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There are currently 15 reader reviews for The Confessions of Catherine de Medici
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Maggie P. (Redmond, WA)
(05/18/10)
Get a behind the scenes look
I love the author's first person approach to this story. I've been exposed to material about that time period involving England, but not France before this book. I loved the information I was given about this time period in France. It makes me that much more eager to plan my trip to France next year. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Historical Fiction. This is a nice blend of fact and fiction.
Cheryl D. (Angola, NY)
(05/16/10)
A violent, but fascinating era of history
I fully enjoyed a look at French history during this period of time. I have read much about the Tudors and Mary, Queen of Scots, but knew little about Catherine de Medici, the house of Guise or the Valois other than the mention of their names in other works. C. W. Gortner has taken a lot of convoluted relationships and handled them very well. The politics, the power struggles and the violence bring the book and this era alive.
Mary G. (River Forest, IL)
(05/12/10)
Grab a hammock and start reading...
Yes, I actually took a 2 day vacation with these 400 pages of non-stop page turning. Though familiar with the Medicis in Italy, this book follows them into France and I'm no student of French history. No matter - the history is passed out like a dessert tray in between meaty courses of Catherine. I can't promise you'll like her; she has many sides, but they're all fascinating, and you'll thoroughly enjoy her company.
Caryl L. (Williamsburg, VA)
(05/07/10)
The Confessions of Catherine de Medici
I loved this book. I've told everyone to watch for it. It is very readable and grabbed me from the first page, and went very fast as it is so well written. Catherine de Medici became very real to me. I became her champion at times and her foe at others. An excellent book.
Amy H. (Benbrook, TX)
(05/05/10)
Positively Scandalous!
C.W. Gortner's historical novel of Catherine de Medici was wonderful! Interesting and fast-paced, this tale was a well-written piece of a fascinating character in history. Gortner does a phenomenal job of portraying a very complicated era in French history and making it interesting to the reader. Catherine does, eventually, become a lovable character, and I felt great empathy for each of her losses and failures...and there were many. I recommend to any who adore historical fiction. Well done!
Carol N. (Indian Springs VIllage, AL)
(05/02/10)
Catherine de Medici in her own words
I fully enjoyed this book of historical fiction about the life of Catherine de Medici. I have not read any books about her prior to this but it has piqued my interest in both France and Italy. I read a lot of historical fiction about England and this book compares favorably to the authors I have read before. I think anyone interested in this period of French history would enjoy the book, especially because of the first person narrative which makes it more interesting to me. I will be looking for other books by this author as I liked the style of writing.
Joyce W. (Rochester, MN)
(04/30/10)
Intrigue and Politics in the 16th Century
C. W. Gortner crafted a believable historical novel of Catherine De Medici's life. He takes the reader behind the castle walls and weaves a web of jealousy and manipulation. It is a fascinating portrayal of marriage between royal families to create alliances between countries. From the bedroom to the board room, life is never dull.
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