A story with a wonderful premise, well-written and intriguing, but somehow missed the mark for me. I'm a bit hard-pressed to explain how. Maybe not knowing if any of it has historical basis. Maybe the rather uncomfortable romance between the modern-era characters ... alarm bells still ringing for me with respect to Anastasia ... and the way that sex was described was surprisingly robotic ... is this the sapphic love story of anyone's dreams ...? I was also in some part confused and others distracted by the historical perspectives ... too much space paid to the goings-on of the times ... too little on how the central characters got from here to there ... at least the rampant sexism in academia was accurate.

'Cities of Women' is an engaging historical fiction. I love the idea of modern women finding inspiration in the lives of women who lived before them, so this novel is great on that front. I found the chapters that took place in the past to be more intriguing than Verity’s point of view. I enjoyed the scenes from the past because the writing flowed off the page in a way that allowed me to visualize what the women were experiencing. The details about illuminated manuscripts seem well-researched, which contributed to those scenes feeling more tangible. Verity’s point of view seemed flatter in comparison since her drive was solely dedicated to her search for Anastasia. I understand that she was overcome with imposter syndrome, but it seemed like her sole purpose in the book was to introduce the chapters that took place in the past. The switch between points of view does allow the reader to learn about Anastasia almost at the same speed as Verity, so that is a nice touch. The one place where the book falls flat for me is in Verity and modern-day Anastasia’s romance. They never felt well-suited for each other beyond coincidence, and modern-day Anastasia’s attitude toward Verity and her research often felt superficial or outright rude. Rocky romance aside, this is a great historical fiction and reads like a love letter to history's forgotten women.

I received a free eARC through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Switching between the Medieval period and Modern Day, Jones details the lives of three extraordinary women: Verity, Anastasia, and Christine. As Verity races to uncover a centuries-long secret hidden in modern English and French archives, Anastasia and Christine make their marks in a time period where we know little about the lives and work of female writers and artists. Jones weaves a masterful tale that highlights the accomplishments of all types of women, and she draws you in with rich prose and fascinating historical details.

Coming into this book, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by all the history I was able to learn. As a history major, I am always awed by authors who can make novels out of seemingly ordinary history points. This book was no exception; I was most interested in Anastasia and Christine's POVs for this reason. It was also enlightening to learn more about The Black Death, indulgences, Charles V, etc. The history of book making/illustrating was also explained well, although sometimes it was a bit too technical for my tastes. I imagine that those who don't have a background in rare books or printing might be a bit confused by all the terminology.

In my opinion, Verity's chapters dragged the book down. She was just so boring; she had no personality besides her research. Additionally, I found it hard to believe that she could switch research topics so easily (and that her new manuscript idea would be accepted so readily by her university.) Also, there was such a huge buildup to her learning Anastasia's secret, and then there was a measly half-chapter that actually discussed her research presentation in front of other scholars. I was expecting something way bigger, so that was disappointing.

The romance subplot was disheartening, too. I don't know why, but I expected there to be something going on between Christine and Anastasia. However, Jones did not mention any chemistry between them. Also, the modern Anastasia was so toxic. I did not like her relationship with Verity, and all her drama was unnecessary to the plot. I wish she was not so rude and that she didn't belittle Verity all the time.

Finally, I loved the themes in this book. It was empowering to read about all the women who helped these main characters throughout their journeys, whether that be their mothers, their friends, the nuns, or the wives of powerful men. When examining history, it is essential to highlight the often-overlooked contributions made by women, so I appreciated that Jones handled this aspect of the book so well.

Thank you, NetGalley and Turner, for this digital ARC!

The Cities of Women is a multiple point of view novel that shifts between Verity Frazier, a modern academic, Bèatrice, a medieval French artist, and Christine de Pizan, the French-Italian writer for the court of Charles VI, during the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. The title is a reference to Christine’s books, The Book of the City of Ladies andThe Treasure of the City of Ladies. Recurrent themes include feminism and achieving one’s personal goals in life and in one’s profession as well as attempts to change the patriarchal world through women’s written word and paintings.

The novel captures the medieval period quite well with its staggering differences between the wealthy and the poor, though the Black Death is a great equalizer. So many women are made to feel inferior even when they are experts in their respective fields, and Verity’s plight, feeling she’s an imposter as an academic and unable to complete her book on the women of the French Revolution, epitomizes this. The writing is poetic at times and the material clearly well-researched. I enjoyed the minutia of details about mixing pigments, making parchment, and how early books were manufactured. at the beginning of each new chapter.

Mixed in with the historical aspects is a modern sapphic romance. I didn’t find the love interest, Anatasia, to be very sympathetic and couldn’t understand Verity’s interest in her. Overall, Cities of Women is a deft look at women who defy the expectations of their times yet remain overlooked by the patriarchy and attempts to place them at greater parity and make them less invisible.

