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The Secret Eleanor
Eleanor of Aquitaine seized hold of life in the 12th century in a way any modern woman would envy!
1151: As Duchess of Aquitaine, Eleanor grew up knowing what it was to be regarded for herself and not for her husband's title. Now, as wife to Louis VII and Queen of France, she has found herself unsatisfied with reflected glory-and feeling constantly under threat, even though she outranks every woman in Paris.
Then, standing beside her much older husband in the course of a court ceremony, Eleanor locks eyes with a man-hardly more than a boy, really- across the throne room, and knows that her world has changed irrevocably...
He is Henry D'Anjou, eldest son of the Duke of Anjou, and he is in line, somewhat tenuously, for the British throne. She meets him in secret. She has a gift for secrecy, for she is watched like a prisoner by spies even among her own women. She is determined that Louis must set her free. Employing deception and disguise, seduction and manipulation, Eleanor is determined to find her way to power-and make her mark on history.
1151: As Duchess of Aquitaine, Eleanor grew up knowing what it was to be regarded for herself and not for her husband's title. Now, as wife to Louis VII and Queen of France, she has found herself unsatisfied with reflected glory-and feeling constantly under threat, even though she outranks every woman in Paris.
Then, standing beside her much older husband in the course of a court ceremony, Eleanor locks eyes with a man-hardly more than a boy, really- across the throne room, and knows that her world has changed irrevocably...
He is Henry D'Anjou, eldest son of the Duke of Anjou, and he is in line, somewhat tenuously, for the British throne. She meets him in secret. She has a gift for secrecy, for she is watched like a prisoner by spies even among her own women. She is determined that Louis must set her free. Employing deception and disguise, seduction and manipulation, Eleanor is determined to find her way to power-and make her mark on history.
361 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Cecelia Holland
79 books217 followersPen name used by Elizabeth Eliot Carter.
Cecelia Holland is one of the world's most highly acclaimed and respected historical novelists, ranked by many alongside other giants in that field such as Mary Renault and Larry McMurtry. Over the span of her thirty year career, she's written almost thirty historical novels, including The Firedrake, Rakessy, Two Ravens, Ghost on the Steppe, Death of Attila, Hammer For Princes, The King's Road, Pillar of the Sky, The Lords of Vaumartin, Pacific Street, Sea Beggars, The Earl, The King in Winter, The Belt of Gold, The Serpent Dreamer, The High City, Kings of the North, and a series of fantasy novels, including The Soul Thief, The Witches Kitchen, The Serpent Dreamer, and Varanger. She also wrote the well-known science fiction novel Floating Worlds, which was nominated for a Locus Award in 1975. Her most recent book is a new fantasy novel, Dragon Heart.
Cecelia Holland is one of the world's most highly acclaimed and respected historical novelists, ranked by many alongside other giants in that field such as Mary Renault and Larry McMurtry. Over the span of her thirty year career, she's written almost thirty historical novels, including The Firedrake, Rakessy, Two Ravens, Ghost on the Steppe, Death of Attila, Hammer For Princes, The King's Road, Pillar of the Sky, The Lords of Vaumartin, Pacific Street, Sea Beggars, The Earl, The King in Winter, The Belt of Gold, The Serpent Dreamer, The High City, Kings of the North, and a series of fantasy novels, including The Soul Thief, The Witches Kitchen, The Serpent Dreamer, and Varanger. She also wrote the well-known science fiction novel Floating Worlds, which was nominated for a Locus Award in 1975. Her most recent book is a new fantasy novel, Dragon Heart.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
December 22, 2009
Holland’s take on Eleanor of Aquitaine begins in 1150. Her marriage to Louis VII of France has yet to produce a son and heir (only two daughters) and she’s become something of a liability – at least that’s how flunky Thierry and Abbe Bernard see it. Eleanor gets a good look at Henry d’Anjou when he comes to court to pay homage to Louis and she thinks she’d like to dump hubby #1 and hitch her star to Henry instead. As for Henry, yep he’s lusting after the beauteous Eleanor as well, and with a little aid and sleight of hand from her younger sister Petronilla, the two lovers meet and have their night of passion (although this reader found it more eeeewwww than passion).
The story then switches gears to events leading up to Eleanor’s divorce from Louis, dodging a couple of much too amorous suitors and her future with Henry, now Duke of Normandy and soon to be Henry II of England (no spoilers, that’s known history). There is a somewhat fanciful twist to this, hence the “secret” in the book’s title, and that twist puts Petronilla front and center in the action, as well as forever changing the relationship between the two sisters.
My thoughts? While certainly not near as dire as Alison Weir’s Captive Queen, this book didn’t exactly rock my world either. The author had a bad habit at the first of telling us how bad the bad people were with a much too liberal use of stinky breath and body odor. The same goes with Eleanor’s reputation as the big slut of Christendom. We are told she is because all the bad guys call her that, but outside of the one time with Henry (which none of those baddies knew about) I didn’t see references to previous encounters. Or did I miss the boat again?
Even when things centered around Petronilla in the latter half of the book, the pacing was terribly slow, the medieval settings not very believable (I got soooooo tired of hearing about Holy Week), and frankly the big “secret” was just a bit too improbable to believe, let alone that everyone in Eleanor’s household was in on it. Some of it I would buy, but for Henry not to notice up close and personal? Bah!
In the end, I am finally persuaded that Holland is not an author for me. I did enjoy her two Lily Nevada books, but everything else of her’s that I’ve tried has gone flying – including The Bear Flag set in old California, a period that I usually gobble up like a cat with a bowl of cream.
If you enjoy a “what if” story that’s light on the history you might enjoy this, but if you’re expecting an Eleanor on par with Sharon Penman’s I suspect you’ll be sorely disappointed. Library only, and then buy it if you love it.
The story then switches gears to events leading up to Eleanor’s divorce from Louis, dodging a couple of much too amorous suitors and her future with Henry, now Duke of Normandy and soon to be Henry II of England (no spoilers, that’s known history). There is a somewhat fanciful twist to this, hence the “secret” in the book’s title, and that twist puts Petronilla front and center in the action, as well as forever changing the relationship between the two sisters.
My thoughts? While certainly not near as dire as Alison Weir’s Captive Queen, this book didn’t exactly rock my world either. The author had a bad habit at the first of telling us how bad the bad people were with a much too liberal use of stinky breath and body odor. The same goes with Eleanor’s reputation as the big slut of Christendom. We are told she is because all the bad guys call her that, but outside of the one time with Henry (which none of those baddies knew about) I didn’t see references to previous encounters. Or did I miss the boat again?
