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    The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici
    The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici
    The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici
    Audiobook18 hours

    The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici

    Written by Jeanne Kalogridis

    Narrated by Kate Reading

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Catherine de Medici is one of the most maligned monarchs in history: blamed for the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in which hundreds of innocents died. What motivated this Renaissance woman who was born of Florence's most powerful family, and one day came to rule France?

    In her latest historical fiction bestseller, Jeanne Kalogridis tells the story of Catherine, a tender young girl, destined to be a pawn in Machiavellian games. Left a fabulously rich heiress, imprisoned and threatened by her family's enemies, she was finally married off to a handsome prince of France.

    Overshadowed by her husband's mistress, the conniving Diane de Poitiers, and now consort to a King, Catherine resorted to sorcery to win his love, enhance her fertility and foil her enemies. Against the lavish and decadent backdrop of the French court, and Catherine's visions induced by the black arts, Kalogoris reveals the great love and desire Catherine bore for her husband Henry, and her stark determination to keep her sons on the throne.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateJul 21, 2009
    ISBN9781427207135
    Author

    Jeanne Kalogridis

    Jeanne Kalogridis was born in Florida in 1954. She earned a BA in Russian and an MA in Linguistics from the University of South Florida and went on to teach English as a Second Language at the American University in Washington, D.C. She now lives with her partner on the West Coast of the US, sharing a house with two dogs and a bird. Her interests include yoga, Tibatan Buddhism, the occult, languages, art, and reading everything ever published.

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    Reviews for The Devil's Queen

    3.5/5

    164 ratings22 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This was a highly fictitious book based on the events in history but it was darn entertaining. Phillipa Gregory fans will like it.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      I love the historical stuff, but this one left my head feeling all dark and depressed afterwards. Also, I'm sure how accurate a lot of the facts were.
    • 2/5
      Note that this review is for the abridged audio. Catherine de Medici, in the mid-16th century, went from Italy to France to marry, and she later became queen. Her husband much preferred his mistress, who was old enough to be his mother, to Catherine. Unfortunately, this book had a double whammy against it – audios don’t always hold my attention (though some, I have no problem with). And, just after I checked it out from the library, I happened to notice it was abridged. Sigh. Why…? Why bother making them abridged! Now, I have read a bit about Catherine de Medici, but not a lot, so it’s sometimes hard to remember the people and how they are related to each other. This can be harder to follow in an audio book, but even worse in an abridged audio where there are huge parts that seem to be skipped over (or, in the case of this historical fiction, huge chunks of time, anyway). So, this is more a review of the abridged audio (not worthwhile), than of the book itself. Also, one of the “books” I’ve read about her was a trilogy. So, if one author had to write 3 books to cover her life… this is already narrowed down to one book, but not only that, the one book is abridged! I hate abridged. If I’d had another audio book lined up and ready to go, I might have switched.
    • 4/5
      3.5

      This was actually rather interesting and easy to read...although, I wasn't of the understanding that she was such a "good hearted" woman in real life. I did know her son's were mean bastards....

      The book was rather well written and it kept me interested.....I only put it down to work & sleep. I now understand more of French history during the time of Bloody Mary Tudor.....

      It's also interesting to know of her beginnings and the strife in Italy as she was growing up, her imprisonment as a child, her involvement in the occult arts. It would have been very interesting had the astrology talked about in the book been shown in a chart as an appendix, but those things are easily looked up elsewhere.

