The Dark Queens

What a wild ride.

The fact that these women are not more widely known is a travesty. Two women who ruled, conspired and helped shape a unified country during the 500s. Yes, 500s.

Fredegund and Brunhild should be a Hollywood (or film) dream star. Women in power. Murder. Revenge. Secret Plots. These women dealt with it all.

This book was written more like a fictionalized account of their life, but still drew on fact. The writing style made it easier to read than traditional nonfiction and I quickly flew through the chapters.

My one big disappointment with this book was the lack of a glossary of who is who. There is a brief one at the beginning, but that only covers the people in the first 1/4 of the book. Many characters have very similar names, making it difficult to keep track of who is who. I felt like I was only understanding at a surface level because I couldn't recall who was who.

Overall it was great to read about two powerful women who helped influence the Merovingian period of history, which is a history not widely recounted.

Talking about women's history is always difficult, especially further back, as we know more about their male counterparts than the females. This book was well-researched, and an interesting read overall. There were a lot of names and dates, so I highly recommend having a pen and paper to take notes as needed. This is one that I think would be easier to read and follow in a paper format, as highlighting and the final layout would be an easier to follow.

Overall, I enjoyed reading the story of Brunhild and Fredegund. They were extraordinary women who dared to take on a more male role in order to save their kingdoms. A feud, warfare, and finally vilified for daring to defend their kingdoms, and a lasting impression on history ensure these women will not be forgotten.

If you are looking for a great book, get this one! You will not read it in one sitting, but it's great for some shorter stints before bed.