Even when things centered around Petronilla in the latter half of the book, the pacing was terribly slow, the medieval settings not very believable (I got soooooo tired of hearing about Holy Week), and frankly the big “secret” was just a bit too improbable to believe, let alone that everyone in Eleanor’s household was in on it. Some of it I would buy, but for Henry not to notice up close and personal? Bah!
In the end, I am finally persuaded that Holland is not an author for me. I did enjoy her two Lily Nevada books, but everything else of her’s that I’ve tried has gone flying – including The Bear Flag set in old California, a period that I usually gobble up like a cat with a bowl of cream.
If you enjoy a “what if” story that’s light on the history you might enjoy this, but if you’re expecting an Eleanor on par with Sharon Penman’s I suspect you’ll be sorely disappointed. Library only, and then buy it if you love it.
October 31, 2016
Cecelia Holland has been one of my favorite authors of historical fiction since the 70's when I first read Great Maria so I was looking forward to reading her take on Eleanor of Aquitaine.
This book covers the period when Eleanor was desperately trying to escape her husband, the French King Louis VII, and obtain an annulment and her freedom. Even though she had given birth to 2 daughters she was willing to give up everything to escape life at the French Court.
The king was a very malleable, rather weak man that had been bullied by his council of churchmen from the beginning of his reign. His marriage could've been an success if Louis's council had not been so afraid of Eleanor's influence with the young king and did everything in their power to keep them apart.
It didn't help that King Louis was also a very devout Christian and was always finding excuses not to visit Queen Eleanor's bedroom, even though he desperately needed a son.
Eleanor married him at the age of 15 and by the age of 30 she'd had enough of him, the French Court and his council. She refused to give the king an heir and demanded her freedom.
There is speculation that she already had her eyes on the young Henry, Duke of Normandy, who would become King Henry II of England but once Eleanor was free she married Henry very quickly.
Once again Cecelia Holland brings history to life in this exciting tale and made all the characters come alive. I enjoyed spending time with all of them and I think you will too :D
This book covers the period when Eleanor was desperately trying to escape her husband, the French King Louis VII, and obtain an annulment and her freedom. Even though she had given birth to 2 daughters she was willing to give up everything to escape life at the French Court.
The king was a very malleable, rather weak man that had been bullied by his council of churchmen from the beginning of his reign. His marriage could've been an success if Louis's council had not been so afraid of Eleanor's influence with the young king and did everything in their power to keep them apart.
It didn't help that King Louis was also a very devout Christian and was always finding excuses not to visit Queen Eleanor's bedroom, even though he desperately needed a son.
Eleanor married him at the age of 15 and by the age of 30 she'd had enough of him, the French Court and his council. She refused to give the king an heir and demanded her freedom.
There is speculation that she already had her eyes on the young Henry, Duke of Normandy, who would become King Henry II of England but once Eleanor was free she married Henry very quickly.
Once again Cecelia Holland brings history to life in this exciting tale and made all the characters come alive. I enjoyed spending time with all of them and I think you will too :D
August 3, 2010
Highly acclaimed and prolific novelist Cecelia Holland - arguably the true queen of historical fiction, whose books cover everything from early Byzantium to early 18th century California - brings us a novel about a pivotal year in Eleanor of Aquitaine's tumultuous career, when she launched her quest to get her marriage to pious Louis of France annulled so she could marry fiery Henry Plantagenet. Written in Ms Holland's elegant style The Secret Eleanor is also the tale of her "secret" other half: her sister, Petronilla, an oft-neglected historical character who in this novel bears an uncanny resemblance to her famous sibling, and thus brings about remarkable deceit, lethal rivalry, and life-altering transformation.
One of Ms Holland's most impressive gifts is her ability to evoke the past with a few select words. Here, we can feel the moldering damp of Louis's palace on the Seine; the earthy aroma of Poitiers in spring; and icy fall of winter in a neglected roadside inn. Ms Holland is equally adept with characterization, offering us a regally impetuous Eleanor; her sedate yet covetous sister; an ambitious peasant maid who turns the tables on her abusers; a handsome troubador who is more than he seems; an emasculated royal advisor intent on Eleanor's downfall; and of course the randy, hotheaded, devilish Henry himself, who catches Eleanor's gaze from across a crowded hall and sets the world afire to possess her.
Those familiar with the facts of Eleanor's life will find much to revel in this latest look at her, particularly as Ms Holland's choice to tell part of the story through Petronilla both freshens up more familiar historical events as well as offers a less fawning look at the legendary duchess. For those who do not yet know Eleanor's story, you can do no better than to start with The Secret Eleanor.
One of Ms Holland's most impressive gifts is her ability to evoke the past with a few select words. Here, we can feel the moldering damp of Louis's palace on the Seine; the earthy aroma of Poitiers in spring; and icy fall of winter in a neglected roadside inn. Ms Holland is equally adept with characterization, offering us a regally impetuous Eleanor; her sedate yet covetous sister; an ambitious peasant maid who turns the tables on her abusers; a handsome troubador who is more than he seems; an emasculated royal advisor intent on Eleanor's downfall; and of course the randy, hotheaded, devilish Henry himself, who catches Eleanor's gaze from across a crowded hall and sets the world afire to possess her.
Those familiar with the facts of Eleanor's life will find much to revel in this latest look at her, particularly as Ms Holland's choice to tell part of the story through Petronilla both freshens up more familiar historical events as well as offers a less fawning look at the legendary duchess. For those who do not yet know Eleanor's story, you can do no better than to start with The Secret Eleanor.
December 20, 2010
In The Secret Eleanor Cecelia Holland explores that interstitial time in the life of Eleanor, the Duchess of Aquitaine, when she left her husband, King Louis VII of France, to become the wife of Henry Plantagenet, the 19 year old son of the Count of Anjou, who was 12 years her junior. Rather than attempting, as many other writers have tried, to capture the essence of Eleanor by examining her entire life, Ms. Holland has focused her attention on that short period of Eleanor's life when she made the decision that shaped the rest of her life. The story has the sense of immediacy that Ms. Holland brings to all her books as she introduces us to an extraordinary woman who makes what seems to be an unbelievable decision to end her tenure as the Queen of France and lock her destiny with a 19 year old who became the King of England.
This is a timely book. Eleanor, a strong woman of immense political power, is easily compared to the strong women politicians of our time. The interesting question is whether the current women politicians had an interstitial period similar to Eleanor's that also shaped their destinies. Hopefully, if they did, Ms. Holland will be the one to tell their stories.
The Secret Eleanor is a well written book about a fascinating woman. I recommend it highly.
This is a timely book. Eleanor, a strong woman of immense political power, is easily compared to the strong women politicians of our time. The interesting question is whether the current women politicians had an interstitial period similar to Eleanor's that also shaped their destinies. Hopefully, if they did, Ms. Holland will be the one to tell their stories.
The Secret Eleanor is a well written book about a fascinating woman. I recommend it highly.
