The Confessions of Catherine de Medici

May I suggest historical fiction fans of the English Tudors try the French royalty for a change? For me, Tudor intrigue pales in comparison to France’s 16th-century queen and regent, Catherine de Medici. This lush, biographical novel from C.W. Gortner follows Catherine from traumatic childhood to poignant death, revealing the necessity behind her ruthlessness. Since the era’s religious conflicts echo today’s cultural divides, the history feels surprisingly fresh. I can’t help thinking that this strong woman who stopped at nothing to protect France, her children, and her power would be more admired if she had been a man. 

There are some books that stick with you, years after you read them, and The Confessions of Catherine Medici is one such book. Being the Queen of France might sound good on paper but the struggles that Catherine went through. There is delicious court drama and a woman coming into her own.

I have always been intrigued by Catherine de Medici, the most powerful—some say, ruthless—woman of sixteenth-century France. Narrating in Catherine’s own voice, C.W. Gortner brings Catherine to life. My own work in the area of religious conflict in early modern Europe made Catherine, who was caught up in France’s endless wars between Protestants and Catholics, a particularly attractive subject. Capturing exquisitely the inner workings of Catherine’s psyche, Gortner makes us feel Catherine’s anguish at having to ally herself with the Protestant leader Coligny and at the sacrifices she had to make on behalf of the monarchy.