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Chronicles of the House of Valois #1
The Importance of Pawns
Based on historical events and characters in sixteenth-century France, this timeless tale pits envy, power and intrigue against loyalty and the strength of women’s friendships.
Although the French court dazzles on the surface, beneath its glitter, danger lurks for the three women trapped in its coils as power shifts from one regime to the next. The story begins as Queen Anne lies dying and King Louis’s health declines. Their two daughters, Claude and young Renée, heiresses to the rich duchy of Brittany, become pawns in the game of control.
Countess Louise d’Angoulême is named guardian to both girls. For years she has envied the dying Queen Anne, the girls’ mother. Because of her family’s dire financial problems, she schemes to marry wealthy Claude to her son. This unexpected guardianship presents a golden opportunity, but only if she can remove their protectress Baronne Michelle, who loves the princesses and safeguards their interests.
As political tensions rise, the futures of Princess Renée and Baronne hang in the balance, threatened by Countess Louise’s plots.
Will timid Claude untangle the treacherous intrigues Countess Louise is weaving? Will Baronne Michelle and Claude outflank the wily countess to protect young Princess Renée? And can Claude find the courage to defend those she loves?
Praise for The Importance of Pawns:
“Love, revenge, deceit, valour, struggle and bravery. These are the keystones of Keira Morgan’s fascinating new novel, The Importance of Pawns. Historical fiction at its best.”
Although the French court dazzles on the surface, beneath its glitter, danger lurks for the three women trapped in its coils as power shifts from one regime to the next. The story begins as Queen Anne lies dying and King Louis’s health declines. Their two daughters, Claude and young Renée, heiresses to the rich duchy of Brittany, become pawns in the game of control.
Countess Louise d’Angoulême is named guardian to both girls. For years she has envied the dying Queen Anne, the girls’ mother. Because of her family’s dire financial problems, she schemes to marry wealthy Claude to her son. This unexpected guardianship presents a golden opportunity, but only if she can remove their protectress Baronne Michelle, who loves the princesses and safeguards their interests.
As political tensions rise, the futures of Princess Renée and Baronne hang in the balance, threatened by Countess Louise’s plots.
Will timid Claude untangle the treacherous intrigues Countess Louise is weaving? Will Baronne Michelle and Claude outflank the wily countess to protect young Princess Renée? And can Claude find the courage to defend those she loves?
Praise for The Importance of Pawns:
“Love, revenge, deceit, valour, struggle and bravery. These are the keystones of Keira Morgan’s fascinating new novel, The Importance of Pawns. Historical fiction at its best.”
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2021
252 people are currently reading
844 people want to read
About the author
Keira Morgan
3 books49 followers Keira Morgan As a kid Keira was a bookworm. It was then that she discovered the Renaissance as a wonderful place of queens, princesses, and castles. She studied the period at university and realized that life for those same queens and princesses in their castles wasn’t nearly as romantic as she had dreamed, but it was much more fascinating. The clothing, the food, the way people travelled, how they lived, how they brought up their children, what they thought about, and why—all these things intrigued her.
She studied Renaissance history at university and her fascination with the period grew. So, during her career in the Canadian public service, she wrote fiction about the period in her spare time. She then moved to Mexico where she pursues her writing full time. She recently completed The Importance of Wives, her third published novel about Anne of Brittany, in her The Chronicles of the House of Valois series. The Importance of Sons and The Importance of Pawns continue the story of this determined woman who was also twice queen of France.
She is also a member of the France’s Splendid Centuries Writing Cooperative that together writes a weekly Facebook blog about fascinating aspects of French history, culture and people.
She loves reading, swimming, gardening, cooking, travelling, research, and cats as well as writing.
She also writes non-fiction about French Renaissance women at www.keiramorgan.com
She studied Renaissance history at university and her fascination with the period grew. So, during her career in the Canadian public service, she wrote fiction about the period in her spare time. She then moved to Mexico where she pursues her writing full time. She recently completed The Importance of Wives, her third published novel about Anne of Brittany, in her The Chronicles of the House of Valois series. The Importance of Sons and The Importance of Pawns continue the story of this determined woman who was also twice queen of France.
She is also a member of the France’s Splendid Centuries Writing Cooperative that together writes a weekly Facebook blog about fascinating aspects of French history, culture and people.
She loves reading, swimming, gardening, cooking, travelling, research, and cats as well as writing.
She also writes non-fiction about French Renaissance women at www.keiramorgan.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 9, 2021
I've long strayed from my historical fiction fandom, spending so much time away that I felt sheepish upon picking up this book and expecting to feel the same rush I get from poring over a Philippa Gregory novel. In reading this book, it was very different, but in a good way. Where I lived and breathed for the English royal drama in high school, I missed out on learning about different courts and their own history. Keira Morgan has created a piece that is full of detail, drama, and intrigue with a rich array of characters who are all so different that if you can't keep up with the names, their habits and personalities will remind you of the role they play. I often complain when writing reviews that characters aren't "fleshed out" or are "2D and flat" but these characters have so much life, Morgan has really turned them into characters I CARE about...or don't care much for at all, i.e. the AWFUL Louise and Francois (I really liked disliking them). Louise is such a vulture in this book, I loved getting to her chapters so I could see what dastardly stuff she was getting up to (if there was a book detailing HER life and social climbing, I would read that for sure). I definitely wanted to shake some sense into some characters as they weren't meeting Louise's level of deviousness, but I appreciate that they stuck to their personalities and characters so well. I would love to read a follow up and see what happens next as I want to find out what happens AFTER the ending we got.