August 15, 2022
My partner and I read to each other while folding laundry, which makes each book take a long time. We just finished this one, which I enjoyed a great deal (I usually enjoy Cecelia Holland's b00ks).
Eleanor is, of course, Eleanor of Aquitaine, unhappily married to Louis VII and bound and determined to find a way out. Her sister Petronilla is her devoted shadow, nowhere near as vibrant or stubborn as Eleanor, and recovering from a bad marriage. One of the waiting women in Eleanor's court, Claire, is a separate character with her own roller-coaster of a story line, and Henry II is just appearing in Eleanor's life.
Henry and Eleanor manage a tryst, and much of the book is spent on how Eleanor and her court hide the resulting pregnancy from Louis and her enemies in Louis's court, while working to establish an annulment. Petronilla becomes the public Eleanor, and the sisters change roles in complex and highly dramatic ways.
I enjoyed the story line, the characters, the extremely female focus of the narrative, and the convincing evocation of time and place (which is Holland's tour-de-force skill). If you like historical novels, and/or court intrigue and deception, you'll like this.
Eleanor is, of course, Eleanor of Aquitaine, unhappily married to Louis VII and bound and determined to find a way out. Her sister Petronilla is her devoted shadow, nowhere near as vibrant or stubborn as Eleanor, and recovering from a bad marriage. One of the waiting women in Eleanor's court, Claire, is a separate character with her own roller-coaster of a story line, and Henry II is just appearing in Eleanor's life.
Henry and Eleanor manage a tryst, and much of the book is spent on how Eleanor and her court hide the resulting pregnancy from Louis and her enemies in Louis's court, while working to establish an annulment. Petronilla becomes the public Eleanor, and the sisters change roles in complex and highly dramatic ways.
I enjoyed the story line, the characters, the extremely female focus of the narrative, and the convincing evocation of time and place (which is Holland's tour-de-force skill). If you like historical novels, and/or court intrigue and deception, you'll like this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2011
I will say right off the bat that I have no prior knowledge of Eleanor, so I had no preconceived ideas of how this story or Eleanor herself should be represented. So in short... I LOVED IT. It gripped me from the very first paragraph and did not let me go until the last page. I read this book in 4 days and loved every second of it.
I'm not going to go into a synopsis here because lots of other people on Good Reads have done a great job of that.
I have read some historical fiction and it is my favourite genre, even though I don't get to read it as much as I would like! And Cecelia Holland manages to hit every point that I love about this genre. She includes just the right amount of setting description, foods, games (tables -- which I learned from good 'ol wikipedia is one of the oldest form of board games of which backgammon was derived.. see? FASCINATING!) ANYway, she describes the tapestries, the castle stuff, the clothing... all of the things that help me to completely disappear into this time period with ease. And I wish I could stay there!
There are plenty of healthy twists and turns (that is if you are not familiar with the general history of Eleanor's actual life like I was) that will keep you flipping the pages to find out what happens next.
Do yourself a favour and buy this book, and if you have a Kindle you can get it for under 4 bucks!!
I'm not going to go into a synopsis here because lots of other people on Good Reads have done a great job of that.
I have read some historical fiction and it is my favourite genre, even though I don't get to read it as much as I would like! And Cecelia Holland manages to hit every point that I love about this genre. She includes just the right amount of setting description, foods, games (tables -- which I learned from good 'ol wikipedia is one of the oldest form of board games of which backgammon was derived.. see? FASCINATING!) ANYway, she describes the tapestries, the castle stuff, the clothing... all of the things that help me to completely disappear into this time period with ease. And I wish I could stay there!
There are plenty of healthy twists and turns (that is if you are not familiar with the general history of Eleanor's actual life like I was) that will keep you flipping the pages to find out what happens next.
Do yourself a favour and buy this book, and if you have a Kindle you can get it for under 4 bucks!!
October 24, 2011
I've been reading history for a long time now, both fiction and non-fiction. I started off years ago with Jean Plaidy/Philippa Carr, Norah Lofts, Mary Stewart to name a few. I continued on to more recent releases like Philippa Gregory. I loved them all. I do realize that in many instances, "fiction" is the key word. Some of the books have proven to be quite controversial among readers, because they have explored some less than popular ideas-like "The Other Boleyn Girl". I still found them fascinating and entertaining.
I mention all this because I am trying to figure out why I really didn't like "The Secret Eleanor" very much. It is certainly well written and a quick read. It is just another exploration of a well known figure, but I could not get into the author's ideas in this book. I found this book to be slightly preposterous, beyond just unlikely. What really bugs me is the portrayal of Eleanor of Aquitaine as such a heartless, selfish, slut. MY Eleanor just would not have been this stupid, and I guess that says it all.
I mention all this because I am trying to figure out why I really didn't like "The Secret Eleanor" very much. It is certainly well written and a quick read. It is just another exploration of a well known figure, but I could not get into the author's ideas in this book. I found this book to be slightly preposterous, beyond just unlikely. What really bugs me is the portrayal of Eleanor of Aquitaine as such a heartless, selfish, slut. MY Eleanor just would not have been this stupid, and I guess that says it all.
June 19, 2015
This interlude in Eleanor's life between the year she first meet Henry and the time they were married, is "off". Its base sensibilities are not the mid-twelfth century, IMHO. A pregnancy is exactly the kind of "secret" that a Queen of that age and place could not have kept.
IMHO, this is the Cecilia Holland that is pure fairy-tale and not historical fiction. Eleanor of Aquitaine was a savvy and strong-willed woman. Her story and Henry's as a couple and in singular have been told to the politico bases and power cores in dozens of scholarly and entertainment forms. Both! There did not need to be added extra drama, there was drama in reality enough. The relationship in age of Eleanor and Henry II is actually far more interesting. Lion in Winter with Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn, for instance, gets the love/hate relationship of two power mongers just perfectly. But in erudite works there is accurate Eleanor history before the age of 30, if interested. While this book doesn't begin to scale the walls that needed to be crossed both for her lands and marriage options.
IMHO, this is the Cecilia Holland that is pure fairy-tale and not historical fiction. Eleanor of Aquitaine was a savvy and strong-willed woman. Her story and Henry's as a couple and in singular have been told to the politico bases and power cores in dozens of scholarly and entertainment forms. Both! There did not need to be added extra drama, there was drama in reality enough. The relationship in age of Eleanor and Henry II is actually far more interesting. Lion in Winter with Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn, for instance, gets the love/hate relationship of two power mongers just perfectly. But in erudite works there is accurate Eleanor history before the age of 30, if interested. While this book doesn't begin to scale the walls that needed to be crossed both for her lands and marriage options.
