’s a pretty good book and it’s a great one to get kids interested in history.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
*Only available as a used book.