Poetry of Reading

Synopsis:

The truth is, none of us are innocent. We all have sins to confess.

So reveals Catherine de Medici in this brilliantly imagined novel about one of history’s most powerful and controversial women. To some she was the ruthless queen who led France into an era of savage violence. To others she was the passionate savior of the French monarchy. Acclaimed author C. W. Gortner brings Catherine to life in her own voice, allowing us to enter into the intimate world of a woman whose determination to protect her family’s throne and realm plunged her into a lethal struggle for power.

The last legitimate descendant of the illustrious Medici line, Catherine suffers the expulsion of her family from her native Florence and narrowly escapes death at the hands of an enraged mob. While still a teenager, she is betrothed to Henri, son of François I of France, and sent from Italy to an unfamiliar realm where she is overshadowed and humiliated by her husband’s lifelong mistress. Ever resilient, Catherine strives to create a role for herself through her patronage of the famous clairvoyant Nostradamus and her own innate gift as a seer. But in her fortieth year, Catherine is widowed, left alone with six young children as regent of a kingdom torn apart by religious discord and the ambitions of a treacherous nobility.

Relying on her tenacity, wit, and uncanny gift for compromise, Catherine seizes power, intent on securing the throne for her sons. She allies herself with the enigmatic Protestant leader Coligny, with whom she shares an intimate secret, and implacably carves a path toward peace, unaware that her own dark fate looms before her—a fate that, if she is to save France, will demand the sacrifice of her ideals, her reputation, and the passion of her embattled heart.

From the fairy-tale châteaux of the Loire Valley to the battlefields of the wars of religion to the mob-filled streets of Paris, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici is the extraordinary untold journey of one of the most maligned and misunderstood women ever to be queen.

My Review:

''I have been called murderess and opportunist, savior and victim. And along the way, become far more than was ever expected of me, even if loneliness was always present, like a faithful hound at my heels. The truth is, not one of us is innocent. We all have sins to confess."

A wonderful combination of historical fact and fiction. The story is a well written and refreshing look into the life of the woman named the Serpent Queen, the woman who poisoned her enemies, associated with witchcraft, and used her royal children as pawns on her chessboard, setting her country on a path of bloody religious war. C.W. Gortner, however, has never been one to accept historical stereotypes, and this novel proves to be no exception to his quest to reveal the human side of history’s most misunderstood queen

Catherine was the last legitimate heir of the Medicis, she was raised to be a political pawn. Forced by politics to marry for Italy and not for love, Catherine de Medici is sent abroad to marry Henri, the second son of King Francis I of France. She had never presumed that she might one day become the queen; Henri as a younger brother was never destined to rule, but tragedy strikes and Henri found himself stepping into the shoes of a King, therefore making Catherine his Queen. Queen of France was her new title, but Catherine found out she would never be Queen of Henri’s heart. His mistress Diane de Poitiers already occupied that position, she controls most everything in Henri’s life including how much time he spends with his wife and even took over the care and control of Catherine’s children. Catherine learns quickly that the French court is full of danger, her husband’s affections given to another, the judgment of the French people harsh.

Following her husband's death, Catherine was thrust into a fight to secure her sons' inheritance that would consume the remaining thirty years of her life. When she became Queen Mother, France was in a religious turmoil that threw the country into war - "Protestant problem" in which many people were starving and many were killed. Catherine makes critical errors in judgment, underestimating rivals and the resentments of her own children.

What I loved about this novel was how real Catherine de Medici is portrayed, as neither victim nor heroine but as a woman with a capacity for compassion and understanding, a woman who would do anything for France and keeping her sons on the throne. For all she did, she had a good reason and was the unfortunate victim of circumstance.

Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Allison Pataki follows up on her critically acclaimed debut novel, The Traitor’s Wife, with the little-known and tumultuous love story of “Sisi” the Austro-Hungarian Empress and captivating wife of Emperor Franz Joseph.

The year is 1853, and the Habsburgs are Europe’s most powerful ruling family. With his empire stretching from Austria to Russia, from Germany to Italy, Emperor Franz Joseph is young, rich, and ready to marry.

Fifteen-year-old Elisabeth, “Sisi,” Duchess of Bavaria, travels to the Habsburg Court with her older sister, who is betrothed to the young emperor. But shortly after her arrival at court, Sisi finds herself in an unexpected dilemma: she has inadvertently fallen for and won the heart of her sister’s groom. Franz Joseph reneges on his earlier proposal and declares his intention to marry Sisi instead.

Thrust onto the throne of Europe’s most treacherous imperial court, Sisi upsets political and familial loyalties in her quest to win, and keep, the love of her emperor, her people, and of the world.

With Pataki’s rich period detail and cast of complex, bewitching characters, The Accidental Empress offers a captivating glimpse into one of history’s most intriguing royal families, shedding new light on the glittering Hapsburg Empire and its most mesmerizing, most beloved “Fairy Queen.”

My Review:

"A deity does not quake simply because the crowd yells. An empress stands fixed, immutable: the calm that continues on, even as the world rages."

Definitely not a fairytale, but a portrayal of life as a royal. While “The Accidental Empress” is a fictional work, much of the book is true but some liberties were taken in the telling of the story. It takes place in the 1800s and is rich in history that is told interestingly.

Sisi is lively, enigmatic, and fierce. She is the accidental empress because she was never meant to marry the young Emperor, Franz Joseph. It was her older sister, Helene, who was betrothed to him, but Franz upon seeing Sisi falls in love with her. He informed his mother he would marry Sisi, or he would not marry at all. His mother, Princess Sophie of Bavaria, unwillingly agreed, and they were married within the year. And so it begins, the difficult story of Sisi’s life as Empress of Austria.