August 12, 2010
I think most everyone knows of Eleanor of Acquitaine and probably has read a book or two about her. She was Queen of France when married to Louis VII (in this version, he is a terrible pansy who makes no decisions for himself) and later, queen of England when married to Henry d'Anjou, son of Empress Mathilda. This novel begins during her marriage to the pansy and chronicles her love at first sight and supposed extramarital affair with Henry....
For full review and a few laughs, click the link below:
http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2010/...
For full review and a few laughs, click the link below:
http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2010/...
June 8, 2010
3.5 star read.
Ok, so here we have the zillionth historical novel on Eleanor this year. Are we tired of her yet? I am definitely tired of the sexual references over and over and over. So if you are too, I would recommend reading Christy English's The Queen's Pawn. At least it had Eleanor in it where she did not fantasize about men in her bed (too much). After recently reading The Captive Queen by Weir, I was hesitant to read another novel that is slanted again so much towards that sexual drive of Eleanor. I get it, ya know? And yet, I have to wonder.. what was Eleanor REALLY like? Is she now turning over in her tomb at Fontevraud with these supposed sexual exploits?
The Secret Eleanor opens up to Eleanor in the French courts as she first eyes the must-be-extremely-sexy Henry, future king of England. She is like a cat in heat upon first glance. I didn't really want to read any more after this, because, really, is it possible that we could we get past this? Well, it would have to be the flow of the writing itself. Which surprisingly and so very thankfully was not lacking. Thirty or forty pages of Eleanor scheming to get closer to Henry and finally the story starts taking shape and the humanity seeps through. If we had another thirty pages more of just Eleanor scheming for Henry, I would have given up. A saving grace were the supporting characters in the novel which included a naive young girl named Claire, and Eleanor's own sister, Petronilla and her eventual love interest. The story ultimately focuses on a fictitious illegitimate pregnancy of Eleanor's and once that story takes off, we are in for an entirely different slant on Eleanor as the supporters of Eleanor work to keep this very treasonous secret for Eleanor.
Arguably, the best feature was that the novel started to not focus on Eleanor but instead focused on Eleanor's sister Petronilla. In many of my previous encounters with Eleanor novels, Petra is involved in different capacities. This is the only one that focuses fully on the character of Petra and her feelings from jealousy to low self-esteem. Since Eleanor was secretly having an illegitimate child, Petra dons the Eleanor makeup and the royal clothes and impersonates Eleanor, long enough to fool everyone including Henry the Duke who Eleanor had high hopes of catching. Thus the title of this novel The Secret Eleanor makes perfect sense as Petra actually becomes Eleanor for public spectacles.
Another contrast from this novel to other Eleanor novels is the timeline. Many previous novels have been all encompassing which includes and emphasizes Eleanor's reign as Queen of England and the struggles she has between Henry II and their children, but this novel stops before we get to that point. It opens up to Eleanor as a Queen of France, struggling to find a way out of there as Louis' queen and directly on to Poitiers and her beloved home of Aquitaine. Henry (still just a duke and not yet king) is featured as the catalyst for Eleanor's will to make her split with Louis a reality, and her sister becomes a major mover in her quest as well. The side story of the lady in waiting, Claire, who we never knew if we could trust, was a positive departure from the norm in the novel, as we grew to empathize with Claire and her own plight in the world. She becomes involved with a troubadour which could have disastrous consequences for her and we witness her decisions as we await either her ruin or her rise.
As Eleanor fights to sever her ties with King Louis, the strongest theme of the novel was the relationship between the two sisters. Eleanor was always the one in the limelight, Petra was the shunned one. Once Petra switched places, and became the secret Eleanor, she felt noticed and beautiful. Can Petra find true love after being tossed away by her ex-husband? Can she ever feel as worthy to her sister as merely a sister and not as a servant? And can she do it without breaking the bond with her royal sister?
Those readers who are intrigued by the historical period before Eleanor became the Queen of England and mother of kings, would enjoy this novel if they can appreciate the romantic twists that the author inserts into the novel. It has the aura of a historical novel with its many characters and the nuance of the times, with the romantic overtones heavily laced throughout which makes it also a compelling historical romance. And for me, once the story took shape and I became invested in the storyline of what would happen as a result of the untimely pregnancy, I did enjoy this novel and the surprising plot. I was glad that it eventually did not focus on Eleanor's lusty desires and that it gave me insight into her sister's character who has always been Eleanor's shadow in other Eleanor novels.
Ok, so here we have the zillionth historical novel on Eleanor this year. Are we tired of her yet? I am definitely tired of the sexual references over and over and over. So if you are too, I would recommend reading Christy English's The Queen's Pawn. At least it had Eleanor in it where she did not fantasize about men in her bed (too much). After recently reading The Captive Queen by Weir, I was hesitant to read another novel that is slanted again so much towards that sexual drive of Eleanor. I get it, ya know? And yet, I have to wonder.. what was Eleanor REALLY like? Is she now turning over in her tomb at Fontevraud with these supposed sexual exploits?
The Secret Eleanor opens up to Eleanor in the French courts as she first eyes the must-be-extremely-sexy Henry, future king of England. She is like a cat in heat upon first glance. I didn't really want to read any more after this, because, really, is it possible that we could we get past this? Well, it would have to be the flow of the writing itself. Which surprisingly and so very thankfully was not lacking. Thirty or forty pages of Eleanor scheming to get closer to Henry and finally the story starts taking shape and the humanity seeps through. If we had another thirty pages more of just Eleanor scheming for Henry, I would have given up. A saving grace were the supporting characters in the novel which included a naive young girl named Claire, and Eleanor's own sister, Petronilla and her eventual love interest. The story ultimately focuses on a fictitious illegitimate pregnancy of Eleanor's and once that story takes off, we are in for an entirely different slant on Eleanor as the supporters of Eleanor work to keep this very treasonous secret for Eleanor.
Arguably, the best feature was that the novel started to not focus on Eleanor but instead focused on Eleanor's sister Petronilla. In many of my previous encounters with Eleanor novels, Petra is involved in different capacities. This is the only one that focuses fully on the character of Petra and her feelings from jealousy to low self-esteem. Since Eleanor was secretly having an illegitimate child, Petra dons the Eleanor makeup and the royal clothes and impersonates Eleanor, long enough to fool everyone including Henry the Duke who Eleanor had high hopes of catching. Thus the title of this novel The Secret Eleanor makes perfect sense as Petra actually becomes Eleanor for public spectacles.
