Young Queens

Three Renaissance Women and the Price of Power

By: Leah Redmond Chang

Narrated by: Olivia Dowd

Length: 18 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Orphaned from infancy, Catherine de’ Medici endured a tumultuous childhood. Married to the French king, she was widowed by forty, only to become the power behind the French throne during a period of intense civil strife. In 1546, Catherine gave birth to a daughter, Elisabeth de Valois, who would become Queen of Spain. Two years later, Catherine welcomed to her nursery the beguiling young Mary Queen of Scots, who would later become her daughter-in-law.

Together, Catherine, Elisabeth, and Mary lived through the sea changes that transformed sixteenth-century Europe, a time of expanding empires, religious discord, and populist revolt, as concepts of nationhood began to emerge and ideas of sovereignty inched closer to absolutism. They would learn that to rule as a queen was to wage a constant war against the deeply entrenched misogyny of their time.

Following the intertwined stories of the three women from girlhood through young adulthood, Leah Redmond Chang's Young Queens paints a picture of a world in which a woman could wield power at the highest level yet remain at the mercy of the state, her body serving as the currency of empire and dynasty, sacrificed to the will of husband, family, kingdom.

©2023 Leah Redmond Chang (P)2023 Recorded Books

accurate and not too dry

Well read. They spoke clearly as I was able to increase the speed easily. Good information. Most I knew so was not really needed but got it on sale.

Historical storytelling at its best (audiobook edition)

A well interwoven story of Catherine DM, Mary QS, and Elisabeth dV …Exceptional narration by Olivia Dowd … non-fiction at its best!

Excellent writing, engaging narration

This book has shed new light on the queens of the Elizabethan era, delving deeper into the emotional ties between three powerful women. Highly recommend.

A Rich Entangled History That Entertains While It Educates

This book was so thorough and so well written as it connected up the lives of these three historically important queens. It completely educates while entertaining you through the entire length of the reading by a fabulous narrator. The twists and turns and the insider information about a time in history, not only intrigues, but makes us clearly aware of how history can repeat itself and maybe doing so in seemingly disguised or obvious ways today! I loved it I couldn't put it down.

Very interesting

A lot of details well told. I learned more than expected. Long, but I listened to the full length.

Such a good narrator

History about women, written by a woman, narrated by a woman. I loved it and learned so much

Brilliant History

Remarkably written and expertly performed as an audio book. The story of these three queen's is compelling history.

Yikes!

Reading this book in hard cover — with genealogy charts for the Royal houses of France, England, Scotland, Italy and Spain close at hand — it would still be a difficult book to follow. As an audio book, it’s impossible. Should never have been recorded.