    • 3/5
      Kinda mixed feelings about this one; plausible story arc in terms of the time period but I think I would have liked more if Catherine character not so very much a product of the times (unfair a review, I know, since historical accuracy usually a good thing) and not that sympathetic a protagonist.
    • 4/5
      I always felt that Catherine DeMedici was much maligned, & given the short end of the stick. Given what she had to endure when her parents were killed when she was a mere 14 year old girl, and herself being taken into captivity after that, she's lucky to have survived to become the powerful woman she became. Married off to King Henry, she was the mother of his sons, even though Henry spent the vast majority of his time with his mistress.Catherine was a highly educated, highly intelligent woman, a fiercely protective mother who believed in astrology like so many of the nobility back then. For a brief time she was interested in some of the other arcana of the time, but certainly not enough to brand her the black witch that history claims she is.This was a good story of a fascinating & powerful woman, well worth the read. She will seem a little heartless sometimes, but most noble women could seem that way, it was a face they put on. The book does start off a trifle slow, but once you get past that it's a wonderful tale.
    • 3/5
      The Devil's Queen by Jeanne Kalogridis was just OK for me. I missed not having a family tree in the book to see how she was related to everyone else. This is a difficult review to write since I usually love historical fiction. I know that the author must have done a tremendous amount of research and worked on this book a long time.There were times that I wanted to quit reading this book so I rewarded myself with starting two other books as a treat for reading more in The Devil’s Queen. I made it through and found the last part of the book the most interesting part. The action pick up along with the drama.I should have been prepared for the violent scenes because this queen, Catherine de Medici was well known for being ruthless. The author is of course not responsible for the character of the queen she writes about. At first, I got lost in the unfamiliar names in the beginning of the book and there times that I wish that some passages were edited out because, they were a bit tedious. When she was young, she was shifted from one nunnery to another, and I though the poor convents were more interesting than the de Medici sponsored ones. I really felt like crossing out whole pages. I do think that author definitely got across the character of this queen, starting with a very chilling scene in the beginning of this book. The author did write the violent scenes so vividly that they were easy to picture and unfortunately remember. She and her family were responsible for the loss of so many lives and that even though it was a difficult book to read, I now have a firm memory of her mark in history.I will leave to your judgment as to whether or not to read this book.
    • 3/5
      So the first thing that caught my eye in the summary of this book was Mary, Queen of Scots. I’m ashamed to admit right now that whenever I hear that name I immediately think of Jen Pringle and Anne Shirley from those indulgent PBS movies. So, once I put that hurdle behind me I was able to give Catherine her due.I love books about strong women. I think, to be a pawn like these women were, and make a place for yourself would have been so difficult, especially when faced with the idea that a warm bath just isn’t what it is today, and there’s no Facebook to blow off steam after a big argument. While The Devil’s Queen delved a little too much into the fantastic side for me (there is so much witchcraft and sorcery in this book, it was disconcerting), I really, really enjoyed getting to know Catherine, especially as I didn’t have much information on her before reading this.If Jeanne Kalogridis’s research is true, Catherine was one scheming woman – but in a good sense. She knew which battles to pick, and how to manipulate her husband just so. She was a good mother, anxious to see her sons and daughters succeed in life, and she loved them fiercely.One thing I was educated on through this book (and having listened to some music centered around it last semester, found myself saying OH! so that’s what happened) is the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. Y’all, that was a bloody battle, and if you don’t know anything about it I suggest you go look it up. Like, right now.This is an historical book that, despite its bulk, seems to make time fly. I was thoroughly engrossed by the story, and the skill with which Jeanne tells it – I just wish it’d focused a little more on the historical accuracy and less on the fantastical aspect.
    • 5/5
      The epitomy of historical fiction. "The Devil's Queen" was the first book I have read by Jeanne Kalogridis and it will not be my last. It is also the first book I've read about Catherine de Medici. I had to keep looking up information to see what really happened. The author did a great job researching for this novel. Great characters; beautiful descriptions of life in the times, which I have to have in HF books. Loved it!
    • 5/5