Another contrast from this novel to other Eleanor novels is the timeline. Many previous novels have been all encompassing which includes and emphasizes Eleanor's reign as Queen of England and the struggles she has between Henry II and their children, but this novel stops before we get to that point. It opens up to Eleanor as a Queen of France, struggling to find a way out of there as Louis' queen and directly on to Poitiers and her beloved home of Aquitaine. Henry (still just a duke and not yet king) is featured as the catalyst for Eleanor's will to make her split with Louis a reality, and her sister becomes a major mover in her quest as well. The side story of the lady in waiting, Claire, who we never knew if we could trust, was a positive departure from the norm in the novel, as we grew to empathize with Claire and her own plight in the world. She becomes involved with a troubadour which could have disastrous consequences for her and we witness her decisions as we await either her ruin or her rise.
As Eleanor fights to sever her ties with King Louis, the strongest theme of the novel was the relationship between the two sisters. Eleanor was always the one in the limelight, Petra was the shunned one. Once Petra switched places, and became the secret Eleanor, she felt noticed and beautiful. Can Petra find true love after being tossed away by her ex-husband? Can she ever feel as worthy to her sister as merely a sister and not as a servant? And can she do it without breaking the bond with her royal sister?
Those readers who are intrigued by the historical period before Eleanor became the Queen of England and mother of kings, would enjoy this novel if they can appreciate the romantic twists that the author inserts into the novel. It has the aura of a historical novel with its many characters and the nuance of the times, with the romantic overtones heavily laced throughout which makes it also a compelling historical romance. And for me, once the story took shape and I became invested in the storyline of what would happen as a result of the untimely pregnancy, I did enjoy this novel and the surprising plot. I was glad that it eventually did not focus on Eleanor's lusty desires and that it gave me insight into her sister's character who has always been Eleanor's shadow in other Eleanor novels.
September 30, 2010
Read my review and more on my historical fiction blog! Confessions and Ramblings if a Muse in the Fog
Eleanor of Aquitaine is most well known for her marriage to Henry II and for being the devout mother of Richard I, but in The Secret Eleanor, Cecelia Holland focuses on Eleanor's early adulthood and her marriage to King Louis VII of France.
From the Beginning of the book, Eleanor's ambition and thirst for power is quite apparent. While holding court in Paris, Eleanor meets Henry II and is quickly besotted with him. Already dissatisfied with her marriage to Louis VII, Eleanor decides at once that, with Henry II at her side, nothing can hold her back from the power she desires. She immediately embarks upon a course of action that is sure to set her free of her current situation. Eleanor is strong and ruthless when it comes to reaching her goals, yet not even she can accomplish this feat alone; She will need the help of her sister Petra and the loyalty of those whom love her. But when the stakes are so high, can one completely trust anyone? In a story of love, ambition, power and betrayal, The Secret Eleanor will have you questioning who is right in their actions and what price is too high for power and loyalty to those you love.
Having read only one other book on Eleanor of Aquitaine, I was eager to learn more about this fascinating woman through Cecelia Holland's The Secret Eleanor. Unfortunately, I found this description of Eleanor to be lacking in depth and it was quite hard to derive any pleasing qualities from her demeanor. In the first few chapters she meets Henry II and has an intimate, and might I add cleverly descriptive, rendezvous with him; which lead me to ask: "Why? Where did that come from?". There were many times during the course of the novel I found myself pondering how their love came about. If only there would have been a bit more history between them it would have improved the plot greatly.
Although my issues with Eleanor were great, they became less prevalent as the book went on. This was mainly do to the sift in focus from Eleanor to her sister Petra, who's motives were not without reason. It was through her that everything was put into perspective and the story began to draw me in.
After the switch in focus, the plot quickly becomes more in depth and it twisted with great surprise. By the end of the book, I found myself wanting it to continue! I was not ready to leave Eleanor and Petra; it seemed their story had just begun. All things considered, this was a good read; though one that could have been better, especially in the beginning. I have another book by Cecelia Holland awaiting me on my bookshelf; I shall indeed be reading it.
Eleanor of Aquitaine is most well known for her marriage to Henry II and for being the devout mother of Richard I, but in The Secret Eleanor, Cecelia Holland focuses on Eleanor's early adulthood and her marriage to King Louis VII of France.
From the Beginning of the book, Eleanor's ambition and thirst for power is quite apparent. While holding court in Paris, Eleanor meets Henry II and is quickly besotted with him. Already dissatisfied with her marriage to Louis VII, Eleanor decides at once that, with Henry II at her side, nothing can hold her back from the power she desires. She immediately embarks upon a course of action that is sure to set her free of her current situation. Eleanor is strong and ruthless when it comes to reaching her goals, yet not even she can accomplish this feat alone; She will need the help of her sister Petra and the loyalty of those whom love her. But when the stakes are so high, can one completely trust anyone? In a story of love, ambition, power and betrayal, The Secret Eleanor will have you questioning who is right in their actions and what price is too high for power and loyalty to those you love.
Having read only one other book on Eleanor of Aquitaine, I was eager to learn more about this fascinating woman through Cecelia Holland's The Secret Eleanor. Unfortunately, I found this description of Eleanor to be lacking in depth and it was quite hard to derive any pleasing qualities from her demeanor. In the first few chapters she meets Henry II and has an intimate, and might I add cleverly descriptive, rendezvous with him; which lead me to ask: "Why? Where did that come from?". There were many times during the course of the novel I found myself pondering how their love came about. If only there would have been a bit more history between them it would have improved the plot greatly.
Although my issues with Eleanor were great, they became less prevalent as the book went on. This was mainly do to the sift in focus from Eleanor to her sister Petra, who's motives were not without reason. It was through her that everything was put into perspective and the story began to draw me in.
After the switch in focus, the plot quickly becomes more in depth and it twisted with great surprise. By the end of the book, I found myself wanting it to continue! I was not ready to leave Eleanor and Petra; it seemed their story had just begun. All things considered, this was a good read; though one that could have been better, especially in the beginning. I have another book by Cecelia Holland awaiting me on my bookshelf; I shall indeed be reading it.
March 10, 2011
Subtitled "a novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine" the book covers the period from August 1151 when Eleanor first met her future husband, Henry III of England, and May of 1152 when she married him. This book just never gripped me, even if it was good enough to keep me reading to the end. Some things I did appreciate in it--particularly with how Holland took as she put it in her afterward "the scraps" of what we know of Eleanor and from it fashions a plot surrounding a secret pregnancy--and history gives her just the window to do it, although I found aspects of the plot about how she hid the pregnancy ludicrous. I also was taken with how Holland depicts the intrigue of the French court. Eleanor is never free--not simply because as the queen she's guarded every minute, but because of spies within her own household and courtiers and clergy plotting against her.
The prose, if spare, is mostly decent, and with good sensory detail. The biggest style problem I had was whenever we get a love scene we get graceless romance aisle. Within the first 50 pages I noted these euphemisms used for a certain part of Henry's anatomy: lance, manly stalk, prod, manhood, sword. I empathize with the dilemma of a novelist trying to negotiate the dangers of too clinical on one side or too pornographic on the other--but if you're then going to use euphemism, I'd rather the author pick just one (and stay away from anything so risible as "manly stalk.") Nor was that the only problem with Holland's love scenes.
