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The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici
From Jeanne Kalogridis, the bestselling author of I, Mona Lisa and The Borgia Bride, comes a new novel that tells the passionate story of a queen who loved not wisely . . . but all too well.
Confidante of Nostradamus, scheming mother-in-law to Mary, Queen of Scots, and architect of the bloody St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, Catherine de Medici is one of the most maligned mo
...moreHardcover, 468 pages
Published
July 21st 2009
by St. Martin's Press
(first published January 1st 2008)
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Catherine de Medici is a child of the infamous Medici family, rulers of Florence. After rebels topple the family, Catherine is forced into captivity. Even though Catherine is eventually rescued, her life will never be the same. As a daughter of the Medici family and niece to the Pope, Catherine is forced to become a political pawn in her family's schemes. She is sent to France to marry the unwilling Prince Henri. In France, Catherine continues her odd childhood fascination with astrology and get...more
This is a very interesting fictional-biography of the life of Catherine deMedici from her stormy childhood in Florence to her decades in France where she eventually became Queen alongside her husband Henri III. There was much of interest and some with which I disagreed, such as a portrayal of a truce-like relationship with her husband's favorite mistress, Diane de Poitiers, while I had always heard that Catherine maliciously evicted Diane from chateau Chinonceau to a sort of exile at the less g...more
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For me this book was an example of a really good historical novel. I read some interesting books about the France during the civil war in the middle of the 16th century, such as the “Young Henry of Navarre" by Heinrich Mann and "The master of all desires" by Judith Merkel Riley. But they had portrayed Catherine de Medici as a plotting, scheming force behind the bloodshed in a war between the Protestants and the Catholics. In the "Devil's queen" we see a very different ...more
Told from Catherine de Medici's perspective, an interesting historical novel that traces her life from childhood. Certainly CdM has generally gotten a bad rap (and rep) in history, and it's true that she (with spouse Henri II) gave birth to the reputed three worst kings in French history. However, she was a well educated woman for her time and survived many dangers and intrigues that would have killed off less determined mortals. Her era plus time as Regent occurred during the growing height ...more
Tara Chevrestt
rated it
The first quarter of this book had me enthralled and I am convinced that Jeanne Kalogridis is a talented author and despite my dislike of The Borgia Bride, I will look at her future works. I enjoyed reading about young orphan Catherine and how the Medici's were brutally ran from their home by their own countrymen. As young Catherine is imprisoned in one nunnery after another, her heart is broken time and time again as every woman she holds in high regard or esteem is either killed or taken from ...more
The Devil’s Queen is based on Catherine de Medici. Catherine came from a famous family. Her family was Duke of Urbino and her mother was Countess of Boulogne. At the age of fourteen her parents were killed. Catherine was sent to captivity. Luckily she didn’t have to stay imprisoned for very long, as she was married off to Prince Henry. Henry had more of a fondness for his mistress than he did for Catherine.
Catherine used to dabble in astronomy and some of the dark arts when she was ...more
Catherine used to dabble in astronomy and some of the dark arts when she was ...more
It is hard to make a Queen who shoulders the blame for a religious massacre sympathetic, so Jeanne Kalogridis doesn’t try. Instead she goes the complete opposite direction. Giving us an unsentimental Queen who would commit any atrocity to save herself or someone she loves. Even as a girl she is already murdering and dabbling in black magic. For those of you unfamiliar with Catherine de Medici, the Italian born duchess was reduced to living in a convent after her family was deposed in Floren...more
The Devil's Queen follows the life of Catherine de Medici, who became queen of France when her husband Henri's older brother dies young, leaving Henri heir. From what I know about Catherine's actual life, Kalogridis stayed very historically accurate, with the exception of omitting a few of Catherine's ten children to keep the story manageable. While not beautiful (she had the bulging eyes of the Medici), Catherine was reportedly brilliant, and studied numerous languages, mathematics, and astrol...more
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I wasn't impressed by this audiobook and I'm not sure I can pinpoint why. I'd still give Jeanne Kalogridis another shot on another book though.
Potential factors:
1) I'm not generally an audiobook listener. I thought it would be a nice way to spend my commute though so I started with this one. Maybe the reader didn't work for me? Maybe the whole concept of audiobooks doesn't work for me?
2) Turned out the audiobook was abridged. I'll check for that when I tr...more
Potential factors:
1) I'm not generally an audiobook listener. I thought it would be a nice way to spend my commute though so I started with this one. Maybe the reader didn't work for me? Maybe the whole concept of audiobooks doesn't work for me?
