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Four Sisters, All Queens
Rich in intrigue and scheming, love and lust, Sherry Jones's vibrant historical novel follows four women destined to sway the fate of nations and the hearts of kings. . . .
Amid the lush valleys and fragrant wildflowers of Provence, Marguerite, Elonore, Sanchia, and Beatrice have learned to charm, hunt, dance, and debate under the careful tutelage of their ambitious mother--and to abide by the countess's motto: Family comes first.
With Provence under constant attack, their legacy and safety depend upon powerful alliances. Marguerite's illustrious match with the young King Louis IX makes her Queen of France. Soon Elonore--independent and daring--is betrothed to Henry III of England. In turn, shy, devout Sanchia and tempestuous Beatrice wed noblemen who will also make them queens.
Yet a crown is no guarantee of protection. Enemies are everywhere, from Marguerite's duplicitous mother-in-law to vengeful lovers and land-hungry barons. Then there are the dangers that come from within, as loyalty succumbs to bitter sibling rivalry, and sister is pitted against sister for the prize each believes is rightfully hers--Provence itself.
From the treacherous courts of France and England, to the bloody tumult of the Crusades, Sherry Jones traces the extraordinary true story of four fascinating sisters whose passions, conquests, and progeny shaped the course of history.
Amid the lush valleys and fragrant wildflowers of Provence, Marguerite, Elonore, Sanchia, and Beatrice have learned to charm, hunt, dance, and debate under the careful tutelage of their ambitious mother--and to abide by the countess's motto: Family comes first.
With Provence under constant attack, their legacy and safety depend upon powerful alliances. Marguerite's illustrious match with the young King Louis IX makes her Queen of France. Soon Elonore--independent and daring--is betrothed to Henry III of England. In turn, shy, devout Sanchia and tempestuous Beatrice wed noblemen who will also make them queens.
Yet a crown is no guarantee of protection. Enemies are everywhere, from Marguerite's duplicitous mother-in-law to vengeful lovers and land-hungry barons. Then there are the dangers that come from within, as loyalty succumbs to bitter sibling rivalry, and sister is pitted against sister for the prize each believes is rightfully hers--Provence itself.
From the treacherous courts of France and England, to the bloody tumult of the Crusades, Sherry Jones traces the extraordinary true story of four fascinating sisters whose passions, conquests, and progeny shaped the course of history.
434 pages, Paperback
First published May 8, 2012
108 people are currently reading
8254 people want to read
About the author
Sherry Jones
16 books438 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Sherry Jones is an American journalist and internationally best selling author of the controversial "The Jewel of Medina" and other historical fiction books.
Her forthcoming novel, THE FIVE WIVES OF BILLY TIPTON, explores the true-life story of transgender musician Billy Tipton and his marriages with five women, the last three of whom never knew that he was biologically female. Filled with Tipton's comic, homespun wit as well as the vibrant personalities of the colorful women he loved, THE FIVE WIVES OF BILLY TIPTON will take readers on a musical journey through the American midwest of the 1930s and 40s as well as the inner journey of a woman who lives for fifty year in disguise. In a world in which we all must play assigned roles, what must we do to live authentically. Is the price too high?
Jones's most recent novel, JOSEPHINE BAKER'S LAST DANCE (December 2018) features as its protagonist the 20th-century African-American entertainer Josephine Baker, who was born in the slums of St. Louis, made her fame on the Paris stage at 19, worked as a spy during WWII, and became an important civil rights activist in the United States. A comedian, nude dancer, chanteuse, opera diva, and film star, she was the highest-paid black performer in the world. The actress Paula Patton has optioned the media rights to this book and, in partnership with Viola Davis's JuVee production company, is seeking a studio to bring this book to the screen. JOSEPHINE BAKER'S LAST DANCE is scheduled for publication in Hungary.
Jones's 2014 novel, THE SHARP HOOK OF LOVE, tells of the forbidden, erotically-charged love affair between two of the Middle Ages' greatest intellectuals: Peter Abelard, headmaster of the Notre-Dame Cloister School and a poet whose good looks and love songs make women swoon; and Heloise d'Argenteuil, a beautiful woman scholar being groomed by her uncle to become an abbess.
Jones's other books are:
"White Heart," an e-novella about Blanche de Castille, the legendary White Queen of France, who braved sieges, scandal and heartache to protect the Crown from usurpers for her young son, King Louis IX (Saint Louis). The novella is a prequel to:
"Four Sisters, All Queens," about four sisters in 13th century Provence -- Margeurite, Eléonore, Sanchia, and Beatrice of Provence, who became queens of France, England, Germany, and Italy, also published in Serbia, Italy, and Poland.
Jones became the center of a national controversy in the summer of 2008 after Random House cancelled publication of her historical novel, The Jewel of Medina about Aisha, a wife of the Prophet Muhammad.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Random House had paid Jones a $100,000 advance for the novel when University of Texas Professor Denise Spellberg say a copy of the galleys and decided to "warn Muslims" of the pending publication of a novel that, in Spellberg's opinion, "made fun of Muslims and their history." Random House immediately cancelled publication.
Beaufort Books published the book in the U.S. in October 2008. Publishers in Germany, Italy, Denmark, Spain, Poland, Serbia, Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, Macedonia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Albania have followed. It has been a best-seller in Serbia, Croatia, Albania, Kosovo, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain.
A sequel, "The Sword of Medina," continues the story of A'isha's life after Muhammad's death and the rivalry with his cousin, Ali, which led to the first Islamic civil war and the Sunni-Shia split. It has been published in a number of countries, as well, and was also a best-seller in Serbia. "The Sword of Medina" was awarded a silver medal in the IPPYs, the Independent Publisher Association's book of the year awards.
The controversy over her books has sent Jones on the lecture circuit, speaking in the U.S. and Europe on topics including
Sherry Jones is an American journalist and internationally best selling author of the controversial "The Jewel of Medina" and other historical fiction books.
Her forthcoming novel, THE FIVE WIVES OF BILLY TIPTON, explores the true-life story of transgender musician Billy Tipton and his marriages with five women, the last three of whom never knew that he was biologically female. Filled with Tipton's comic, homespun wit as well as the vibrant personalities of the colorful women he loved, THE FIVE WIVES OF BILLY TIPTON will take readers on a musical journey through the American midwest of the 1930s and 40s as well as the inner journey of a woman who lives for fifty year in disguise. In a world in which we all must play assigned roles, what must we do to live authentically. Is the price too high?
Jones's most recent novel, JOSEPHINE BAKER'S LAST DANCE (December 2018) features as its protagonist the 20th-century African-American entertainer Josephine Baker, who was born in the slums of St. Louis, made her fame on the Paris stage at 19, worked as a spy during WWII, and became an important civil rights activist in the United States. A comedian, nude dancer, chanteuse, opera diva, and film star, she was the highest-paid black performer in the world. The actress Paula Patton has optioned the media rights to this book and, in partnership with Viola Davis's JuVee production company, is seeking a studio to bring this book to the screen. JOSEPHINE BAKER'S LAST DANCE is scheduled for publication in Hungary.
Jones's 2014 novel, THE SHARP HOOK OF LOVE, tells of the forbidden, erotically-charged love affair between two of the Middle Ages' greatest intellectuals: Peter Abelard, headmaster of the Notre-Dame Cloister School and a poet whose good looks and love songs make women swoon; and Heloise d'Argenteuil, a beautiful woman scholar being groomed by her uncle to become an abbess.
Jones's other books are:
"White Heart," an e-novella about Blanche de Castille, the legendary White Queen of France, who braved sieges, scandal and heartache to protect the Crown from usurpers for her young son, King Louis IX (Saint Louis). The novella is a prequel to:
"Four Sisters, All Queens," about four sisters in 13th century Provence -- Margeurite, Eléonore, Sanchia, and Beatrice of Provence, who became queens of France, England, Germany, and Italy, also published in Serbia, Italy, and Poland.
