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Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Leonie Frieda (Author), Sarah Le Fevre (Narrator), HarperAudio (Publisher)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 796 ratings
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Poisoner, despot, necromancer - the dark legend of Catherine de Medici is centuries old. In this critically hailed biography, Leonie Frieda reclaims the story of this unjustly maligned queen to reveal a skilled ruler battling extraordinary political and personal odds - from a troubled childhood in Florence to her marriage to Henry, son of King Francis I of France; from her transformation of French culture to her fight to protect her throne and her sons' birthright. Based on thousands of private letters, it is a remarkable account of one of the most influential women ever to wear a crown.

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  1. Listening Length
    21 hours and 36 minutes
  2. Author
    Leonie Frieda
  3. Narrator
    Sarah Le Fevre
  4. Audible release date
    October 16, 2018
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    HarperAudio
  7. ASIN
    B07GZZQHQX
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 21 hours and 36 minutes
Author Leonie Frieda
Narrator Sarah Le Fevre
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date October 16, 2018
Publisher HarperAudio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B07GZZQHQX
Best Sellers Rank #4,686 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#3 in Biographies of Royalty (Audible Books & Originals)
#4 in Royalty Biographies
#5 in Historical France Biographies

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
796 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book engaging, enjoyable, and absorbing. They describe it as highly informative, comprehensive, and providing a different perspective on the historical figure. Opinions are mixed on the writing quality, with some finding it well-written and detailed, while others say it's dry and not a light read.

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ReadabilityInformation contentHistorical accuracyEngrossednessWriting quality
31 customers mention "Readability"29 positive2 negative

Customers find the book engaging, enjoyable, and absorbing. They say it's a great resource to find other Medici's. Readers also mention the book presents the life of a remarkable woman in a good way.

"...I am saving the book for further reference and am completely satisfied with this fine work. Thank You..." Read more

"...Catherine's relationship with her sons makes for absorbing reading. Three sons lived to become king of France and in Henry III's case, Poland...." Read more

"...How it works out in the end? Like I said, a great read, you can't make this stuff up...." Read more

"...Also, it’s written in prose, almost like a novel. Very nice & enjoyable way to read non fiction. 🙌..." Read more

17 customers mention "Information content"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly informative, fascinating, and comprehensive. They say it provides a perspective of this historical figure. Readers also appreciate the maps, family trees, notes, and bibliography.

"...This book is packed with information about the various political sub divisions of France, Italy, Spain, England, the Holy Roman Empire and so forth...." Read more

"A deeply fascinating, highly readable, and truly outrageous non-fiction account of the remarkable life of Catherine de Medici...." Read more

"I really enjoyed reading this. It's very informative about Catherine de Medici and her life and the times she lived in without being boring or so..." Read more

"This is a factual, historical book about Catherine d’Medici. It’s very detailed...." Read more

10 customers mention "Historical accuracy"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly informative and say it provides a perspective of this historical figure that is different from the usual one. They also appreciate the maps, useful list of historic houses, and family trees.

"...There are also a few maps, a very useful list of the historic houses and family trees, and several color illustrations and paintings included in..." Read more

"...Although, Margot achieved equal notoriety.This is a wonderful biography as well as history of Renaissance France. I highly recommend it." Read more

"This is a factual, historical book about Catherine d’Medici. It’s very detailed...." Read more

"This is a great story of a remarkable person, along with broad insights into the culture and complexity of 16th century France and Europe...." Read more

4 customers mention "Engrossedness"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book captivating, informative, and refreshing.

"...a lot about an incredible woman, but the this was well written and engrossing...." Read more

"...It is refreshing. This isn't an easy object. Catherine is a person who has the baggage of her time and other biographers...." Read more

"...and Leonie breaks it down and presents it in a way that is engaging and easy to understand...." Read more

"Completely Captivating and Highly Informative - A Great Historical Biography..." Read more

24 customers mention "Writing quality"16 positive8 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality of the book. Some mention it's well-written, engaging, and easy to read, while others say it's rather dry and not a light read.

"...a very edgy and hip black comedy, Leonie Frieda's writing is much more traditional and erudite, brilliantly displaying the scheming, horror, tragedy..." Read more

"...It really reads more like narrative." Read more

"...This is not a light read...." Read more

"The personal correspondence is the real gem here. Also, it’s written in prose, almost like a novel. Very nice & enjoyable way to read non fiction...." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

Frank Donnelly
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Six Stars, A Very Detailed and Factually Dense Read
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2019
Verified Purchase
It would be hard for me to exaggerate how much I appreciated and enjoyed this biography of Catherine de Medici. This book is packed with information about the various political sub divisions of France, Italy, Spain, England, the Holy Roman Empire and so forth. The book is also is filled with information on the many royal families. I feel that this book could be used as a core text for study of this entire period of Western European History.

This is not a light read. There were times I need a proverbial "score card" to keep track of all of the individuals and the shifting alliances and intrigue. In that context, this is in no way a light read and I really had to concentrate. As usual I did parallel reading and took my time to try to get as much as possible from this book. It took me a lot longer to read this book than its length would suggest.

I purchased a hard copy of this really excellent book and also listened to an audiobook. While the audiobook is excellent, I would not have gotten nearly as much out of this work while only listening due to the names of people and places, etc. The actual book had maps, family trees, notes and bibliography, that really added so much to an individual such as myself who does not have sufficient prior knowledge of various names and locations.