2) Turned out the audiobook was abridged. I'll check for that when I tr...more
Catherine de Medici is an historical figure who is often mentioned in the background of many 16th century novels, but a figure I have not personally read a lot about. That combined with the fact that I really loved the 2 other books of Kalogridis' that I have previously read induced me to pick this book up at my library.
I unfortunently did not enjoy this book as much as the previous two, probably because there was so much mysticism/occultish activities in the book. I understand t...more
I unfortunently did not enjoy this book as much as the previous two, probably because there was so much mysticism/occultish activities in the book. I understand t...more
The main reason I listened to this book was that I wanted to try one of the audiobooks that Shreve Memorial Library is now offering. The best thing about these books is that you can transfer them to your iPod! I don’t believe this functionality was possible for most electronic library books until recently. (For those of you in Shreveport, I highly recommend trying this new resource, there are movies as well.)
But, on to the book itself. I am fascinated by the untold stories of his...more
But, on to the book itself. I am fascinated by the untold stories of his...more
Only good thing about being so sick and not being to talk at all, plenty of reading underway for 2012!
This book got off to a slow start for me but once Caterina (Catherine) moved to France, I found it was more engaging. I like the role that she struck with Cosimo Ruggieri, I had only really heard about her black magic and her link with Nostradamus but this book made it seem like he wasn't as big a role in her life. I of course have heard of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacres (though...more
This book got off to a slow start for me but once Caterina (Catherine) moved to France, I found it was more engaging. I like the role that she struck with Cosimo Ruggieri, I had only really heard about her black magic and her link with Nostradamus but this book made it seem like he wasn't as big a role in her life. I of course have heard of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacres (though...more
The first thing that bugged me was the lack of a family tree, as had been included in the author's earlier "The Borgia Bride"; in that case it would have been fine without, but not so for this family and their repetition of names. This book started off slowly, and while there were plenty opportunites for an interesting story, the twists (if you can call them that) were minimal and the book ended up being too long for its own good. There were interesting tidbits and facts scattered th...more
Magic, sexual escapades, court intrigue, death, war … The Devil’s Queen A Novel of Catherine de Medici by Jeanne Kalogridis has it all. Despite this fact, I am left wondering what I got out of this book. There were times in the book where I was turning the pages fast desperate to know what would happen next and other times where I was immensely bored and wondering when something interesting would happen. Sometimes I felt a connection with the protagonist other times I felt there was something...more
A fascinating look at a woman who was supposedly willing to go to any lengths to keep her crown, for herself and her children.
Catherine de Medici was an Italian noblewoman who married King Henry II of France, ruled the country after his death, and supposedly was the true power behind the throne as her sons held it in their turn.
History portrays Catherine going to rather mundane length to remain queen. Threats, bribery, and murder, going insofar as to instigate the St. Ba...more
Catherine de Medici was an Italian noblewoman who married King Henry II of France, ruled the country after his death, and supposedly was the true power behind the throne as her sons held it in their turn.
History portrays Catherine going to rather mundane length to remain queen. Threats, bribery, and murder, going insofar as to instigate the St. Ba...more
Susan
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Another book fed to the hungry Kindle!
This novel covers Catherine de Medici's life from her girlhood until shortly after the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. The occult plays a heavy role in it; Catherine has visions from an early age, and at a desperate time in her life resorts to an act of black magic that will have terrible repercussions for her and her family.
On the whole, I enjoyed this novel, which was told in the first person. Kalogridis made Catherine sympathetic, ...more
This novel covers Catherine de Medici's life from her girlhood until shortly after the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. The occult plays a heavy role in it; Catherine has visions from an early age, and at a desperate time in her life resorts to an act of black magic that will have terrible repercussions for her and her family.
On the whole, I enjoyed this novel, which was told in the first person. Kalogridis made Catherine sympathetic, ...more
This novel is more of a saga than a "story." It spans the whole of Catherine de Medici's lifetime and pays equal attention to each period. It reads more like an alternative history than a historical novel at times, offering speculative explanations for the decisions that Catherine made throughout her lifetime. It was amazingly fascinating.
There are only two things keeping me from giving this novel a rating of 5 stars, one of which is partially my own fault for choosing the...more
There are only two things keeping me from giving this novel a rating of 5 stars, one of which is partially my own fault for choosing the...more
I've always been of fan of Jeanne Kalogridis' books, but the last two have been hard for me to get through. I appreciated the detail that she included, and her particular flair of fiction. But there was something about this story - it would draw me in when I was reading it, but when I had to put it down, there really wasn't anything that ever compelled me to want to pick it back up again, which made reading sporadic.
