Plaidy's prose is plain and concise, occasionally romanticised but always readable. Jean Plaidy's real talent is bringing history to life - her fictionalized accounts of kings and queens, and other historical figures, cannot be beaten for condensing and humanising the otherwise dry list of dynasties and dates offered by non-fiction tomes. I was engaged from the opening chapter and never grew bored.A superb read. These are the reasons why this tome has appealed to me so much. I also prefer lots of dialogue and minimal descriptive passages.

It’s very much a character-driven tale, so if you don’t have patience for Catherine, chances are you won’t care for the story.I always prefer books that are more focused on character interaction rather than complex plots full of twists and turn. This may be why many reviewers have given the novel average or poor ratings. She wastes much of her life by waiting for opportunities rather than accepting things as they are and looking for fulfilment elsewhere – I can’t be too specific here in case I gave anything away to anyone considering reading this book.The plot is simple with little in the way of variation because of Catherine’s one-track way of thinking. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her, despite her occasional venomous deed or devious plan.She also comes across as slightly barmy, which again evoked my sympathy, not mockery. In the bio she struck me as a nasty piece of work, whereas in this fiction-based-on-fact tale, she comes across as a more sympathetic character.The author shows Catherine as an unloved person who’s treated badly or neglected by those who should care for her right from childhood. I had previously read an account of her after this period in a non-fiction work, namely a biography on Henry IV of France.

I expected to dislike her character throughout this book, but despite a few “evil intentions”, I found myself on her side and making excuses for her whenever she went too far with anything.This novel covers her time from the age of six through to thirty-nine. All I knew of Catherine de Medici before reading this fictionalised account of her life was that she was a “bad” woman.

Madame serpent by jean plaidy