Historical fiction set in France???
Nov 10th, 2005, 07:34 PM
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Historical fiction set in France???
Have read lots of historical fiction novels set in various European countries. Would like to read about France. I'm especially interested in the Middle Ages. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Nov 10th, 2005, 07:54 PM
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<u>The Serpent Amongst the Lilies</u> by P. C. Doherty - grand historical fiction about Jeanne d'Arc. Since I've read it I've wanted to follow the Maid of Lorraine's campaign through Rouen, Reims, Paris.
Nov 10th, 2005, 09:35 PM
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<u>The Virgin Blue</u> and <u>The Lady and the Unicorn</u> by Tracy Chavalier.
This is the same author who wrote <u>Girl With a Pearl Earring</u> and the setup is similar for all three - inspired by actual works of art.
The Virgin Blue was her first novel - it's rough in spots, but the best story of the bunch, I think. The Lady and the Unicorn flips between France (mostly Paris) and Brussels.
This is the same author who wrote <u>Girl With a Pearl Earring</u> and the setup is similar for all three - inspired by actual works of art.
The Virgin Blue was her first novel - it's rough in spots, but the best story of the bunch, I think. The Lady and the Unicorn flips between France (mostly Paris) and Brussels.
Nov 10th, 2005, 10:58 PM
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Bonjour,
Have you heard of the famous French historical novels by Jeanne Bourin : "La chambre des Dames" and "Le Jeu de la Tentation" ?
She also wrote "Les Pérégrines", the story of three young French women who go on the crusade to Jerusalem in 1099.
http://www.seniornet.org/php/readerg...n=0&Font=0
In English, one can read "Those Terrible Middle Ages! Debunking The Myths" by Régine Pernoud...
Cordialement. Marie
Have you heard of the famous French historical novels by Jeanne Bourin : "La chambre des Dames" and "Le Jeu de la Tentation" ?
She also wrote "Les Pérégrines", the story of three young French women who go on the crusade to Jerusalem in 1099.
http://www.seniornet.org/php/readerg...n=0&Font=0
In English, one can read "Those Terrible Middle Ages! Debunking The Myths" by Régine Pernoud...
Cordialement. Marie
Nov 10th, 2005, 11:00 PM
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Here is the url dedicated to R. Pernoud's book mentioned in my previous post...
http://www.carl-olson.com/book%20rev...s_pernoud.html
http://www.carl-olson.com/book%20rev...s_pernoud.html
Nov 11th, 2005, 04:40 AM
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Thanks you! It was so nice to wake up this morning (Louisville,KY) and find that many of you were either awake in the middle of the night, or live on the west coast! I realize that the territory we know today as France isn't defined as is England during the Middle Ages and therefore historical-fiction authors may be leary of writing about it, but I'm traveling soon to France and would like to read up on her history. No, I do not enjoy history books per se. Historical-fiction is my limit! Thanks again, for your suggestions.
Nov 11th, 2005, 06:32 AM
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Not the Middle Ages, but the three novels about Josephine Bonaparte by Sandra Gulland are fascinating, and they are well-researched. I think The Pillars of the Earth is partially set in France sometime around the Middle Ages. The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables by Hugo plus all the Musketeer Books by Dumas will keep you busy for days but they are well worth it. I know these books are all over in time, but in aggregate, they did give me insight into the different layers of history in France.
Nov 11th, 2005, 06:54 AM
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Sci fi meets historical fiction in Timeline, by Michael Crichton. This is probably less historically focused than the rest suggested here, but it's a fun book. (The book is much better than the movie.)
Nov 11th, 2005, 07:06 AM
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Thought of another one. It is one of my favorite books, but is very dense and rich, unlike Timeline. It is called Journey to the End of the Millennium by A.B Yehoshua. It is set in 999 AD and was scrupulously researched for historical accuracy.
Nov 11th, 2005, 08:24 AM
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"Perfume," a rather bizarre but absolutely fascinating novel set in medieval Paris and Provence. The mystery novels of Sharon Newman, some involving Heloise and Abelard. "Eleanor Aquitaine and the Four Kings;" non-fiction, but it reads like fiction in part--such an amazing woman!
There is somewhere a lengthy thread with recommendations for books about France. If you're lucky it might come up with a search here.
There is somewhere a lengthy thread with recommendations for books about France. If you're lucky it might come up with a search here.
Nov 11th, 2005, 10:38 AM
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Degas started a terrific thread about historical fiction set in Europe. It covers more than France, but there are some great recommendations in it. Take a look:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34540953
Anselm
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34540953
Anselm
Nov 11th, 2005, 11:04 AM
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oops, posted too soon!
Not exactly fiction, based very much on fact, but it reads like fiction and is a very gripping and moving story.
Sharon Penman has written a novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine, but I can't remember what it is called. An amazon search would probably turn it up. Catherine Benzoni wrote a series of novels set in 12th or 13th century France, with a heroine called Catherine, and her lover/husband Arnaud (actually I seem to remember Joan of Arc featuring in one of the books, so that kind of dates it). All of the books had the name Catherine in the title. I enjoyed them very much as a teenager, along with the Angelique novels by Sergeanne Golon which all my schoolfriends were reading.
Not exactly fiction, based very much on fact, but it reads like fiction and is a very gripping and moving story.
Sharon Penman has written a novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine, but I can't remember what it is called. An amazon search would probably turn it up. Catherine Benzoni wrote a series of novels set in 12th or 13th century France, with a heroine called Catherine, and her lover/husband Arnaud (actually I seem to remember Joan of Arc featuring in one of the books, so that kind of dates it). All of the books had the name Catherine in the title. I enjoyed them very much as a teenager, along with the Angelique novels by Sergeanne Golon which all my schoolfriends were reading.
Nov 11th, 2005, 11:35 AM
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I highly recommend the novels of Zoe Oldenbourg. Many of her books are set in medieval France. I'd particularly recommend the trilogy about the Albigensian crusade in the 13th century. Two of these titles are "Corner-stone" and "Destiny of Fire". A non-fiction title that is exceptionally well-written that appeals to many who aren't serious history buffs is Barbara Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror". It is a social history of the 14th century constructed around the life of the last Sieur de Coucy, a French nobleman who among other things married a daughter of the English king. A fine book by a great author and historian.
