My guilty pleasure in life is historical fiction and this novel satisfied on all of my needs. The story had a healthy dose of historical events, attention to sumptuous detail, and most importantly, a strong but fallible heroine, Catherine de Medici. I did not know much about the French queen prior to reading this novel, but I think that the author, Gortner, was able to portray a figure who valiantly struggled to bring peace to France and to her own family. Ultimately, her decisions and interferences led to war and have colored her place in history. This novel has piqued my interest in Catherine de Medici and I look forward to reading more of her life story.