Jones became the center of a national controversy in the summer of 2008 after Random House cancelled publication of her historical novel, The Jewel of Medina about Aisha, a wife of the Prophet Muhammad.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Random House had paid Jones a $100,000 advance for the novel when University of Texas Professor Denise Spellberg say a copy of the galleys and decided to "warn Muslims" of the pending publication of a novel that, in Spellberg's opinion, "made fun of Muslims and their history." Random House immediately cancelled publication.
Beaufort Books published the book in the U.S. in October 2008. Publishers in Germany, Italy, Denmark, Spain, Poland, Serbia, Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, Macedonia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Albania have followed. It has been a best-seller in Serbia, Croatia, Albania, Kosovo, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain.
A sequel, "The Sword of Medina," continues the story of A'isha's life after Muhammad's death and the rivalry with his cousin, Ali, which led to the first Islamic civil war and the Sunni-Shia split. It has been published in a number of countries, as well, and was also a best-seller in Serbia. "The Sword of Medina" was awarded a silver medal in the IPPYs, the Independent Publisher Association's book of the year awards.
The controversy over her books has sent Jones on the lecture circuit, speaking in the U.S. and Europe on topics including
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
October 11, 2012
DNF.
Got just over a quarter of a way through this and couldn't take anymore. It's full of walking cliches rather than characters and way too many modern sensibilities & attitudes for anyone to believe it is taking place in medieval times. Any historical event or place mentioned merely acts as backdrop or wallpaper and was obviously not well researched. There's more but I will leave my list of gripes here as I really don't feel like investing anymore time and effort in this ridiculous novel.
If you are interested in finding out more about these exceptional sisters from Provence then I would advise against wasting your time with this novel and recommend you go straight to Nancy Goldstone's excellent and reader friendly biography, Four Queens: The Provençal Sisters Who Ruled Europe.
July 3, 2013
Sherry Jones takes on the intricate story of four sisters from Provence who become Queens in the 13th century. Marguerite, Queen of France. Eleonore, Queen of England, Sanchia, Queen of Germany and Beatrice, Queen of Sicily. After reading Penman's Falls the Shadow, I wanted to learn more about Eleonore. When the The Sister Queens came out I was excited. Sadly, it was pure fluff. Then I saw Jones' version and was hoping for more grit and history. The book started a little slow for me. Instead of just showing us the actions of the characters, Jones added dialogue to show us how tough they were. Example, their Mom kept calling them her sons, because they were raised to be educated and to be queens. Most HF fans know how rare education was for women, especially in the 13th century, so we could tell by their actions they weren't weak. After Eleonore marries Henry, I see this isn't going to be the boring, ridiculous love story like the Sister Queens where Henry paints Eleonore's room at The Tower of London with flowers. Jones gives us the real story. We see how her family (the foreigners) cause tension taking land and titles. Jones' takes us through the Simon de Montfort years and how the people hated Eleonore. With Marguerite, we see what a fanatic Louis was with Christianity. How his mother Blanche made her life hell and didn't let her fully be the Queen of France. Beatrice marries Louis' brother Charles and Jones takes us through the Crusades. I won't tell you a lot due to spoiler alerts, but the war in Damietta was my favorite. Back in England Sanchia marries Richard. She is the weakest of the sisters and even though there isn't much known about her except the basics, I feel Jones take on Sanchia was believable. If you want to learn about the sisters, this book overall is pretty accurate. Taking on the sister's tale couldn't have been an easy task. Lots of history for a book, but I believe Jones did a great job covering the important marks. I also enjoyed the humor surrounding Louis IX and his "Saintly" missions (all true by the way.) My only complaints where how at times Marguerite seemed too modern. I wasn't there, but I believe even though she had animosity towards Blanche and Louis over their extremism on religion, I'm sure she was just as Catholic. Secondly, there were no author's notes.
Marguerite
Eleonore
Sanchia and Richard
Beatrice
Marguerite
Eleonore
Sanchia and Richard
Beatrice
May 12, 2019
This fantastic book has it all: family drama, love, lust, betrayal, redemption, and irony. Sherry Jones creates a story that explains how four very different sisters were able to end up as Queens and leaders of Europe - at the same time. Marguerite, Queen consort of France, Eleonore, Queen consort of England, Sanchia, Queen consort of Germany, Beatrice, Queen consort of Sicily. Four remarkable women made even more so by their sisterhood and the trials each faced. Full review you can find on my blog: https://poetryofreading.blogspot.com/...
July 21, 2016
DNF
Got to the deciding page 100, which is my limit when a book is not going to work. I have to totally agree with Jemidar's review, way too modern for the times, the girls were very young but acted much older,a lot of time I just plain didn't get what I read. Example: Marguerite goes to bed snuggles down in the quilts and she prays,but forgets what she is suppose to have done as she plucks a peach from the tree and takes a bite of Provence. So..ok maybe the author is putting in hidden meanings? But to me it meant one or the other in what she was doing but at the same time? Through out the book this happened often and it just had me lost. So maybe it's just me and it flew over my head. That aside, way too much drama as well and I felt like it was a YA historical, and I want close to the real thing in my historical/fiction/romance of said historical figures and the time period as well. I DNF because I didn't feel I was going to get that in this book. No offence to the author,it just wasn't working for me.
Got to the deciding page 100, which is my limit when a book is not going to work. I have to totally agree with Jemidar's review, way too modern for the times, the girls were very young but acted much older,a lot of time I just plain didn't get what I read. Example: Marguerite goes to bed snuggles down in the quilts and she prays,but forgets what she is suppose to have done as she plucks a peach from the tree and takes a bite of Provence. So..ok maybe the author is putting in hidden meanings? But to me it meant one or the other in what she was doing but at the same time? Through out the book this happened often and it just had me lost. So maybe it's just me and it flew over my head. That aside, way too much drama as well and I felt like it was a YA historical, and I want close to the real thing in my historical/fiction/romance of said historical figures and the time period as well. I DNF because I didn't feel I was going to get that in this book. No offence to the author,it just wasn't working for me.
Read
July 19, 2025From Publishers Weekly: "Jones’s excellent new historical (after the prequel, White Heart) reimagines the world of 13th-century Europe and the dramatic true story of four sisters who each became queens. Their influential mother, Beatrice of Savoy and countess of Provence, arranges even before the girls’ births to wed them to powerful men in an effort to ensure the safety of her beloved homeland, which has long been the object of desire of warring parties. Marguerite marries King Louis IX of France, Eléonore weds Henry III of England, Sanchia becomes Queen of the Romans, and Beatrice assumes the crown as Queen of Sicily. Though their mother is thrilled to see her plans come to fruition, the new queens soon become mired in turmoil. Marguerite suffers under her overbearing mother-in-law, the White Queen; Eléonore is roundly disliked by her countrymen; Sanchia is frequently misled by her naiveté; and Beatrice grows into a power-hungry villain. As the young sisters desperately try to maintain ties to one another, the political agendas of their new homes threaten to undermine the bonds of family. Jones’s impeccable eye for detail and beautifully layered plot--each sister narrates her side of the story in alternating chapters--makes this not only a standout historical, but an impressive novel in its own right, regardless of genre."
May 22, 2012
A Rich Tapestry of Courtly Duty, Political Intrigue, and the Fight for Ultimate Power
Four Queens, All Sisters weaves the stories of four young girls all married off to Kings and other powerful men to secure their family’s stronghold in Provence, France. In planning these unions, their mother hopes they will hold family above all, but the very unions she arranges threaten to tear the sisters apart.
I loved this book, and I don’t read much historical fiction. I’d always thought of how wonderful it would be to be a Queen, but Sherry Jones paints a harrowing, realistic picture, which makes me thankful for the freedoms we all share in the modern world. These girls must use their wit to stay alive, never mind fawn over dresses and jewels. Forced to marry men they don’t love, who very rarely love them back, they must produce heirs to secure their positions, or the marriage they’ve given away everything for will dissolve.
The writing is elegant and flowing with a rich historical atmosphere right down to the mouth-watering feasts they lavishly displayed and secretly couldn’t afford. The four main characters are strong in different ways, and I cared for each of them, wanting so badly for this family to succeed.