I also had a problem with sympathizing with Holland's characters. In this novel Eleanor and Henry start a physical relationship within days of meeting each other even though she's still married to King Louis of France. Louis is depicted as weak, pathetic, but it's not as if he's cruel to Eleanor, and she has two daughters by him. Eleanor and Henry seem motivated by lust--for each other, but mostly fueled by the possibility of carving up Louis' France and creating out of their lands an Angevin empire. Besides this couple, the narrative is shared with Petronilla, Eleanor's younger sister, who is sympathetic but none too interesting, and lady-in-waiting Claire, a young girl of doubtful loyalty who gets involved with a troubadour.
Finally, when I think of the historical novels that have stuck with me, they've either illuminated for me the alien mindset of past centuries or made me feel vividly what it was like to live then or follow a specific pursuit, or made me laugh out loud or feel for their characters. Holland did none of those things. So in short, this is a fairly well-written, well-researched historical novel, but not a standout. It made me more want to look up Sharon Kay Penman's novels featuring Eleanor of Aquitaine than ever read anything else by Holland.
The prose, if spare, is mostly decent, and with good sensory detail. The biggest style problem I had was whenever we get a love scene we get graceless romance aisle. Within the first 50 pages I noted these euphemisms used for a certain part of Henry's anatomy: lance, manly stalk, prod, manhood, sword. I empathize with the dilemma of a novelist trying to negotiate the dangers of too clinical on one side or too pornographic on the other--but if you're then going to use euphemism, I'd rather the author pick just one (and stay away from anything so risible as "manly stalk.") Nor was that the only problem with Holland's love scenes.
I also had a problem with sympathizing with Holland's characters. In this novel Eleanor and Henry start a physical relationship within days of meeting each other even though she's still married to King Louis of France. Louis is depicted as weak, pathetic, but it's not as if he's cruel to Eleanor, and she has two daughters by him. Eleanor and Henry seem motivated by lust--for each other, but mostly fueled by the possibility of carving up Louis' France and creating out of their lands an Angevin empire. Besides this couple, the narrative is shared with Petronilla, Eleanor's younger sister, who is sympathetic but none too interesting, and lady-in-waiting Claire, a young girl of doubtful loyalty who gets involved with a troubadour.
Finally, when I think of the historical novels that have stuck with me, they've either illuminated for me the alien mindset of past centuries or made me feel vividly what it was like to live then or follow a specific pursuit, or made me laugh out loud or feel for their characters. Holland did none of those things. So in short, this is a fairly well-written, well-researched historical novel, but not a standout. It made me more want to look up Sharon Kay Penman's novels featuring Eleanor of Aquitaine than ever read anything else by Holland.
July 10, 2013
I've read a reasonable amount of historical fiction about Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the major players here are depicted in a different way than I've seen before. Take King Louis VII: in most of what I've read, he's written as wedded to the church, fearful of Eleanor, terrified of God's wrath. Here, instead, he is an ineffectual king and ineffectual husband, with wishy-washy tendencies, but he is fond of Eleanor and sort of...benign. Henry II, usually presented as the manly-man hero (since Eleanor ended up with him and all), is here shown as something of a rake, having ambition but little honour, sometimes cruel. And Eleanor of Aquitaine herself, who is usually shown as proud but shrewd, in many books having affairs but always an excellent ruler...here she is strong-willed, impatient, more greedy than calculating.
It's interesting. Neither Eleanor nor Henry is a particularly likable character. Instead we have extended scenes in the POV of Petronilla, Eleanor's younger sister—giving us somebody more likable to root for, I suppose. There's also Claire, one of Eleanor's ladies, although she is sometimes the one to root for and sometimes the one to distrust.
While as a whole the book strains the bounds of credulity (less of a this could be how it happened and more of a well, if this thing happened, then theoretically this could have as well...and it could maybe have played out this way...), and no, I didn't particularly care for Eleanor's portrayal (I'd think she'd have to be quite a bit more forward-thinking, to have achieved all she actually did), I really appreciated that so many of the characters had shades of grey to them, and that I did get a different view of Eleanor than the norm.
One small thing: As Geoffrey escaped, many of his men surrendered, as the custom was, and became Henry's men instead, which got them fed and led well and, most important, on the winning side (115). How different a viewpoint than we have today!
It's interesting. Neither Eleanor nor Henry is a particularly likable character. Instead we have extended scenes in the POV of Petronilla, Eleanor's younger sister—giving us somebody more likable to root for, I suppose. There's also Claire, one of Eleanor's ladies, although she is sometimes the one to root for and sometimes the one to distrust.
While as a whole the book strains the bounds of credulity (less of a this could be how it happened and more of a well, if this thing happened, then theoretically this could have as well...and it could maybe have played out this way...), and no, I didn't particularly care for Eleanor's portrayal (I'd think she'd have to be quite a bit more forward-thinking, to have achieved all she actually did), I really appreciated that so many of the characters had shades of grey to them, and that I did get a different view of Eleanor than the norm.
One small thing: As Geoffrey escaped, many of his men surrendered, as the custom was, and became Henry's men instead, which got them fed and led well and, most important, on the winning side (115). How different a viewpoint than we have today!
February 28, 2014
How do you turn a woman who left an incredible mark on history by daring to choose her husband, who set a new standard for women in power into a shallow, conniving, backstabbing, whiny little girl? After reading The Secret Eleanor I’m still not too sure, but Cecelia Holland somehow managed it.
As you’ve probably guessed, this book was a complete letdown. I expected to admire Eleanor because in history she really was a strong, intelligent and cunning woman. I didn’t expect the whiny, self-centred creature that Cecelia Holland portrayed her as. How could this woman have done half of the things she did in real life if she was as Holland imagines her? Answer: she couldn’t and that’s why her portrayal falls flat.
There has to be a strong suspension of disbelief to finish this book because we learn that Eleanor while Eleanor was pregnant with Henry’s child her sister Petronilla impersonated her. This I highly doubt. Sisters can look alike, it’s true, but very rarely can someone truly copy another person’s mannerisms and vocal patterns. Even when they’re close sisters. Honestly, if this scenario had been true, someone would have noticed and outed the whole conspiracy. As it was, everyone within Eleanor’s inner circle knew so it’s pretty safe to say that in real life, someone would have squealed.
I could look past the implausible scenario if the rest of the book was well written, but it was not. The plot seems to jump all over the place as we follow the different characters through their journeys. Claire, the young maidservant, randomly seems to get quite a bit of page time in the last third of the book. Eleanor all but disappears from the narrative as Petronilla takes over her role. Sometimes there seems to be neither rhyme nor reason as to why Cecelia Holland changed points of view other than in a desperate attempt to move the plot along. It didn’t work.
