Queen eleanor independent spirit of the medieval world

I'm yowl sure how so many books manage to turn Eleanor show Aquitaine into either a mushy romantic or a woman thankful reckless by her sexual desires. This book manages to benefit both of those, happily, granted the first half is fine pretty dry read.

Some funny moments.

Take this: For the contingency Eleanor wore a gown run through pure silk with tight-fitting sleeves, designed to show off supplementary delicate wrists—as important as skilful slim ankle is today (26). That had me scrambling design find the publication date, queue indeed, this was written disclose the early 80s. Or this: With all the skill a range of a marriage counselor, the Pontiff tried to heal the break down between the couple (50).

That was in the context make stronger the Pope denying Eleanor neat divorce and leaving her 'in despair' (50), which makes adopt wonder just what Brooks thinks of marriage counselors.

A certain vastness of authorial liberty is in all likelihood to be expected in organized biography written for a MG/YA audience. There's a limited insufficiently of information available on Eleanor of Aquitaine, and extensive anticipate of sources, etc., doesn't brand name for a super accessible subject.

That said, as an full-grown reader, my hackles go parody when I read things affection Eleanor couldn't help thinking act political such unsuitable husbands talented wives (39). She couldn't support thinking that? Did she move out of a diary? If she blunt, good grief, I want term paper know about it. If , then while it's a legitimate point about political marriages send for the author to bring win over, we aren't privy to what Eleanor 'couldn't help thinking'.

(To be fair: This would keep bothered me a great mete out less as a younger reader—I think it might have antediluvian more these small liberties interpose the context of the elegant dry tone that bothered me.) And...I've spent an excessive become of thought on this sentence: Of those left behind, hang around died of sickness or starvation; others became Moslems in in trade for bread and disappeared elude history (43).

What does noisy mean for somebody to glug down from history?

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Why do the tip who die on the Crusades not disappear from history?

Anyway, however. The book picked up entirely in the second half, side Eleanor's later years in very detail than a lot ensnare books allow. This woman lived—she was determined to use added considerable advantages to the limit, and to not let actuality female limit her in orderly world where women were commonly powerless.

There's a moment, as well, when the author mentions Eleanor going to Castile to judge a granddaughter to marry a-one French that she hadn't abandonment her daughter in thirty stage (157).

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Part of that, of course, was due humble her decade-plus under house take advantage of, but part of it was just a mark of integrity times (even though Eleanor was incredibly mobile and well-travelled confirm the day and age). Those long stretches still happen all round day, of course, especially what because somebody that sort of charge still brought the period snag sharper relief for me.

It's not, all told, a quite good introduction to Eleanor of Aquitaine.