The elements of the story reeled me in - Catherine de Medici, the Fr...more
The elements of the story reeled me in - Catherine de Medici, the Fr...more
Catherine de Medici figures in many of the books I've read. This is the second I've read where she's the main character. It begins when she is eight and follows her exile from Florence, her marriage to Henri II of France, and her widowhood upthrough the St. Bartholomew massacre. The author deals heavily with C de M's fascination with the occult and has an interesting take on her realtionship with her children and Henri of Navarre (who became Henri IV). Include some really graphic violence (a...more
Author Jeanne Kalogridis puts her own spin on the life of the infamous Catherine de Medici in The Devil's Queen. Left orphaned and extremely wealthy, Catherine's early life was marred by revolts among the Florentines against the de Medicis. Once the revolts are over her hopes to rule Florence are forever dashed when her uncle the Pope marries her off to Henri, the second son of the French King. Disenchanted with Catherine, Henri soon turns to the older Diane de Poitiers for comfort and the child...more
Interesting historical fiction book covering the life of Catherine de Medici. She was a descendent of the Medici family of Florence who married (by political arrangement) the son of the King of France. Her husband later becomes King Henry II of France, and she, consort Queen from 1547 to 1559. All three of her sons reigned as king at young ages, during which she was regent on their behalf. She had sweeping power for a woman of her times. France was marked with constant civil and religious ...more
I liked this book, that being said I liked the beginning and the end, I felt it bogged down a bit in the middle although maybe that is only my interpretation due to the fact there was a lot of historical fact wrapped up in the storyline and it was hard at times to keep track of all the characters and events.But tht is also why I enjoyed the book as confusing at times as it was. It introduced me to a Queen I had not yet met, and the upheavel in France that was rivaling the time period of the Tudo...more
This is my first book by Jeanne Kalogridis and I quickly had to find more of them. I've read a lot of historical fiction set in Tudor England so it was fascinated to read something from "the other side of the pond". I didn't know a lot about Catherine Medici before I began which was good as the author took a lot of license with her character and history in general. However the story was fascinating. The characters were multifaceted people who made difficult moral decisions. It was a...more
This dark take on the development Catherine de Medici's dark and dynamic character is both heartbreaking and revolting. In this version of events we see the deterioration of a strong and dynamic soul into a weak and fractured woman whose life has become mastered by that which she attempted to master. Catherine de Medici's dabbling in the occult, as told in this story, allowed her to reach her dreams even as she destroyed them.
Jeanne Kalogridis captured the drama and mystique of lif...more
Jeanne Kalogridis captured the drama and mystique of lif...more
I liked this, and I found it interesting. I knew nothing about Catherine de Medici before reading this book, having neglected to study much of any European history in HS or college. I enjoy learning my history through fiction, although I realize I need to be careful about confusing the two.
I would definitely place this on my "will this book never end?" shelf.
I had some trouble keeping track of the characters, because the author, I'm sure for good reason, kept ...more
I would definitely place this on my "will this book never end?" shelf.
I had some trouble keeping track of the characters, because the author, I'm sure for good reason, kept ...more
Catherine de Medici figures in many of the books I've read. This is the second I've read where she's the main character. It begins when she is eight and follows her exile from Florence, her marriage to Henri II of France, and her widowhood upthrough the St. Bartholomew massacre. The author deals heavily with C de M's fascination with the occult and has an interesting take on her realtionship with her children and Henri of Navarre (who became Henri IV). Include some really graphic violence (an a...more
I have read many historical fiction books, but I had never ventured into royal history until this book. With that being said, I didn't know much about Catherine de Medici going into it. This is also my first time reading a book by the author...it will not be my last of either.
Catherine de Medici was born an Italian who would later become Queen of France. Throughout the book we are given the backdrop of what made her the person that she was. As a child, she was orphaned, sent to ...more
Catherine de Medici was born an Italian who would later become Queen of France. Throughout the book we are given the backdrop of what made her the person that she was. As a child, she was orphaned, sent to ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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I decided to pick this book up for two reasons: 1) It was $5.99 in the bargain section at Barnes & Noble, and 2) the praise on the back of the book by Phillipa Gregory. At first, it seemed a bit slow to "snag me", but I am glad that I kept reading! I found the story to be very intriguing, in particular, the life of Catherine de Medici, the lengths that she went to to keep and please her husband, Prince Henry of France. Having to compete with her husband's deep love and affection f...more
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Okay, here are the bare facts: I was born in Florida on December 17, 1954, and I've been interested in books ever since. My interest in language led me to earn a B.A. in Russian in 1976 (although my major was microbiology until my senior year).
That was soon followed by a two-year stint as a legal secretary. The good part about that was, I learned how to type, which comes in useful thes...more
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That was soon followed by a two-year stint as a legal secretary. The good part about that was, I learned how to type, which comes in useful thes...more
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