Basically, if you’re even vaguely interested in Eleanor of Aquitaine this book is not for you. I honestly wish I hadn’t wasted my money on it.
I give this book 1/5 stars.
As you’ve probably guessed, this book was a complete letdown. I expected to admire Eleanor because in history she really was a strong, intelligent and cunning woman. I didn’t expect the whiny, self-centred creature that Cecelia Holland portrayed her as. How could this woman have done half of the things she did in real life if she was as Holland imagines her? Answer: she couldn’t and that’s why her portrayal falls flat.
There has to be a strong suspension of disbelief to finish this book because we learn that Eleanor while Eleanor was pregnant with Henry’s child her sister Petronilla impersonated her. This I highly doubt. Sisters can look alike, it’s true, but very rarely can someone truly copy another person’s mannerisms and vocal patterns. Even when they’re close sisters. Honestly, if this scenario had been true, someone would have noticed and outed the whole conspiracy. As it was, everyone within Eleanor’s inner circle knew so it’s pretty safe to say that in real life, someone would have squealed.
I could look past the implausible scenario if the rest of the book was well written, but it was not. The plot seems to jump all over the place as we follow the different characters through their journeys. Claire, the young maidservant, randomly seems to get quite a bit of page time in the last third of the book. Eleanor all but disappears from the narrative as Petronilla takes over her role. Sometimes there seems to be neither rhyme nor reason as to why Cecelia Holland changed points of view other than in a desperate attempt to move the plot along. It didn’t work.
Basically, if you’re even vaguely interested in Eleanor of Aquitaine this book is not for you. I honestly wish I hadn’t wasted my money on it.
I give this book 1/5 stars.
August 29, 2010
This has been the year of Eleanor of Aquitane novels. No less than three novels have been published this year about the famous queen, so I was hoping that Cecelia Holland's The Secret Eleanor would stand out from the crowd. Eleanor is such a fascinating woman, but all of this year's Eleanor novels I've read so far have turned out to be boring. I had high hopes for The Secret Eleanor. I thought it could stand out from the pack, but it didn't. It just stayed flat.
In fact, I didn't even finish the book. Yeah, I pretty much never leave books unfinished, so that's pretty bad. First, The Secret Eleanor focuses on the events within just one year of the eventful Queen's life. Eleanor is struggling since she cannot bear King Louis of France a male heir, and Eleanor and Louis are considering getting an annulment. But Eleanor has a secret, she has a burning desire for the young Henry, son of the Count d'Anjou with a strong claim to the British throne. After an unfortunate decision, Eleanor becomes pregnant with Henry's child, putting the pending annulment and her possible marriage to Henry in jeopardy.
That's basically the entire book. While there is some discussion of French, British and Aquitane politics, much of the book is spent hiding Eleanor's pregnancy and waiting for her to have the baby. That's it. There are a few subplots that Holland tried to weave into the story, such as the musicians Claire and Thomas and Henry's struggle against his brother Geoffrey, but they either didn't go anywhere or didn't seem to have much of an impact on the overall plot. Not only was it confusing and jarring to suddenly swap between first-person viewpoints, but there was so much that could have and should have been cut out. Perhaps Holland could have talked about more events in Eleanor's life?
While I wouldn't discourage readers from picking this book up, just be warned that it's very simple, linear and not much happens -oh, and there's a quite a bit of romance too.
In fact, I didn't even finish the book. Yeah, I pretty much never leave books unfinished, so that's pretty bad. First, The Secret Eleanor focuses on the events within just one year of the eventful Queen's life. Eleanor is struggling since she cannot bear King Louis of France a male heir, and Eleanor and Louis are considering getting an annulment. But Eleanor has a secret, she has a burning desire for the young Henry, son of the Count d'Anjou with a strong claim to the British throne. After an unfortunate decision, Eleanor becomes pregnant with Henry's child, putting the pending annulment and her possible marriage to Henry in jeopardy.
That's basically the entire book. While there is some discussion of French, British and Aquitane politics, much of the book is spent hiding Eleanor's pregnancy and waiting for her to have the baby. That's it. There are a few subplots that Holland tried to weave into the story, such as the musicians Claire and Thomas and Henry's struggle against his brother Geoffrey, but they either didn't go anywhere or didn't seem to have much of an impact on the overall plot. Not only was it confusing and jarring to suddenly swap between first-person viewpoints, but there was so much that could have and should have been cut out. Perhaps Holland could have talked about more events in Eleanor's life?
While I wouldn't discourage readers from picking this book up, just be warned that it's very simple, linear and not much happens -oh, and there's a quite a bit of romance too.
October 7, 2010
I didn't even know anything really about Eleanor until I started reading this novel and honestly, since my friend Tara sent it to me and I read her review of it, I was kind of scared. Honestly, the author of this novel.. I'm curious as to how she even thought up all of these different names for a man's private parts. I don't think I have ever heard them called "lance" or "manly stock" and I pretty much laughed the entire time I read any sex part of this book. But really, I ended up liking the book a lot because I love historical things, really, and I felt like this book, even though it wasn't really ALL her life, I learned a lot. Eleanor seems like a selfish person and the author, Miss Holland, did a really great job at doing that. I would have a more detailed review but there's not much else to say, except read it. You may be bored to death by history novels, which if you are, then you probably should suck it up and read it anyway. If not for the value of learning a little bit of history then do it for a laugh at the "Sex" parts, because trust me, that was quite interesting. Thank you Tara for sending me this novel! :]
March 9, 2015
The subtitle of this book should be: The ins and outs of going on Progress. If you want to know every excruciating detail of how a royal Progress transpires, than this is your book. There is so much time wasted storytelling, weird side stories that serve no purpose to the real story, and just some boring dialogue, that it was hard to finish. Sometimes, the dialogue was so bad, I had to reread a paragraph to understand it, and oftentimes I still didn't get what the author was trying to say. And then the ending was just so abrupt, where I'm scratching my head, trying to make sense of how exactly the conflict resolved itself. While the concept was interesting, I felt it was poorly executed. Additionally, I am one of those people that constantly refer to the map and the genealogy chart that most authors provide with historical fiction books; unfortunately, neither were included. That was a real disservice, because it was hard to imagine where the places were she was talking about and who exactly was whom.
January 12, 2017
Good book! A solid 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed reading about Petronilla, Eleanor's sister, who I never knew existed before this book. I also love Eleanor's story, how she really took things into her own hands when that was so uncommon for women at that time. I thought this really was an interesting and well-written story about these events.
