Peeking Between the Pages

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Book Review: The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner & Giveaway

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There are some authors who just have a way of drawing you into the worlds they write about and keep you captivated throughout and C.W. Gortner is one of those authors! C.W. Gortner weaves fiction and history together so brilliantly in The Confessions of Catherine de Medici that you feel you have been thrown back in history to live the lives of the royals, spend time at court, and just try to make sure you survive the back stabbing and treachery that is always going on. In short, it is a fantastic novel and C.W. Gortner has quickly become one of my favorite authors!

I found Catherine de Medici to be a fascinating woman and I was held enthralled by this novel. The novel is portrayed through Catherine and we journey with her from a young girl to a mother and finally to an old woman and what a trip it is! Catherine de Medici has had a bad reputation throughout history for meddling in the occult, poisoning those she sought to be rid off, and basically doing anything to maintain power. C.W. Gortner has woven a story around this legend that shows us who Catherine may have been and why she may have done certain things throughout history – he gives her a voice.

At a young age Catherine is taken to a convent in her homeland of Italy where she is treated despicably and she is quite certain she will be left there to die. Her uncle, the Pope, has different plans for her though. His plan is to use her politically to his advantage as the last of the Medici line and marry her off to Henri II, who becomes King of France after his father’s death. Catherine, having been brought up to believe that she was the last saving grace of the Medici line takes her responsibilities seriously and is determined to make the best of what fate has handed her.

All is not a bed of roses though when she arrives in France to find that her future husband, Henri II, is very much in love with another woman, his mistress Diane de Poitiers. Worse yet is she controls most everything in Henri’s life including how much time he spends with his wife. At first this is a problem as no heirs are being conceived but one thing Diane de Poitiers was not – was stupid. She knew that an heir was important to her survival as mistress and she made sure Henri took his duty more seriously and got to work on producing an heir. Once Catherine began to have children, Diane even took over the care and control of them as well.

After Henri II’s death, Catherine took over the care of her own children even though the older ones barely knew who she was. She sought to protect them with a vengeance and would do anything to see them survive and prosper. France, over the years she was Queen and then Queen Mother, was in a religious turmoil that threw the country into war – many people were starving and many were killed. All through these years Catherine fought, even through many tragedies, to keep her sons on the throne and ruling France. Her determination and reputation for doing anything in her power to ensure this made her a formidable figure to contend with and over the years she rose to a very powerful woman.

What I loved about this novel was how real Catherine de Medici is portrayed. We can see her as a woman – a woman who loved, who bore children and loved them with everything she had, to a woman who would do anything for France and keeping her sons on the throne. I also really enjoyed how C.W. Gortner wove Catherine’s interest in the dark arts into the story. It is common knowledge that Catherine had the ‘sight’. She would be overcome with these dreams in which she would see things that were going to happen or were happening and they always came to pass. She believed strongly in the reading of charts, people’s signs and what it meant to their lives, and she always sought the predictions of people who could see into the future. As I said previously I found Catherine de Medici to be a fascinating woman and although I have heard of her before I certainly haven’t read anything that delved into her life and made her so real to me. I found her to be a woman who would fight fearlessly for her family and what she believed in and in the 1500’s that was pretty incredible for a woman!

I enjoy C.W. Gortner’s novels because he brings historical fiction to life in a way that is interesting and makes you want to keep reading. There is never a dull moment and his descriptions of life, the court, the clothes, the jewelry, the backstabbing, treachery and war – all of it – make you feel as though you are right there in the moment and to me that is the mark of a truly amazing author. I would recommend The Confessions of Catherine de Medici or really any of C.W. Gortner’s novels to those who love historical fiction!

I read The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner for his book tour with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. You can see what others on the tour think of the book as well here. Be sure to pop in and visit C.W. Gortner’s website and blog! Your own copy of The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner can be purchased here in the US and here in Canada.


GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I have one copy of The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner up for grabs to US residents only but wait…I also have my copy up for grabs to anyone in the world! So that’s two copies up for giveaway – please be sure to state if you’re an international entry for me as one of these is US only! To enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment with an email address (no email address given, no entry).
  • For 2 entries, follow my blog. If you already do, thanks, and please let me know in your comment so I can be sure to pass on the extra entry to you.
  • For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway to spread the word!