Four Queens, All Sisters weaves the stories of four young girls all married off to Kings and other powerful men to secure their family’s stronghold in Provence, France. In planning these unions, their mother hopes they will hold family above all, but the very unions she arranges threaten to tear the sisters apart.
I loved this book, and I don’t read much historical fiction. I’d always thought of how wonderful it would be to be a Queen, but Sherry Jones paints a harrowing, realistic picture, which makes me thankful for the freedoms we all share in the modern world. These girls must use their wit to stay alive, never mind fawn over dresses and jewels. Forced to marry men they don’t love, who very rarely love them back, they must produce heirs to secure their positions, or the marriage they’ve given away everything for will dissolve.
The writing is elegant and flowing with a rich historical atmosphere right down to the mouth-watering feasts they lavishly displayed and secretly couldn’t afford. The four main characters are strong in different ways, and I cared for each of them, wanting so badly for this family to succeed.
July 14, 2013
I read this when it first came out. I'm not sure how to classify it. Possibly as an imaginary alternative universe exercise? Whatever it is- it might be fun to read, kind of like a pretend tale, but it is not historical. The characters are given modern dithers and sensibilities, first of all. And the entire becomes laughable for that reason. Only one of its rather many flaws.
I did not hate it, so I did give it a 2 star. I did read the entire thing because it was a new to me author, but then regretted wasting my time. Silly, ridiculous and no reality check to their historical record. They were negotiable pawns for economic and military alliances and it was NOT about them.
I did not hate it, so I did give it a 2 star. I did read the entire thing because it was a new to me author, but then regretted wasting my time. Silly, ridiculous and no reality check to their historical record. They were negotiable pawns for economic and military alliances and it was NOT about them.
July 22, 2012
Marguerite, queen consort of France. Eleonore, queen consort of England. Sanchia, queen consort of Germany. Beatrice, queen consort of Sicily. Four remarkable women made even more so by their sisterhood and the struggles each faced. Author Sherry Jones reveals deep-seated rivalries and startling secrets about the sisters and their courtly lives in the medieval world of Four Sisters, All Queens.
Despite their shared heritage as the children of Count Ramon Berenguer of Provence and Beatrice of Savoy, Marguerite, Eleonore, Sanchia and Beatrice, have anything but an idyllic existence. Constant warfare with the neighboring county of Toulouse means poor nourishment, threadbare clothes and hand-me-downs, and the possibility that their father Ramon’s days as count are numbered. Beatrice of Savoy is determined her children will escape their circumstances by marrying well, a scheme the two eldest sisters heartily endorse. Marguerite marries the pious Louis of France, whose mother Blanche will not surrender her power to a young queen. Blanche continually disrupts Marguerite’s expected role as Louis’ consort at court and even intrudes on their privacy in the couple’s bedchamber. Eleonore’s marriage to Henry III of England would fare better than her elder sister’s own, if not for Henry’s jealous courtiers. Many of the English barons, including members of Henry’s family, comically refer to Eleonore as an interfering “foreigner” despite their own dual heritages across the Channel.
The younger sisters Sanchia and Beatrice fare little better. The devout Sanchia, for whom beauty is curse, looks for an escape from Raymond of Toulouse’s eager attentions. Her elder sisters and mother invent a timely rescue, beguiling King Henry’s brother Richard of Cornwall into thinking he has fallen in love with a woman as vivacious as Beatrice of Savoy, when he marries Sanchia. Beatrice seems the happiest in her union with Louis’ brother Charles, if only Blanche’s schemes to claim Provence for France and the sudden death of Beatrice’s father hadn’t forced her into the marriage. Unlike Sanchia, Beatrice has always felt like an interloper among her siblings. Charles’s machinations force her to choose between love for her sisters or her husband, ensuring the permanence of a long-standing feud with Marguerite and Eleonore’s bitterness over rival claims to Sicily. It’s heartbreaking to witness how easily each of the sisters forgets their mother’s chief admonition: family first, when it comes to each other.
The author takes readers on a mad dash between rival courts in France and England, and the German court, where Sanchia enjoys a brief reign. If I could find any fault with this novel, I wish it had been longer. Jones has created multifaceted characters with distinct personalities, flaws and triumphs. Marguerite’s strong personality emerges despite all of her mother in-law’s attempts to subdue her. Eleonore is perhaps even bolder like her elder sister, often thwarting her husband the king and his courtiers. While Sanchia’s demure nature seems subdued compared with Marguerite and Eleonore, her endurance against steady trials at her husband’s side reveal an inner strength to rival that of her sisters. Beatrice’s personality matches that of her two elder sisters, but she fosters the same compassion one might feel for Sanchia, as both endure unions with men who ride roughshod over their wives’ wishes and sympathies. It’s a testament to Jones’ natural talent that she can explore the vast history of the period with obvious passion and interest, yet leave a reader wanting to know more.
Despite their shared heritage as the children of Count Ramon Berenguer of Provence and Beatrice of Savoy, Marguerite, Eleonore, Sanchia and Beatrice, have anything but an idyllic existence. Constant warfare with the neighboring county of Toulouse means poor nourishment, threadbare clothes and hand-me-downs, and the possibility that their father Ramon’s days as count are numbered. Beatrice of Savoy is determined her children will escape their circumstances by marrying well, a scheme the two eldest sisters heartily endorse. Marguerite marries the pious Louis of France, whose mother Blanche will not surrender her power to a young queen. Blanche continually disrupts Marguerite’s expected role as Louis’ consort at court and even intrudes on their privacy in the couple’s bedchamber. Eleonore’s marriage to Henry III of England would fare better than her elder sister’s own, if not for Henry’s jealous courtiers. Many of the English barons, including members of Henry’s family, comically refer to Eleonore as an interfering “foreigner” despite their own dual heritages across the Channel.
The younger sisters Sanchia and Beatrice fare little better. The devout Sanchia, for whom beauty is curse, looks for an escape from Raymond of Toulouse’s eager attentions. Her elder sisters and mother invent a timely rescue, beguiling King Henry’s brother Richard of Cornwall into thinking he has fallen in love with a woman as vivacious as Beatrice of Savoy, when he marries Sanchia. Beatrice seems the happiest in her union with Louis’ brother Charles, if only Blanche’s schemes to claim Provence for France and the sudden death of Beatrice’s father hadn’t forced her into the marriage. Unlike Sanchia, Beatrice has always felt like an interloper among her siblings. Charles’s machinations force her to choose between love for her sisters or her husband, ensuring the permanence of a long-standing feud with Marguerite and Eleonore’s bitterness over rival claims to Sicily. It’s heartbreaking to witness how easily each of the sisters forgets their mother’s chief admonition: family first, when it comes to each other.
The author takes readers on a mad dash between rival courts in France and England, and the German court, where Sanchia enjoys a brief reign. If I could find any fault with this novel, I wish it had been longer. Jones has created multifaceted characters with distinct personalities, flaws and triumphs. Marguerite’s strong personality emerges despite all of her mother in-law’s attempts to subdue her. Eleonore is perhaps even bolder like her elder sister, often thwarting her husband the king and his courtiers. While Sanchia’s demure nature seems subdued compared with Marguerite and Eleonore, her endurance against steady trials at her husband’s side reveal an inner strength to rival that of her sisters. Beatrice’s personality matches that of her two elder sisters, but she fosters the same compassion one might feel for Sanchia, as both endure unions with men who ride roughshod over their wives’ wishes and sympathies. It’s a testament to Jones’ natural talent that she can explore the vast history of the period with obvious passion and interest, yet leave a reader wanting to know more.
May 18, 2013
I was totally enthralled with this book, riveted for all 400 plus pages. The book opens when the young sisters of Provence are young, the oldest being 12, the youngest a baby. Their mother is carefully grooming them to be queens.
Margi is the smart queen. Eleanore is the warrior queen who can hunt as well as any man. Sanchia is the pretty one with little in the brains department. Beatrice is the baby...and as a result may have to fight a little harder for respect.