May 8, 2021
The Importance of Pawns by Keira Morgan begins as Anne of Brittany, Duchess of Brittany and Queen of France, lays dying. After two marriages to Kings of France and many lost children, she'll leave behind two young daughters. Her daughters will be unable to inherit the throne of France, which operates under salic law, but the Duchy of Brittany has no such law, making her daughters rich heiresses and indeed pawns. Desperate to keep Brittany separate from France, Anne tries to make her younger daughter Renee the next Duchess of Brittany, knowing that her elder daughter Claude will marry her cousin, the future King Francis I of France.
Tensions rise between Francis' mother Louise and the Princesses' protectress Michelle as Claude struggles to make her own voice heard.
The Importance of Pawns brings the French court to life in an excellent manner. Having visited many of the Châteaux described in the book certainly helped me imagine the scenes, but even if you haven't been there, the atmosphere is still there. I felt for Anne as she lay dying, fervently wishing for Brittany's independence, and I felt for Claude as she fell hopelessly in love with a man who would never love her back. I really enjoyed this book, and I think I may slowly be recovering from my dislike for historical fiction. If you're looking for an escape into the French royal court, do buy this book.
Tensions rise between Francis' mother Louise and the Princesses' protectress Michelle as Claude struggles to make her own voice heard.
The Importance of Pawns brings the French court to life in an excellent manner. Having visited many of the Châteaux described in the book certainly helped me imagine the scenes, but even if you haven't been there, the atmosphere is still there. I felt for Anne as she lay dying, fervently wishing for Brittany's independence, and I felt for Claude as she fell hopelessly in love with a man who would never love her back. I really enjoyed this book, and I think I may slowly be recovering from my dislike for historical fiction. If you're looking for an escape into the French royal court, do buy this book.
May 3, 2021
Francis I is one of those kings that fascinates, even though he is not the nicest guy around—much like his fellow king Henry VIII. This story begins early on, even before Francis is crowned. The old and decrepit Louis XII has just lost his wife and desires another since he is childless and doesn’t particularly relish the thought of Francis succeeding him. In comes Marie, sister of Henry VIII—young, charming, and way too much for an ailing husband. We soon see that this court is dominated by the women of the family: Marie to a much lesser extent; Claude, the daughter of Louis and soon-to-be-wife of Francis who is lame and terribly timid; Michelle, governess and friend to Claude; Louise, the mother of Francis who manipulates everyone. There is a tremendous amount of “jockeying for position” between Louise and Michelle with poor Claude caught in the middle: in fact, I would say this is the predominant theme of the story. Alongside this plot, we witness an interesting relationship between Louise and her son Francis, who apparently needs a good spanking:
“The King! That old windbag! May the Lord and all the Saints curse him! And his days on the earth be few be few and painful. May his time in the ninth circle of hell be endless!” Francois belched curses like a fire-breathing dragon, smoke shooting from its nostrils and ears, his face scarlet as a blazing fire. “The old bastard called me to a private audience… the… the… shag-eared… codpiece! Impotent old boar.”
He sounded like a furious five-year-old child in a tantrum. She was hard-pressed to restrain her laughter, but that would only infuriate him more. “Yes, yes, you are in a rage. The king has insulted you and you want to take your sword and run him through,” she soothed. “Now please calm down and tell me what happened.”
I would have been happier to see more of this and less of the squabbling over who was going to take care of Claude’s younger sister Renee. Louise is depicted as totally nefarious; she doesn’t have a benevolent bone in her body. She obviously dotes on her son but even there her motherly love seems to be self-serving. She wants to be the power behind the throne. Once Francis becomes king, his mother basks in his glory while poor, pregnant Claude is nearly forgotten. Her “importance” (from the title, I assume) seems more implied than real. I think she’s bound to assert herself in the next volume.
“The King! That old windbag! May the Lord and all the Saints curse him! And his days on the earth be few be few and painful. May his time in the ninth circle of hell be endless!” Francois belched curses like a fire-breathing dragon, smoke shooting from its nostrils and ears, his face scarlet as a blazing fire. “The old bastard called me to a private audience… the… the… shag-eared… codpiece! Impotent old boar.”
He sounded like a furious five-year-old child in a tantrum. She was hard-pressed to restrain her laughter, but that would only infuriate him more. “Yes, yes, you are in a rage. The king has insulted you and you want to take your sword and run him through,” she soothed. “Now please calm down and tell me what happened.”
I would have been happier to see more of this and less of the squabbling over who was going to take care of Claude’s younger sister Renee. Louise is depicted as totally nefarious; she doesn’t have a benevolent bone in her body. She obviously dotes on her son but even there her motherly love seems to be self-serving. She wants to be the power behind the throne. Once Francis becomes king, his mother basks in his glory while poor, pregnant Claude is nearly forgotten. Her “importance” (from the title, I assume) seems more implied than real. I think she’s bound to assert herself in the next volume.
