The Summer Queen

Slightly Embarrassing

I rarely review audiobooks, only when I love them or hate them. I didn't love this book, and I didn't hate this book. I just found it, well, embarrassing.

On the one hand, I couldn't stop listening. The subject matter and the writer's easy prose worked well together. So well, I even listened to the second book. That's the embarrassing part.

On the other, the author clearly cannot handle (or imagine) the intricate politics of the time. Eleanor (Alienor), thus becomes a kind of Victorian heroine--flat, romantic, slightly boring. Her only flaws seem to be loving and feeling too much, which results in extricating her love/emotions in order to protect herself. Eleanor rarely behaves badly, and she comes across as a relatively normal, intelligent, person stuck in a world gone insane. There is NO WAY Eleanor was anything like that...she wouldn't have survived one night with someone like Henry for one night, much less more than 80 years.

Anyway, the resulting characterization is made all the more flat by the reader, who has a lovely voice but manages to make even the battles seem like dreamy walks in the park.

One review of this book called it a romance, and I think that's right. It's a glossy, idealized take on a historical figure. And not a particularly good one.

But it is HIGHLY listenable, and got me interested in the time period. So there's that.

17 of 18 people found this review helpful

The Romance Runs Strong in This One

I found this title in the coming soon to Audible area of the web site. It sounded terrific when I researched the series. Plus there was the added perk of many glowing reviews on Audible UK. Overall it seemed like a perfect fit for me. I have read numerous books about Eleanor of Aquitaine and her life and this sounded like a wonderful series to look forward to.

The trouble started with a minor irritation in that the author and narrator decided to use the historic pronunciation of Eleanor's name. I soon got use to the odd pronunciation but in a way it sounded overly prissy and unnecessary. To me the narration came across as very young and childish. I suggest a careful listen to the sample before buying the book.

The focus points the author chose to examine and stress in the story moved this book squarely into the Romance Genre for me -- without question. For example--when the old King of France died-- two lines are spent on this in the story explaining he had died, the travel to Paris AND that a rebellion was squelched on the way. Then paragraphs and even chapters are spent describing intimate details of the wedding night and other encounters of this kind.

Further, I just finished watching the cable program The White Queen and so much of the court life depicted here in this book could be lifted from that story. The nastiness, the disapproving hateful mother-in-law and the daily traumas and manipulations. More than all of this I found the book slow. Very slow. I could have used more fact, more history and a great deal less conjecture and imaginings. Can not recommend-- unless you love a good romance.

43 of 47 people found this review helpful

Heavy on the Fiction, Light on the History.

I have two major complaints on this book:

1. The parts of history that are so rich and could be mined for so much documented history are skimmed past with barely any attention. One of the reasons I love historical fiction is for the history I can learn, but this book offered no education.

2. Eleanor of Aquitaine had to be one of the strongest women to have lived. And, yet, in this book she is weak, whiny and seems to only care about romance and sex. It is far too much a "bodice ripper" romance book.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

What a woman!

This is the 1st installment in the trilogy on Eleanor of Aquitaine's life. Ms. Chadwick is a great storyteller and picked a fantastic subject in Eleanor. I've thoroughly enjoyed both books that are currently out, and am looking forward to the third. If you are a lover of Philippa Gregory's books, you'll find Elizabeth Chadwick is just as good, if not better. Katie Scarfe does a good job on the women's voices, but a bit harsh and monotone on the men's voices. It doesn't take away from the story itself, but I can't give 5 stars to the performance.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

great escape if you like queens and kings

I downloaded this to listen to while I used the elliptical. I find it takes a really imaginative book to help me get through each workout. Some books are interesting enough, but it still takes too much effort to make it through an hour. This book allowed me to get completely lost in the 1100s, in the worlds of kings and queens. Before I knew it, whole chunks of time would pass by. Without question I will download her next book and take it to the gym with me.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

More novel than fact

I enjoyed the story but there was a little too much emphasis on sex and bodily functions for my taste.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Intro to Chadwick

The storyline kept me wanting more, the narrator's voice was enough to siphon the characters. I was able to complete house chores and stay caught up with the story at the same time. Now to Winter Queen.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

interesting listen

Its a fun story. A peak into what it would have been like, but having no clue if any of it happened that way. fun to think about.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

WRONG NARRATOR - GREAT SUBJECTS MATTER WASTED!

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator sounds like a 12 year-old child - young and naive by current standards but of marriageable age during the era portrayed here. The story begins with The early life of Eleanor of Acquitane and the vocalization works for her.. However, the "Teen Queen" depictstion in the actual third- party accounts dust don't work,

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I regret to say that I didn't get more than an hour into the book and eventually threw in the towel, the whole experience was more like listening to a fairy tale told by a neighborhood reader who has yet to learn the skill and nuances required by audiobooks.

Would you be willing to try another one of Katie Scarfe’s performances?

I'm always open to give authors and narrators a second ride around the park. My criticism is not about Katie Scarfe's life repertoire - just that this a mismatched pairing.

Was The Summer Queen worth the listening time?

I'm a great fan of Eleanor of Aquitaine, having read or listened to dozens. But this book did not have enough "oomph" to engage me more than an hour. Beyond that, I found myself "zoning out" during major passages.

Any additional comments?

This is yet another example to the problemd that I have with audiobook producers and directors- no quality control, questionable production and directorial shills. The audio format of books are terribly expensive so it is of paramount importance that the production, casting, recording, continuity and, of course, the performance be of the first quality and running on ALL cylinders! This book is a case-book example of an "opportunity wasted". I am wayyyy past buying books, only to find them substandard, then keeping them in my Library. There are those who will like this book - I, for one, am not one of these people! REFUND!

13 of 20 people found this review helpful

Excellent Trilogy!!!

I really loved this!! I wasn’t sure I would but I found myself just fascinated and dying to know what would happen next. I kept sneaking peeks at Wikipedia for the actual history to find out things. Very enjoyable!!!