Reading about Sisi and Franz meeting and falling in love was delightful. There was a sweetness captured in their unlikely union—it was a great portrayal of first love — a fairy-tale love. However, it does not end up happily-ever-after for the young lovers. For there were three people in the marriage. Sophie, Franz Joseph’s mother, was overbearing and controlling. She felt that Elizabeth was not fit for the role of the queen. Franz is not strong enough to stand up to his mother, which made Sisi’s life miserable, and a fairy-tale love to an end. One cannot help but feel sorry for Empress Elisabeth.

What I found to be the best part of the book is that Sisi is a character I connected with. I felt her joy, her happiness, her frustration, her anger, her sense of helplessness, her passion. She is a strong and intelligent woman who wins the adoration of her subjects, her life as empress contains both disappointments and heart-breaking tragedy, but she persevered. She has her flaws, made bad choices here and there, but she was only a human.

Summary:

The drama that unfolded in Empress Elisabeth’s life kept me interested until the last word. Pataki’s writing is magnificent, weaving in quotes from Shakespeare and Goethe, the details were extraordinary. I could picture the castles, hills, gowns, and jewels from the vivid imagery provided by the author.

The best historical fiction versions I have read about this fascinating woman’s life. 

Synopsis:

Born into rural poverty, Gabrielle Chanel and her siblings are sent to orphanage after their mother’s death. The sisters nurture Gabrielle’s exceptional sewing skills, a talent that will propel the willful young woman into a life far removed from the drudgery of her childhood.

Transforming herself into Coco—a seamstress and sometime torch singer—the petite brunette burns with ambition, an incandescence that draws a wealthy gentleman who will become the love of her life. She immerses herself in his world of money and luxury, discovering a freedom that sparks her creativity. But it is only when her lover takes her to Paris that Coco discovers her destiny.

Rejecting the frilly, corseted silhouette of the past, her sleek, minimalist styles reflect the youthful ease and confidence of the 1920s modern woman. As Coco’s reputation spreads, her couturier business explodes, taking her into rarefied society circles and bohemian salons. But her fame and fortune cannot save her from heartbreak as the years pass. And when Paris falls to the Nazis, Coco is forced to make choices that will haunt her.

My Review:

“Simplicity,” I said, “is true elegance. A woman is closest to being naked when she is well dressed. Her clothing should be seen only after she herself is.”

I absolutely love C.W. Gortner and was so excited to read his novel about Coco Chanel. I have always been intrigued with Chanel and now know so much more about her story. Carefully moving through the facts of the life of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, Gortner creates scene after scene of compelling drama to reveal a complex woman.

Coco starts as Gabrielle, the daughter of a poor man who eventually leaves the family to struggle on their own. When her mother dies, Coco and her sisters end up at a local convent where they are raised in security and taught a skill, with the aim of being able to support themselves. Gabrielle turned her despair and loneliness into application and effort when she learned the sewing at the convent and where the sisters helped turn her passion into a successful work venture.

At the age of 18 Chanel was sent to live at the boarding school in Moulins. While in Moulins she both pursued sewing and stage performing, which is when she became “Coco” and met the ex-military officer, aristocrat Etienne Balsan, and where she became his mistress. In this relationship, Coco realizes that her freedom as a woman would come from making her own money. That her fate was to put her entire being into her work.

So seeking and yearning for love followed by rejection seems to be a pattern that Gabrielle will follow until she meets the true love of her life Arthur “Boy” Capel, one of Balsan’s friends. A relationship that is cherished because it comes to respect and treatment as an equal, competent professional woman. It also proved to be one of business, which made Chanel’s talent together with Capel’s wealth to open her first boutique. She was genuinely in love with him, so when he passed away she immortalized their relationship with her logo of interlocking Capel and Chanel. In most novel's Coco was seemed like she used people, but here it wasn't the fact. So I was glad for it.

Cocoa often stated that women should dress elegantly, simply, with some low-keyed jewelry or scarf accessories. These were memorialized in the Chanel black suit, the simple black dress, and the famous Chanel No. 5 perfume (which is still the most iconic perfume on the market). It was fascinating watching her business sense and her reactions and relationships with others regarding her business.

I really enjoyed this historical novel written in the first person. It is well researched about the humble beginnings of Coco Chanel and her rise in the fashion world. She was a unique and courageous woman in a time when only the privileged were permitted opportunity and respect. A great story of a very interesting woman, whose legacy still lives on, from her signature fragrance to her little black dress and beyond.

2014

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I have read all of Philippa Gregory's books and many, many others about Tudor England. This was one I found moving and interesting in the descriptions of what must have been a terrifying time to live. Just, fantastic.

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On the whole, I enjoyed this book. Some of it was a little repetitive. The plot saved the book for me although it could have been more sinister. It was well written as all her books are. I am looking forward to the next in the series.

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The story went on far too long... too many coups... killings, etc. The writing is fine, and the descriptions of the intricate interiors and fine clothing are well done - it's just not a book for me.

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2018

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I really wanted to like this book. I could not stay interested in The Drowning Guard. Something about the author's writing style did not resonate with me. I would start to empathize with a character, only to later think my empathy was misplaced.

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I love Historical Fiction and was excited to read this book. The story is fine and the characters are ok, but something is missing. I wasn't drawn in or cared about anything very much. It also seemed the story sort of lost steam, ran off course and then just ended with all right resolution.