The Sister Queens [Paperback]

As a disclaimer, I will admit that Sophie Perinot is a friend of mine, and I very much hope that her debut novel "The Sister Queens" hits the New York Times list and is then made into a blockbuster film starring Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence in fabulous silk dresses. But I do not post false reviews, even for my friends - had I read "The Sister Queens" and disliked it, I would have called Sophie up and lied like a rug, saying that I hadn't had a chance to read it yet and blah blah blah. I would certainly not post a glowing review, since I only review books I genuinely like. I read "The Sister Queens," I loved "The Sister Queens," and I would have loved it whether I knew the author or not. End of disclaimer.

Sister drama that isn't about Anne and Mary Boleyn - bliss! Marguerite and Eleanor of Provence are sort of like the high-medieval version of the Middleton sisters - poised and gorgeous heiresses comfortable in the spotlight of the world stage. Women want to be them; men (and more importantly, kings) want to marry them. Demure Marguerite/Kate Middleton will wed Louis IX and become queen of France, and fiery Eleanor/Pippa Middleton will marry Henry III and become Queen of England. Through the next twenty years their letters cross the channel, telling of husbands and children and crusades and bitchy mothers-in-law, and their closeness never fades. Sister drama is at the heart of this novel, but true sister drama, not the soap opera rivalry of less subtle novels. Eleanor may feel competitive with Marguerite, and Marguerite may lecture Eleanor, but their closeness transcends both petty cat-fighting and national politics.

In a refreshing change for a female-driven novel, the men here are not just paper-doll accessories to the women, but complex and fully-rounded characters in their own right. Henry of England is a flawed and impulsive ruler but a doting husband and a loving father; Louis of France is an able administrator but also a religious fanatic who sees no evil in burning the lips off a man who takes the name of the Lord in vain. The sisters face opposing problems in their marriages; Eleanor struggling to guide her husband away from political mistakes but reveling in their mutual love; Marguerite admiring Louis's political acumen but withering slowly under his coldness.

The writing is polished and easy, the voices natural and distinct. The expert use of present tense brings immediacy to what might be a very foreign setting. I rooted especially for Marguerite, and I longed to drop an anvil on King Louis's smug head. "The Sister Queens" is an accomplished debut for Sophie Perinot, and I will be pleased to read anything else she publishes without the inward fear of "Oh no, what if I hate my friend's book?"

he Sister Queens by Sophie Perinot is a gripping tale based on a true story. Sisters Marguerite and Eleanor are as close as two sisters can be. Their personalities are different as day and night. Their father secures prominent marriages for both daughters. Marguerite marries Louis IX, King of France. Eleanor marries Henry III, King of England. They are not only separated by distance but also by politics.
The Sister Queens is told from both sister's perspectives and also through their letters. Both sisters go to an unknown land. Marguerite has no one from her family in the French court. She also has the mother-in-law from hell. She tries desperately to win the love of her husband. Eleanor is lucky in the fact that she is able to keep family around her. She also has a King who wants nothing more than to please her. Marguerite and Eleanor lives as queens, though similar are also yin and yang. Although in the 13th century, woman were not given a lot of competency or clout, the Queens show they are not without influence.
Sophie Perinot writes a compelling story about these two historical figures. Both sisters have to endure the good, the bad, and the heartache. Their relationship to each other is tested at different intervals throughout the decades this book spans. Perinot makes you care about these characters. She nailed the bond that only sister's can have. The love, the jealousy, and also the deep friendship. This book was a page turner that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I had been looking forward to reading "The Sister Queens" since seeing it recommended/promoted by a couple of other authors I like, and I was not disappointed.

I loved the characterizations in this novel - the characters weren't cardboard cutouts, no, they had personalities and dimensions. Even Blanche was more than the evil wicked mother-in-law (not that I liked her, of course). The sisters felt like real sisters - I sympathized with them, I was annoyed by them, I laughed and I felt pity for them.

The alternating viewpoints really worked with this story - each sister was distinct, as were their husbands and side characters. True to the time, many characters (minor and more prominent) had the same name; even those were distinct from each other.

In case it's an issue, this book is told in first person, present tense (FPPT). FPPT is sometimes tricky to pull off, but Ms. Perinot pulls it off wonderfully. I say that as a person who doesn't always like when books are written in the present tense, nevermind FPPT.

The story clipped along at a great pace, neither too fast nor too slow. The book begins with Marguerite and Eleanor's marriages at 13 and 12 (it was the Middle Ages...), and ends when the sisters are in their mid-30s. As far as I'm concerned it could have gone on further. Both lived to their 70s, I think. I just didn't want the book to end.

This is a great debut novel, and I hope to see more from this author.