In summary, I am so glad that I purchased and studied this excellent book. I learned so much. I am saving the book for further reference and am completely satisfied with this fine work. Thank You...
77 people found this helpful
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Andy
5.0 out of 5 stars Completely Captivating and Highly Informative - A Great Historical Biography
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2024
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A deeply fascinating, highly readable, and truly outrageous non-fiction account of the remarkable life of Catherine de Medici. Clearly draws a portrait of her unstable wartime environment and incredible political rise to become one of the most notorious and powerful figures in European history. I bought this book after watching the entertaining The Serpent Queen- which uses this book as it's source, but while the show shapes the material into a very edgy and hip black comedy, Leonie Frieda's writing is much more traditional and erudite, brilliantly displaying the scheming, horror, tragedy, and absurdity of the royal courtly life in Renaissance France. There are also a few maps, a very useful list of the historic houses and family trees, and several color illustrations and paintings included in this book. Highly recommended to fans of European history and biographies. Also recommended the exciting, bloody, costume drama and award winning French film, Queen Margot (1994).
9 people found this helpful
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Aglio
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Biography of a Maligned and Misunderstood Renaissance Queen
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2010
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Leonie Frieda has written a tremendous biography of a much maligned Renaissance queen. Catherine De Medici has been blamed for many of the ills experienced by France after the death of her husband, Henry II. How much complicity she had in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre is still a subject of debate. Leonie Frieda states that she did have some culpability. However, she also makes it clear that Catherine made many efforts to make peace with the Huguenots before and after the event. Something that history seems to have neglected.

Catherine's entire reign has been defined by that one event. There was much more to this remarkable renaissance queen. She was a woman of her times and ahead of her time. She received an education far beyond what was considered respectable for a woman. She cultivated the arts, poetry and architecture. And yet, she is considered the "Queen of poisons" because several of her enemies seemed to conveniently die (of poison ?). Above all, she was a mother to her children.

What is interesting about her is that while she was never affectionate with her children, she loved and protected them. She made sure all of them married well. That was important during the Renaissance. A woman was defined by her marriage. Catherine was no different. Most of her early life was defined by her marriage to Henry II. She didn't come into her own until after his death when she became regent for her son, Francis. This is a period when she flourished. Up until that point, she remained the dutiful and submissive queen. She may well have owed that position to Diane De Poiters, Henry IIs mistress. Catherine remained childless for the first nine years of her marriage. That would have been a legitimate legal reason for an annulment. With Diane's urging (?), Henry kept Catherine and they eventually went on to have ten children. Catherine's relationship with her sons makes for absorbing reading. Three sons lived to become king of France and in Henry III's case, Poland. Her daughters did not achieve the same success of their mother. Although, Margot achieved equal notoriety.

This is a wonderful biography as well as history of Renaissance France. I highly recommend it.
44 people found this helpful
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Bobbie Bowles
5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting, easy to follow and read
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2024
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I really enjoyed reading this. It's very informative about Catherine de Medici and her life and the times she lived in without being boring or so overfilled with minute facts that it gets bogged down.

There are enough footnotes and correspondence that you feel like you know facts, without feeling like you are going to be given a test at the end you are utterly unprepared for. It really reads more like narrative.
7 people found this helpful
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Polly *Girl
5.0 out of 5 stars You Can't Make this Stuff Up!
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2023
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What a great read! A non-noble Italian girl who probably inherited latent tuberculosis/syphilis from her dead parents makes good! She produces 10 offspring while married to Henry II who dies from a lance in his eye. She weathers this tragedy to became the de facto ruler of France. She deals with mistresses, and has her hands in the occult , the nobility, the Catholic Church, and the slaughter of the Huguenots., Mary Queen of Scots, King Philip of Spain, Queen Elizabeth of England--all have parts to play in this drama. She held her own by championing her sickly male heirs to the throne and tried placing her daughters in advantageous marriages. How it works out in the end? Like I said, a great read, you can't make this stuff up. (Read the book about the two queens to learn more about Catherine and her daughter Margot.)
11 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Irina Go.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro!
Reviewed in Mexico on May 9, 2023
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Excelente libro y condiciones del libro! Llegó en perfecto estado!
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Leonard Relling
5.0 out of 5 stars The strength of Bios is the stroy is about a LOT of people..!
Reviewed in Canada on December 4, 2022
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Very factual..!
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Janeymac73
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, well written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 16, 2023
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Really kept me fascinated. The intrigue, the plotting. What a fascinating character. So well written and researched. Highly recommended
2 people found this helpful
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Júpiter 25
5.0 out of 5 stars PACIENTE,RESOLUTIVA.
Reviewed in Spain on February 28, 2023
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Una mujer no para el gusto de todos, pero que supo hacer de su vida una religión y llevarla asta su muerte. Maravillosa Catalina de Médicis. Es curioso como en estos siglos XV Y XVI el nombre de Catalina debía de estar muy de moda. "ENRIQUE VIII se casó con tres CATALINAS, dos ANAS y una JUANA.
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sandro perez
5.0 out of 5 stars Great reading
Reviewed in Italy on August 22, 2019
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Great book
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