I was very excited to get the ARC of Cities of Women. I am a great lover of art and enjoy books that are set in the art world. This book in dual eras- modern Verity- woman trying to salvage her career as a professor, and 14th century Anastasia, a woman who may have illustrated an medieval manuscript, but was never given credit. The author clearly did a tremendous amount of research before writing this book. She painstakingly explores the world of ancient manuscripts and the arduous process of creating a manuscript with materials available at the time, starting with creating parchment. While finding the research impressive, I feel that character development was a little lacking, as can be the case with historical fiction. It's ultimately a study on how hard a woman has to work be get recognized for that work, in a world that would rather give the credit to men of lesser talents. After reading this, it makes one wonder how many other female artists there have been through the ages that have not been fully recognized for their contributions. Thanks for this opportunity NetGalley!

This novel is a work of historical literary fiction centering on the lives of three women in two different timelines. The source of focus and great research is the contributions of two of the women in art, poetry, and knowledge in medieval France. This is an incredibly difficult topic to take on as there is a lack of documentation preserving the role and impact of women in medieval Europe. The author brings great detail to this period documenting what the lives of women may have looked like.

Verity, the main protagonist and professor, is greatly dissatisfied by her work and research in her present historical field. While taking time to salvage her career she is presented with an opportunity to examine a medieval illuminated manuscript of Christine de Pizan's. Verity becomes convinced that the illuminations must have been created by another woman; with the credit being given to a man, and she sets out to prove this point.

Alternating between viewpoints of Verity, Beatrice (Anastasia), and Christine, the reader is taken on a very accurate journey through medieval France. I found the stories of Anastasia and Christine to be the most enjoyable as they radiated a confidence and self-assuredness that may have been quite impossible during the time. Feminism and the birth of such seems an unfeasibility, but one I would hope occurred even in small circles.

The writing and attention to detail, while extraordinary, becomes somewhat excessive. The author pays just as much attention to describing tea pot as she does the art of an illuminated manuscript. I also did not care for the introduction of Anastasia 2.0 to the story. I understand this was a path for Verity to reinvent herself, and love life, but I felt Anastasia 2.0 was fickle and undeserving of her.

Overall, I would recommend this novel as a unique work of historical and women’s fiction set in medieval Europe.

I was so excited for this based on the description! It was obvious how well researched the topic was and I loved the beautiful descriptions of the art and manuscripts. Ultimately, I didn't ever quite connect with the characters and I found it hard to keep track of who was who. However I enjoyed reading it to learn about a period I'm not very familiar with.

I find Arden's prose lyrical, the main character relatable, and the subject matter fascinating. The execution, though, needs some tweaking. The MS relies so heavily on description of what Verity did and saw that my eyes were glazing over from boredom. For example, when Verity leaves her friend's apartment, do I need to read how she ran down the hall and then raced down the stairs and then walked out the door? Not really; just tell me she raced out of the apartment and headed to the cafe. In short, the prose needs tightening to improve pacing.

An atmospheric and satisfying read. Very recommendable. Definitely a favorite recent read and I fully respect the craft and skill of the author. Well-developed characters populate a carefully developed setting that almost works as its own character within this read. Easy to recommend to all historical and contemporary fiction readers as well as those interested in women in history.

Cities of Women was a great read and even though it is not a mystery per se there was some intrigue. I really enjoyed that the three stories were not so similar to each, but complemented each other. The book is well paced and even though there are three stories happening, it all flows well. Beatrice's and Christine's stories were particularly interesting of the three stories. They were two women who lived in medieval France and were of decent means but went through many different trials in life. Through these, they remained strong and didn't let their passions for writing and illustration go. The book is well-written and very artistically written which fits the story very well.

Verity is risking a lot to be able to give women the credit they deserve for their contributions to art. She travels to London to prove that Anastasia, who there is limited to no record of, is the artist behind the art that accompanies Chrisitine's work. She ends up meeting a woman coincidentally named Anastasia, who assists her along the way, but there is some mystery that surrounds her as well.

If you love historical fiction, with strong female leads, a love story, art, and beautiful writing this is a wonderful read.

There were many issues with the formatting on my Kindle. The lining was a big mess throughout the book.

Cities of Women is a love letter to books and medieval artisans and a must-read for Ren-Faire enthusiasts. It’s an engaging, women-centric story with well-researched historical details. Like any historical fiction, some points lack verisimilitude but not to the point of distraction. I really enjoyed the multiple storylines that connecting across time and the overall plot. The only thing I wanted more of was emotional depth to the female relationships!

A captivating read featuring parallel stories. I felt inspired and connected while reading this. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

An amazing premise with two stories being told in two time periods, one is modern day as Verity is searching for the illustrator of a medieval manuscript. The other is told in the mid 14th century about Anastasia's life. This is such an interesting book that delves into the struggles women go through from the past and today but also their successes. The descriptions were amazing especially the illustrations you could really picture everything and tell a lot of research has gone into this work to make everything as accurate and true to life as possible. Just a great read about the strengths of women and trials they have to go through and have gone through and seeing them being overcome.