Margi marries the King of France only to discover his mother will never step aside. This was my favorite part of the book. So much scandal, indecent hints, and the MIL problem aroused incredible anger in me. I was just that sucked into the story. I found myself gritting my teeth and just hoping that soon Margi would take control. The White Queen is horrible. This is a story about lunatics and religion and a woman putting up with it all.
Eleanore is my favorite queen, the Queen of England. Ambitious, fair, strong-willed. Her own husband even kicks her out for a month because she outshines him, refuses to take orders. She has a lot of spunk. She even attacks a harlot in the street. The people hated her, but I could not see why. This was a story of love (most of the time), a woman who constantly must prove herself, and constant strife within a kingdom.
Sanchia promises to marry Jesus, but instead, her parents promise her a cruel man who is attacking Provence. They know he is evil and they do not expect the pope to annul his marriage. Boy, are they surprised! This part of the story was riveting too. I was on the edge of my seat, dreading the day this horrid man came to collect her. It was also fascinating how much whatever pope was in control was finagling everything. In the end, she becomes the queen of Germany, after marrying the wealthiest man in England. Her tale involves lies, adultery, murder, guilt, drunkenness.
I'm not done. Sorry, it's a long one, but there's a lot going on. Full review and my final thoughts here: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2013/...
Margi is the smart queen. Eleanore is the warrior queen who can hunt as well as any man. Sanchia is the pretty one with little in the brains department. Beatrice is the baby...and as a result may have to fight a little harder for respect.
Margi marries the King of France only to discover his mother will never step aside. This was my favorite part of the book. So much scandal, indecent hints, and the MIL problem aroused incredible anger in me. I was just that sucked into the story. I found myself gritting my teeth and just hoping that soon Margi would take control. The White Queen is horrible. This is a story about lunatics and religion and a woman putting up with it all.
Eleanore is my favorite queen, the Queen of England. Ambitious, fair, strong-willed. Her own husband even kicks her out for a month because she outshines him, refuses to take orders. She has a lot of spunk. She even attacks a harlot in the street. The people hated her, but I could not see why. This was a story of love (most of the time), a woman who constantly must prove herself, and constant strife within a kingdom.
Sanchia promises to marry Jesus, but instead, her parents promise her a cruel man who is attacking Provence. They know he is evil and they do not expect the pope to annul his marriage. Boy, are they surprised! This part of the story was riveting too. I was on the edge of my seat, dreading the day this horrid man came to collect her. It was also fascinating how much whatever pope was in control was finagling everything. In the end, she becomes the queen of Germany, after marrying the wealthiest man in England. Her tale involves lies, adultery, murder, guilt, drunkenness.
I'm not done. Sorry, it's a long one, but there's a lot going on. Full review and my final thoughts here: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2013/...
August 9, 2012
Marguerite, Eleonore, Sanchia, and Beatrice are all sisters and all queens. They all knew from very young ages that they would be married off to men who could increase their family's prestige and power. Talk about pressure. I'm not sure that I could function under that much pressure; I guess it's a good thing that I live now and not in those days. The fact that all four of these women become queens is fascinating.
Being one of three girls, I'm always fascinated with sister stories. That is a really, really special bond. In this book, you really get to see that bond between the sisters (although some of them seem to be more bonded than others throughout the book). This book explores a lot of loyalty issues. From a very young age, the sisters hear that family comes first; however, once they are married and off on their own in their own, they have other loyalties that start pulling on them. It was interesting to see how differently each sister dealt with the various pressures. You get the sense that all four of the sisters have very different personalities, which makes it even more interesting.
The story focuses mostly on Marguerite, who becomes married to the French King, and on Eleonore, who is shipped oh so far away to become the Queen of England. I'm wondering if there isn't a lot of information on Sanchia and Beatrice as there is notably less on both of them. It would be interesting to know more about them.
One thing that I noticed in this book is that it is written in the 3rd person present point of view, which isn't something you see very much. It definitely took me awhile to get used to it but once I got into it, I appreciated that the style brought you into the book a little more actively.
Bottom line: I think this is a good book for historical fiction lovers who like stories about family ties.
Being one of three girls, I'm always fascinated with sister stories. That is a really, really special bond. In this book, you really get to see that bond between the sisters (although some of them seem to be more bonded than others throughout the book). This book explores a lot of loyalty issues. From a very young age, the sisters hear that family comes first; however, once they are married and off on their own in their own, they have other loyalties that start pulling on them. It was interesting to see how differently each sister dealt with the various pressures. You get the sense that all four of the sisters have very different personalities, which makes it even more interesting.
The story focuses mostly on Marguerite, who becomes married to the French King, and on Eleonore, who is shipped oh so far away to become the Queen of England. I'm wondering if there isn't a lot of information on Sanchia and Beatrice as there is notably less on both of them. It would be interesting to know more about them.
One thing that I noticed in this book is that it is written in the 3rd person present point of view, which isn't something you see very much. It definitely took me awhile to get used to it but once I got into it, I appreciated that the style brought you into the book a little more actively.
Bottom line: I think this is a good book for historical fiction lovers who like stories about family ties.
August 10, 2012
Here is full review on my blog, or a partial below the link:
http://hookofabook.wordpress.com/2012...
Review:
If you love historical fiction as much as I do, more than likely it’s because it takes you away to a new place, a new world, and a new time. The BEST historical fiction novels are so phenomenally written with intricate details, robust characters, lush scenery, and have a way of really making you feel the passion behind the novel. Four Sisters, All Queens, a novel by Sherry Jones about four thirteenth-century sisters who all become Queens, gave me all that and more!! I highly recommend this book to all women, history lovers, or really ANYONE looking for a fresh, original, and memorable read.
While reading Four Sisters, All Queens, I was whisked away to a medieval feast of words, so stirring and richly decorated, with a pace that made me not want to put the book down. Even though a more lengthy book, as most historical fiction novels tend to be of course, I had no trouble reading through it as quick as my schedule would allow. When I did finish, I was left feeling empowered and fulfilled at the end. It fueled my passion for the power of women by showcasing me the strength of regal women of history, giving me inspiration, and it ignited my passion for the medieval time period even further and left me wanting to learn more.
I found Sherry Jones’ style of writing refreshing and I connected to it so intrinsically due to her use of third person in the present tense, as compared to most novels using the first or third person in past tense. Hearing not only what the characters say, but also what they think at each pass in the story as if we all were presently living it, truly helped to propel me into the new time and place that I so desired. The use of the present tense really formulated this novel into more of a set of stories that intertwined, told about each of the four main characters–sisters of Provence Marguerite, Eleonore, Sanchia, and Beatrice. It was storytelling as its FINEST, almost at a musical pace, and way beyond just good fiction writing. It was as if each character was narrating their story in a way that we could visualize vibrantly. We can easily become the character’s best friends, understanding their innermost secrets, thoughts, desires, and fears.
With so much history to delve into from the lush and barely tapped historical time period, Jones focused on her character’s feelings surrounding their dilemmas and the revolving theme of family and how they all interconnected. Each sister, faced with varying and differing problems of each of their countries, regions, and political entanglements throughout the book, all kept a common thread of “family first” even if sometimes they didn’t realize it in each other’s actions. Though we learned quite a bit of history, we more importantly grasped how these women of history learned to deal with issues common during medieval England, such as illness, death, piety, and the stringent laws not favoring the poor or women. We read what the characters were thinking, feeling, and how their response framed not only their lives, but the lives of each other as well as even our own lives today as women. Their amazing strength, intellect, and love of family and children shone through in each sentence.
Reading several other books lately pertaining to one or more of these famous sisters of Savoy, in which Marguerite seems to be overwhelmingly the sister who dominates in prose, I feel compelled to learn more about each one–Marguerite’s story because her passion interests me and remind me of me, Eleonore because of her strength, and the others, simply, because more should be written about them. Maybe more isn’t known, but that is what fiction is for I guess! Beatrice, though disliked by her sisters it seems in Jones’ book, showed true political prowess and fortitude.
