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Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine Audiobook
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(3.01) - 2,575 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Renowned for her highly acclaimed and bestselling British histories, Alison Weir has in recent years made a major impact on the fiction scene with her novels about Queen Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey. In this latest offering, she imagines the world of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the beautiful twelfth-century woman who was queen of France until she abandoned her royal husband for the younger man who would become king of England. In a relationship based on lust and a mutual desire for great power, Henry II and Eleanor took over the English throne in 1154, thus beginning one of the most influential reigns and tumultuous royal marriages in all of history. In this novel, Weir uses her extensive knowledge to paint a most vivid portrait of this fascinating woman.
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"This is the best of her fictional novels to date ( I am comparing it to The Lady Elizabeth and Innocent Traitor-). This work has a better pace than the other two and keeps it moving. I think she does a great job of giving us a look at Eleanor. I also read her bio of Eleanor years ago. One small complaint is that she does not cover Eleanor's time on campaign during the first crusade. I think this would have been vary interesting to include since really NO women went on crusade at that time. I also found the treatment of WIlliam Marshall to be rather interesting in this book compared to the historical fiction representation of him in other novels by another author such as the Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion. None the less, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction."
— Christina (5 out of 5 stars)
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“A vivid history…Weir doesn’t skimp on the sex-obsessed court, and her weaving of personal and political narratives with minor details, social trends, and history-defining events creates a surprisingly modern-feeling romance.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Rosalyn Landor narrates with a regal tone. Her careful, well-paced delivery allows listeners to immerse themselves in this epic tale of love, lust, conspiracy, and cunning as it weaves history and imagination into a seamless tapestry.”
— AudioFile -
“A Tudor specialist, popular British historian Weir has ventured, with great success, into the increasingly expansive world of historical fiction….The history itself is inherently dramatic, augmented here by Weir’s usual lush detail, which stimulates rather than detracts from the well-paced narrative.”
— Booklist
Captive Queen Listener Reviews
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6/6/2024
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" I was not prepared for all the sex in the book. It was an easy read and did follow history somewhat. In the end I just felt terrible for all the characters. They really messed their lives up. "
— Maria, 2/12/2014 -
" If you're looking for historical fiction with a leg up (no pun intended; well, yea, intended!) on Harlequin Romances, this may suit you. Brain candy when you need a break, but interesting enough from the historical aspect of the figures to keep one entertained and turning pages. "
— Barb, 2/8/2014 -
" This was okay. I read Weir's nonfiction biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine some years ago, and that was much better. But I will probably remember this one more. Too much sex for my taste. "
— Susan, 2/5/2014 -
" Two chapters in, I gave up. Seriously jarring writing, with modern slang tossed in with high-minded "period" dialogue, and a main character focused only on sexuality. If those things change later in the novel, great, but I didn't think it was worth sticking around to find out. A real shame, as I enjoy Weir's non-fiction. "
— MJ, 1/18/2014 -
" I stand firm that Innocent Traitor was her best book. They only went on a downward slope from there. As shown with this mess. Only good for mindless entertainment. "
— Ariana, 1/16/2014 -
" One of my favorite historical characters by one of my favorite historical authors, but I felt that this book fell a little flat compared to The Lady Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey. Maybe it was just the subject, or the real life isolation of Queen Eleanor throughout a large period of her life, but it surprisingly was not my favorite. A good read nonetheless and quite historically accurate, unlike many other historical novels! "
— Laney, 1/14/2014 -
" Read 11 pages and took it back. It was like a bad romance novel. Way too much quivering and thrusting of bosoms. Yikes! "
— amypete, 1/13/2014 -
" I was disappointed in this book. "
— Catherine, 1/8/2014 -
" I really enjoyed this book. I often wondered how much is accurate and how much is fiction added for entertainments sake... but I really enjoyed this book a lot. "
— Kellie, 12/5/2013 -
" This epic novel is full of intrigue, conflict, and hope; it is pulled together with high quality writing. "
— Barth, 5/19/2013 -
" My 28th great grandmother! "
— Melissa, 4/11/2013 -
" Really good historical fiction, except this one was a looooot heavier on the romance. Of course now I want to read the nonfiction "companion" to this one a whole lot more. "
— Jeannie, 1/28/2013 -
" Amazing fiction novel of how Queen Eleanor lived. From beginning to end there is a romantic twist following you at every turn, and an evil plot stirring. This book is no doubt lengthy, but you'll be happy you read it. "
— Julia, 9/13/2012 -
" I liked this book. Love the historical royal books, Allison weir is great, kind of serious lots of historical detail. "
— Susan, 6/30/2012 -
" Captive Queen: A novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine, by Alison Weir. First married to King Louis VII of France, then married to King Henry II of England. Mother of Richard the Lionheart and King John. "
— Margie, 6/24/2012 -
" So far the book is awesome. "
— Angie, 10/30/2011 -
" Not bad i liked it "
— Shannon, 8/15/2011 -
" The depiction of the times, of Eleanor and her independence, of the "love", fascinating. "
— Angela, 6/6/2011 -
" Very good read. If you like historical fiction, recommend it. "
— Penny, 5/22/2011 -
" More romance than history at first but enough to get me interested in the book and this period of British history. "
— Diane, 5/15/2011 -
" I enjoy history, and Alison Weir's historical novels really brings it to life. I especially enjoyed this book because I didn't know much about this time period in English and French monarchy so didn't know the ending as I had in her other novels. "
— Kathy, 5/12/2011 -
" A fantastic novel, brimming with great characters. Eleanor comes vividly alive on Weir's pages. "
— Emily, 4/24/2011 -
" A great novel based on the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine. She is a favorite historical woman- and this is the best thing I have ever read about her. Shades of The Lion In Winter- a favorite movie "
— Paige, 4/7/2011 -
" Always interested to learn more European history. I don't know how much of this was actual history, some of it read more like a romance novel. But It gave the general idea of events and circumstances when England was a great Empire stretching from Scotland to Spain. "
— Stephanie, 4/7/2011
About Alison Weir
Alison Weir is many works of nonfiction and historical fiction, including the New York Times bestsellers Innocent Traitor and The Six Wives of Henry VIII. She has also written historical biographies that include Queens of the Conquest, Queens of the Crusades, and Queens of the Age of Chivalry.
About Rosalyn Landor
Rosalyn Landor is an English-born television, theater, and multiple-award-winning audiobook narrator. Her television credits include Love in a Cold Climate, Rumpole of the Bailey, Sherlock Holmes, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. She has won numerous Audie awards and AudioFile magazine Earphones awards.