Blood, Fire and Gold: The story of Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici

Using many different sources, Estelle has brought Queens Elizabeth I of England and Catherine de Medici of France to life and done them more than justice. From writing transcripts of conversations the queens had which makes the reader feel they are in the room with them to using a number of different sources which gives an extremely fair and balanced look at both queens.The story of Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici certainly is one of blood, Fire & Gold. From honouree mother-daughter to friends to equals to rivals and sometimes enemies, these two powerful and extraordinary women were the real rivals to each other and their influence, power and struggles dominated the later part of the 16th century. Even today, over 400 years after their deaths, their stories will never cease to be captivating. And Estelle Paranque has given both Elizabeth & Catherine a fresh and fair retelling. For the real story behind numerous historical fiction (which often pits them as simply enemies) I urge anyone either familiar with their story or not, to read this masterpiece 🌹🌹

I pre-ordered Blood, Fire and Gold in December. Having followed some of the authors productions, I was excited to read about the relationship and transactions of two incredible women, in a time when women didn't have a clear voice.I have long been intrigued with the Italian Renaissance especially the Medici and even though I have a reasonably good knowledge of the infamous family, I felt like I was learning all over again, discovering details in new and excitable way!This book is excellent for those new to the subjects or those who are well versed in these two kingdoms.Wonderfully compelling and utterly engaging!Looking forward to the next book, whatever that may be.

I'm not someone whose drawn to the Tudors or Elizabeth I as this period often feels repetitive in UK historical discourse. However, Blood Fire and Gold piqued my interest as the French angle and the comparison with Catherine de Medici felt new and exciting.The book is really well written. It's easy to read but also dense enough with facts, analysis and opinion that you come away feeling informed as well as entertained. The fact that Estelle Paranque is a native French speaker means that she seems to have analysed a lot of letters from the French side that have perhaps been over-looked by other, more British focussed, historians and means this work is full of insight rather than just a rehashing of the two women's lives.Definitely a history book that I'd recommend to non-historian friends, it's certainly not overloaded with academia, but also one that isn't too lightweight and strays into historical fiction. Paranque threads the needle perfectly and I'm certainly going to pick up whatever she writes next.Thoroughly recommended for anyone interested in the period, and even those, like me, who thought they were bored for Elizabethan England. I mean, if the writer can get a Scot interested in an English monarch, they've certainly done a good job!

This does NOT read like a history textbook.Instead, 'Blood, Fire and Gold' offers an insightful and colourfully fleshed out account of the relationship between Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici, which altered the course of European history.There are areas where the author has built dialogue between key historical figures, based on records of their meetings and the outcomes of them. This shows such amazing flair, and the ability to put expert knowledge and creative interpretation together is rare. All of a sudden, these distant figures felt real to me.This book was a pleasure to read. It has reignited a love for historical non-fiction, which I haven't accessed in years.

An insightful and colourful study of the competitive and conflictive relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici.Estelle Paranque’s fresh narrative approach is the perfect style in which to convey the extraordinary story of two of the most powerful women in 16th century Europe.Easy to read, Estelle succeeds in bringing these two extraordinary women and ultimately, rival queens to life.