Queen Defiant

by Anne O'Brien

A riveting novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine's early adult years from the author of The Virgin Widow.

Orphaned at a young age, Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine, seeks a strong husband to keep her hold on the vast lands that have made her the most powerful heiress in Europe. But her arranged marriage to Louis VII, King of France, is made disastrous by Louis's weakness of will and fanatical devotion to the Church. Eleanor defies her husband by risking her life on an adventurous Crusade, and even challenges the Pope himself. And in young, brilliant, mercurial Henry d'Anjou, she finds her soul mate-the one man who is audacious enough to claim her for his own and make her Queen of England.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, France, Medieval, 12th Century, Romance

412 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

My home is in the Welsh Marches, although much of my early life was spent in Yorkshire, most recently in the East Riding.Ann O'Brien The Marches is a remote region of England, surrounded by echoes from the past. Hereford is close with its famous Mappa Mundi and chained library.So is Shrewsbury, and also Ludlow with its splendid castle and its connections with our Plantagenet and Tudor kings. With my husband, I live in an eighteenth century timber framed cottage, which itself must have seen much history over two hundred years.

I have always enjoyed the appeal of History.I taught the subject with enthusiasm but it became my ambition to write historical romances. My first novel, The Runaway Heiress, was published by Mills and Boon in 2004.
This first book was a Regency Romance in the great tradition of Georgette Heyer - who has not admired her skill and delicate touch for the period? I have drawn on my interest in the Stuart century to write about the English Civil War and Restoration England of Charles II. Living in the Marches however I soon discovered the wealth of atmosphere and legend in this isolated part of England from medieval times. It was not long before I was encouraged to create a medieval romance inConquering Knight, Captive Lady.

When not writing, I have a large rambling garden where George and I grow organic vegetables and soft fruit - or perhaps I should admit that he grows them whilst I pick and cook them. We have a wild garden, an orchard, a formal pond and herbaceous flower borders. We share it all with rabbits and pheasants, frogs and goldfinches, hedgehogs and buzzards. It is a beautiful place. When we first settled into our cottage I planted a herb garden on a Tudor pattern with stone pathways and clipped box hedges. From this I developed my interest in herbs and their uses.

Nicholas Culpeper's The Complete Herbal, a fascinating resource to a historical novelist first published in 1649, has become essential bedside reading. As a result the use of herbs in medicine and witchcraft, for both good and ill, has appeared in some of my novels.

For pure relaxation I enjoy yoga as well as singing with a local Choral Society. Watercolour painting allows me to simply sit and appreciate the landscape and the flowers in my garden, when my mind is busy constructing my next plot.

Reviews

[Sandi *~The Pirate Wench~* · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to pick this up to read hoping it would give me insight to Eleanor Of Aquitaine's "early" life.
What a disappointment to say the least.
The first part of the book covers Eleanor's rule as Duchess of Aquitaine and Queen of France, which to me felt skimmed over and insubstantial.
The author portrays her at age 14 but it felt like she was 21 years old! (as it is told in the first person's voice)
For 14 she was awfully "worldly" in all manners of life including the bedchamber..14? I also got real fed up of her moaning about her life, her lousy husband who never came to her bed, her lonely life, her barren womb...whah..whah..whah.
Then when she does finally have her first child she takes off back home and then later in the story she gives custody of her two young daughters over to Louis as a bargain..well I suppose all sorts of that went on back then,but it didn't enlighten me to her.
The characters, the dialogue,and the plotting all seemed to be lacking for me.
I don't know how much historical liberty was taken in creating this fictionalised accounting of Eleanor and her early life married to Louis King of France, then the "in between" before her marriage to Henry..but frankly..I was bored.
And I have to admit..I skimmed just to get to the end.
I'm hoping her other novel will be more to my liking,but this one just didn't work..lovely cover and all.:(

[Amy Bruno · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Eleanor of Aquitaine seems to be the historical “it” girl of 2011 and adding to the bevy of books on her is Anne O’Brien’s novel, Queen Defiant. This is truly one of the reasons why I love the historical fiction genre: you can read so many varied books on any one person and they all bring something new to the table.

