Review: Eleanore of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozier
Eleanore of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozier follows Eleanore Blanchet at the start of the Black Death in 1347 France. Elea is a healer skilled in herblore and midwifery, as taught to her by her late mother. When she unsuspectingly meets Guigo, the Pope’s physician foraging for berries to make a tonic, a new life opens for her. Guigo is interested to learn Elea’s herblore and remedies, as his own physician’s education did not teach such methods.
When a tonic works to quell the Pope’s ailment, Guigo takes on Elea (quite unconventional for the time) as his apprentice. Just as Elea begins her training, whispers of the plague grow until it reaches Avignon. Guigo and Elea study all the texts available to them to discern the origin and nature of the plague, and how best to treat it. They find that if the plague presents without swollen buboes, they cannot treat it, yet if a patient develops buboes, they develop a method of lancing and administering a “blood cleansing” tonic. I found this method very interesting, as I had never heard of that technique being done during this period. I looked it up and lancing was indeed a method. The author also includes mention of other treatments with little to no effect such as ingesting Armenian clay. As a side note, I find the history of medicine very interesting.
As in any time of crisis, there are people who look for scapegoats to blame. The Jewish population of Avignon is targeted for the cause of the pestilence, with many losing their lives. Witchcraft, as an age old scapegoat, is of course used as well. And with Elea practicing a “man’s profession,” she too is looked upon with suspicion.
I found Eleanore of Avignon to be a swift and solid read. I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted our world today, and while our medicine is far more advanced, society still operates in a similar way. In times of crisis, like a pandemic, there will always be conspiracy theories, scapegoats, and opportunistic people taking advantage of the situation.
Eleanore of Avignon will be released November 5, 2024
