If you watch television or read newspapers or magazines, you know that the subject of royalty garners the attention of millions of people around the world. So it’s no wonder that the subject is so widely written about and so widely read in the historical fiction world. Sophie Perinot’s debut novel, The Sister Queens, ably joins this expansive library.
Although I am not one of those millions who gobbles up all things royal, I enjoyed reading about Marguerite, Queen of France, and her sister, Eleanor, Queen of England. Learning about history is one of the reasons why I read historical fiction. Yes, not all things are fact, but reading The Sister Queens I felt confident that Perinot had truly done her research and that any bending of historical fact was minimal. Prior to reading this novel, I knew nothing about these two women, and after finishing I wondered why they were not more widely known in the history books.
Although the story spans many years, Perinot maintains seamless continuity throughout her narrative. Being a sister myself, the thread of sisterhood that binds the two heroines and the story together resonated with me.
This is a wonderful debut novel, and I look forward to Perinot’s future work.
