As far as medieval, historical biographies go, this one was outstanding. Compassion, loyalty, romance, & treachery all combine for a compelling read. I could not put this book down; the characters were that interesting, & I was caught up in the story. As a teacher, I thought I had a fairly good command of the English language, but I found that I frequently had to refer to the dictionary (which might be off-putting for some readers) All in all - an excellent read.
Several years ago when I first saw the announcement for this book, I was excited because I thought it would be another book in the "Mistress of the Art of Death" series. But I learned it wasn't, and that was kind of sad since Franklin passed away before she could resolve the cliffhanger there. In fact, Franklin died before finishing this book, and her daughter took up the pen. Anyway I put this title on my want list and figured whenever I came across it I'd pick it up.
It's a more lightweight story than the series, and the language feels too contemporary. There's a nice romance angle; the main characters are pretty well-rounded although some of the others left me wanting a bit more. Nice enough, I liked the happy ending, and I'm glad I satisfied my curiousity about it, but it's not a book I'll keep.
It's a more lightweight story than the series, and the language feels too contemporary. There's a nice romance angle; the main characters are pretty well-rounded although some of the others left me wanting a bit more. Nice enough, I liked the happy ending, and I'm glad I satisfied my curiousity about it, but it's not a book I'll keep.
