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A carregar... The Book of Eleanor: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitainepor Pamela Kaufman
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Adira ao LibraryThing para descobrir se irá gostar deste livro. Ainda não há conversas na Discussão sobre este livro. 3.5 stars ( ) Straight historical fiction, except for a few rather insignificant appearances by the ghost of the title character's grandfather.... However, in this case, the emphasis is on 'fiction,' not 'historical,' even though the author is an academician. Eleanor of Aquitaine was a strong, scheming, politically brilliant woman of the Middle Ages, but the author makes her character's motivation behind everything she does related to an abiding childhood love. Unfortunately, this love affair is total fiction - admittedly a product of the author's imagination. This makes for a more tied-together, emotionally fulfilling plot for a novel - but it means that the actual historical motivations behind the events of Eleanor's life - a marriage to the King of France, a successful appeal to the Pope to annul that marriage, a marriage (at her request, unlike the events in the book [a kidnapping and rape]) to the King of England, and then a rebellion, involving their sons, against that king - the possible ACTUAL scenarios and motivations are not explored, because of this fictional love affair. I found this a little disappointing, but then again, historical fiction is probably never accurate, even when it strives to be, so it's really best to take it all as fantasy! Until I read this book, I never had any idea what-so-ever about Eleanor. I got an inkling after reading the last "Mistress of the Bones" mystery, but that is what really peaked my curiosity. I like this book, it made Eleanor human for me, and I certainly understand why she was a reluctant Queen to Henry II. I'm thinking I'll look into some non-fiction biography about her now. I did like this book, there was quite a bit of dialog, which is what made it "real" for me. The book held my interest all the way through and it was well written. sem críticas | adicionar uma crítica
One of history's greatest women, celebrated by her contemporaries, descendants, and biographers, now comes to life in this mesmerizing new novel by bestselling author Pamela Kaufman. In 1137, fifteen-year-old Eleanor became Duchess of Aquitaine, a wealthy and powerful province in the south of France. Rich and influential in her own right, her tumultuous marriages thrust Eleanor into the political and cultural spotlight, where she would remain for more than half a century. Still in her teens, young Eleanor of Aquitaine married Louis VII of France, a sickly religious fanatic so obsessed with fears of adultery that he kept his beautiful wife under lock and key, even forcing her to go on a long and dangerous crusade with him. But Eleanor was delighted by the freedom of the crusader's life. Her handsome Aquitanian knights, her deeds on horseback, and her scandalous attire were the talk of Europe; it soon became clear that Louis's young wife was more than he could handle. A lifelong rebel, Eleanor would defy her husband and the Church, and eventually strong-arm the Pope into annulling her unhappy marriage. Once free of Louis, Eleanor thought to marry Baron Rancon, her childhood love, but found herself forced into another political marriage, this time with a younger and more dangerous husband--Henry II of England, a ruthless soldier known throughout Europe as "the red star of malice." In Henry Eleanor found a man whose iron will and political cunning matched her own, but the marriage was a bitter and brutal one, which escalated into open warfare when Eleanor backed their sons in an armed rebellion against Henry. Vowing revenge, he imprisoned her for fifteen years, hoping she would die in obscurity. But Eleanor would not go quietly. In prison, she wrote her memoir; this is Eleanor's book. Não foram encontradas descrições de bibliotecas. |
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