      One of the best books by Jeanne Kalogridis. I love reading anything about the Medici family, especially Catherine. Having been born into the infamous Medici family was both a blessing and a curse for Catherine. She became little more than a political pawn toward her families advancement. This is an amazing historial fictional account of Catherine's life. Catherine is not a sympathetic figure,and the author doesn't attempt to elicit sympathy for Catherine. She was a schemer who would do anything for herself and her family. This book contains something that should appeal to everyone. I particularly enjoyed reading about Catherine's relationship with Nostrodamus. I enjoyed reading this book and feel it is one of the best books Kalogridis has written to date.
    • 3/5
      Catherine de Medici is a child of the infamous Medici family, rulers of Florence. After rebels topple the family, Catherine is forced into captivity. Even though Catherine is eventually rescued, her life will never be the same. As a daughter of the Medici family and niece to the Pope, Catherine is forced to become a political pawn in her family's schemes. She is sent to France to marry the unwilling Prince Henri. In France, Catherine continues her odd childhood fascination with astrology and gets pulled into the intrigue at the French court. When, by a twist of fate, Catherine becomes Queen of France, she will do anything to protect her children and the crown... anything.The Devil's Queen is definitely not for children. It includes graphic depictions of sex and violence. The sex, in particular, is highly graphic and included primarily to give the novel a romance edge. While there is some aspect of romance in this novel, it's a fairly minor subplot, most likely included to draw in more readers.The biggest centerpiece of this novel is the discussion of Catherine de Medici's involvement in witchcraft and astrology. While it seems like the market is being flooded with historical novels about witchcraft, Jeanne Kalogridis approaches the topic in a seemingly fresh manner, filled with vivid (and sometimes gruesome) depictions of rituals and well-researched information about the superstitions Catherine de Medici believed.While The Devil's Queen was entertaining and kept me reading, it felt like it was a little lacking. First, while Catherine felt like a realistic woman with real emotions and reactions, I just wasn't completely pulled in by her. In fact, I was most interested in the story when Kalogridis talked about Catherine's witchcraft than any other part of the novel. Catherine does become more compelling as the story goes on, but for most of time I simply didn't find Catherine all that fascinating. I just wasn't entirely pulled into her story or her character - I didn't quite feel her emotions or become engrossed in her life. I actually thought that many of the secondary characters were more interesting than Catherine. Kalogridis did an amazing job of creating complex, dynamic secondary characters, but at the expense of pushing the main character out of the reader's focus.I also felt like at times the Catherine de Medici that I read about in The Devil's Queen was hardly the same Catherine de Medici that I've heard about before or was alluded to in the book's marketing material. The Catherine in The Devil's Queen wasn't quite as deadly or as "evil" as I expected her to be (or even, at times, as much as she thought she was). For example, when her husband, King Henri, carried on a long affair with another woman, Catherine silently accepted it and did nothing to exert her power -- even after King Henri ended the affair, the mistress was able to keep a great deal of power and influence -- and Catherine did nothing. Thankfully, Catherine comes out of her shell after the death of her husband and takes on a stronger role as France descends further into war. While this is the strongest area of the novel, it takes far too long to get to. Once the reader gets there, the story is over before Catherine, and The Devil's Queen, can reach its full potential.The Devil's Queen isn't a bad novel. It's very well-researched and written in a clear voice that's easy to understand and enjoyable to follow. However, the text is uneven - ranging from edge-of-your-seat intrigue to painfully boring (and seemingly unnecessary ) sections that should have been edited. The plot also becomes muddled at times with little discernible direction. This one is great for historical fiction and historical romance fans and for readers interested in medieval witchcraft. The story points to a future of potentially phenomenal novels, but Kalogridis just isn't there yet.
    • 4/5
      ****The novel is written from Catherine’s point of view from the age of eight when she is forced to flee the Medici palace in Florence where she lived with her aunt and relations. Here we meet the astrologer Cosimo Ruggieri who is just 15 at the time and who will play an important role in many of her decisions throughout her life. She becomes fascinated by astrology and some would say sorcery and has several dreams of which turn out to be a true vision of her future. Nostradamus also visits Catherine as she gets older. At the age of 14 she is betrothed to Henri of Navarre the son of the King of France, Francois. The novel follows her life from 10 years of childlessness to her many subsequent children who are all flawed in some way. There is a great deal of bodice ripping, incest and uncomfortable dealings along the way but Kalogridis’ writing holds the reader in thrall. The last two chapters are particularly gripping with the horrific St Bartholomew’s Day massacre on 24 August 1572 when 70,000 Huguenots are murdered in Paris. Catherine was blamed for this but the writer shows Catherine to have been betrayed by her third son Eduard into believing there was a plot by Huguenot leaders to kill her and her children. There wasn’t and we feel her pain at this realisation.A very fluid writing style and a non- romanticised biography of a woman whom most biographers see as an evil Queen but we are left with a sense of her human frailty. ( ) **** copied this review as i agreed so much with it