As I said, I especially like Marguerite’s story. I have enjoyed reading different perspectives of various authors of her struggles living as the Queen of France to overly pious and extreme flogger Louis IX, as well as daughter-in-law to the infamously controlling Blanche of Castile. I found Marguerite’s thoughts of how confining the Church was to life and women at that time very much how I might have thought if I had been her. Her disuse and annoyance for Louis IX to be so pious as to not care for his wife, his strange infatuation with his mother and his blind mania for the Crusades mirrored most of my own thoughts. I felt in Jones’ book she really captured the personality of how a strong and intelligent woman might react mentally to the extremely trying life Marguerite had to deal with and showed, tapping into several documented instances, how she overcame the mental stress and stood strong for her King and France, even while birthing babies at the same time.
Overall, what a great monumental historical fiction masterpiece from Sherry Jones. A must read for any female who admires the amazing stories of all the strong women of the past, for any woman who needs some inspiration to remember how strong she really can be, for any history lover, for any man who doesn’t believe women can do great things, and finally, for anyone who wants a really great book that they’ll read, remember, and want to keep on their bookshelf.
“Women have only the power that men allow them, said Beatrice.” How happy I am that the world has evolved enough that women have more of a voice to not have to continue to believe that true.
http://hookofabook.wordpress.com/2012...
Review:
If you love historical fiction as much as I do, more than likely it’s because it takes you away to a new place, a new world, and a new time. The BEST historical fiction novels are so phenomenally written with intricate details, robust characters, lush scenery, and have a way of really making you feel the passion behind the novel. Four Sisters, All Queens, a novel by Sherry Jones about four thirteenth-century sisters who all become Queens, gave me all that and more!! I highly recommend this book to all women, history lovers, or really ANYONE looking for a fresh, original, and memorable read.
While reading Four Sisters, All Queens, I was whisked away to a medieval feast of words, so stirring and richly decorated, with a pace that made me not want to put the book down. Even though a more lengthy book, as most historical fiction novels tend to be of course, I had no trouble reading through it as quick as my schedule would allow. When I did finish, I was left feeling empowered and fulfilled at the end. It fueled my passion for the power of women by showcasing me the strength of regal women of history, giving me inspiration, and it ignited my passion for the medieval time period even further and left me wanting to learn more.
I found Sherry Jones’ style of writing refreshing and I connected to it so intrinsically due to her use of third person in the present tense, as compared to most novels using the first or third person in past tense. Hearing not only what the characters say, but also what they think at each pass in the story as if we all were presently living it, truly helped to propel me into the new time and place that I so desired. The use of the present tense really formulated this novel into more of a set of stories that intertwined, told about each of the four main characters–sisters of Provence Marguerite, Eleonore, Sanchia, and Beatrice. It was storytelling as its FINEST, almost at a musical pace, and way beyond just good fiction writing. It was as if each character was narrating their story in a way that we could visualize vibrantly. We can easily become the character’s best friends, understanding their innermost secrets, thoughts, desires, and fears.
With so much history to delve into from the lush and barely tapped historical time period, Jones focused on her character’s feelings surrounding their dilemmas and the revolving theme of family and how they all interconnected. Each sister, faced with varying and differing problems of each of their countries, regions, and political entanglements throughout the book, all kept a common thread of “family first” even if sometimes they didn’t realize it in each other’s actions. Though we learned quite a bit of history, we more importantly grasped how these women of history learned to deal with issues common during medieval England, such as illness, death, piety, and the stringent laws not favoring the poor or women. We read what the characters were thinking, feeling, and how their response framed not only their lives, but the lives of each other as well as even our own lives today as women. Their amazing strength, intellect, and love of family and children shone through in each sentence.
Reading several other books lately pertaining to one or more of these famous sisters of Savoy, in which Marguerite seems to be overwhelmingly the sister who dominates in prose, I feel compelled to learn more about each one–Marguerite’s story because her passion interests me and remind me of me, Eleonore because of her strength, and the others, simply, because more should be written about them. Maybe more isn’t known, but that is what fiction is for I guess! Beatrice, though disliked by her sisters it seems in Jones’ book, showed true political prowess and fortitude.
As I said, I especially like Marguerite’s story. I have enjoyed reading different perspectives of various authors of her struggles living as the Queen of France to overly pious and extreme flogger Louis IX, as well as daughter-in-law to the infamously controlling Blanche of Castile. I found Marguerite’s thoughts of how confining the Church was to life and women at that time very much how I might have thought if I had been her. Her disuse and annoyance for Louis IX to be so pious as to not care for his wife, his strange infatuation with his mother and his blind mania for the Crusades mirrored most of my own thoughts. I felt in Jones’ book she really captured the personality of how a strong and intelligent woman might react mentally to the extremely trying life Marguerite had to deal with and showed, tapping into several documented instances, how she overcame the mental stress and stood strong for her King and France, even while birthing babies at the same time.
Overall, what a great monumental historical fiction masterpiece from Sherry Jones. A must read for any female who admires the amazing stories of all the strong women of the past, for any woman who needs some inspiration to remember how strong she really can be, for any history lover, for any man who doesn’t believe women can do great things, and finally, for anyone who wants a really great book that they’ll read, remember, and want to keep on their bookshelf.
“Women have only the power that men allow them, said Beatrice.” How happy I am that the world has evolved enough that women have more of a voice to not have to continue to believe that true.
March 12, 2015
This story was intriguing and somewhat tragic toward the end. What the four young women's mother intended for good - to have each of the sisters marry well and hopefully bring about peace between warring countries - didn't necessarily turn out that way. All were ambitious in their own way. All were also very powerless because they didn't have a choice regarding their husbands. They reigned in the shadow of their spouses and often weren't taken seriously by the men in their lives even though these women had wisdom to offer. I found Sanchia's tale to be particularly tragic. She just wanted to be a nun and was forced to marry so she spent her whole life feeling like she had betrayed Christ, whom she'd married in her heart.
The story of Marguerite was tragic as well. The White Queen, her mother-in-law, had her son under her thumb for years and Marguerite was scorned in many ways. She had eleven children and outlived most of them. All she wanted was the inheritance that she was promised when she married, yet all she got was grief when she tried to obtain it.
Beatrice was the most misunderstood of them all. In the end they realized she had a good heart and they hadn't appreciated her when she was around. They saw her as manipulative, ambitious, and selfish. The end of the story had a shocking revelation about Sanchia, her sister, and what she'd done to protect her. Eleanore, the queen of England and mother of King Edward I, had her own tragic tale as well.
Overall, I found this book enjoyable. I haven't finished a novel - especially one of this length - in quite a while. I think the fact that it hopped around and alternated the women's perspectives kept me reading because nothing had the chance to drag out much. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy historical fiction. I'm not sure how many of the details were true other than their births and deaths, but the conjecture from the author fit the story nicely regardless.
The story of Marguerite was tragic as well. The White Queen, her mother-in-law, had her son under her thumb for years and Marguerite was scorned in many ways. She had eleven children and outlived most of them. All she wanted was the inheritance that she was promised when she married, yet all she got was grief when she tried to obtain it.
Beatrice was the most misunderstood of them all. In the end they realized she had a good heart and they hadn't appreciated her when she was around. They saw her as manipulative, ambitious, and selfish. The end of the story had a shocking revelation about Sanchia, her sister, and what she'd done to protect her. Eleanore, the queen of England and mother of King Edward I, had her own tragic tale as well.
Overall, I found this book enjoyable. I haven't finished a novel - especially one of this length - in quite a while. I think the fact that it hopped around and alternated the women's perspectives kept me reading because nothing had the chance to drag out much. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy historical fiction. I'm not sure how many of the details were true other than their births and deaths, but the conjecture from the author fit the story nicely regardless.
July 5, 2012
**Note I would have given this 2.5 stars but overall it was a decent read.**
I was really looking forward to this book because the subject matter was completely new to me and it seemed to be well received on goodreads. However, I ended up being horribly disappointed by the over-the-top unnecessary drama the author seemed the need to add. I know there are ongoing arguments over how much fact is required in historical fiction, but for me, I want facts. History is interesting enough without authors having to add melodramatic episodes that add nothing to the story. See Elizabeth Chadwick and SKP for examples. On the plus side, the storyline was interesting and you seemed to get a decent understanding of the characters. Final note: historical fiction authors should include a comprehensive author's note that at least outlines what is fact and what is conjecture.
