Alexandre Dumas' novel Queen Margot, centers on the beautiful, proud, and willful Marguerite Valois, whose mother Catherine de Medici arranged Marg...
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Apr 07, 2009
Kelly
rated it: 
By turns highly unlikely and highly hilarious, Dumas' La Reine Margot is a wildly uneven, careening tale that knows perfectly well what it is and wants your gasps, sighs, and unbidden, unstoppable, "Oh no he didn't!"s. Or perhaps I should say "Oh no she didn't!" as the most shocking, ridiculously amazingly evil and awful moments are reserved for the truly unbelievable Satan of the piece, Catherine de Medici. She spends most of the book figuring out new ways to poison, arrest
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Jul 30, 2008
Madeline
rated it: 
SO much better than I expected it to be. The book is long, but the story moves at such a fast pace and so much happens that you don't even notice. All the characters are fascinating, and my personal favorite was Catherine d'Medici, who wins the award for Worst Mother-in-Law Ever. I swear, she spends all her time trying to poison just about everybody in the book. She kills one person with poisoned gloves, then fills somebody's lamp with poisoned oil so the vapors smother them, and then she poison
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Jul 07, 2009
Misfit
rated it: 
It’s 1572 and in an effort to ease tensions between the Catholics and the Huguenots Henry III King of Navarre is married to Marguerite de Valois (Margot). Shortly after the marriage the Huguenots are slaughtered at the order of Charles IX and his mother Catherine de Medicis on Saint Bartholomew’s Day. Catherine is also bent on destroying Henry as her astrologer has foretold that her three sons will die and Henry of Navarre will rule France through the Bourbon line. Margot's dashing lover La Mole
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(3 people liked it)
Jan 21, 2011
Tori
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jan 29, 2012
Lupurk
rated it:
Dumas è sempre una conferma. Questo libro avevo già tentato di leggerlo anni fa, senza successo, forse un po' annoiata dalla parte storica. Ora invece l'ho ripreso e letto con piacere. Dumas è un asso nell'escogitare trame degne della miglior telenovela, lasciando il lettore in qualche modo in sospeso fino alla fine, anche quando non c'è più nulla da svelare.
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Dec 17, 2011
Julie at All Ears
rated it:
For all those people who find the classics wordy or tedious, then this is the perfect book. Although long, this book is fast paced and filled with betrayal, love affairs and secret passages - I just loved it. The story is based on the marriage between Marguerite de Valois, sister of King Charles of France and Henri de Navarre, the leader of the Huguenots. The marriage is arranged by Marguerite's mother, Catherine of Medici, an evil scheming woman whose weapon of choice is poison, and stops at
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Feb 24, 2010
Margaret
rated it:
Here Dumas takes on the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, focusing on Marguerite de Valois, Henry of Navarre (later Henry IV), and the villainous (in Dumas' version) Catherine de' Medici. This is as full of action and intrigue as The Three Musketeers, but I found the characters a little less well-rounded. Though Catherine is wonderfully villainous and Henry of Navarre makes a good solitary hero, the two noblemen who are the romantic leads lack the nobility of Athos or the cleverness of d'Artagnan.
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Jun 18, 2009
bkwurm
rated it:
Brilliant historical fiction!
Set during the religious civil wars that wracked France, Dumas has woven an intricate plot of intrigue, love, politics and religious tension around actual historical characters and events. Catherine de Medici, dowager Queen of France, is portrayed as the consummate villain, plotting to kill Henry of Navarre to ensure that he does not take the throne from her sons. Despite this, you still manage to feel sympathy for her as her sole motive is to ensure th More...
Set during the religious civil wars that wracked France, Dumas has woven an intricate plot of intrigue, love, politics and religious tension around actual historical characters and events. Catherine de Medici, dowager Queen of France, is portrayed as the consummate villain, plotting to kill Henry of Navarre to ensure that he does not take the throne from her sons. Despite this, you still manage to feel sympathy for her as her sole motive is to ensure th More...
Sep 02, 2011
Katie
rated it:
I was worried as I started reading this book because it starts with St. Bartholomew's Massacre, so I was concerned about the violence, but it's not too graphic and was ok. I loved the middle of the book - court intrigues, plots, love, good fun. I didn't like the superstitious parts, and the end was not what I hoped, but I guess when you're writing historical fiction you have to go with what actually happened. These were horrible people - very violent and immoral, and their mom was the worst o
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May 23, 2011
Julia
rated it:
O Massacre de São Bartolomeu é talvez o mais interessante evento histórico que os brasileiros por algum motivo não aprendem na escola.
Felizmente, quem quer começar a aprender algo pode ler A Rainha Margot.
A época e os personagens sempre me fascinaram - e eu queria que o livro tivesse o triplo do tamanho, para passar mais tempo com eles. Eu passei muito tempo procurando livros sobre Marguerite de Valois, Catherine de Medici, Charles IX, Henri III, Henri IV, François d'Anjou (na época More...
Felizmente, quem quer começar a aprender algo pode ler A Rainha Margot.
A época e os personagens sempre me fascinaram - e eu queria que o livro tivesse o triplo do tamanho, para passar mais tempo com eles. Eu passei muito tempo procurando livros sobre Marguerite de Valois, Catherine de Medici, Charles IX, Henri III, Henri IV, François d'Anjou (na época More...
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Apr 04, 2010
Jon
rated it:
I think i liked this just as much if not more than Count of Monte Cristo , it might just be that a bit of time has passed since reading that other wonderful Dumas book. I watched the film of this and have also read a biograhpy of Catherine de Medici so this may have helped having a background to the characters allready. Theres a lot of names to remember at first, and whos related to who and which faction do they belong to. But once your past that its a gloriously plot rich, colourful and gothic
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Sep 22, 2011
Christine
rated it: 
Although I have not read enough of their works to be an authority-
I don't really care for the Dumas' (père or fils) style of writing. Swashbuckling and adventurous, ok, but melodrama and over-sentimentality turned me off.
