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Product Description
Review
'Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory fans will devour this smashing fictional biography.' (Booklist )
'Disturbing royal secrets and court manipulations wickedly twist this enthralling story, brilliantly told.' (Publishers Weekly on THE LAST QUEEN )
'Compelling... a riveting blend of passion, power and betrayal.' (Inside Soap )
'Disturbing royal secrets and court manipulations wickedly twist this enthralling story, brilliantly told.' (Publishers Weekly on THE LAST QUEEN )
'Compelling... a riveting blend of passion, power and betrayal.' (Inside Soap )
Product Description
I was ten years old when I discovered I might be a witch...
The sixteenth century: the era of queens. Catherine de Medici is an impressionable, mystical girl. She is orphaned and taken hostage by her enemies, and manipulated by her advisors; yet she is to become France's most powerful regent.
History will make her name synonymous with evil, but she is all too human. Humiliated at the hands of her husband and his mistress, and haunted by her gift of second sight, she must rise above her troubles and fight to save her dynasty and adopted country from the brutal Wars of Religion...
In THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI, C W Gortner vividly depicts the turbulent life of one of history's most notorious yet misunderstood women.
The sixteenth century: the era of queens. Catherine de Medici is an impressionable, mystical girl. She is orphaned and taken hostage by her enemies, and manipulated by her advisors; yet she is to become France's most powerful regent.
History will make her name synonymous with evil, but she is all too human. Humiliated at the hands of her husband and his mistress, and haunted by her gift of second sight, she must rise above her troubles and fight to save her dynasty and adopted country from the brutal Wars of Religion...
In THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI, C W Gortner vividly depicts the turbulent life of one of history's most notorious yet misunderstood women.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Catherine de Medici has been depicted as a plotter and poisoner by authors of historical fiction. Here, however, we get the truth in her own voice. This is a strong woman whose life is full of tosses and turns--she is practically exiled from Florence, before her uncle weds her to Francis' son, Henri. Her husband, however, is enamored of a much older woman, who not only controls Catherine's marriage, but her relations with her children. And then there is her husband's friendship with the de Guises, with whom Catherine clashes as, one by one, her sons ascend the throne only to die childless. Her attempt to end the civil war between the Huguenots and the Catholics fails, because the Catholics, led by the de Guises, do not want peace and the Huguenots, led by Coligny and the Queen of Navarre, do not trust her. And then the fact that neither Margot nor Henry is willing to work at their marriage has as much to do with it...
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Catherine de' Medici (1519 - 1589) was born in Florence, Italy, to Lorenzo II de' Medici, Duke of Urbino, and Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne, Countess of Boulogne. Both parents died within weeks of her birth.
In 1533, aged 14, Catherine was married to Henri, the second son of François I, King of France. In 1547, Henri became King of France (as Henri II) and Catherine was Queen Consort from 1547 to 1559. On the death of Henri II, Catherine played a key role in the reigns of three of her sons as, in turn, each became King of France.
In this novel, Mr Gortner moves beyond the known historical facts to tell Catherine's story, in her own voice: from her difficult life in Florence; through the challenges of her marriage to Henri where she was largely overshadowed by Henri's long standing mistress Diane de Poitiers; and then her role in the reigns of her sons during an age of almost constant religious and civil war in France.
The Catherine de' Medici given life on these pages is tenacious and witty, is flexible and able to compromise, and is determined to save the Valois monarchy in France. She is a passionate woman, overshadowed, if not overawed, by Diane de Poitiers. After the death of Henri II, she tries to protect the Valois monarchy from the ambitions of the nobility and the conflict between the Catholics and the Huguenots leading to the St Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572.
I enjoyed this novel for its more positive portrayal of Catherine de' Medici and presentation of the challenges she faced. Catherine de' Medici is one of the most controversial, maligned and feared women ever to be queen, and most fiction portrays her in this light.
`The truth is, none of us are innocent. We all have sins to confess.'
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
In 1533, aged 14, Catherine was married to Henri, the second son of François I, King of France. In 1547, Henri became King of France (as Henri II) and Catherine was Queen Consort from 1547 to 1559. On the death of Henri II, Catherine played a key role in the reigns of three of her sons as, in turn, each became King of France.
In this novel, Mr Gortner moves beyond the known historical facts to tell Catherine's story, in her own voice: from her difficult life in Florence; through the challenges of her marriage to Henri where she was largely overshadowed by Henri's long standing mistress Diane de Poitiers; and then her role in the reigns of her sons during an age of almost constant religious and civil war in France.
The Catherine de' Medici given life on these pages is tenacious and witty, is flexible and able to compromise, and is determined to save the Valois monarchy in France. She is a passionate woman, overshadowed, if not overawed, by Diane de Poitiers. After the death of Henri II, she tries to protect the Valois monarchy from the ambitions of the nobility and the conflict between the Catholics and the Huguenots leading to the St Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572.
I enjoyed this novel for its more positive portrayal of Catherine de' Medici and presentation of the challenges she faced. Catherine de' Medici is one of the most controversial, maligned and feared women ever to be queen, and most fiction portrays her in this light.
`The truth is, none of us are innocent. We all have sins to confess.'
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having read C W Gortner's Last Queen, I knew I had to buy this book. It tells the story of Catherine De Medici, the queen consort of Henri II of France.
Gortner is an amazing author. He really can tell a story in a way that you feel a part of the book. I could not put this down and I read the whole thing, cover to cover in a day.
The author shows a different side to Catherine, not the usual scheming, devious woman that we know. He portrays her much more humanely. She is a real person, she has feelings, she gets upset, she becomes happy etc. I've only ever read books where Catherine is the usual bad queen. In this, she truly is a likeable person.
A must read for lovers of historical fiction. This book is up there with Sharon Penman, Margaret George and Anya Seton!
BUY IT! You'll love it :)
Gortner is an amazing author. He really can tell a story in a way that you feel a part of the book. I could not put this down and I read the whole thing, cover to cover in a day.
The author shows a different side to Catherine, not the usual scheming, devious woman that we know. He portrays her much more humanely. She is a real person, she has feelings, she gets upset, she becomes happy etc. I've only ever read books where Catherine is the usual bad queen. In this, she truly is a likeable person.
A must read for lovers of historical fiction. This book is up there with Sharon Penman, Margaret George and Anya Seton!
BUY IT! You'll love it :)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Confessions of Catherine De Medici by CW Gortner
An amazing and breath taking story, I could not put it down! It brings to light her struggle and world. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys history and drama.
Published 9 months ago by Jordan Moore
Confessions of Catherine De Medicis
Having read a lot about the life of this remarkable woman, particularly Jean Plaidy's famous trilogy, I was interested to see a fresh approach to the story. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Historical Novel Fan
Oh dear!
It is extremely annoying when authors write books that are based on so little research or if any research has been done it appears that it has not informed the writing. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Carol Lennock
Well worth a read
Whilst I am a reader of Historical Fiction I tend to stick to names I know such as Philippa Gregory who presents me with a tale that not only hooks me with the lead characters but... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Gareth Wilson - Falcata Times Blog
Very good
Catherine de Medici is sent from her native Italy to marry Henri, the second son of François I. More interested in hunting and his older mistress Diane de Poitiers Henri has little... Read more
Published 24 months ago by Misfit
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