    • 4/5
      I borrowed “The Devil’s Queen” from my local library, to which it provided ample entertainment while maneuvering through morning traffic; and at times, even made the long commute enjoyable. The story of Catherine de Medici was one that I had not known much about, to which I learned a little bit about her (and attesting to the Afterward the end of the novel, it appears that Kalogridis based the highlights of Catherine’s life on fact or at least rumors that had been recorded at the time). Kalogridis weaved a tale of a young Italian woman’s devotion to her betrothed French husband and her children by any means necessary, even resorting to sorcery and magic. The authors attention to detail was enhanced through the depiction of vivid details of even the simplest of things (like the magical rituals or even the fashions of the period) made the telling of the story all the more entertaining. There were some moments in the story that ran a little slow, but the twist at the end of the novel more than made up for those parts.
    • 3/5
      Magic, sexual escapades, court intrigue, death, war … The Devil’s Queen A Novel of Catherine de Medici by Jeanne Kalogridis has it all. Despite this fact, I am left wondering what I got out of this book. There were times in the book where I was turning the pages fast desperate to know what would happen next and other times where I was immensely bored and wondering when something interesting would happen. Sometimes I felt a connection with the protagonist other times I felt there was something lacking in her, that she was slightly two dimensional. I’m not sure what was missing in this book. The story and plot line were fascinating. The ideas were great. I don’t believe there was much historical fact to the story line and that most of it was fiction, but that is to be expected in a historical fiction novel. I was also left at times disturbed by the some of the characters in the story.The imagery used to describe dreams, visions, magic, and clothing were spectacular. They were filled with vivid details and allowed one to truly see those scenes. Those aspects of the book were brilliant and well done.After reading The Devil’s Queen I am left with a neutral feeling. I don’t dislike the book, but I am not raving about it either. I feel it is an fascinating read and had it’s good points, but it wasn’t one where it held my interest the entire time and it felt a little slow and drawn out.
    • 4/5
      This author has written several historical fiction titles and under her pseudonym J M Dillard has many Star Trek titles from the 1980s & 90s to her name.The novel is written from Catherine’s point of view from the age of eight when she is forced to flee the Medici palace in Florence where she lived with her aunt and relations. Here we meet the astrologer Cosimo Ruggieri who is just 15 at the time and who will play an important role in many of her decisions throughout her life. She becomes fascinated by astrology and some would say sorcery and has several dreams of which turn out to be a true vision of her future. Nostradamus also visits Catherine as she gets older. At the age of 14 she is betrothed to Henri of Navarre the son of the King of France, Francois. The novel follows her life from 10 years of childlessness to her many subsequent children who are all flawed in some way. There is a great deal of bodice ripping, incest and uncomfortable dealings along the way but Kalogridis’ writing holds the reader in thrall. The last two chapters are particularly gripping with the horrific St Bartholomew’s Day massacre on 24 August 1572 when 70,000 Huguenots are murdered in Paris. Catherine was blamed for this but the writer shows Catherine to have been betrayed by her third son Eduard into believing there was a plot by Huguenot leaders to kill her and her children. There wasn’t and we feel her pain at this realisation.A very fluid writing style and a non- romanticised biography of a woman whom most biographers see as an evil Queen but we are left with a sense of her human frailty.
    • 5/5
      I picked up this book based on the title and the fact that it was historical fiction. The story kept me captivated and I read the entire book in a 24 hour period. Jeanne Kalogridis is a talented storyteller and grabbed my interest from the very beginning of the book until the very end. This book is about Catherine de Medici, her childhood, her marriage, her children and her dealings with the astrology and theoccult. Frequently, she portrayed by authors as a harsh, mean-spirited queen. However, this book looks at her plight sympathetically. She was queen of France during the reign of Elizabeth I of England and helped to raise Mary, Queen of Scots. I strongly recommend this book.