I was really looking forward to this book because the subject matter was completely new to me and it seemed to be well received on goodreads. However, I ended up being horribly disappointed by the over-the-top unnecessary drama the author seemed the need to add. I know there are ongoing arguments over how much fact is required in historical fiction, but for me, I want facts. History is interesting enough without authors having to add melodramatic episodes that add nothing to the story. See Elizabeth Chadwick and SKP for examples. On the plus side, the storyline was interesting and you seemed to get a decent understanding of the characters. Final note: historical fiction authors should include a comprehensive author's note that at least outlines what is fact and what is conjecture.
December 5, 2016
This is a bit tragic - in all the wrong ways. From being written in the dreaded present tense (third person, thankfully) to characterisation that bordered on caricature (and sometimes slipped over the border), the story of the sisters' rivalry unfolded. Despite misgivings I ploughed on determinedly but sadly it just got worse. Henry III was a 'bad' king, this we know. Louis was mad *cough* saintly. Blanche (chosen specially for the task by none other than Eleanor of Aquitaine, which is never mentioned) makes Snow White's wicked stepmother look positively benign. Even Simon de Montfort looked a bit wonky! Every bit of scurrilous gossip was dug up and included as if fact. All in all, a most enervating experience. I had reasonably enjoyed other books by this author but at this point I shall strike the board and cry 'No more!'
August 2, 2012
I enjoyed reading this book, for the story line carries you along. The fact that the four sisiters were married for political reasons, and lived very different lives, with very different husbands was well portrayed in the book. The complexity of relationships in families were shown, with one sister only receiving kudos post mortem by her others, once they relised her sacrifice for them.
There was only one hiccup to my enjoyment, the use of a word in a way that I thought did not match the situation. I have always thought that acting against a King was treason, but the word mutiny was to do with ships, and treason was to do with Kings.
It is a book that will keep you wanting to read.
There was only one hiccup to my enjoyment, the use of a word in a way that I thought did not match the situation. I have always thought that acting against a King was treason, but the word mutiny was to do with ships, and treason was to do with Kings.
It is a book that will keep you wanting to read.
December 16, 2014
To be honest, I enjoyed this book a lot. It had some very good characters. Reading about four sisters becoming queens is interesting, for sure! :)
July 21, 2012
This is another gem I found through my group Historical Fictionistas . Sherry Jones was nice enough to join our group for the discussion, which helped to add to my enjoyment of this book.
Four Sisters, All Queens takes place in 13th Century Europe and follows the lives of the Savoy sisters. The countess of Provence, Beatrice of Savoy, is an ambitious mother who begins setting the foundation for her daughters’ lives as soon as they are born in an effort to ensure the safety of her homeland. Due to her efforts two of her daughters are married to kings (Marguerite marries King Louis IX of France, Eléonore weds Henry III of England) and the other two are married to brothers of kings, but eventually become queens (Sanchia becomes Queen of Germany and Beatrice becomes Queen of Sicily). Beatrice of Savoy raises her daughters with the motto “Family comes first” but the motto is quickly put to the side as competition, ambitions, jealousies and treachery threaten their family relationships. Quite honestly, I didn’t think the motto had a chance anyway because once the sisters were married they married into new families. How can you justify putting your sisters above your own child or husband? These are issues the sisters deal with as they claw their way up the food chain.
I liked Sherry Jones narration of the story. It starts out with Beatrice explaining her plans for the girls and then moves onto each of the sisters narrating their own chapters, so that we get an overall picture of what occurs. Sherry did a great job with giving each of the sisters their own unique voice. It was easy to know who was narrating without having to look at the chapter name. There is also a bit of everything for every kind of reader- lots of historical detail without being overbearing, just enough romance, treachery, intrigue, war and action, etc. It never felt like there was a dull moment. The drawback was that, at times, time flew a little too quickly and I didn’t realize how much time had passed between narrators. Also, sometimes the sisters came off as a little too whiny. Their stubbornness always got in the way and at times I just wanted to shake them. However, it was still a good read and worth checking out.
Four Sisters, All Queens takes place in 13th Century Europe and follows the lives of the Savoy sisters. The countess of Provence, Beatrice of Savoy, is an ambitious mother who begins setting the foundation for her daughters’ lives as soon as they are born in an effort to ensure the safety of her homeland. Due to her efforts two of her daughters are married to kings (Marguerite marries King Louis IX of France, Eléonore weds Henry III of England) and the other two are married to brothers of kings, but eventually become queens (Sanchia becomes Queen of Germany and Beatrice becomes Queen of Sicily). Beatrice of Savoy raises her daughters with the motto “Family comes first” but the motto is quickly put to the side as competition, ambitions, jealousies and treachery threaten their family relationships. Quite honestly, I didn’t think the motto had a chance anyway because once the sisters were married they married into new families. How can you justify putting your sisters above your own child or husband? These are issues the sisters deal with as they claw their way up the food chain.
I liked Sherry Jones narration of the story. It starts out with Beatrice explaining her plans for the girls and then moves onto each of the sisters narrating their own chapters, so that we get an overall picture of what occurs. Sherry did a great job with giving each of the sisters their own unique voice. It was easy to know who was narrating without having to look at the chapter name. There is also a bit of everything for every kind of reader- lots of historical detail without being overbearing, just enough romance, treachery, intrigue, war and action, etc. It never felt like there was a dull moment. The drawback was that, at times, time flew a little too quickly and I didn’t realize how much time had passed between narrators. Also, sometimes the sisters came off as a little too whiny. Their stubbornness always got in the way and at times I just wanted to shake them. However, it was still a good read and worth checking out.
June 24, 2012
Four Sisters, All Queens follows the lives of four women from 13th Century Europe. They are the daughters of Beatrice of Savoy, Provance, France. The story follows the lives of Marguerite, Queen of France, Eleonore, Queen of England, Sanchia, Queen of Germany, and Beatrice, Queen of Sicily. This is a beautifully written novel and cannot be considered your ‘typical’ historical romance. There are no damsels in distress, no knights in shining armor rushing in to save the day. There is no regency setting with coming out balls. But, this is a romance novel nonetheless.
Unique is one word I would use to describe this book. Unique in that while I read this beautifully written story, I was learning something. Ms. Jones does a remarkable job at teaching you about the public lives of these women while taking you into their personal, behind-the-throne lives. You might ask ‘where is the romance’? Its there, trust me, and on a level I can honestly say I’m not used to. While there are no heaving bosoms, no throws of passion, this is a story about how and why these women come love these men, their kings, their husbands.
Family first is their motto. Ms. Jones does a remarkable job showing what that means to each woman. She shows what each gives up in order to help their husbands and their children. Sacrifice, political intrigue, romance, murder plots all intertwined together to leave you admiring these strong women. And they are strong. Ms. Jones has a way of describing a scene, right down to the lavish meals and rich clothing, without droning on and on. There are no boring, lets skip past this moments in the book. I honestly could not put it down.
Captivating, breathtaking, splendid, those are just a few words to describe this wonderfully written novel. The heat level is a 0, but trust me when I say this book doesn’t require heaving bosoms and throws of passion in the traditional sense. Ms. Jones shows you the love, adoration and passion between the queens and their kings, but in a very exceptional and exquisite way. You’ll just have to read it to understand what I mean!
Unique is one word I would use to describe this book. Unique in that while I read this beautifully written story, I was learning something. Ms. Jones does a remarkable job at teaching you about the public lives of these women while taking you into their personal, behind-the-throne lives. You might ask ‘where is the romance’? Its there, trust me, and on a level I can honestly say I’m not used to. While there are no heaving bosoms, no throws of passion, this is a story about how and why these women come love these men, their kings, their husbands.
