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Sign up todayThe Confessions of Catherine de Medici
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Learn moreFrom C. W. Gortner, acclaimed author of The Last Queen, comes an ambitious and gripping new novel about the dramatic, tragic, and misunderstood life of one of history’s most powerful and influential women: Catherine de Medici.
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. In this brilliantly imagined novel, acclaimed author C. W. Gortner brings Catherine to life in her own voice, allowing us to enter the intimate world of a woman whose determination to protect her family’s throne and realm plunged her into a lethal struggle for power.
From the fairy-tale chateaux 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.
C. W. Gortner is an American author of historical fiction novels, including the acclaimed The Last Queen and The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, as well as three historical mysteries in the Spymaster Chronicles series. He holds an MFA degree in writing with an emphasis in Renaissance studies from the New College of California. In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard in a Tudor great hall and experienced life in a medieval Spanish castle. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights and environmental issues. Half Spanish by birth and raised in southern Sprain, he now lives in Northern California.
Cassandra Campbell is an actress, director, and teacher who has performed in New York at the Public Theater, the Mint Theater, and the Clurman Theatre. She is an accomplished voice-over artist whose credits include numerous audiobooks, documentaries, and commercials in both Italian and English.
Reviews
“The notorious Catherine de Medici emerges as a flesh-and-blood woman in this masterful recounting of her life. C.W. Gortner has an uncanny ability to delve into the intense humanness of his characters.”
“An intriguing and provocative book about one of history’s most controversial queens and the turbulent world of 16th century France.”
“Thrilling and original…a dramatic portrait of a brilliant queen and a realm divided by dissension.”
“The Confessions of Catherine de Medici is a dramatic, epic novel of an all-too-human woman whose strength and passion propelled her into the center of grand events. Meticulously researched, this engrossing novel offers a fresh portrait of a queen who has too often been portrayed as a villain. Bravo, Mr. Gortner!”
“Powerful and determined, Catherine de Medici strides across the treacherous glamour of 16th century France in this breathtaking novel…With an exquisite eye for detail and deep sensitivity, Gortner evokes a woman of immense personality and resolve, who never gave up on her children or country. You will not be able to put this book down!”
“Catherine de Medici uses her natural and supernatural gifts to protect the French throne in Gortner’s (The Last Queen) portrait of a queen willing to sacrifice happiness and reputation to fulfill her family’s royal destiny…Gortner’s is not the first fictional reinterpretation of a historical villainess, but hers is remarkably thoughtful in its insight into an unapologetically ruthless queen.”
“Cassandra Campbell tells this fictionalized account of Catherine’s life with little embellishment in the dialogue or accents of those who surround Catherine. But it is Catherine’s story, and Campbell focuses her attention on the depth of Catherine’s character and her development from the Italian girl who arrived in France to marry the king’s second son. Campbell imbues her voice with determination and maturity as Catherine learns the ways of the court and its politics. Later, we hear harshness in Campbell’s tone as Catherine sees herself losing everything that reminds her of the girl she used to be.”
“In this meticulously researched novel, Gortner (The Last Queen) gives us a Catherine who is passionate yet sometimes naive…While the Catherine depicted here is in some ways similar to Jeanne Kalodigris’ protagonist in The Devil’s Queen, Gortner breathes more life into his queen. Historical fiction fans will appreciate the vivid details of Renaissance France.”
“Gortner has reimagined the life of one of the most controversial women in history in a fresh, well-researched, and powerful portrait of a queen and mother in the turbulent 1500s. With great sensitivity she gives readers a woman struggling to keep her children and country safe. Readers will come away with new ideas, and that’s just what historical fiction is supposed to do—open our eyes to new possibilities.”
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