Jake's review
Four Queens: The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe
by Nancy Goldstone
Jake's review
Four Queens: The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe by Nancy Goldstone
Jake's review
rating:
As a student of both English literature and history in a broader sense, this is easily one of the best books I've ever read, especially in the non-fiction realm. Goldstone does an admirable job of tying together the intricate and overly complex threads of each sister's life as they intertwined and spun off on their own. While she does tend to overwhelm with the amount of characters with which she expects you to keep up, ultimately she keeps the reader interested and invested throughout, a task not to be overlooked when dealing with thirteenth century power struggles.
The book is triumph, and while it does tend to focus mostly on Marguerite and Eleanor, there are multiple reasons for such a narrow view. In the end, the simple fact that this family even existed is remarkable; Goldstone's recounting of their successes is even more so.
The book is triumph, and while it does tend to focus mostly on Marguerite and Eleanor, there are multiple reasons for such a narrow view. In the end, the simple fact that this family even existed is remarkable; Goldstone's recounting of their successes is even more so.
