Eleanor: Crown Jewel of Aquitaine

Eleanor of Aquitaine lived a life few would ever dream.  She reigned as Queen of France and Queen of England, the only woman to ever be Queen of both of those countries.  However, she was first the beloved daughter of Aquitaine, a region in the south of present day France, and she is one of my top ten favorite historical women. 

Eleanor: Crown Jewel of Aquitaine by Kristiana Gregory, one of Scholastic's Royal Diaries series, retells the story Eleanor of Aquitaine's early life in the format of a fictionalized diary.  Readers are offered a glimpse of what life in the Middle Ages was like through each "diary" entry.  As this book only covers Eleanor's early life it leaves out many of the more exciting events of her life.  The story, however, does cover her marriage at 15 to Louis, heir to the French throne and how Eleanor becomes Queen of France.

For readers who enjoy princess tales, books written in diary format, historical fiction, the Middle Ages, or for fans of Eleanor of Aquitaine, this book is a worthwhile read, but is probably not a good choice for readers who do not fall in one of those categories.

For those readers who would like to read a fuller account of Eleanor's life, I suggest A Proud Taste for Miniver and Scarlet by E. L. Konigsburg.  Another fictional account of Eleanor's life, Konigsburg's book offers a better picture of Eleanor's vibrant personality and includes several events not covered in Crown Jewel of Aquitaine, including her participation in the Second Crusade and her turbulent marriage to Henry II, King of England.