Customer Reviews
loved it - By: Stew Carr, 06 Oct 2008 
What can I say about this biography? Before I read this, I had only a very general knowledge of Catherine de Medici, but reading Leonie Frieda's biography turned me into an obsessive Francophile for about a month! The book is so well written it is almost like watching a movie, Frieda really illustrates the history as writes it. I felt as though no stone was unturnedin this biography, the author whittled down the life-story of Catherine & those around her until there was nothing left to tell. The book is an antidote to all of the black legends that surround Catherine de Medici, & I found it a refreshing read. This is popular historyin a good way.
Very readable and colourful - By: John Hopper, 17 Mar 2008 
A great read that demonstrates that real history can have the kind of characters & bizarre situations that, were a novelist to have created them, would be deemed too far-fetched. This is a well researched & readable biography, though it perhaps goes too farin trying to exculpate Catherine for masterminding the notorious St Bartholomew Eve's massacre for which she is most (in)famous today. The chapters were rather overlong as well.
Quite good, tells you everything you need to know - By: K8 the Gr8, 19 Aug 2007 This biography is bursting with information & years of research which Frieda has skillfullly worked into a readable & edible book. While it isn't exactly a thriller, it would be badly out of place with its genre if it was, as biographies aren't exactly supposed to be compared with Agatha Christie. So don't expect excitement, but it's a good thing to take down from the shelf oncein awhile & work your way throughin little chunks, as anything more than that would be pushing it a bit.
A worthy Queen of France - By: Steven Leppard, 27 Jun 2007 This book on Catherine De Medici was wonderful,beautifully written & presentedin an easy relaxed way the reader could follow, without losing any of the relevent pointsin Catherine De Medic's story. Indeed its ironic that women were not allowed to rule in their own right, due to the Saltic law, yet Catherine De Medici was a far better ruler than most of the French Kings before & after her.
Having read the trilogy on Catherine by Jean Plaidy, although well researched, had a very fictional favour, nevertheless i found myself drawn to this remarkable lady. Catherine without doubt ruled France & indeed saved the french monarchy through the weak & ineffective reigns of her 3 sons, Francis II, Charles IX & Henri III.
Leone Frieda gaves a very good insight to Catherine's early life, shows how she evolved & survivedin a male dominated world & beat them at their own game.
Like the Borgia's Catherine De Medic was no saint, but i found myself admiring this Italian women, Queen Mother of France, who lived for & died for her family's power & position, she loved power herself but although she was ruthless when required, she displayed a very human side to her, i found myself smiling to myself. Catherine De Medici came from a very distinguished Italian family, the Medici of Florance, she was equal to them & certainly equal to her fellow rulers of her day.
This i believe is Leone Frieda's first biography, she has done justice not only to herself , but to another much maligned Woman, who certainly deserves our respect
Interesting but flawed - By: Vladimir Allen-Jones, 19 Apr 2006 
Unlike the other reviewers of this book I have to say that I thought this book was rather flawed. Frieda has assembled a wealth of material & some of what she says is very interesting- I especially liked her portrayal of the complex, & somewhat contradictory Henri III. Also despite the fact that she is not English Frieda does generally write very well. However her attempts to portray Catherine not as the Machiavellian & ruthless creature history remembers her to be but instead as a committed wife, loving mother & tolerant ruler do not entirely ring true. Frieda is obviously trying to avoid the hackneyed portrayal of Catherine mentioned above. I believe though that she over states her case. I also disliked some of the conclusions she drew on the more peripheral characters. I thought it was especially harsh to describe Antoinne de Bourbon as "bird brained," & that maybe Frieda was a little to uncritical on his brother Condé. Despite this Frieda does offer a very detailed account of the period, gives interesting pictures of many of the figures of Catherine's life & comes up with a different, if debatable conclusion.