April 5, 2021
I liked this book a lot. Kiera Morgan’s story telling technique keeps us interested, her very thorough research and notes keeps us informed, her sensitivity to character keeps us curious,and the care taken of detail plunges us into the opulence, the pageantry and the complexity of an era in France about which I knew nothing.
June 20, 2021
I'm a big fan of historical fiction and this book was solid historical fiction. The author did an excellent job at incorporating historical facts and people and seemed to have thoroughly researched the era and the topic. It was also really exciting to find a work of fiction in the Tudor era that wasn't Tudor centric - very interesting time and not often seen from others’ perspectives! The glossary for historical words was extremely useful, and I enjoyed their use throughout the work to create a realistic atmosphere – and to learn some new terms. The historical notes were also in-depth and useful. It was excellent to have these notes compiled in the back to add historical context without slowing down the story.
The author had a difficult time balancing the action happening in the story with the inner-thoughts of the characters, which really bogged down the story. We read about the characters thinking and plotting out the schemes, but don't really get to see the schemes in action. This left no surprises or moments of suspense because we'd already seen all the events planned out by the characters. Similarly, the characters were often presented by how others perceived them rather than through them doing things or how they see themselves. This led to many of the characters (especially the secondary ones) really lacking in personality and depth.
This book could really use a good editing. There were many, many punctuation errors throughout the work. The book was written in the third person but there was at least one instance where the first person was used without any sort of “Louise thought” type of clause. There was also no visual indication of when time passed or when scenes changed between paragraphs, leading to several instances of confusion. The ending of the book was also extremely abrupt – there wasn’t a good resolution or “wrap-up” scene, and though there was a little resolution, it felt anti-climatic after all the build-up and schemes throughout the work.
Overall I enjoyed this work and look forward to reading more from this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The author had a difficult time balancing the action happening in the story with the inner-thoughts of the characters, which really bogged down the story. We read about the characters thinking and plotting out the schemes, but don't really get to see the schemes in action. This left no surprises or moments of suspense because we'd already seen all the events planned out by the characters. Similarly, the characters were often presented by how others perceived them rather than through them doing things or how they see themselves. This led to many of the characters (especially the secondary ones) really lacking in personality and depth.
This book could really use a good editing. There were many, many punctuation errors throughout the work. The book was written in the third person but there was at least one instance where the first person was used without any sort of “Louise thought” type of clause. There was also no visual indication of when time passed or when scenes changed between paragraphs, leading to several instances of confusion. The ending of the book was also extremely abrupt – there wasn’t a good resolution or “wrap-up” scene, and though there was a little resolution, it felt anti-climatic after all the build-up and schemes throughout the work.
Overall I enjoyed this work and look forward to reading more from this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 22, 2021
This was stunning and Keira Morgan better get cracking because I don't want to wait too long for the next in this new series. The rise of the Valois family and history of the French royal family is as dastardly & beguiling as any Plantagenet or Tudor tale.
This is history I know little about. Most of what is taught in an American (US) world is English and American history. We're taught the English wars with France and Spain but the royal history of those countries is obscured except for the part involving the French revolution.
This is a novel as rich in historical fact as it is in character development. Every word is thoughtful, every character carefully drawn. While this is not a quick/easy read, the pacing is very good. It did take me a little while to get oriented to the characters and the never ending court intrigue but settled in quick enough.
This novel is dominated by the strong (and weaker) female members of the family and the title eludes to that fact. Who is to say who the real pawns are? History written in that time would lead us to believe it was the women, but this tale belies that fact and changes the dialogue into something much different.
I can't wait to see what other books this author has in store for us!
This is history I know little about. Most of what is taught in an American (US) world is English and American history. We're taught the English wars with France and Spain but the royal history of those countries is obscured except for the part involving the French revolution.
This is a novel as rich in historical fact as it is in character development. Every word is thoughtful, every character carefully drawn. While this is not a quick/easy read, the pacing is very good. It did take me a little while to get oriented to the characters and the never ending court intrigue but settled in quick enough.
This novel is dominated by the strong (and weaker) female members of the family and the title eludes to that fact. Who is to say who the real pawns are? History written in that time would lead us to believe it was the women, but this tale belies that fact and changes the dialogue into something much different.
I can't wait to see what other books this author has in store for us!
March 9, 2021
I loved Keira Morgan's book The Importance of Pawns: Chronicles of the House of Valois. I don't often read historical fiction, but the cover and title caught my eye, because I like learning about strong, powerful women.
I was quickly embroiled in the thick of the action, following the machinations of Louise, concerned for the naivete of Claude, worried for the safety of Renee, and on the edge of my seat for Michelle, Renee's gouvernante.
The women - sadly, The Pawns! - all came alive for me as they struggled with the intrigues of the court and the perfidy of a system completely rigged against their personal freedom. As powerful as they all were, especially compared to other women of the time, Morgan illustrates clearly how none of them had the right to direct their life, and had to resort to subterfuge or outright deceit to stay safe.
I was delighted to read that the story unfolded in the beautiful Châteaux of the Loire valley, which I visited as a teenager, never suspecting the drama that had gone before me. Morgan's writing took me back to those breathtaking masterpieces - I could almost feel the cold drafts barely kept at bay by all those endless tapestries the women sewed!
