Isabella

The She-Wolf of France

By: Alison Weir

Narrated by: Lisette Lecat

Length: 21 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Here is the first full-length biography of a much maligned but astonishingly colourful Queen of England.

In Newgate Street, in the city of London, stand the meagre ruins of Christ Church. On the same site once stood a royal mausoleum set to rival Westminster Abbey in the 14th century. Among the many crowned heads buried there was Isabella of France, Edward II's queen - one of the most notorious femme fatales in history. But how did she acquire her evil reputation? And is it justified? Alison Weir's engrossing biography sets out to put the record straight.

©2005 Alison Weir

Critic reviews

"Pierces the veil of history with scholarly precision....A serious rendering of a sensational life." (Irish Times)

Loved It

What did you love best about Isabella?

Alison Weir always does such an amazing job. This story is wonderful, start to finish. I loved it; didn't want it to end. So many interesting facts. My perception of Isabella has changed dramatically because of this book. The narrator did a superb job.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Isabella?

Her focus on righting the wrong done to her, as well as the country, was very insightful. Such a contrast to how the story was told in other historical accounts.

Have you listened to any of Lisette Lecat’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I loved the narrator. It was my first time listening to a book with Ms. Lecat as the narrator. I'll be sure to seek out other books she has narrated..

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

"Who Knew?"

Any additional comments?

Recommended for any history buff, but also for anyone just looking for a good story.

Excellent

I am normally not a person interested in this kind of books but another family member had purchased it. I started to listen to it with a sense of "I'll give it 5 minutes..", but when the 5 minutes were up, I was hooked. It is a story of a great - but for me hitherto unknown - personality, intellectually told and with a lot of sensible distance to the object. A great history told in a very interesting way. When I had listened to the first two parts I thought the story was over, but was delighted to find out there was a third part! This book would become a great movie.

Weir is an historian, but not great audio material

I've read most of Weir's books, both historical fiction or like this book, fiction/history. Alas, I must say that I would rather have read than heard this very methodical review of everything everyone wore, ate, wrote, etc. Better read than heard in my opinion.

Reads like a textbook

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Unless my friend was a history buff, I would not recommend this book. It is very dry, full of historical facts....basically a history text. Very unlike her books "The Innocent Traitor" and " The Lady Elizabeth" where she blends the historical facts with the characters and makes history interesting.

Would you be willing to try another book from Alison Weir? Why or why not?

Yes, I would read more of her books, because I enjoyed the first two I purchased.

Great Audiobook

I was familiar with the story of Isabella but after listening to this sudiobook I look at her with a whole new light.
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Good History

This is a rare academic book that sounds less like a textbook and more like an interesting story. There are a few tedious moments of minute household account details, but overall this was interesting and entertaining, even if Ms. Weir has other ideas about what happened to Edward II. ;) Its definitely a worthwhile read for history fans.

No she-wolf but no pussy cat either

This was a fascinating biography of an extraordinary woman for her age - the 14th century was not a time for rampant feminism but Isabella was a woman to be reckoned with. Its a period in history of great changes, huge loss of life both in wars and in the Black Death and the beginnings of an awakening that was to become the Renaissance and through it all lived Isabella, wife of the pathetic King Edward II and lover of the tyrannical Mortimer.

History has been unkind to Isabella and in this book Alison Weir has set the record straight and makes a wonderful job of it. Lisette Lecat did a superb job of narrating it and her french accent pronouncing the french place names that cropped up throughout the book was wonderful - these names would have been tripped over and bastardised by any English or American narrator - Lisette was perfect for the role.

Highly recommended for those interested in the 14th Century, English History and those who enjoy a good revolution, murder and women with big personalities.

An Interesting History Lesson

I began this book with the expectation that it would be somewhat dry but chose it anyway because this was an area of history in England heretofore unknown by me and I was ready for the education. While Isobella's story is certainly not one to keep the reader on the edge of one's seat, it is filled with a wealth of historical detail that historyphiles like me go "ga-ga" over. What appeared texious for some of the other readers was like literary cotten candy for me. Load me down with shat people wear, and eat, and fight about, and I'm happy. What I didn't care for in the book was I often lost track of where I was in the Queen's life because of all the attention to date details. Just simply saying 'Isobella was 23 when this occurred' would have been so much easier on me than getting all these dates, then having to do the mathmatical atheletics to figure out where I was in her lifetime. But that was my own preference, someone else might not think another thing about it. Overall, I enjoyed the book. Isobella has definately gotten a bad rap over the centuries for what she did and didn't do. Score another one for the misogynistic historians in our midst!

An Unknown Queen

Any additional comments?

I found this book fascinating. If you looking for fiction you will be disappointed but if you are looking for an interesting history. This is it, I loved it. It looks at what we do know about Queen Isabella and what we do not know. It does speculate a little and brings some new theories to the forefront that I had not heard before or did not remember. It also looks at her and the changes that her actions caused to the monarchy. I would read Alison Weir's non fiction again. I liked it as much as her fiction. Just keep in mind that this is not her fiction.

Alison at her best

Would you listen to Isabella again? Why?

Yes. I would listen again because there was way too much information to absorb in one hearing. Lisette Lecat did an excellent job as narrator and brought the book to life.

What did you like best about this story?

The factual history.

Any additional comments?

Alison Weir is really good at the detective work needed for this kind of book. She gives you detailed facts and then draws conclusions to come up with her take on history's mysteries. I learn a lot from her books.