    • 4/5
      I was surprised reading this book. It shed a very different light on Catherine De Medici. She wasn't the cunning sly witch I was so used to reading. In fact, it was the opposite. The book put her as a young girl, who married and had a husband who was in love with someone else and everyone in the French court knew it. She couldn't have children which put tremendous pressure on her. This is where she meddles with magic and "witchcraft" to help her. This book definitely put Catherine in a very sympathetic light and I thought it was an interesting read. I actually felt myself drawn to Catherine and felt for her during her hard times - especially during her marriage and her desperation to have children. She didn't seem like the evil Queen we all know her as. Eventually when she did have children, she seemed like a very devoted mother, and despite her rocky marriage, she was also very devoted to her husband (even though he wasn't). The plot is told entirely in Catherine's point of view, which is interesting and it highlights her intelligence and her willingness to learn politics even though women didn't have a place for it. I admire her strong will and determination to hold her position in court, even though she's been shadowed by Diane de Poitiers. Her relationship with Diane is a strange one, it went from enemies to a silent agreement and respect for one another. The references to magic and astrology is the main theme in the book and it shows Catherine's hobby turn into something more serious that had a great impact on her life and for those around her. I thought that was an interesting additionThe plot was well done and well written. The events that turned to the St Bartholomew's Day Massacre was interesting as many people were blamed (Including Catherine) for it. I liked how Catherine, eventually found out that turning things to her advantage and by avoiding events that are meant to be has serious consequences, and things still don't turn out the way she wanted it to be, she accepted it, in the end, and it just seemed that it had made her a better person and free from all the pressure, and the worries that were heaped onto her during the book. When she found out about Edouard's involvement in the Massacre, perhaps that was her breaking point. I was personally shocked about it and I could feel Catherine's emotions. It certainly did feel like a slap in the face. I felt the ending did drag out and could have been faster paced. It seemed to drag and slow to a snail's crawl and extremely redundant. Also, there are certain parts of the book where an execution is involved (a rather gruesome one) and a hunt gone wrong. This may not please those that are squeamish. Overall an interesting view on one of history's most villified Queens. Certainly sympathetic and very different from what we are all used to seeing in Catherine De Medici. I recommend this to historical fiction fans. It was a great read.
    • 5/5
      Wonderful! Kalogridis does it again, with a beautifully written, mesmerizing, can't-put-it-down, just-one-more-chapter, stay up all night read! This novel puts a human face on Catherine de Medici, considered by those in her time to be the most evil royal figure of them all, not the brilliant and devoted leader and queen that she truly appears to have been. Based around factual details of Catherine's life, the story moves quickly from her childhood in Florence, hiding from those who would hunt and kill the de Medici clan, to her politically arranged marriage to a prince of France, and her life as a queen. Fast-paced and entirely believable, Catherine's story is one of heartbreak, betrayal, love, and the intrigues and complications of royal politics. Poignant and captivating, Kalogridis's story takes us to 16th-century Italy and France, and tells a story of one of the strongest and most misunderstood women in history. Also highly recommended: The Borgia Bride and I, Mona Lisa, also by Kalogridis.
    • 3/5
      Review of the CD: Jeanne Kalogridis' novel of Catherine de Medici, "The Devil's Queen," is skillfully read by Kate Reading in this five disc collection. In Reading's capable hands, the story of Catherine becomes a compelling one. Kalogridis' historical novel, which at times borders on melodramatic, allows the often vilified French queen to tell her own story. And quite a story it is. Catherine is famous as the wife of one French king and the mother of three others; she is infamous as the architect of the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre of French Protestants. And history has further condemned her close relationship with the astrologer Cosimo Ruggieri. Was Catherine an evil queen of epic proportions? Kalogridis attempts to purchase a little compassion for Catherine by explaining her tumultuous background and her compelling mission to both protect her husband and to ensure the continuation of his line. Surely she was a strong queen who faced adversity - whether in the form of revolting French Protestants or her husband's much beloved mistress, Diane de Poitiers - with courage and élan. Did she rule through witchcraft? The French people seemed to think so, and Kalogridis shows her making her deal with the devil. The novel itself is dramatic and fast paced; Reading's presentation is compelling. But it is not a happy story; not only is Catherine not a sympathetic figure, but also the novel itself can be rather graphic and heavy handed. Three and a half stars: It will appeal to many listeners but is too melodramatic for serious readers and not romantic/sympathetic enough for those looking for a good historical romance.
