The Confessions Of Catherine DeMedici by C.W.Gortner

Join C.W. Gortner, author of the historical novel, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici (Ballantine Books, May 2010), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in June on his second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Books.

About The Confessions of Catherine de Medici From Pump Up Your Books



The truth is, none of us are innocent. We all have sins to confess.


So reveals Catherine de Medici in this brilliantly imagined novel about one of history’s most powerful and controversial women. To some she was the ruthless queen who led France into an era of savage violence. To others she was the passionate savior of the French monarchy. Acclaimed author C. W. Gortner brings Catherine to life in her own voice, allowing us to enter into the intimate world of a woman whose determination to protect her family’s throne and realm plunged her into a lethal struggle for power.
The last legitimate descendant of the illustrious Medici line, Catherine suffers the expulsion of her family from her native Florence and narrowly escapes death at the hands of an enraged mob. While still a teenager, she is betrothed to Henri, son of François I of France, and sent from Italy to an unfamiliar realm where she is overshadowed and humiliated by her husband’s lifelong mistress. Ever resilient, Catherine strives to create a role for herself through her patronage of the famous clairvoyant Nostradamus and her own innate gift as a seer. But in her fortieth year, Catherine is widowed, left alone with six young children as regent of a kingdom torn apart by religious discord and the ambitions of a treacherous nobility.
Relying on her tenacity, wit, and uncanny gift for compromise, Catherine seizes power, intent on securing the throne for her sons. She allies herself with the enigmatic Protestant leader Coligny, with whom she shares an intimate secret, and implacably carves a path toward peace, unaware that her own dark fate looms before her—a fate that, if she is to save France, will demand the sacrifice of her ideals, her reputation, and the passion of her embattled heart.
From the fairy-tale châteaux of the Loire Valley to the battlefields of the wars of religion to the mob-filled streets of Paris, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici is the extraordinary untold journey of one of the most maligned and misunderstood women ever to be queen.

My Review:
This is a story of one of the greatest women in the medieval world.She was married at the age of 14 to Henry also 14, second son of King Francis I and Queen Claude of France. Her marriage was not neccessarily a happy one due to the fact that Henry had a mistress, one Diane de Poitiers, who wielded much influence over Henry.
Catherine was Queen consort of France as the wife of King Henry II of France from 1547 to 1559. After many years she produced 3 sons who reigned, after Henry died in a jousting accident, King Francis II reigned until his death in 1560. After that Catherine was regent to 10 year old King Charles IX.Catherines goal was to keep the Valois monarchy intact no matter what or whom stood in her way.There were also daughters whom Catherine made sure had advantageous marriages.
This novel spans the life of Catherine from 1527 to her death at the age of 69 in 1589.Catherine had many enemies some of which were the Guise family. Catherine supposedly dabbled in the occult and consulted with Nostridamus on a few occasions, asking him to tell her about the future.
I had never read anything much about France and it's rulers and I found this book to be so well researched and told in "Catherine de'Medici's words" that it was so easy to read and hard to put down. I think Mr.Gortner put a very humane spin to a time where there was so much upheaval pertaining to religions and the persecutions that followed and all the power struggles that were taking place in this time period.I think the author did a remarkable job telling a story about a historical figure and female no less with compassion and made her very real to the reader...I enjoyed this novel very much and look forward to more from this talented author.
Visit C.W.Gortner at his website http://cwgortner.com/ to read more.
I received this book as a review copy and was not compensated for my review.





Now for the giveaway:
Open to U.S. entrants only. Giveaway ends 6/25/10
A copy of The Confessions of Catherine De'Medici for giveaway will be sent to winner from publisher.

To enter:

~~ be a follower of my blogs
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~~ visit Pump Up Your Books to read more about the virtual tours and C.W.Gortner

~~ You must leave your email address or entry does not count.

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