Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
66th out of 473 books
—
149 voters
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 maligne
Hardcover, 468 pages
Published
July 21st 2009
by St. Martin's Press
(first published January 1st 2008)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
The Devil's Queen by Jeanne Kalogridis was just OK for me. I missed not having a family tree in the book to see how she was related to everyone else. This is a difficult review to write since I usually love historical fiction. I know that the author must have done a tremendous amount of research and worked on this book a long time.
There were times that I wanted to quit reading this book so I rewarded myself with starting two other books as a treat for reading more in The Devil’s Queen. I made it...more
There were times that I wanted to quit reading this book so I rewarded myself with starting two other books as a treat for reading more in The Devil’s Queen. I made it...more
2 likes · like · see review
view 1 comment
A fascinating romp through the history of the Black Queen that ultimately enabled one to understand the limits (or lack there of) of power, love and loyalty. As a character I enjoyed Catherine, her childhood clearly demonstrated how loyalty and the need for love shaped her as a woman. This was my first foray into historical fiction and I'm glad that I had a god experience. This book is action packed from the beginning to the end which keeps the pace of the story moving. The astrological referenc...more
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 gr...more
1 like · like · see review
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 Catherine de Medici, a que...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 of...more
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 younger. She...more
Catherine used to dabble in astronomy and some of the dark arts when she was younger. She...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 Florence. I...more
Arshia says: The Catherine de Medici that I have always seen in movies or read about in books is a very tough cookie. Jeanne’s take on this character was a bit more sympathetic. She is shown as a compassionate mother and a loving wife, a woman vulnerable because all she wants is the love of her husband and the welfare of her children. Yet to make sure her family gets what they deserve she is willing to go to any lengths. She dabbles in astrology as a child and then grows up to frevently believe...more
I borrowed “The Devil’s Queen” from my local library, to which it provided ample entertainment while maneuvering through morning traffic; and at times, even made the long commute enjoyable. The story of Catherine de Medici was one that I had not known much about, to which I learned a little bit about her (and attesting to the Afterward the end of the novel, it appears that Kalogridis based the highlights of Catherine’s life on fact or at least rumors that had been recorded at the time).
Kalogrid...more
Kalogrid...more
I've been awfully spoiled recently with plucking books off my shelves that are awesome. Warning, there be some spoilers.
My knowledge of Catherine de Medici is very basic. I know the vague outline of her life and reputation and always was a bit sympathetic to her because, let's be honest, she really did draw the short straw in life and made the most of a crappy situation time after time.
I enjoyed that this story began with the sack of Rome, when Catherine was a child and built up to the Massacr...more
My knowledge of Catherine de Medici is very basic. I know the vague outline of her life and reputation and always was a bit sympathetic to her because, let's be honest, she really did draw the short straw in life and made the most of a crappy situation time after time.
I enjoyed that this story began with the sack of Rome, when Catherine was a child and built up to the Massacr...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 astrolo...more
‘“Madame’, he said gently. “You and I understand each other well, I think – better than the rest of the world understands us. You and I see things others do not. Too much for our comfort.’” The words of Monsieur de Nostredame to Madame la Reine – Catherine de Medicis, Queen, Consort of Henry II, King of France 1519-1589 to Catherine during one of his visits before being removed for an astrologer.
The Devil’s Queen was fond of astrology and much of her life, Catherine De Medici practiced the art w...more
May 28, 2010
Amanda
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
audiobook
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 try again. At moments I felt disjointed or...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 try again. At moments I felt disjointed or...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 that Catherine d...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 that Catherine d...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 historical women, e...more
But, on to the book itself. I am fascinated by the untold stories of historical women, e...more
I enjoyed this book. I like reading historical fiction where the author at least attempts to research and writes a plausible story. In this case I feel like Jeanne Kalogridis does that.
I did not know much about Catherine de Medici before reading this and find there must still be more to know. I also echo another reviewer's thought that a family tree would have been very nice. It took me almost a year to read the book as I had other obligations and so by the time I got to Part III and beyond I h...more
I did not know much about Catherine de Medici before reading this and find there must still be more to know. I also echo another reviewer's thought that a family tree would have been very nice. It took me almost a year to read the book as I had other obligations and so by the time I got to Part III and beyond I h...more
I went into this book not knowing much about Catherine de Medici, besides the fact that the de Medici family was extremely powerful in Italy at the time. Now, I want to learn more about this strong woman.
I don't know where to begin... Catherine's life is a mess. Her parents died when she was very young which forced her to be raised by her aunt, who served as a pseudo-'regent' Catherine and her cousins in Florence. Her father had been made Duke of Urbino by his uncle the Pope but her mother was a...more
I don't know where to begin... Catherine's life is a mess. Her parents died when she was very young which forced her to be raised by her aunt, who served as a pseudo-'regent' Catherine and her cousins in Florence. Her father had been made Duke of Urbino by his uncle the Pope but her mother was a...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 in other bo...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 in other bo...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 throughout, bu...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 la...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. Bartholomew's Day Massacre,...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. Bartholomew's Day Massacre,...more
Nov 18, 2010
Susan
added it
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, for all of her flaws, an...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, for all of her flaws, an...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 audio version over th...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 audio version over th...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 French court,...more
The elements of the story reeled me in - Catherine de Medici, the French court,...more
The Devil's Queen puts a human face on one of the most notorious rulers of France. The story of Catherine de Medici and her role in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre is one of the more captivating tales in history. Kalogridis's writing is lushly descriptive, diving directly into the intrigue and political maneuvering of court as well as the lavish excess of the French nobility. Elements of superstition and the arcane add intrigue and fascination, as do the disturbing social customs of the era....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
5 likes · like · see review
I've enjoyed reading about Catherine de Medici ever since I read Jean Plaidy's de Medici trilogy. This was an interesting view on a very controversail woman. The story of her early life was fascinating, as was her relationship with her family. I found her relationship with her husband to be a little unrealistically portrayed, as history shows that he wasn't very interested in her, but I think the author captured the essence of Catherine very well. An ambitious woman, devoted to an unfeeling husb...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 war du...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
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 these days. Then...more
More about Jeanne Kalogridis...
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 these days. Then...more
Share This Book
3 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
“Miroir de l'Ame Pecheresse, Mirror of a Lost Soul.”
—
4 people liked it
More quotes…