I enjoyed the book so much that I visited Ms. Morgan's website, https://kjmorgan-writer.com/ And was rewarded by the delivery to my Inbox of five free French Renaissance Novels. Can't wait to get started.
I won't spoil anything for you, but will say that I found the ending of The Importance of Pawns satisfying, as it pulled together all the disparate strands. As an added bonus, I learned a lot about sixteenth-century France, and about the plight of women at that time. I highly recommend it!
I was quickly embroiled in the thick of the action, following the machinations of Louise, concerned for the naivete of Claude, worried for the safety of Renee, and on the edge of my seat for Michelle, Renee's gouvernante.
The women - sadly, The Pawns! - all came alive for me as they struggled with the intrigues of the court and the perfidy of a system completely rigged against their personal freedom. As powerful as they all were, especially compared to other women of the time, Morgan illustrates clearly how none of them had the right to direct their life, and had to resort to subterfuge or outright deceit to stay safe.
I was delighted to read that the story unfolded in the beautiful Châteaux of the Loire valley, which I visited as a teenager, never suspecting the drama that had gone before me. Morgan's writing took me back to those breathtaking masterpieces - I could almost feel the cold drafts barely kept at bay by all those endless tapestries the women sewed!
I enjoyed the book so much that I visited Ms. Morgan's website, https://kjmorgan-writer.com/ And was rewarded by the delivery to my Inbox of five free French Renaissance Novels. Can't wait to get started.
I won't spoil anything for you, but will say that I found the ending of The Importance of Pawns satisfying, as it pulled together all the disparate strands. As an added bonus, I learned a lot about sixteenth-century France, and about the plight of women at that time. I highly recommend it!
April 7, 2021
The Importance of Pawns should have been more highly rated for me. I have a fascination with all things royal. The intrigue and betrayal of the time is spicy. Spicy might be the wrong word but you get me drift, but something in general just felt missing for me and I haven't quite put my finger on it..
Things I liked:
-I have been reading a lot of books recently that have felt so disorganized and never give the reader enough background knowledge so I really appreciated the authors note and general background of the main characters.
-Author set the expectations and gave the appropriate resources throughout the book to keep reader on track.
-Claude and Renee had great character development and I enjoyed following their stories. I really felt like I could care about them and was on the edge of my seat throughout the story.
Things I did not like:
- I would say I know a lot about the time period being written on through my time in college and just general need to always be learning and consuming books but from the start I felt like I was missing some drama that I was supposed to understand beforehand? (Maybe just me)
- It was also hard to keep track of everyone being spoken about so I felt like I had to constantly go back to the Authors Note to remind myself of who was who so I just felt a general sense of being lost.
- The first half of the book did not really pull me in and felt bland but once the story got good it was GOOD!
Overall, I think I did not know enough about the topic as I thought I did to really like the book. I was not the right person to probably read this book but it was a solid read. Thank you to Book Sirens for providing me this read for free!
Things I liked:
-I have been reading a lot of books recently that have felt so disorganized and never give the reader enough background knowledge so I really appreciated the authors note and general background of the main characters.
-Author set the expectations and gave the appropriate resources throughout the book to keep reader on track.
-Claude and Renee had great character development and I enjoyed following their stories. I really felt like I could care about them and was on the edge of my seat throughout the story.
Things I did not like:
- I would say I know a lot about the time period being written on through my time in college and just general need to always be learning and consuming books but from the start I felt like I was missing some drama that I was supposed to understand beforehand? (Maybe just me)
- It was also hard to keep track of everyone being spoken about so I felt like I had to constantly go back to the Authors Note to remind myself of who was who so I just felt a general sense of being lost.
- The first half of the book did not really pull me in and felt bland but once the story got good it was GOOD!
Overall, I think I did not know enough about the topic as I thought I did to really like the book. I was not the right person to probably read this book but it was a solid read. Thank you to Book Sirens for providing me this read for free!
May 13, 2021
Beautifully imagined
A thoughtful portrait of Queen Claude of France, a plain and timid woman by all accounts, who ultimately finds her courage through her sheer goodness of heart and desire to do what is right. A plausible and interesting interpretation of the historical record with vivid, believable characterisation.
A thoughtful portrait of Queen Claude of France, a plain and timid woman by all accounts, who ultimately finds her courage through her sheer goodness of heart and desire to do what is right. A plausible and interesting interpretation of the historical record with vivid, believable characterisation.
August 12, 2021
It's obvious that a great deal of research went into writing this book and I loved the period details such as the details of the food they ate. I also appreciated the author's note explaining how she arrived at her conclusions and how she had departed from history. Good to see a book with mostly female characters and set in France too. It was fascinating finding out about the real royal family of France and to see Mary (Henry VIII of England's sister) in action in the French Court and her future husband, Charles Brandon.
I think however that maybe by let the reader know a little too much about the thought processes of the characters it meant that there weren't many surprises in the plot. Also, whilst the characters were well drawn, I wanted the villainous Louise to be something more than just a villain as it felt a little like most of the book was Claude reacting to another villainous scheme. Claude was more of a multifaceted character who grew as the story progressed, but I felt like Louise was a bit too much of a moustache twiddler and we could have had more about the motivations of a complex character. Still, I did think it had promise and will look out for the follow up.
