Books of Wonder

A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver

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Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife to two kings, mother to two others, has been waiting in Heaven a long time -- eight centuries, more or less -- to be reunited with her second husband, Henry II of England.

Finally, the day has come when Henry will be judged for admission. While Eleanor, never a patient woman in life or afterlife, waits, three people, each of whom was close to Eleanor during a time of her life, join her.

Their reminiscences do far more than help distract Eleanor -- they also paint a rich portrait of an extraordinary woman who was front and center in a remarkable period in history and whose accomplishments have had an important influence on society through the ages.

Customer Reviews (4.5 / 5 · 19 reviews)

Stella A. ★★★★★

I’ve always been fascinated by Eleanor of Aquitaine, and this book’s setup of her waiting in Heaven for Henry II gave me such a unique, intimate window into her life. The way her story unfolds from that heavenly vantage point made history feel personal and lively, and I finished it in one sitting. I

Claire O. ★★★★★

I've reread this book so many times over the years, and the way Eleanor's voice stays sharp and witty even from Heaven never gets old. The waiting-room conversations with her friends are such a clever way to tell history, and it still makes me laugh and tear up in equal measure.

Owen ★★★★★

The idea of Eleanor recounting her own story from Heaven, waiting centuries for Henry, pulled me in right away—it's such a clever framing. The dialogue feels so alive that I genuinely forgot I was reading historical fiction, and the way it weaves in her perspective as both a queen and a mother kept