In Queen Defiant, O’Brien chronicles Eleanor’s life from the death of her father, through her time as Queen of France and her unhappy marriage to the ineffectual and overly-pious King Louis. I have mixed emotions about this book, while Eleanor is portrayed as a strong- willed and determined woman, which I have always seen her as, at times she comes off a bit too haughty and kind of bitchy, which didn’t do much to endear her to me. I envision my Eleanor as a bit more subtle, and she’s definitely more outspoken here than I’ve seen her in other novels, though there were scenes that warranted it. That Louis could be so maddening! Louis’ character was pretty spot on from what I’ve read of him previously, though his piousness is taken to a whole new level. The fact that Eleanor managed to produce two children from this marriage seems to no less than a miracle and a testament to her tenacity.

Like any famous person, Eleanor has her share of rumors and scandals surrounding her and in Queen Defiant there is no shortage of drama! Not being a scholar on Eleanor I couldn’t tell you whether or not any of these are true, but they were interesting to read about to say the least! One qualm I had with this book was that I wished there had been more of a setting up of the scenes; it seemed that the characters were here and then they were there and it made the read a little disjointed in my opinion.

But, all in all I enjoyed the new perspective of Eleanor. Her story is one that I will never tire of and if you’re like me then I suggest you check out Anne O’Brien’s novel!

[Misfit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author O'Brien's very fanciful take on Eleanor of Aquitaine begins in 1137 as Louis of France arrives to claim his young and oh-so-wealthy bride. Louis brings Eleanor to Paris, and she's immediately turned off at the filthy, smelly, uncouth and ever-so-tacky Frankish court (Aquitanians being gracious, classy and the artibers of everything in good taste). You will be constantly clubbed over the head with this throughout the novel just so that you don't forget it. Louis would rather be on his knees praying to God than bedding his wife, so things don't exactly get off to the best start and they definitely don't get better. After Louis' disastrous crusade Eleanor's had just about enough and is set on winning her freedom and defiantly demands an annulment(read: nags until she gets her way).

*yawn*

While not near as dire as Weir's disastrous Captive Queen, there really isn't a lot to recommend this either. If you've read one of this latest spate of Eleanor novels, you've read them all and they all make ample use of all the old rumors of affairs with ---- and ------. The historical facts are questionable at best, and the historical setting itself was more of the wall-paper variety - it felt more like modern characters in historical costumes play acting their parts. Library only, then buy it if you love it.

[Éowyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book by Anne O'Brien I have read recently, and I have found her to be a very readable author - far better that the dull Gregory, if you want my opinion! All three of the novels I have read have been written in the first person, which is a narrative technique that I don't generally care for as it often feels too contrived and limits the point of view (see Philippa Gregory!). However, O'Brien, for me, has managed to pull this off and the first person narrative works for her and gives you a real empathy with her protagonists.

This was a good read and a good piece of historical Fiction, with perhaps a bit more emphasis on the Fiction element, as a few incidents I'm not convinced actually happened, or have been embroidered in the retelling. This deals with Eleanor's earlier life, from just before she becomes Queen of France to just after she becomes Queen of England. There could be a whole other book to be written on her life after the end of this book!

O'Brien made Eleanor come alive for me as a person, even if, as I have already said, I did have some reservations on historical accuracy. I think that if an historical novelist gives you a real feel for a person and makes you want to know more, then they have certainly done their job. There are some good biographies on Eleanor out there, so hopefully readers of this novel will feel inspired to seek them out.

[Elena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won't lie: finishing this book was truly hard for me. I bought it on impulse, during a visit to London, because I found it on sale; but after reading it and Virgin Widow by the same author, which I liked a little more but did not find fantastic either, I fear Anne O'Brien's books are not exactly my cup of tea.

I gave this book two stars because I tend to give one star only to the books I found completely awful, and this one wasn't. The first 200-300 pages were quite enjoyable, but after that my interest started to vanish. The problem is the plot is really slow and uneventful: the only things happening are Eleanor complaining about her dull marriage, Eleanor having lovers, Eleanor trying to get her marriage annulled. 600+ pages about them are a little too much! If this book was shorter, I would definitely have appreciated it more.

I did not particularly like Eleanor, but I reckon she was a very complex historical figure and I can only imagine how difficult it would be bringing her to life. She was not completely bad, but I found it hard to sympathize with her because she was very arrogant and complained most of the time. On the other hand, I found Henry's portrayal fascinating and quite successful: or, at least, close to how I'd imagined him.