I received an advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I think however that maybe by let the reader know a little too much about the thought processes of the characters it meant that there weren't many surprises in the plot. Also, whilst the characters were well drawn, I wanted the villainous Louise to be something more than just a villain as it felt a little like most of the book was Claude reacting to another villainous scheme. Claude was more of a multifaceted character who grew as the story progressed, but I felt like Louise was a bit too much of a moustache twiddler and we could have had more about the motivations of a complex character. Still, I did think it had promise and will look out for the follow up.
I received an advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 25, 2021
I found this book really engaging and an interesting perspective. I had read books from Mary's point of view before. There were just some things that nagged at me that made me not give 5 stars.
First, the French. I'm lucky enough to speak French fairly well. If I didn't, however, I would be lost at times. There were translations at times in the very back of the book (really annoying in an e-book), but not always. Plus, an easier way would be to introduce the phrase, accompany a translation after commas, then use it from there on.
Second, there were many places I marked where dialogue would have the opening quotes but not the closing quotes. It caused a little confusion when the person would say something followed by thinking something with nothing between.
Third, "M. de Beaune fils" - was his name supposed to be "M. de Beaunefils"? It had spaces between the Beaune and fils part several times and even had a comma between "Beaune" and "fils" at one point.
Last, based on the summary of the novel, I found the ending to be abrupt and about a different purpose. Perhaps a sequel could clear up the aim of the novel.
First, the French. I'm lucky enough to speak French fairly well. If I didn't, however, I would be lost at times. There were translations at times in the very back of the book (really annoying in an e-book), but not always. Plus, an easier way would be to introduce the phrase, accompany a translation after commas, then use it from there on.
Second, there were many places I marked where dialogue would have the opening quotes but not the closing quotes. It caused a little confusion when the person would say something followed by thinking something with nothing between.
Third, "M. de Beaune fils" - was his name supposed to be "M. de Beaunefils"? It had spaces between the Beaune and fils part several times and even had a comma between "Beaune" and "fils" at one point.
Last, based on the summary of the novel, I found the ending to be abrupt and about a different purpose. Perhaps a sequel could clear up the aim of the novel.
April 10, 2021
I enjoyed this book as I have never really read anything about Queen Claude. Although the story seems to mainly focus on Michelle, Renee's governess. The story shows the frustrations women had to suffer, even Queens, during that time period - except for maybe Louise (Claude's MIL). I found myself getting so angry at Claude's fear of conflict and confrontation, but understood it just the same.
The author does a great job outlining the details such as the castles, the food, and clothing but without boring the reader to death about it.
I have to agree with others though that I thought that the book ended rather abruptly - perhaps there is a book 2 in the works?
A very good historical fiction read though.
The author does a great job outlining the details such as the castles, the food, and clothing but without boring the reader to death about it.
I have to agree with others though that I thought that the book ended rather abruptly - perhaps there is a book 2 in the works?
A very good historical fiction read though.
July 30, 2021
An easy, interesting and informative novel about King Louis XII, his two wives and their children. The novel particularly deals with intrigues increasing after Queen Anne's death: who should look after Princess Renée, then an infant? The Duchess of Angoulême would do just anything to achieve control over the Royal Family....
What annoyed me as a French person is the French language used: when one addresses the queen, one says: Votre Majesté and definitely not Mme la Reine! The abbreviation "Mme" is not followed by a full stop either. Two mistakes which could have easily been corrected.
Thank you, Keira, for letting me read your novel for free on BookSirens!
What annoyed me as a French person is the French language used: when one addresses the queen, one says: Votre Majesté and definitely not Mme la Reine! The abbreviation "Mme" is not followed by a full stop either. Two mistakes which could have easily been corrected.
Thank you, Keira, for letting me read your novel for free on BookSirens!
March 26, 2021
First of all: the cover took my attention, and I wanted to read this historical
fiction book as well.
I was immediately into the story and the characters were deepened out very
well. However, I had a problem that the story was written from the female
point of view. I wanted to know both sides.
Overall a good historical fiction book and to recommend to all people who
like this genre. I give with pleasure a 4 * rating.
August 2, 2021
What Lovely Historical Fiction
Ms. Morgan has woven a tale juicy with court intrigue that is imminently readable. The story starts with the last illness of Queen Anne and
follows her husband and children, primarily the Princess Claude. The villains are Francois and his hateful mother, the Countess Louise.
Ms. Morgan has woven a tale juicy with court intrigue that is imminently readable. The story starts with the last illness of Queen Anne and
follows her husband and children, primarily the Princess Claude. The villains are Francois and his hateful mother, the Countess Louise.
February 14, 2022
not historically relevant
The preview suggested this was a serious, historical novel. However, I did not find that to be so. It is very elementary and very light on details. It barely mentions the Valois historical trials, focusing instead on supposed castle intrigue that actually leads to nothing. A disappointment to say the least.
The preview suggested this was a serious, historical novel. However, I did not find that to be so. It is very elementary and very light on details. It barely mentions the Valois historical trials, focusing instead on supposed castle intrigue that actually leads to nothing. A disappointment to say the least.
