The Book of Eleanor

Rating:
Summary: Great read for those not too familiar with Medieval history
Review: I loved this novel. I admit, I knew nothing about Queen Eleanor before reading this book. Though an avid reader, I have not read much historical fiction. This book absolutely piqued my interest in the historical fiction genre. The story is cleverly told and laced with ironic wit. Eleanor's romance with Richard of Rancon, her fierce devotion to her princes, her disdain for yet strong connection to Henry II, and her undying loyalty to Aquitaine made her an unbelievably strong woman during a time when women were nothing more than bargaining tools. Eleanor's was an amazing life defined by love, loyalty, and politics.

Rating:
Summary: Exhilarating
Review: I really enjoyed this book because it showed how true love can prevail. Although it may not have shown the true aspects of her life it was only a fictionous novel so I enjoyed reading about her feelings towards her husbands, lovers, and political figures. This book has kept me reading it over and over again. I cannot get enough of Eleanor and her life now.

Rating:
Summary: A Terrific Read
Review: This book is a page-turner from beginning to end. The characters are well-drawn and believable, the story fascinating, and the historical research truly impressive.

The disadvantage of writing historical fiction is that the story is constrained by actual known events (but try telling that to Hollywood!). The broad outline of Eleanor's life is known, but little of the detail and none of her motives were recorded by chroniclers who systematically omitted women from their narratives. Within that generally known outline, Pamela Kaufman has created a character with a richly detailed inner life, and motives and actions which, while speculative, fit well into the known facts of Eleanor's life. The possibility of an extra-marital affair, for instance, seems perfectly credible, since Eleanor's court was the center of the troubadour tradition that swept Europe and celebrated just such liaisons, while we know that Eleanor herself divorced her first husband and made war on her second one.

On the other hand, one advantage of historical fiction is that it can include incidents that could never go into straight fiction - they are too unbelievable. Was there ever a military commander as inept and wrong-headed as Louis VII, who nonetheless managed to survive his own campaigns? (OK - maybe C. Terentius Varro at Cannae.) The reconstruction of the disastrous 2nd Crusade is, by itself, well worth the price of this book.

All in all, this book is first rate and highly recommended - a pure pleasure!