I would not recommend this book, but it is not completely terrible so try it if you are really interested in Eleanor of Aquitaine. Fans of historical romance might enjoy it too.

[Erika Robuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eleanor, Dutchess of Aquitaine and Gascony, has grown amidst splendor, education, and culture in her home lands. The king of France arranges a marriage between her and his son, Louis the Sixth, in order to acquire her regions and secure an heir for his son. While Eleanor looks forward to the marriage, she soon learns that her husband–a second son more fitting a position in the church than as a future king–is reluctant to fulfill his roles as a husband and ruler.

Years of frustration and boredom pass for Eleanor, but as a woman shrewd in business and in love, she soon makes alliances that will benefit her future more than she can understand.

Anne O’Brien’s characterization of Eleanor is vivid and complete. From a naive girl of fifteen to a wise, worldly, and powerful woman of thirty, Eleanor stops at nothing in her quest for preservation of her birthright and security for her future heirs. Her decisions aren’t always noble, but always well thought out, and it is her acumen that draws the admiration of the reader.

This is the first novel I’ve read by O’Brien, and certainly won’t be the last. QUEEN DEFIANT is a riveting historical saga in the style of Philippa Gregory and with the tension of Ken Follett’s PILLARS novels. I highly recommend it.

[Mandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whilst this is in many ways a typical historical romance and is full of the stereotypes and clichés of the genre (lips curling, bosoms heaving, puissant knights, and the heroine sinking obligingly and predictably into the hero’s arms) it is nevertheless an entertaining read. It’s well-paced, full of well-researched historical detail and conveys an accurate picture of the time and the characters. It follows the early life of Eleanor of Aquitaine up until she arrives in England and although inevitably there has to be much conjecture about her thoughts and motivations, the portrait that emerges is convincing and well-sustained. Some of the known historical events may have been embroidered but, all the same, this is an enjoyable romp through a fascinating period of history and I enjoyed it more than I expected to – I’d been asked to read it for a review and it’s not my usual choice of fiction. So it was a pleasant surprise.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel despite it being one of the class of "trashy"historical novels, in the vein of Phillipa Gregory. It tells the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine from the beginning of her first marriage to Louis VII of France through to her second marriage to Henry Plantagenet and being crowned Queen of England. I know very little, unfortunately, about the history of this period, and what I do know of Eleanor I have gleaned from watching the excellent "The Lion in Winter" starring Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn. If even half of the events and scenes in this historical novel are true, then Eleanor had an incredible and dangerous life, and remained strong in her convictions in a male-dominated mediaeval society. The novel can't be described as classy, or viewed with the same level of prestige and reverence as the likes of "Wolf Hall", but it's entertaining, easy to read and quite addictive, which is mostly what matters at the end of the day.

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating study of a remarkable queen - Eleanor of Aquitaine. Trapped in an unhappy marriage to Louis VII she uses her beauty, her considerable courage, her manipulative skills and her political astuteness to escape and enter into a second marriage with Henry II - Henry Plantagenet. There are quite a few books centred around Eleanor. I feel Anne O'Brien's version stands among the very best of them. Highly recommended.

[Kiesha ~ Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much but I think there was a missed opportunity. 75% of the book, maybe more was about Eleanor and Louis. I would have maybe liked to see half Louis and Henry--maybe more Henry as the sparks flew between those two.

Narration was great.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book which brings to life a colourful, spirited, strong queen - infamous for being ruthless, in these pages you really want her to be victorious- and so glad she was remembered in history!

[Katy M · Rating 3 out of 5]

2021 Pop Sugar Reading Challenge-a book that starts with Q, X or Z

[Aishwarya Saxena · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, funny story. I bought a copy of The Devil's Consort without looking at the synopsis and the cover (local indie bookseller recommendations FTW), thinking it's another Philippa Gregory. Instead, as you can see, the cover said, "Better than PHILIPPA GREGORY" like it could read my mind. Mildly apprehensive but buoyed by the tagline of "England's Most Ruthless Queen", I settled in to read a book where I knew I wouldn't stop making comparisons. Despite my negative (and totally wrong) preconceptions, I found it to be action-packed, full of intrigue and emotional drama, very similar to chick-lit but with greater impact because it's loosely based on historical fact.