April 21, 2021
I won this ebook from goodreads and couldn't wait to get started. I i have some knowledge of the English royalty and Henry the viii so i was looking forward to see how the french were any different. It turns out not so much but the book is full of Love, revenge, deceit, valour, struggle and bravery
July 23, 2021
Interesting historical fiction
Story of a young Queen as she comes of age; marries...by order; overshadowed & bullied by her mother-in-law, she finally finds her voice and overrules her husband’s mother as her confinement begins. Better late than never!
Story of a young Queen as she comes of age; marries...by order; overshadowed & bullied by her mother-in-law, she finally finds her voice and overrules her husband’s mother as her confinement begins. Better late than never!
September 14, 2022
A Wonderful View
The complex relationship between England, France, the European countriesis during the Tudor Era is explored from France's view point. This challenges a refreshing
change.
The complex relationship between England, France, the European countriesis during the Tudor Era is explored from France's view point. This challenges a refreshing
change.
June 23, 2022
There are many ways to learn about the history of a particular period, including visiting the setting and reading a specialised historical text that is well-written. For me, however, there is no substitute for a good historical novel and in Keira Morgan's book, you have just that.
This period and the characters that are depicted in The Importance of Pawns are not any that I have come across before but I would be hard pressed now to forget them. Louise is the archetypal matriarchal figure who wants her son, Francois to achieve but has to engineer it through her own means. She has pride in him but there is also a sense that if he was left solely in charge of his destiny, it would be disastrous. It is up to Louise to orchestrate his succession and seeing how she manipulates others through her plans is the stuff of good historical fiction. She is more than up to the task.
Of course, she has a nemesis who is Michelle, the baronne, confidante of Queen Anne before she passes and a trusted and well-rounded individual who we hope through the course of the book, will have the strength and intelligence to outthink and thwart anything that Louise may throw at her.
I liked the depiction of the court and I think that Morgan has expertly created the tense atmosphere that must have existed for the main players in Renaissance France. The vying for position and the King's favour is tangible throughout as is the continued drive to be on top. Morgan is also adept at portraying the characters who are not as ambitious but find themselves in this world where they are controlled by their circumstances and must make the best of it, using their guile and finding the courage to stand up to people who are ruthless in their search for success.
Claude, Louis' and Anne's daughter, is one who struggles in the environment in which she has been born, having neither glamour nor physical grace to help her maintain her position and in a society where beauty dazzled and held weight, she is up against it. But Morgan is keen to show that with inner resolve and the right guidance, good has a chance. Not a really strong one as resistance will always be found, but a chance nonetheless.
A good historical novel, well-written and paced with believable characters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This period and the characters that are depicted in The Importance of Pawns are not any that I have come across before but I would be hard pressed now to forget them. Louise is the archetypal matriarchal figure who wants her son, Francois to achieve but has to engineer it through her own means. She has pride in him but there is also a sense that if he was left solely in charge of his destiny, it would be disastrous. It is up to Louise to orchestrate his succession and seeing how she manipulates others through her plans is the stuff of good historical fiction. She is more than up to the task.
Of course, she has a nemesis who is Michelle, the baronne, confidante of Queen Anne before she passes and a trusted and well-rounded individual who we hope through the course of the book, will have the strength and intelligence to outthink and thwart anything that Louise may throw at her.
I liked the depiction of the court and I think that Morgan has expertly created the tense atmosphere that must have existed for the main players in Renaissance France. The vying for position and the King's favour is tangible throughout as is the continued drive to be on top. Morgan is also adept at portraying the characters who are not as ambitious but find themselves in this world where they are controlled by their circumstances and must make the best of it, using their guile and finding the courage to stand up to people who are ruthless in their search for success.
Claude, Louis' and Anne's daughter, is one who struggles in the environment in which she has been born, having neither glamour nor physical grace to help her maintain her position and in a society where beauty dazzled and held weight, she is up against it. But Morgan is keen to show that with inner resolve and the right guidance, good has a chance. Not a really strong one as resistance will always be found, but a chance nonetheless.
A good historical novel, well-written and paced with believable characters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 22, 2021
I won a Kindle version of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
I know a bit about Henry VIII’s reign and his court’s interaction with Francis I. I thought reading a book from France’s point of view would flesh out my knowledge - this why I entered the giveaway & was so pleased to win a copy of the book.
This isn’t a bad book- the author’s notes help note where fiction is separated from history in the book. This book confirms that Queen Claude was a nice sweet person highly regarded & loved by many of her staff and people. It also confirmed that Francis didn’t regard Claude with much and greatly depended upon his mother’s council.
My one complaint is that the beginning didn’t flow well. I’m used to titles and names changing, but at one point Queen Claude is referred to as Duchess Claude, then two pages back to Queen - I figure this was missed in editing but it threw me a bit. The other thing was that the ending lay there - was the point that someone was taking charge from now on or that it was going to be the beginning of the downfall for another person?
There are some minor grammatical errors (quote marks disappearing was a big one). The author obviously did a lot of historical research - and it shows.
I’d rate this book about a 3.5 - solid book & I’m glad I read it, but it didn’t work as well for me as I would’ve liked.
I know a bit about Henry VIII’s reign and his court’s interaction with Francis I. I thought reading a book from France’s point of view would flesh out my knowledge - this why I entered the giveaway & was so pleased to win a copy of the book.
