Usually Catherine de Medici is described as a religious fanatic that dabbled in black magic and murdered a whole lot of people. After first hearing about her in high school, I'd forgotten about her, really, until I rented La Reine Margot. The French film, starring a very beautiful Isabelle Adjani and the also quite beautiful Vincent Perez, shows Catherine as evil and as having a borderline incestuous relationship with her favorite son (future Henri III). I later read the book on which this movie is based. Alexander Dumas really, really didn't like Queen Catherine.
Times, they are a-changing. Jeanne Kalogridis' The Devil's Queen, in which the author portrays Catherine in a much more sympathetic light. This book, although taking a different path, also portrays Catherine more positively. C.W. Gortner writes her character as a strong woman, but one whose actions are defined by her circumstances more than her will.
Gortner surprised me when he included an affair between Admiral Coligny and Catherine after her widowhood. He also brought Diane de Poitiers into Catherine and Henry's bedroom, and I'm not talking about it in a metaphorical sense. Granted, the relationship between Catherine and Henry must have been extremely complicated. She had no real power while he lived, but she clearly learned a thing or two before the became regent for her sons. Gortner shows her resilience and intelligence, although he has a lot of ground to cover. She lived a long time and served as an advisor to three of her sons.
The story moves well, although it could get a little boring at times. I enjoyed The Devil's Queen more, but enjoyed this one anyway.
Next up: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, by Helen Simonson. Waited for this one for months to come in at the library. Woo!
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