For those of you who are as ignorant as I was on the subject of the European monarchy in the Middle Ages of the non-Tudor variety, Eleanor was a pretty powerful lady; Duchess of Aquitaine (a sizeable region of France) in her own right, she was also the only woman ever to have been queen of both France and England. Documenting the early part of Eleanor’s life, the first person narrative of Devil’s Consort keeps the reader privy to the Duchess’s most intimate thoughts throughout her disastrous marriage to King Louis VI and the initial years of her relationship with King Henry II. Those amongst you who don’t consider yourself history buffs should feel a little more well-educated on the subject of Eleanor of Aquitaine after reading this book, thanks to O’Brien’s in-depth portrait.

A former history teacher, the author has obviously used her passion for the subject to drive her writing, although in places it seems like O’Brien has been so desperate to display her knowledge surrounding the subject that it detracted from the flow of the book. In particular, parts of Louis’ Crusade were so drawn out that just reading these sections felt slightly like a crusade in itself. Like most historical novels, Devil’s Consort probably takes a fair few liberties with the truth by filling in the blanks in order to make the story as interesting as possible, but from reading around the subject it seems O’Brien managed to stay fairly true to historical accounts. Whilst Eleanor is not the easiest character to love, I did empathize with her frustration at the misogynistic laws which rendered her largely impotent in comparison with her male counterparts.

Devil’s Consort's main fault lies in its length and the author’s sense of timing. Over the course of the novel the narrative varies from covering a few days in several pages to many years in one page, and there doesn’t seem to be a good balance. As O’Brien has chosen to document a real person’s life which readers may already be familiar with (even those who aren’t are greeted with an Aquitaine family tree before starting the story), I would have preferred a little more emotion and excitement into the writing in order to truly grip the reader.

Sadly, Devil’s Consort is not quite captivating enough to obtain the affections of those who don’t have the best relationship with historical novels. Overall, it was a decent read, particularly as the reader's guide at the end gives you further suggested reading to delve more deeply into the historical background and more factual research into the character of Eleanor of Aquitaine. I am particularly excited to read more on what happened to Eleanor and Henry after the novel drew to a close.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure how much artistic liberty was taken in creating this fictionalized account of Eleanor of Aquitaine's life, but it made for an interesting story. This is the first book I have read by O'Brien, but I will probably check out the other(s) she has written.

I had only ever known of Eleanor of Aquitaine as the wife of Henry II of England. It was interesting to learn all about her life and first marriage before she married Henry. She had a great deal of courage to fight for her annullment from her marriage to Louis of France. As part of that bargain she ceded custody of her 2 young daughters to Louis. As a mother, I have a hard time imagining how she was able to do that, but I suppose that children of monarchs were raised without much, if any, parental attachment and it was very common to use them as pawns for politically expedient purposes. Still, I felt bad for the French princesses, Marie and Alix, being abandoned by their mother.

If you enjoy reading historical fiction about European royalty, then I think this is a book you would enjoy. If you are a stickler for precise adherence to historical facts, then perhaps this one might be a bit too far afield to suit you, but for me, I didn't mind it. And I should clarify that it wasn't that I think there was anything out of sequence historically speaking -- just that the author told the story in the first person voice of Eleanor, so she imagined all of Eleanor's thoughts, feelings and motives which we could never really know for sure if the picture that is painted is accurate.

[Carol Forrester · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a pretty dedicated Philippa Gregory fan, the stamp "better than Philippa Gregory" didn't do much to entice me. It seemed a little crass in all honesty, and did not do the book any favours.
Unlike Philippa, Anne covers Eleanor of Aquitane's first marriage to the King of France. Phillipa deals with Eleanor's second marriage.
Both books are brilliantly written in their own right, and both give an amazing view on what was an incredibly cunning and resilient woman. I would be resistant to try and compare the two on quality.

Anyhow, back to The Devil's Consort and what I thought of it. It's long, I have to mention that. I have nothing against long books, and if I'm honest you'd struggle to cut it down any more than it is, but it isn't the sort of book you'll speed your way through. A bonus for me since I often find myself finishing books much more quickly than I would care for. If you're looking for something to really involve yourself in, then this is the book.

You may need to brush up on your history a little, but that can be said for any historic novel. On that front though Anne has done a fantastic job of making the book easily accessible to those who have no clue what went on before the twentieth century. However, since I'm currently studying medieval history as part of my degree I'm not the best judge to ask.