This isn’t a bad book- the author’s notes help note where fiction is separated from history in the book. This book confirms that Queen Claude was a nice sweet person highly regarded & loved by many of her staff and people. It also confirmed that Francis didn’t regard Claude with much and greatly depended upon his mother’s council.
My one complaint is that the beginning didn’t flow well. I’m used to titles and names changing, but at one point Queen Claude is referred to as Duchess Claude, then two pages back to Queen - I figure this was missed in editing but it threw me a bit. The other thing was that the ending lay there - was the point that someone was taking charge from now on or that it was going to be the beginning of the downfall for another person?
There are some minor grammatical errors (quote marks disappearing was a big one). The author obviously did a lot of historical research - and it shows.
I’d rate this book about a 3.5 - solid book & I’m glad I read it, but it didn’t work as well for me as I would’ve liked.
October 2, 2021
I love historical fiction, and this book gave me the satisfaction of immersion into the 16th century French court, complete with the sights, smells, customs and the language of the day (I won’t lie, it was slow reading at times, but really added to the character of the book)!
I received a free copy of this book from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. The plot and story line were great and framed by French law in which the rule of France can only pass to male heirs ( Brittany has no such law). King Louis and Queen Anne have only daughters; the older daughter marries France’ future King, and Queen Anne was planning to bequeath Brittany to her younger daughter until the evil Queen Mother, Louise, begins her power play.
Keira Morgan does a great job building her characters, especially the primary characters: Queen Claude and Duchess Louise.
I thoroughly enjoyed the color, the history, the characters, the history and the culture. The book would have earned 5 stars and perhaps a faster finish if Morgan could have woven a bit more of an element of surprise into the storytelling.
I received a free copy of this book from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. The plot and story line were great and framed by French law in which the rule of France can only pass to male heirs ( Brittany has no such law). King Louis and Queen Anne have only daughters; the older daughter marries France’ future King, and Queen Anne was planning to bequeath Brittany to her younger daughter until the evil Queen Mother, Louise, begins her power play.
Keira Morgan does a great job building her characters, especially the primary characters: Queen Claude and Duchess Louise.
I thoroughly enjoyed the color, the history, the characters, the history and the culture. The book would have earned 5 stars and perhaps a faster finish if Morgan could have woven a bit more of an element of surprise into the storytelling.
June 15, 2021
I received a copy of this for free.
The cover definitely intrigued me, but now that I've read it, I'm kinda confused. I noticed the woman on the cover is dressed in 1600s fashion, but the book takes place in the early 1500s. I googled and the cover is a painting of Elisabeth of France (1602-1644), but I don't know who the child photoshopped onto it is. Have I missed something here?
Anyway, I really liked the book. It reminded me of Philippa Gregory! Especially Claude's mother-in-law Louise, who reminded me of Gregory's portrayal of Margaret Beaufort. Like in those novels, this shows that in a man's world, behind the scenes you have women scheming. It was really nice to be introduced to more historical characters I wasn't familiar with. The author did her research well, and I am really impressed this is her first book! I did wish it didn't end like that though, it was a little abrupt, I wanted to follow the characters longer, even though I guess the book was a little on the longer side!
The cover definitely intrigued me, but now that I've read it, I'm kinda confused. I noticed the woman on the cover is dressed in 1600s fashion, but the book takes place in the early 1500s. I googled and the cover is a painting of Elisabeth of France (1602-1644), but I don't know who the child photoshopped onto it is. Have I missed something here?
Anyway, I really liked the book. It reminded me of Philippa Gregory! Especially Claude's mother-in-law Louise, who reminded me of Gregory's portrayal of Margaret Beaufort. Like in those novels, this shows that in a man's world, behind the scenes you have women scheming. It was really nice to be introduced to more historical characters I wasn't familiar with. The author did her research well, and I am really impressed this is her first book! I did wish it didn't end like that though, it was a little abrupt, I wanted to follow the characters longer, even though I guess the book was a little on the longer side!
November 22, 2021
Very enjoyable. I loved the attention to historical detail. It had an extremely realistic sense of time and place.
I liked the fact it was set in France and gave insight into a new and very colorful set of Renaissance characters. It had great feeling of court intrigue.
Claude’s character is the most developed; she is the only character with a defined story arc, so it felt somewhat disappointing to leave her just as her confinement was due. I would have liked to have seen her with her baby. Although, having now read more, I can see why perhaps the author chose to end this story here since this was a high point in Claude’s rather sad life.
I hope Renée will get her own story told later; she had a long and eventful life. (I would also be very happy to revisit with Michelle as she was a lovely character.) Apparently the next book planned is a prequel about Anne of Brittany (which I am sure will be interesting and I will be delighted to read). But it seems perverse to tell her story backwards (as she died in this novel) - I wonder what the reasoning was?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I liked the fact it was set in France and gave insight into a new and very colorful set of Renaissance characters. It had great feeling of court intrigue.
Claude’s character is the most developed; she is the only character with a defined story arc, so it felt somewhat disappointing to leave her just as her confinement was due. I would have liked to have seen her with her baby. Although, having now read more, I can see why perhaps the author chose to end this story here since this was a high point in Claude’s rather sad life.