Family first is their motto. Ms. Jones does a remarkable job showing what that means to each woman. She shows what each gives up in order to help their husbands and their children. Sacrifice, political intrigue, romance, murder plots all intertwined together to leave you admiring these strong women. And they are strong. Ms. Jones has a way of describing a scene, right down to the lavish meals and rich clothing, without droning on and on. There are no boring, lets skip past this moments in the book. I honestly could not put it down.
Captivating, breathtaking, splendid, those are just a few words to describe this wonderfully written novel. The heat level is a 0, but trust me when I say this book doesn’t require heaving bosoms and throws of passion in the traditional sense. Ms. Jones shows you the love, adoration and passion between the queens and their kings, but in a very exceptional and exquisite way. You’ll just have to read it to understand what I mean!
September 10, 2012
FOUR SISTERS, ALL QUEENS, by Sherry Jones
I could not put this down. And- truth be told, this is the book I ran to when I had any moment to spare. Incredibly detailed, with not only the history, I was completely sucked in by the lives of these four sisters.
Initially raised as ‘boys’ as their mother would call them; Marguerite, Eleonore, Sanchia and Beatrice lived lives that would forever cross. What I particularly loved about this book was the way the author held my interest and curiosity about the history by leading me through the intricacies of the women’s private lives, perspectives, motives and relationships. What overwhelming lives they led!
Marguerite, the eldest sister, bore the reaps of her fanatically religious husband, Louis IX (and his horrible mother Queen Blanche!). Eleonore, whose strong mind and willful ways helped pull the reigns along with her husband, Henry III of England. (It was in part due to her that finally France and England ever found peace.). Sweet Sanchia who vowed her life to Jesus but was forced to marry Richard of Cornwall (what a horrible monster he was!). And finally, the young Beatrice, (who in my mind stood out as part Viking;) - I loved her! She went on to marry Charles of Anjou and seemingly had the best loving relationship of them all. Yet, no matter how different, each sister, in her own way proved determination and strength unique to her own circumstances.
Oh the troubles in these lives! We’re not only talking constant wars, Crusades and snatching of lands- these sisters lived turbulent marriages with consequences that meshed into each others’ lives. Where was the promise they made to their mother that family comes first? Well, although it may not have seemed that way at times; the underlying result was that deep down they never really stopped caring...
Four Sisters, All Queens is a fantastic novel that flows with impeccable history. I highly recommend this book. Not only will you enjoy learning so much about this period in time, but if you’re like me, there’s nothing better than reading about glorious women in history. This book has it all- you won't be disappointed.
Excellent!
I could not put this down. And- truth be told, this is the book I ran to when I had any moment to spare. Incredibly detailed, with not only the history, I was completely sucked in by the lives of these four sisters.
Initially raised as ‘boys’ as their mother would call them; Marguerite, Eleonore, Sanchia and Beatrice lived lives that would forever cross. What I particularly loved about this book was the way the author held my interest and curiosity about the history by leading me through the intricacies of the women’s private lives, perspectives, motives and relationships. What overwhelming lives they led!
Marguerite, the eldest sister, bore the reaps of her fanatically religious husband, Louis IX (and his horrible mother Queen Blanche!). Eleonore, whose strong mind and willful ways helped pull the reigns along with her husband, Henry III of England. (It was in part due to her that finally France and England ever found peace.). Sweet Sanchia who vowed her life to Jesus but was forced to marry Richard of Cornwall (what a horrible monster he was!). And finally, the young Beatrice, (who in my mind stood out as part Viking;) - I loved her! She went on to marry Charles of Anjou and seemingly had the best loving relationship of them all. Yet, no matter how different, each sister, in her own way proved determination and strength unique to her own circumstances.
Oh the troubles in these lives! We’re not only talking constant wars, Crusades and snatching of lands- these sisters lived turbulent marriages with consequences that meshed into each others’ lives. Where was the promise they made to their mother that family comes first? Well, although it may not have seemed that way at times; the underlying result was that deep down they never really stopped caring...
Four Sisters, All Queens is a fantastic novel that flows with impeccable history. I highly recommend this book. Not only will you enjoy learning so much about this period in time, but if you’re like me, there’s nothing better than reading about glorious women in history. This book has it all- you won't be disappointed.
Excellent!
April 24, 2021
Out of the four sisters, I grew attached to Marguerite and Beatrice for a number of reasons.
Marguerite's been portrayed as the tragic queen. The one whose husband ignores her for her mother-in-law who abuses her. She made me feel sympathetic and I could understand why she turned to another later on.
Beatrice, she's the complicated one. The one who plays by her own rules. The one who just ones to be part of the sisters because she has always been the outsider. While they all ignored and never helped her, she helped them. She saved Eleanore from her subjects and Marguerite from scandal, despite their treatment of her.
All in all, this is a very good book to read.
Marguerite's been portrayed as the tragic queen. The one whose husband ignores her for her mother-in-law who abuses her. She made me feel sympathetic and I could understand why she turned to another later on.
Beatrice, she's the complicated one. The one who plays by her own rules. The one who just ones to be part of the sisters because she has always been the outsider. While they all ignored and never helped her, she helped them. She saved Eleanore from her subjects and Marguerite from scandal, despite their treatment of her.
All in all, this is a very good book to read.
July 16, 2012
Ms Jones does a fantastic job of capturing the sister's relationships to their mother, their husbands and each other. Each chapter changes from one sister to another - yet you never resent leaving one sister to explore the life of the next. I loved every minute of this book.
A first-class novel.
A first-class novel.
July 1, 2012
Steeped in fascinating historical detail, immerse yourself in the emotional lives of these four incredible sisters! Easy to read, follow and relate to. It was wonderful to read in conjunction with author participation at Goodreads - thank you Sherry for enriching he read.
July 10, 2012
I really enjoyed this book, it was a slow start but by the end it was a page turner. The characters are wonderful and I love this time period so I was enjoyable all around for me. If you enjoy historical fiction I highly recommend this book.
August 6, 2024
3.5 stars
July 30, 2012
Four Sisters, All Queens tells the tales of the four daughters of Ramon, Count of Provence and his wife, Beatrice of Savoy. Raised more like sons the daughters were educated which was highly unusual in a time period when women were considered nothing more that chattel. All were considered beautiful and important marriages were in their futures.
The book belongs mostly to two of the daughters, Marguerite and Eléonore since they married Louis IX of France and Henry III of England respectively. These two were close as children and despite the machinations of their husbands and in Marguerite's case, her mother in law, they for the most part remained close. There were some bumps in the road as France and England were at war with each other and while history does not record it so, it is not so hard to imagine that it was the efforts of the sisters that finally brought peace between the nations after so many years.
Eleonore married Henry III of England at a time when Henry was trying to hard to recover what his father John had lost in the wars with France. The country was broke and suffering and yet he was more concerned with regaining lands overseas. His barons were rebelling and Henry was doling out benefits to his half brothers and giving positions to Eleonore's family. It's far to complicated to go into in this short review but it was not a fun time in English history. It was about the closest the monarchy came to disappearing at any time prior to the Commonwealth period later in history.
Beatrice and Sanchia play minor but significant roles as they too are married to wealthy and powerful men of the time. Sanchia, from all reports the most beautiful of the sisters is married to King Henry's brother, Richard. He is one of the richest men in the world and he longs now for power. He finally achieves that when he is elected King of Germany with the help of well placed bribes. Beatrice marries Alfonse, Louis IX's brother and he buys his way to the title of King of Sicily. Not as much is left to history about these two.
Ms. Jones does a good job of weaving history with fiction to write a fascinating story of four women who lived in a time when they should have been unremarked yet they left their mark on their times. It should also be remembered that they were 12, 13, 15 or around those ages when they went off to these marriages. I must say that I am happy I live now. But I digress. Ms. Jones brought the lives of the four Queens to life and injected four distinct personalities into the mix. It's just a shame that there is not more of these fascinating women left to us. For now we will jsut have to enjoy works like this.