So if you have a taste for medieval history, powerful, manipulative women and a little crusading thrown in, this is most certainly a book you should read.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very kindly sent this book by Simon from BookRabbit as I had read and reviewed Anne O'Briens last book which I enjoyed immensely, and I have to say this was just as gripping. I loved it, all about Eleanor of Aquitaine, a person I knew very little about to start with, but who I now know more about and would like to learn more! The blurb on the back of the book makes you believe that Eleanor was ambitious beyond belief, but I really have to say that was not the way she came across in the actual story. Anne draws you into Eleanors life quite gently and keeps you gripped throughout. I thought Eleanor came across as a strong woman, yes and at times misguided but by and large I was sympathetic towards her. She seemed a woman more used than ambitious in my opinion.
The book was very well researched and very well executed in the telling of the story. I am now a commited fan, I loved it and look forward very much to the next book.

[Maxime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many a book on the Plantagenet's both Fact & fiction and this Fictional piece did not disappoint. I do love the story of Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine and found this book although not the most accurate still a good read.

A riveting novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine’s early adult years from the author of The Virgin Widow.

Orphaned at a young age, Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine, seeks a strong husband to keep her hold on the vast lands that have made her the most powerful heiress in Europe. But her arranged marriage to Louis VII, King of France, is made disastrous by Louis’s weakness of will and fanatical devotion to the church. Eleanor defies her husband by risking her life on an adventurous Crusade, and even challenges the Pope himself. And in young, brilliant, mercurial Henry d’Anjou, she finds her soul mate—the one man who is audacious enough to claim her for his own and make her Queen of England

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eleanor of Aquitaine is someone I knew very little about until I read this, and I feel certain that I've got a better idea of her now. She certainly seems to have been a remarkable woman, very aware of her own value as a wife and an ally (although these were basically the same thing at the time).
The book is fairly well structured, and obviously very well researched, but I can't help feeling that it's just not terribly well written all the same. The prose feels clunky, dry, and in need of a good editor. And, you know, if you're going to write a historical novel aimed at women, covering the sexual relations of the monarchy of France and England, you really oughtn't to be so coy about it. Anne O'Brien is no Phillipa Gregory, is what I'm saying.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction at its best. Even paced and captivating. The story of Eleanor of Aquitaine is told from her point of view. From her marriage to the king of France to divorce to marriage to being crowned queen with her second husband.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

still a very good historical read

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's probably more of a 2.5, but regardless, I don't think I would've finished this if Eleanor of Aquitaine wasn't such a fascinating person, although this book's Eleanor came off as cartoonishly vain.

The prose isn't great. Memorable passages in Queen Defiant are associated more with an intense cringe than awe (including a description of Eleanor's thirteen year old sister that includes the phrase "a child beneath her developing curves"), and chapter 2's description of Eleanor's family history felt more like an info dump (and could probably be worked into a conversation between characters with ease). The supporting cast is a bit frustrating as there are a few characters who seem like they'd be important but don't actually have name, such as the brother Louis doesn't want to give his crown to (which Eleanor uses to help convince him to grant the somewhat anti-climactic annulment) and any of Eleanor's ladies in waiting who aren't Agatha or Eleanor's sister Aelith.

But these are fairly easy to forgive compared to Eleanor's love life. She has four sexual partners (I really don't think love interest is an accurate word for most of these) during the course of this book: her monk-like husband King Louis VII of France, the ambitious and grasping Count Geoffrey Plantagenet, her uncle Raymond (most modern historians believe that claims that they actually slept together were a combination of slander and misinterpretation of how affectionate Aquitainians can be with each other), and Henry Plantagenet who is crowned King Henry II of England in the epilogue. Louis is condemned for being short-tempered, neglecting her needs for intimacy, forcing Eleanor to love in a castle she doesn't like, and refusing to listen to Eleanor because she is a woman. Henry is even more short-tempered, leaves her alone for long periods to go campaigning, forces Eleanor to move to his holdings in Anjou and Normandy after marriage, does not listen to her because she is a woman, and has her raise an illegitimate child he fathered while they were married, but he is somehow portrayed as the love of her life. One could say maybe this decision is to show the effect of a strong patriarchy on women, but in an interview in my copy of the book, Anne O'Brien states that she sees Henry II as the love of Eleanor's life. Why?