I loved the parallel stories in this novel, but Beatrice's and Christine's story lines stuck out to me and kept me hooked. I loved the descriptions of Beatrice's life, and I thought it to be a very convincing creation of the past.

I thought that Verity could do much better than Anastasia-- their relationship felt more out of convenience than true affection. Anastasia's reasons for hiding elements of her life from Verity annoyed me rather than evoking pity.

I recommend this book for history lovers & anyone interested in looking back at the past through a queer lens. Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel and I think the pace picked up after the first 50 pages or so. Also, I love the cover!

"Cities of Women" held a lot of promise for me: an academic searches for the mysterious woman named Anastasia who illustrated a medieval manuscript. The story is told in two time periods--modern time (where Verity is searching for the illustrator) and Anastasia's time period, the mid 14th century. The author clearly did a lot of research as the details about the period were intricate and the writing allowed me to see the beautiful illustrations Anastasia created. However, there were some drawbacks for me to this book. It seems like most of the characters spoke in a highly stilted way, as if the author thought that was how academics speak (as an academic, I'm pretty sure no one speaks like that). Most of the dialogue sounds like it is spoken by one person, it's all so similar in tone. There are a few 'quirky' characters that sound like they're in a 1920s movie. This made the book hard for me to enjoy. Finally, the idea that a history professor could do a u-turn on her research into women of the French revolution into art history of illustrated medieval manuscripts is too much of a bridge to far to believe.

The first thing that sucked me in was the cover. I found it intriguing and beautiful. I love how the story is told by two narrators, in two completely different time periods. We begin with Verity, who is a 21st-century academic, and secondly, a medieval artist. The story is the struggle of women, regardless of century, to achieve self-with and success. I going it to be an exquisitely, poignantly written and you can tell that the author did a lot of research for her book. This is a curl up in a chair with a soft blanket and a glass of wine, a couple of pieces of dark chocolate and savor kind of book.

Cities of Women by Kathleen B. Jones takes readers on an adventure that connects the lives of two ladies who lived hundreds of years apart. Professor Verity Frazier is determined to establish that a woman named Anastasia was the artist responsible for the illuminated artwork in mediaeval manuscripts, despite her own disappointment in the field of history. As Verity's tale progresses, readers are taken back in time to Anastasia, a mediaeval land where women confronted moral calamities, political intrigue, and artistic obstacles. Based on a decade of research, Jones's brilliant work of historical fiction vividly portrays the triumphs and tribulations experienced by mediaeval women artists and the modern women who draw inspiration from them. Cities of Women is an inspiring look at the lives of women who defy expectations and put their names on the line to pursue their dreams. Fans of historical fiction and those curious about the experiences of women throughout history will find much to enjoy in Jones's bright and incisive prose.

4/5 Stars from me.

***A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.***

Told primarily by two narrators, Verity, a 21st-century academic, and a medieval artist, this is the story of how women struggle to achieve success and deem themselves worthy of it. A beautifully written and painstakingly researched book, this isn’t a short or spicy beach read, but rather a book to be read slowly and savored

The Cities of Women is a dual point of view novel that goes between Verity, a 21st Century academic; Beatrice, a Medieval French artist and the occasional chapter from the point of view of Christine (de Pizan) the French-Italian writer. The story encompasses themes of understanding women from the past and striving to achieve your passion and goals within your chosen career.
The beginning of the book really resonated with me, I think so many of us experience the debilitating effects of imposter syndrome when we are working on new things in our careers that Verity felt. The writing was fabulous, as it perfectly encapsulated how flat imposter syndrome can make you feel and how you can question every little professional decision you make, even when, in the case of Verity, you are an expert in your field. The authors background as in academia is clear, I too often complain about how long it takes me (a History Teacher) to mark a paper, when my colleagues in other subjects are able to mark several. Parts of the story like these add an additional layer of authenticity, making the story and characters believable and more importantly, relatable.
Generally, the plot was well paced, with necessary description and almost poetic prose at times. I found the outline of Beatrice’s girlhood a bit slow, however, it vividly captured the essence of the period and was able to establish itself within the historical context really well. It is clear from the writing that this book was meticulously researched. I was a touch thrown with the point of views being in third person for Verity and Christine, but first person for Beatrice, I felt I had to readjust at the beginning of each new chapter. I also felt I wasn’t as in tune with the emotions of Verity as I was Beatrice’s.
Overall I found this book engaging and entertaining and I actually learnt a lot of really interesting information about niche topics like creating parchment. It also inspired me to seek out a copy of The Book of the City of Ladies, which has promptly been added to my TBR pile. This would be a great read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction through a feminine voice, with intertwining dual point of views across time. Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review, these thoughts are all my own.