The book belongs mostly to two of the daughters, Marguerite and Eléonore since they married Louis IX of France and Henry III of England respectively. These two were close as children and despite the machinations of their husbands and in Marguerite's case, her mother in law, they for the most part remained close. There were some bumps in the road as France and England were at war with each other and while history does not record it so, it is not so hard to imagine that it was the efforts of the sisters that finally brought peace between the nations after so many years.
Eleonore married Henry III of England at a time when Henry was trying to hard to recover what his father John had lost in the wars with France. The country was broke and suffering and yet he was more concerned with regaining lands overseas. His barons were rebelling and Henry was doling out benefits to his half brothers and giving positions to Eleonore's family. It's far to complicated to go into in this short review but it was not a fun time in English history. It was about the closest the monarchy came to disappearing at any time prior to the Commonwealth period later in history.
Beatrice and Sanchia play minor but significant roles as they too are married to wealthy and powerful men of the time. Sanchia, from all reports the most beautiful of the sisters is married to King Henry's brother, Richard. He is one of the richest men in the world and he longs now for power. He finally achieves that when he is elected King of Germany with the help of well placed bribes. Beatrice marries Alfonse, Louis IX's brother and he buys his way to the title of King of Sicily. Not as much is left to history about these two.
Ms. Jones does a good job of weaving history with fiction to write a fascinating story of four women who lived in a time when they should have been unremarked yet they left their mark on their times. It should also be remembered that they were 12, 13, 15 or around those ages when they went off to these marriages. I must say that I am happy I live now. But I digress. Ms. Jones brought the lives of the four Queens to life and injected four distinct personalities into the mix. It's just a shame that there is not more of these fascinating women left to us. For now we will jsut have to enjoy works like this.
June 26, 2012
In the 13th century, the Count and Countess of Provence had four daughters; each of the daughters eventually became a queen, bringing acclaim to their Savoyard family dynasty. The two oldest, Marguerite and Eléonore, married kings when they were very young and spent most of their lives as queens dealing with treachery, family dynamics and competition for their husbands respect. Sanchia and Beatrice each married kings brothers, each of whom was power hungry as well.
I have not read a lot about 13th century European history, but this book was a great overview as these four woman had a front row seat to events as they unfolded. There was a lot to take in, but Jones kept the family dynamics front and center. This book is a much about the relationship of the family as it is about the historical events. Because of this, the readers becomes deep engaged with the sisters. On the downside, this focus also leads to sections of the book where we are being told what happened to catch the reader up as the story skips forward. The story covers a lot of ground and so I think this is a necessary narrative evil. Each the sisters has their own distinctive personalities as does their husbands. I feel like less time is devoted to their role as mothers. I think that some of the sibling rivalry rang true to me --- showing that royalty or not, petty jealousies can have far reaching effects.
Overall, a good recommendation as an intro to this period. I am definitely intrigued enough to find out more about some of the figures -- especially the White Queen (Marguerite's mother-in-law). I do wish that the author would have included an author's note regarding historical accuracy. There is a Q&A, and I know she tried to get period details correct, but she mentioned that there wasn't always a lot of information about these woman, so for example, I am wondering how much of Sanchia's story is true.
I have not read a lot about 13th century European history, but this book was a great overview as these four woman had a front row seat to events as they unfolded. There was a lot to take in, but Jones kept the family dynamics front and center. This book is a much about the relationship of the family as it is about the historical events. Because of this, the readers becomes deep engaged with the sisters. On the downside, this focus also leads to sections of the book where we are being told what happened to catch the reader up as the story skips forward. The story covers a lot of ground and so I think this is a necessary narrative evil. Each the sisters has their own distinctive personalities as does their husbands. I feel like less time is devoted to their role as mothers. I think that some of the sibling rivalry rang true to me --- showing that royalty or not, petty jealousies can have far reaching effects.
Overall, a good recommendation as an intro to this period. I am definitely intrigued enough to find out more about some of the figures -- especially the White Queen (Marguerite's mother-in-law). I do wish that the author would have included an author's note regarding historical accuracy. There is a Q&A, and I know she tried to get period details correct, but she mentioned that there wasn't always a lot of information about these woman, so for example, I am wondering how much of Sanchia's story is true.
July 21, 2012
While it took me a while to get into this book, once I did I could not put it down.
This book is the story of the four daughters of Beatrice of Savoy; Marguerite, Eleonore, Sanchia, and Beatrice. And they are four very different women with very different paths, but all interesting stories. Written in alternating chapters from their four perspectives, with an introduction by their mother, this is a very complex and rich book. The lush descriptive details and characters personalities made this book very engaging.
I have to say, that I found Sanchia and Beatrice's stories the most interesting, I think because they were really not typical from what you might expect from a 'royal historical'. They were very flawed, and living in the shadows of their two older sisters was not easy on them.
If you pick up this book, give it a bit. It takes a little bit to get going, but once it picks up its engaging and very entertaining. Jones is a very talented writer, and I have to admit I am now interested in her other novels after reading this one.
This book is the story of the four daughters of Beatrice of Savoy; Marguerite, Eleonore, Sanchia, and Beatrice. And they are four very different women with very different paths, but all interesting stories. Written in alternating chapters from their four perspectives, with an introduction by their mother, this is a very complex and rich book. The lush descriptive details and characters personalities made this book very engaging.
I have to say, that I found Sanchia and Beatrice's stories the most interesting, I think because they were really not typical from what you might expect from a 'royal historical'. They were very flawed, and living in the shadows of their two older sisters was not easy on them.
If you pick up this book, give it a bit. It takes a little bit to get going, but once it picks up its engaging and very entertaining. Jones is a very talented writer, and I have to admit I am now interested in her other novels after reading this one.
June 28, 2012
I am a huge lover of fiction set in medieval Europe, but I did not love Four Sisters, All Queens. Sherry Jones had an interesting idea - focus on four sisters who wore the crowns of England, France, Germany, and Sicily. But I feel she bit off more than she, or perhaps anyone, could chew. To deal with decades of history of such a huge area of Europe is beyond difficult in a narrative setting - especially in just over 400 pages! The way Jones handled it was to give the audience flashes in time, throwing in tidbits of political detail, but not connecting the events in a comprehensive way. I prefer to read historical fiction that educates me.
I can't say that I loved the human side of the story, either. I didn't particularly like any of the characters. Though Jones portrays the sisters as having realized the importance of their sibling ties at the end, their lives show that selfishness and lust for power guided everything they did.
I can't say that I loved the human side of the story, either. I didn't particularly like any of the characters. Though Jones portrays the sisters as having realized the importance of their sibling ties at the end, their lives show that selfishness and lust for power guided everything they did.
December 18, 2013
This is what I wrote when I was about half way down.
I'm 54% done with Four Sisters, All Queens: And I am bored. Why? I should have just stuck with Philippa Gregory. It started slow, then it picked up and now I am confused with all the names and bored again. — Dec 17, 2013 05:17AM
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Okay so I am confused cause what happened was there were some parts that were really interesting and well written, but a lot of parts that were so boring.
I do not think I have ever experienced that so much, as I did with this book. Like a merry go round?
So not sure what to give this book. I hesitate between 2 or 3 stars. I go for 3 just because when it was interesting it was really interesting. ;)
I'm 54% done with Four Sisters, All Queens: And I am bored. Why? I should have just stuck with Philippa Gregory. It started slow, then it picked up and now I am confused with all the names and bored again. — Dec 17, 2013 05:17AM
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Okay so I am confused cause what happened was there were some parts that were really interesting and well written, but a lot of parts that were so boring.
I do not think I have ever experienced that so much, as I did with this book. Like a merry go round?
So not sure what to give this book. I hesitate between 2 or 3 stars. I go for 3 just because when it was interesting it was really interesting. ;)
March 28, 2013
This is a must read for HF fans! Being a huge HF van myself, I can hardly believe I knew nothing of these 4 sisters and their stories! It is a period of history which I've never read about. I have dine some reading about Eleanor of Aquitaine and then in periods shortly after them. Maybe because of this I was more intrigued by this book. I thought Sherry Jones did a great job, especially since she had so much material to cover. Can't wait to see what she writes about next!
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