One copy is open to US residents only and one copy is open worldwide! I will draw for the winners on Saturday, June 18/11. Good luck to everyone!

© 2010, Darlene of Peeking Between the Pages. All Rights Reserved. If you’re reading this on a site other than Peeking Between the Pages or Darlene’s Feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

My copy of The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner was received for review from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and the Publisher.

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Comments

  1. Wow, the book sounds fascinating! I only remember little about her from history class, but now I'd really love to read more!!

    GFC follower

    International

    danaan at gmx dot at

  3. Thanks for the giveaway! I just finished taking AP European History, which touched briefly on Catherine, and after that and reading Christopher Marlowe's The Massacre at Paris, I'd love to learn more about her.

    susanna DOT pyatt AT student DOT rcsnc DOT org

  8. Sorry, I thought I'd be able to enter my email on a line. It's dana dot huff at gmail dot com.

  10. This sounds wonderful. I am curious to read about Catherine de Medici. I love when an author brings the story to life like that.

  11. I haven't read a lot about Catherine, but that is an area of history that I do want to cover very soon. I am glad that you got caught up in all the royal intrigue Dar, and that you enjoyed the book! I would love the chance to be entered in your giveaway as well!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

    I follow through google reader!

  12. I don't read a lot of historical fiction, especially set during that time period, but I understand Gortner is one of the best. It sounds like I heard right.

  14. Please count me in. Happy Memorial Day!

    I follow on GFC

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com
    Bethie

  15. I cannot wait to read this book! He is such an amazing historical fiction author!

    kimbers10[at]yahoo[dot]com

  21. I have had this book on my wishlist for a while after reading some really good reviews on it so it is great to see you offering it as a giveaway.

    I am International.

    Thanks very much.

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

  22. Thanks for the giveaway!

    This sounds like a great book – I'd love to enter the (international) giveaway.

    I'm a GFC follower (Judith H).

    jh303015 atgmail.com

  25. I haven't read a book about Catherine de Medici yet but I would love to learn all about, especially from a great writer, C.W. Gortner.
    Please enter me in this giveaway.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  26. I follow your blog with Facebook, Twitter and an e-mail subscription.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  31. Thank you for this marvelous review and for hosting me on my tour. I'm delighted to be here. Best of luck to everyone with the giveaway!

  32. This author has been on my radar for a while now…I think after reading a review you did of one of his other books. I thought this one sounded fabulous and it's great to know that it is!!

    stacijoreads@gmail.com

  35. C.W. Gortner has a way with writing the most interesting stories!!! Thnx for the giveaway.
    Can`t wait to read this!!

    ctymice at gmail dot ocm

  38. I would like to read this book.

    I'm already a GFC follower @headlessfowl.

    Thank you.

    headlessfowl at gmail dot com

  39. Love Historical fiction.
    Thanks! for the giveaway.

    tributebooksmama at gmail dot com

  40. I'm from Canada. Please count me in 🙂

    quixoticdreamer(at)hotmail(dot)com

  43. Oooh yes please. I dig Gortner. kim at phoenix-rising dot net. Long time follower!

  44. I need to read more historical fiction, and this looks like a good one!!

    I follow!

    areallibrarian[at]gmail[dot]com

  46. Thank you for hosting me on my tour. I appreciate it and thanks for all the comments. I wish everyone the best of luck with the giveaway!

  47. +1 Great review Darlene,I can’t wait to read it. I too found it a refreshing read.

    thebookish96(at)gmail.com

    +1 I follow this blog

  50. Thanks! I follow and I tweeted @vegasbookgirl

    Thanks!

    Amanda
    libraryofmyown at gmail dot com

  51. I would love to read this! I know it is a book I would really enjoy! Thank you for the giveaway!
    mittens0831 at aol dot com

  54. I love Historical Fiction and this book sounds great.
    Please enter me.
    RJB
    loki304(at)tds(dot)net

  55. I'd love to read this, I've been interested in the Medicis every since I heard of them in high school history 🙂

    kate1485 at hotmail.com

  62. Love your review! Catherine sounds absolutely fascinating! Please enter me in the giveaway 🙂

    I'm a follower, and I tweeted the giveaway (bharbin11 on Twitter).

    bharbin07[at]gmail[dot]com