Four Sisters, All Queens
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Average rating5
15
Ratings1
Average rating5
Beatrice of Savoy, Countess of Provence (1205-65) was determined to raise her daughters to advance the House of Savoy, and how better to do so than to arrange marriages with that goal in mind? In this entertaining novel, Jones (The Jewel of Medina) tells the story of four sisters who became queens-Marguerite (France), Eleanor (England), Sanchia (Germany), and Beatrice (Sicily). All were married young, none had any say in their marriages, and their lives, told here in alternating chapters, were eventful. The author does a good job not only of conveying the very different personalities and circumstances of the sisters but also of showing how little power these queens often had over the things that mattered most to them. Family trees help to keep track of the large number of characters. Verdict Fans of historical fiction about European royalty (e.g., Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl) should enjoy this well-written novel set during fascinating times. The relationship among the sisters is believable and often heartbreaking.-Elizabeth Mellett, Brookline P.L., MA(c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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This book was an interesting read. It not only showed how families sought to better themselves with marriages, but the lengths that they would go to. These four sisters, although they tried to band together, ended up working against each other in some instances, but as their mother always reminded them, family came first. These four girls were extraordinary for their times. They rose from Count's daughters to royal queens, and used their power not only to negotiate with their husbands but to help out their sisters as they were able. I would definately recommend this book to read. There were some parts that were rather slow and took me a little while to get through, but there are a few other books that go hand in hand with it and give some extra information.
Enjoyable, although I think I might have read it too soon after “The Sister Queens” by Sophie Perinot (which deals mainly with Marguerite and Eleanor).