But interesting to read about (the real) Reine Margot's history (in a non-fiction source, outside of this novel) before reading this book. Unfortunately it made the Dumas' rendition rather a letdown.
I don't really care for the Dumas' (père or fils) style of writing. Swashbuckling and adventurous, ok, but melodrama and over-sentimentality turned me off.
But interesting to read about (the real) Reine Margot's history (in a non-fiction source, outside of this novel) before reading this book. Unfortunately it made the Dumas' rendition rather a letdown.
Jan 07, 2009
Ale
rated it:
One of the darkest and most violent novels of Dumas, set around the time of the St. Bartholomew Massacre in France. Instead of fictional characters, the novel is based on real historical characters: Margarite Valois, and her mother, Catherine di Medicis, ruthless queen. Coligny, Henry of Navarre, D'Anjou, all of them are here... I found this period in history quite interesting, and the novel does it justice.
Dec 28, 2011
Craig
rated it:
Dumas' La Reine Margot brings high adventure and romantic ups/downs much like that found in Three Musketeers. One may think this would become old and tired, even predictable. But no! Dumas takes historical characters and events, turns and tweaks them to his own desires and reveals a world of intrigue, murder, and excitement. Catherine, the queen-mother, is by far the most wretched and vile, with multiple murder plots, poisonings, arrests, etc. Not always having the heros/heroines prevail is
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Sep 02, 2011
Stuart
rated it:
Really great novel - even if I already knew the story from the opera and the movie. Wonderful characters - La Mole and Coccanas were brilliant. Great story of in-fighting in the French royal house. Poisonings, betrayals, and intrigue. A little like Wuthering Heights in that everyone has the same name so it is hard to keep everyone straight. Too many Henrys.
Jan 11, 2010
Michelle
rated it:
The Dumas touch is unmistakable: unflagging drama, twisting plots, artful suspense, strongly differnetiated characters, the interjection of horror, violence, and humor, and the unfailing wholesomeness of good over evil. I loved this book! Everything Dumas creates has me on the edge of my seat, turning each page while gasping for air and wanting more. Loved, loved, and loved the pure evilness of Catherine De Medicis, one of histories greatest villainess.
May 11, 2010
Natalie
rated it:
Hands-down, my favorite book of all time. Hot sex, political intrigue, beautiful language, battles surrounding religion- and all within the context of true history. It just doesn't get better! I just read it for the fourth time....sigh.
Feb 11, 2009
Natasha
rated it:
It began as an enjoyable book, which I read rather quickly at first. I was curious about what would come next and what the next plot to be hatched would be. Too bad the political intrigue became pretty boring and uninteresting to me. Also, too bad that this whole book is about political intrigue.
Jan 05, 2010
Deb
rated it:
An amazing novel about a very dark time in European history. If you've ever wondered about the history and reasons behind Bartholomew's massacre, this is a good historical fictional account.
Jun 09, 2009
Briana
rated it:
Fluffy? Perhaps. But this is one book I can read again and again. It really pulled me in when I was 12, and I still get caught up in the romance, the drama, and the struggles of a strong heroine.
Jul 31, 2011
Alicedewonder
rated it:
Superb dramatic history. Only Dumas could define the murderous intrigue of The Royals! Captivating. Amazing how we permit ourselves to be controlled by these types of life forms!
Feb 20, 2011
Sara
rated it:
She was Catholic, he was Protestant, and their weddeing took place during the religious wars in France between the Catholics and the Huguenots.... brilliant and passionate book.
Mar 21, 2009
Terry
rated it:
Late 16th century in France when the king’s sister, Margot, a Catholic, married Henri (king of the Huguenots) it touched off the St Bartholomew night massacre.
Jan 13, 2009
Lynn
rated it:
I have read every Dumas book I have been able to get my hands on, but this was by far the best. Great adventure, romance, swashbuckling, and honor. Loved it.
Jan 20, 2012
Slmcmahon
rated it:
On the one hand, a tragic story of political and religious manipulation. On the other, if princesses swashbuckled, Margot is one of them. Her story is well told.
Feb 20, 2010
Paula
rated it:
Nice and trashy. Lots of simple past subjunctive, which is always fun. I had my dose, though, of meetings in women's bedrooms while someone is hidden in the "cabinet"...
Apr 21, 2008
Sharon
rated it:
I loved this book. Dumas wrote it in serial form, so it is fast paced and hard to put down--almost every chapter ends with a cliffhanger. It is set in Paris in the 1570s, during and after the marriage of Catholic Marguerite de Valois (Margot) to Protestant Henry de Navarre, a union orchestrated by Margot's mother Catherine de Medicis, which ends up resulting in the Saint Bartholomew's Day massacre on French Protestants. It's got it all: history (albeit re-written by Dumas), scandal, intrigue, a
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Jan 26, 2012
Ariadna73
rated it:
Otra telenovela. La comencé, la abandoné por la mitad, y en muchas noches de insomnio, por fin la terminé. Pero hasta aquí llegué con Dumas. Gracias.
Jul 14, 2010
Nicole
rated it:
This book took me a really long time to finish for some reason.
I sort of enjoyed the detailed street directions Dumas gives throughout the book.
I sort of enjoyed the detailed street directions Dumas gives throughout the book.
Sep 01, 2009
Daniel
rated it:
So much more drama than Count of Monte Cristo. Didn't like it as much. Amazing to see so many geniuses of their time never make it to the top.