I hope Renée will get her own story told later; she had a long and eventful life. (I would also be very happy to revisit with Michelle as she was a lovely character.) Apparently the next book planned is a prequel about Anne of Brittany (which I am sure will be interesting and I will be delighted to read). But it seems perverse to tell her story backwards (as she died in this novel) - I wonder what the reasoning was?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 7, 2023
This book was written weirdly and was heavily biased.
For the weirdness: every paragraph was split by a page break - on every page! This is the first time I have ever seen a book printed like this! It was odd reading as normally a page break signifies a change in scene or thought, but this author kept the scene going. This also happened when people were speaking and sometimes, even after a single sentence. Terrible!
As for the bias: this was written against Francis I of France (not everything about him is good, but he wasn't a villain as presented here), with inaccurate history throughout (ie, the author writes that Louis XII was poisoned, but he actually died of complications of gout). It is also noticeably in the camp of Anne of Brittany and her friend. A quick Wikipedia search will give you the real history, if you'd like to know it. This was a historical fiction, so one would expect some licence, like leaving people out of your story, or changing a date, but to actually alter history to suit your plot is quite frowned upon. I do not recommend this book.
For the weirdness: every paragraph was split by a page break - on every page! This is the first time I have ever seen a book printed like this! It was odd reading as normally a page break signifies a change in scene or thought, but this author kept the scene going. This also happened when people were speaking and sometimes, even after a single sentence. Terrible!
As for the bias: this was written against Francis I of France (not everything about him is good, but he wasn't a villain as presented here), with inaccurate history throughout (ie, the author writes that Louis XII was poisoned, but he actually died of complications of gout). It is also noticeably in the camp of Anne of Brittany and her friend. A quick Wikipedia search will give you the real history, if you'd like to know it. This was a historical fiction, so one would expect some licence, like leaving people out of your story, or changing a date, but to actually alter history to suit your plot is quite frowned upon. I do not recommend this book.
November 21, 2021
Maybe a 3 1/2??
I don’t want to seem to judge this book too harshly. It was actually amazing. I learned so much about French Medieval history reading it. I was constantly googling people, incidents, and facts I’d never heard much at all about.
I’m definitely more proficient in English Medieval history, and that connection with the Boleyns is what first drew me to the book. But it was so much more than I had anticipated. I enjoyed it despite neither sister playing any sort of role in it.
The only reason I rated it so low is because it is so historically rich. This wasn’t just a short one night read, and if you made it such, you didn’t really do the content justice.
So really the low rating is probably more my fault for how I’ve always rated books. Just because it wasn’t a fun, exciting read doesn’t mean it wasn’t a really good read.
I don’t want to seem to judge this book too harshly. It was actually amazing. I learned so much about French Medieval history reading it. I was constantly googling people, incidents, and facts I’d never heard much at all about.
I’m definitely more proficient in English Medieval history, and that connection with the Boleyns is what first drew me to the book. But it was so much more than I had anticipated. I enjoyed it despite neither sister playing any sort of role in it.
The only reason I rated it so low is because it is so historically rich. This wasn’t just a short one night read, and if you made it such, you didn’t really do the content justice.
So really the low rating is probably more my fault for how I’ve always rated books. Just because it wasn’t a fun, exciting read doesn’t mean it wasn’t a really good read.
September 9, 2021
Although I am pretty familiar with English history during this time period, I know a great deal less about what was happening in France during the early 16th century. Keira Morgan has written a novel that includes the daily life of royalty, political intrigue, and the motivations of various people associated with the crown vying for the throne after the untimely deaths of Queen Anne and King Louis XII. She really brought the individual characters like Princess Claude to life, and explained numerous relationships between various members of the royal family. I thoroughly devoured this historically accurate book and would definitely read more books by this author.
March 22, 2021
The Importance of Pawns is interesting from an historical perspective. Definitely women's literature. I always appreciate a story told from a women's point of view, but for me the general lack of any positive male view left the story feeling unbalanced. I liked Anne very much and may pursue further information on her life. I appreciated the development of Claude enough to look her up to see how her life went. For the spurring of my curiosity I would almost give the author 5 stars.
I received an advanced review copy for free and I leave this review voluntarily.
I received an advanced review copy for free and I leave this review voluntarily.
June 18, 2021
This is a well-written historical fictionalized account of the royal French court during the early 1500's. It is a complicated story of the machinations occurring with the death of the monarchs and the struggle for control. It really is a fascinating story of actual events and look of those times. I can't say it was an easy read since I never really warmed to the characters (some of whom were very disagreeable) and really had to push to get to the end; however, it is an interesting look at this bit of history.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
August 13, 2021
So, so
I have never read a book by this author. However, since I like English Royal history, up I thought I would try it.
Pro: well written, I liked the footnotes for those of us not versed in French and old English words.
Con: the author, like so many recent books leads you to the finale and ends the book abruptly by putting ending notes. I this book the author gets the reader to precipice, drops to several ending sentence instead giving more information how the families really do interact with each other. What did the King and Mm. Louise do?
I have never read a book by this author. However, since I like English Royal history, up I thought I would try it.
Pro: well written, I liked the footnotes for those of us not versed in French and old English words.
Con: the author, like so many recent books leads you to the finale and ends the book abruptly by putting ending notes. I this book the author gets the reader to precipice, drops to several ending sentence instead giving more information how the families really do interact with each other. What did the King and Mm. Louise do?
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