    • 4/5
      It is hard to make a Queen who shoulders the blame for a religious massacre sympathetic, so Jeanne Kalogridis doesn’t try. Instead she goes the complete opposite direction. Giving us an unsentimental Queen who would commit any atrocity to save herself or someone she loves. Even as a girl she is already murdering and dabbling in black magic. For those of you unfamiliar with Catherine de Medici, the Italian born duchess was reduced to living in a convent after her family was deposed in Florence. In a true Cinderella story she marries the second son, Henry, of King Francoise of France. She ends up the Queen of France, and though a mere figurehead during her husbands rule, she has a great influence over the reigns of her sons. Because Catherine ruled France during such a tumultuous time, (religious upheaval, civil wars, weak kings), her reign was marked with political gaffes and intrigues, the most notably, The ST. Bartholomew’s Massacre leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of Huguenots (French Protestants). Never faltering and with clear determination, Catherine meets rivals for her husbands heart and traitors seeking to claim the throne. Kalogridis’ Catherine is decidedly evil which makes for entertaining story telling and is historically probable. The author doesn’t try to excuse any of Catherine’s behavior, but she does give us fictionalized back story to try and establish her motivations. Since Kalogridis is prone to dramatics and excessive detail, (she’s also known for a lively look into the family of Dracula) let me say that if you’re looking for historical accuracy, this probably isn’t your novel. But if you’re looking for a spirited read that enlivens history into Catherine’s time, The Devil’s Queen is an excellent choice. I thoroughly enjoyed it.I’d like to add that I was fortunate enough to pick up the audio version read by Kate Reading. Reading delivers a commanding Queen, and is pure magic to listen to. The French words are pronounced perfectly (to my English ears) and her pacing is spot on.
    • 5/5
      One of my all-time favorite historical novelists hits the mark perfectly with this thoughtful, passionate look at a woman historians love to hate. While never trying to excuse Catherine de Medici's actions, Kalogridis employs her creative vision backed up by meticulous research to reveal a woman of great strength and determination trapped within a web of political intrigue and imposed values. The result is a riveting visit to a world too-often obscured by false assumptions. Get comfortable before you start reading this one because you truly will not want to put it down.
    • 4/5
      The Devil’s Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici, is the story of Catherine de Medici—as told from her point of view. The novel opens in 1527 on the eve of major rebellion in Florence, when Catherine is eight years old, and continues through the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre and beyond. From an early age, Catherine becomes deeply involved in magic, becoming friends with the astrologer Cosimo Ruggieri, even as she struggles to protect her husband and children and keep the Valois family on the throne of France. In addition, Catherine is haunted by strange, blood-filled dreams.I really enjoyed the story of this novel. Character development is strong, though the narration the author uses for Catherine at the age of eight sounds strangely adult-like. I enjoyed watching the interplay between Catherine and Ruggieri. Catherine’s reputation was tarnished by a lot of factors, but she actually comes across quite well in this book, as a strong woman who would do anything for her family—even though the Valois family were tainted by death. It was interesting to me to see how strong Catherine’s influence was, even after the death of King Henri—even as Queen Mother, people still called her Madame la Reine. It would have been interesting, however, to have seen what Catherine’s true feelings were for Diane de Poitiers—in the novel, Catherine feels a lot of ambivalence towards Henri’s longtime mistress. And absolutely no mention is made of Catherine’s role as a patroness of the arts. The author also gets a couple of biographical details wrong--in the book, she says that Henri II's birthday is March 13th and that his Sun sign is Aries (which is incorrect; March 13 falls under the sign of Pisces). However, Henri's birthdate was really March 31. Typo, perhaps? A minor detail, but it made me wonder how much else the author might have gotten wrong.Kalogridis’s strength is description, though she does have a habit of describing over and over again how tall Henri was, and how short Catherine was. And the narration does jump around a lot, using the “years passed…” device. And there are a couple of—how shall I say—graphic scenes in the novel, which might not appeal to some. But otherwise, I enjoyed this novel—though a better one about the period is CW Gortner’s The Last Queen (incidentally, he's also writing a version of Catherine's story, for publication next year).