However, I do prefer my historical fiction to be a little more based in history. While this was a very entertaining version of events, hardly any of it had any historical basis. Of course, there's not much factual information out there about Eleanor, so there's a lot of room for speculation. But that being said, so much, the pregnancy, Petronilla's role in things, while it doesn't contradict any known history, as the author said, there's absolutely no reason to believe it did happen.
Overall a good book though. I enjoyed reading it!
However, I do prefer my historical fiction to be a little more based in history. While this was a very entertaining version of events, hardly any of it had any historical basis. Of course, there's not much factual information out there about Eleanor, so there's a lot of room for speculation. But that being said, so much, the pregnancy, Petronilla's role in things, while it doesn't contradict any known history, as the author said, there's absolutely no reason to believe it did happen.
Overall a good book though. I enjoyed reading it!
July 15, 2014
Okay, how many people noticed that this was pretty much The Other Boleyn Girl but Eleanor of Aquitaine instead of Anne Boleyn? The problem is, Philippa Gregory TELLS you it's about the famous person's younger sister- Cecilia Holland DOESN'T. this book said it was about Eleanor of Aquitaine and instead it was all about her younger sister Petronilla. ALL about Petronilla, the overlooked younger sister, which I wouldn't have minded so much if I had looked for a book ABOUT Petronilla. But when I buy a book about Eleanor of Aquitaine- for some crazy reason- I expect it to be about WHO? Eleanor of Aquitaine? Brilliant deduction, Sherlock!
And then, Eleanor is my total hero- I am a 100% Eleanor fangirl- and here they make her out to be the Great Harlot of Christendom.
BOO!!!
And then, Eleanor is my total hero- I am a 100% Eleanor fangirl- and here they make her out to be the Great Harlot of Christendom.
BOO!!!
April 2, 2011
Guess there are some historical figures I don't like people to mess with--Eleanor of Aquitaine is one of them. The plot itself saved me from too much frustration since the author used Eleanor's sister as the main focus. Not easy to swallow that Eleanor would have ordered her sister's death regardless of how ruthless and strong of a ruler she was. Don't appreciate readers assuming that this is all based on fact--as a former history teacher combating Hollywood's version of history this is probably more personal than it should be.
June 30, 2013
This book is an imaginative telling of a short part of the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine. There is a reference somewhere that Eleanor and Henry II had a child named Phillip; on that thread this tale hangs. It is really more a story of her sister Petronilla whom most people probably like better than Eleanor in the end. The book was a little hard to get into, but if one persists, it does get interesting. Just don't think of it as history other than the descriptions of the times which I always find fascinating.
July 28, 2010
I love it. As different as Ms. Holland's take is on the people I love, I really enjoyed this book. Get it, read it, and enjoy it for yourselves. All fans of Henry and Eleanor will enjoy, I think, and I think Ms. Holland will also create some new fans for Eleanor's sister, Petra. I was a fan already, so I was thrilled to see Eleanor's sister take a strong roll in such a wonderful novel.
November 14, 2018
Not one of her better books. I didn't recognize Eleanor in Holland's imaginings of her.
April 1, 2025
Hubiera dado más estrellas a este libro porque la historia como tal es interesante. Pero la forma en la que está escrita es muy lenta y la escritora desaprovecha muchos sucesos que pueden ser objeto de emoción.
Es la historia de dos hermanas rivales que al final resultan unirse.
También es la historia del secreto del embarazo de Leonor cuando está casada con Luis y pretende hacerse con Aquitania.Petronila suplanta su personalidad para que no se descubra ese embarazo.
Finalmente, Luis permite que Leonor sea libre y se casa con Enrique que, habiendo descubierto que Petronila se hacía pasar por Leonor y que ha sido víctima de ese engaño, decide perdonar pues el encanto de las dos mujeres es mayor que la mentira.
Se muestra la personalidad tan fuerte de Leonor.
Sin embargo, con un argumento tan potente, no he logrado mantenerme enganchada en la lectura.
Es la historia de dos hermanas rivales que al final resultan unirse.
También es la historia del secreto del embarazo de Leonor cuando está casada con Luis y pretende hacerse con Aquitania.Petronila suplanta su personalidad para que no se descubra ese embarazo.
Finalmente, Luis permite que Leonor sea libre y se casa con Enrique que, habiendo descubierto que Petronila se hacía pasar por Leonor y que ha sido víctima de ese engaño, decide perdonar pues el encanto de las dos mujeres es mayor que la mentira.
Se muestra la personalidad tan fuerte de Leonor.
Sin embargo, con un argumento tan potente, no he logrado mantenerme enganchada en la lectura.
December 10, 2023
Some time ago I collected quite a few Eleanor of Aquitaine novels with the plan that some day I would begin reading them as a series. That day finally arrived and I chose this one as the first one to read mainly because I was so drawn to the gorgeous cover. I really enjoyed this story but upon learning more about her life, I realized that this was just a sliver in time of her full story. It was filled with romance and a plot to obtain an annulment from her husband using her sister as a double. I believe this part probably is a bit of a stretch but it was a fun easy read. However, the book doesn't really speak to her true accomplishments in life so I am looking forward to reading some of my other books in my Eleanor collection.
February 9, 2019
Historical fiction is one of my favorite reads. Loved reading this about Eleanor of Aquataine and her sister.
May 23, 2023
Entretenido, aunque poco preciso históricamente
May 10, 2024
I enjoyed this book more once I decided that the heroine is not Eleanor but her sister.
July 11, 2024
I did not like the writing style of this novel. It was a struggle to finish. The plot also jumped all over the place and was not fluid.
June 23, 2015
I read this with excited anticipation as Eleanor of Aquitaine is arguably my favorite female historic figure. This novel was difficult to embrace, although well written. The time is about a year or more (1151-1152) when Eleanor is married to Louis VII and has yet to produce a son. She meets the young(he is 19 to her 30)Henry II when he comes to Court to pay homage to Louis and is virtually struck by him on first site, a quick encounter ensues which, in this tome, produces a pregnancy. Eleanor now plots to have her marriage to Louis annulled and succeeds although in a less timely manner than she hoped which leads to the concealment of her pregnancy and her impersonation in public by her younger sister Petronella; also revealed is the "love/hate" relationship between the two sisters. The child is born in the successful concealment and is a boy who is given to Petronella to raise as her own. It is said that there is a lost document of this pre-marital child between Eleanor and Henry. Eleanor is portrayed as a lust driven, power-hungry, controlling harpy. This is undoubtedly true as she was the strongest woman to that point in history who led her own life her own way and opened the door to other strong women after her; scheming, plotting were the norm within the Royal status. The story also focuses on the relationship between the two sisters where Eleanor is the expected victor at the expense of Petronella. I can't really pinpoint why I didn't really experience this story as expected, but although very readable it just didn't excite at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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