#alivrouvert

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The Painted Girls

The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan

My verdict: 5 stars

If Edgar Degas created the statuette Little Dancer aged fourteen, Cathy Marie Buchanan a colourful and realistic tale of the Belle Époque, of the Opéra de Paris and its petits rats, of the working classe in the 19th century and of, principally, two sisters.

Antoinette and Marie Van Goethem really existed. One modelled for the famous artist Degas and the other had a minor role in Zola's L'assomoir. During the book, we get to know them intimately, and follow them trough their uneasy paths.

Even non-historical lovers would appreciate The Painted Girls, as it is beautifully and smartly written. One of my best summer reads. I recommend it, of course.

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The Memoirs of Cleopatra

The Memoirs of Cleopatra

Margaret George

Published in 1997 (St-Martin's Press)

Historical Fiction, Cultural (Egypt, Rome), Historical Romance

Known Characters: Cleopatra VII (Queen of Egypt), Julius Caesar, Marc Antony, Ptolemy(s) XII-XIII-XIV, Caesarion, Cleopatra VI, Arsinoe and Berenice of Egypt, Cleopatra Selene, Octavian, Octavia

My review (5 stars)

Can we give more than 5 stars to a book? was the first thing I thought when I finished this wonderfully-written book. During half a month, The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George made me travel in different places like Ancient Rome, Alexandria (Egypt) and even Nubia and gave me the opportunity to encounter Cleopatra (of course), Caesar, Marc Antony... Written in the first person like an autobiography, we follow the famous Cleopatra from her childhood to her suicide. 

Margaret George brought Cleopatra to life, and I think she deserved that, after all that had been said. The author portrayed her as a wise and intelligent ruler, a woman preoccupied with her people's sake and in love with her beautiful city (Alexandria, and finally a mother. I will read this book again, for sure. 

Also by M. George:

Mary Queen of Scots and the Isles 

The Autobiography of Henry VIII 

Helen of Troy

Mary, called Magdalene

If you liked the Memoirs:

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn

I'm currently reading: The Unruly Passions of Eugénie R. by Carole DeSanti (review to come)

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Le Lys de Florence de Sarah Frydman

Le Lys de Florence (La Saga des Médicis #2)

Sarah Frydman

Publié en 2005 (Le Livre de Poche)

Saga historique, Roman historique, Histoire, Romance, Saga familiale

Ma revue (4 étoiles)

Dans ce second tome de la Saga des Médicis, Sarah Frydman nous transporte encore une fois à Florence où la famille Médicis est revenue encore plus consolidée qu'avant. Nous retrouvons Cosimo, nouveau maître incontesté de Florence, sa femme Contessina et leurs enfants, plus particulièrement Piero, l'aîné et l'héritier. Face à lui, une jeune fille descendant d'une des plus nobles familles de Florence, la belle et intrépide Lucrezia Tornabuoni, révoltée par le sort des femmes de son époque. La jeune femme a perdu son amour de jeunesse, Filippo de Médicis, qui est décédé pendant le court exil de la famille. Deux hommes vont alors graviter autour d'elle pour obtenir sa main et son amour: le comte Vernio de Bardi et bien-sûr Piero de Médicis.

Ce roman est un peu plus penché dans le style romanesque que le précédent dans la série, ce qui permet de mieux comprendre et s'attacher aux personnages, surtout à Lucrezia. Je relève encore une fois les dialogues un peu trop dramatiques par moment, mais dans l'ensemble ce fut une agréable lecture que je vous conseille. 

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When somebody says "it's just a book", smile, because they just don't understand.

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The Last Queen by C. W. Gortner

The Last Queen

C. W. Gortner

Published in 2008 (Ballantine Books)

Historical fiction, Cultural, Romance, European History

My review (5 stars)

Once again, C. W. Gortner brings a famous historical character to life, Juana the Mad, queen of Castile. I started The Last Queen after The Queen's Vow, another novel by the same author who talked about Juana' mother, Isabel of Castile.  (you can see my review:http://alivrouvert.tumblr.com/post/81226173446/the-queens-vow-by-c-w-gortner) I highly recommend you to read the two books. The novel begins when Juana is barely a teenager. Third child of Isabel the Catholic and Ferdinand of Aragon, she sees the fall of Granada. At sixteen, Juana is obliged to wed Philip of Habsburg, archduke of Austria and son of the Holy Roman Emperor, nicknamed Philipp the Fair. Which was a forced marriage quickly becomes a love story. But, one day, fate strikes Juana when she suddenly becomes heiress to the Castilian throne. From this moment, Juana will have to fight against many people to preserve her rights. We travel with her during her journey in Spain, Flanders, France or Tudor England.  

Gortner really brings Juana la Loca to life in this stunning novel... for our greatest pleasure! This book surely deserves a five stars rating. To read!

Juana (Joanna) of Castile (1479-1555), Juana the Mad or Juana la Loca, was queen of Castile. She married Philipp of Habsburg and had six children: Eleanor, Charles Quint, Isabella, Mary, Ferdinand and Catherine, all kings or queens. However, she never really governed Castile. Her father, Ferdinand of Aragon, governed for her until his death and later, her son Charles ensured his domination by confining Juana in Toresdillas, near Valladolid. Most historians agree that Juana may have been really mad. She may have inherited a mental illness from her mother's family. Many authors and producers were inspired by her destiny.