Eleanor the Firebrand Queen
by Helen Rayson-Hill
Pub Date 01 Mar 2021
Interactive Publications Pty Ltd,Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
Biographies & Memoirs| Historical Fiction| Women's Fiction

Netgalley and Interactive Publications Pty sent me a copy of Eleanor the Firebrand Queen for review:

I invite you to take a journey with me back to the twelfth century in Eleanor the Firebrand Queen:


In addition to being intelligent and beautiful, Eleanor of Aquitaine has an immense wealth that kings desire. A dying wish of her father places the young heiress under the guardianship of King Louis VI of France, who marries her to his monkish son. Her education and intellect are considered shameful by the pious French Court. As a result, she is accused of emulating men, who are considered her superiors. This emphasizes that she is there to breed, to look decorative, and to keep her eloquent mouth shut.


Eleanor longs to be free. There is an opportunity to lead an army on the Second Crusade. Eleanor takes this chance and rides with Louis, now king, to the Holy Land. During her stay in Antioch, the young Queen discovers unexpected love and a prophecy. As a result of her request, her disastrous marriage to Louis is annulled.


As a single woman, Eleanor attracts unwanted adventurers. As she evades capture, she realizes she must remarry. A mighty dynasty is born when she marries young Henry Plantagenet, attractive and not a monk.


I give Eleanor the Fire Brand Queen five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good historical novel. Love the cover. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. I didn't realize that the book was basically written as a diary although the cover should have given me that clue. I just didn't get into this book much. I noticed i only got half way. Sorry

2.5 stars.
It felt a tad long and boring. Eleanor felt whiny and annoying, but it was alright. I did not like that it was somewhat written as a dairy/1th person. It just did not work for this book.

I really wanted to like this book because it was about Eleanor of Aquitaine. However, she seemed to be mostly a passive character throughout the novel. She mostly whines and complains about her a lot. All the characters feel bland and are not given any depth to them. The writing style is very simple. Eleanor has a childish voice throughout the novel. She also very rarely matures. Therefore, I recommend this fans of Eleanor of Aquitaine, but there are more superior versions of the novel. The Royal Diaries series of Eleanor’s captures Eleanor’s young voice but also makes her grow into a mature figure over time. Other versions are those done by Elizabeth Chadwick, Jean Plaidy, and Allison Weir.

I loved getting to read a historical novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine, she's a historical figure that I don't read too much about. This was a well done story and I look forward to reading more in this series.

Eleanor of Aquitaine is a historical figure famous for many things and with certain cultural relevance up until these days. She was first Queen of France and then Queen of England (though no regnant royalty, more a consort wife) but she was Duchess of Aquitaine on her own right.

This book by Helen Rayson-Hill depicts a young Eleanor from when she is schooled to be the ruler of Aquitaine as the older child of the Duke of Aquitaine to the years when she gets married to King Louis VII of France. Then the troubled years as a consort wife of the French King, who takes on a Crusade to Holy Land and the struggles Eleanor faces with a complicated arranged marriage where a male heir would not come. An annulment leads to Eleanor marrying the son of the Duke of Normandy, heir to the English throne, and how things change for her.

I enjoyed reading this book from Eleanor's POV, in first person, I felt truly as hearing her voice taking us as readers by the hand through her personal life, and letting us learn more about her motivations, as well as her struggles and doubts. The author makes a really good work portraying the nuances of her personality and how her decisions, as controversial they could be, paved her future. She was a strong, educated woman in a world where women were supposed to breed and comply, nothing less. Having a strong-headed lady taking ownership and focused on learning and the well-being of her vassals was frowned upon.

It is also interesting to read about a world where geopolitical divisions were different than what we know them now, and how this region, Aquitaine, played an important factor years later during the War of Hundred Years.

As this book closes on her becoming Queen of England and leaving the door open to sequels covering the rest of her story as wife and mother of english kings. Since Rayson-Hill mentioned she was inspired on writing about this queen from "The Lion in Winter" - where an older version of Eleanor was portrayed by Katharine Hepburn - I can imagine that more books on the subject might be on the cards, and I will definitely be looking forward to read them.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. Though hard to get into at first I enjoyed this book about the most famous plantagant queen

A fascinating insight into the life and times of Eleanor of Aquitaine, very well researched and dramatically brought to life by the author. Highly recommended for history fans.

As a fan of Posie Graeme- Evans, Elizabeth Chadwick and Philippa Gregory I was intrigued when I saw the description of this book. I was a little disappointed.
The writing was a bit more historical fiction then historical. Eleanor of Aquitaine’s life story is so intriguing, legendary even and has fascinated people for centuries. She was portrayed poorly which is a great shame. The mother of a Richard The Lionheart was known for her education, wit, powerful personality not just so called affairs. A lot of the book is based on her extra marital lovers rather then the character herself. She is portrayed better in other books.
The timescale of this book follows the true chronology of Eleanors early marriage to Louis VII of France at the tender age of 13, and you you do feel compassion and sympathy but I didn’t like or enjoy the way she was portrayed.
I think if you like historical fiction then you may enjoy this book, it is readable but the real character has all the politics, tragedies scandal etc without adding excessive sex encounters.

Eleanor of Aquitaine is one of my favorite subjects but this book does her no favors. I agree with others that the writing style is choppy and there is very little dialogue which is a must for me. I struggled hard with this. If would suggest you skip this and read something else. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

A disappointment but perhaps one of my own making. I was looking more for a factually correct telling of Eleanor’s fascinating life told with some fictional bits of poetic license but instead this book seems more sensational than accurate.

This was a new to me author so I went into this story without expectations. It was clear from the start that wasn’t the book for me. I love historical novels and the time period I find very interesting but I just didn’t like the writing style. It was a very choppy, it didn’t flow. It was a bit like a diary setting. It just didn’t appeal to me. It also went I couldn’t get into the story and characters.

Was a bit disappointed that this was Historical Fiction instead of Historical. Eleanor, the mother of Richard the Lion Hearted was a fascinating person, and I was hoping to learn more about her. Yes, this is a good book, but it is fiction. Would recommend, but know that is a story.

Heartfelt story about a young woman who face a life danger but will do anything to fight for her voice and freedom.