[Paging Snidget · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mediocre novelisation of the story of a remarkable woman. Very little character development. Eleanor reads the same even though the story spans nearly twenty years. Things really lost it for me though when O'Brien tried to bring love into the storyline with Henry. It came out of nowhere and felt incredibly contrived.

This was a marginally better effort than the last of O'Brien's books I read but not by much. It wasn't through any change in the writing - just as full of ridiculous descriptions and contrived melodrama - but more the subject matter. Eleanor of Aquitaine was a fascinating figure of history and she wasn't done any justice here. My suggestion? Pick up a biography instead. That will be my next step.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd probably say this was better than The King's Concubine once it finally got going. The first half of the book is really slow and it's only from when the Crusade begins that it speeds up. Big chunks of time are skipped along in a few pages, for instance the Crusade is summarised in less than a chapter. Eleanor is often very similar to Alice in the King's Concubine as a narrator and in some places it's hard to tell them apart. The first half of the book is about 2.5 stats and the second is more like 3 stars. I'd say the same about this book as I did about the King's Concubine that it could have done with being about 200 or so pages shorter, especially if the author wants to skip a lot of time in the novel.

[Annette Gisby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did and I'm still not sure why it didn't 'click' for me. My bookshelves are full of historical novels and romances, most of them set in the Middle Ages, so I thought I would love this one. It might have been because it was written in the first person, which is not my favourite, but I have read others written in the first person and enjoyed them.

I knew a little bit about Eleanor of Aquitaine before reading the book but I had never heard of her going on Crusade before, so that was something new. The writing was fine, but I think I just didn't couldn't relate to the characters very well. I wanted to like it more, I really did, but for me it was just a passable novel rather than really good.

[Carolyn Cash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great novel portraying the feisty Eleanor of Aquitaine, including her frustration during her frustrating marriage to Louis of France and her relationship with Henry Plantagenet (Henry II) until she becomes Queen of England.

One can sympathise with her frustration being married to a man who was better suited to the church than ruling the Kingdom of the Franks, despite Louis' claims that he loved Eleanor.

Once I started reading Devil's Consort I couldn't put it down once I reached the part about the Crusades but I was disappointed with some parts of the novel which focused on a couple of Eleanor's extra-marital affairs.

[Renee Marski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!! Loved every minute of this book. Eleanor is a strong woman who ends up shackled to a weak and pitiful man. The only time he shows any interest in her as a woman is when he is thinking of battle. Then she gets taken advantage of by Geoffery Plantengent. She learns her lesson and finds comfort during the crusades in Raymon Prince of Antioch. Finally convincing Louis to give her an annulment she marries the future king of England. Such a strong woman in a male dominated era. A must read for history lovers!

[Baron Olshevri · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I left the town in a blaze of publicity" so says Elinor of Aquitaine. A woman who lived in the 1100s. Before they had printed books, let alone newspapers. The rest of the book is much of the same. Elianor's voice is too modern. I may have forgiven that, except for the last hundred pages or so when Henry of Anjou comes into play and the whole book disintegrates into a Mills and Boon fair. Every romance cliche is present, from the lovers' battle of wills followed by the rapture in the bedroom to a man' impossible witty retorts to his strong-willed lady love.

[Langton Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holiday season is here again and time for some light reading! Devil's Consort has been in my tbr pile for a while, and I've finally read it.
Not the most brilliant work I've read on Eleanor of Aquitaine, and tbh she is rather unlikeable in this particular novel.

That said, this story is readable and enjoyable. If you are looking for holiday reads to relax and not think about things too deeply, this fits the bill. However, if you are interested in one of Europe's most fascinating Queens, you'd best look elsewhere.

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book a lot. This is the historical fiction novel of Eleanor of Aquitane, but her early years right up to her pregnancy with her second child. So for those who want more of a story with her marriage to Henry II this is not the book for you. It does explore their early meeting and then subsequent marriage but it more delves into her marriage with King Louis VII. Great read and I have always been a great fan of Eleanors.

[Elaine Sheldrake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Loved It!
From the fine details given to life in the various fortresses and locations, to the fabrics of the costumes and daily life were fascinating. The relationships Eleanor had with her husbands kept me fascinated from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, as I have with all her books and I am looking forward to reading her newest novel.