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Gilded Cages
- The Trials of Eleanor of Aquitaine
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Jasicki
- Length: 30 hrs and 51 mins
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Publisher's summary
Set against the splendor and scheming of the Middle Ages, this enthralling historical novel brings to life the magnificent Eleanor of Aquitaine, a woman far ahead of her time and one of history’s most extraordinary queens
Tumultuous. Passionate. Timeless. The marriage between Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry Plantagenet was like no other, born of power, politics, and an all-consuming, fiery love. Within two years of their wedding, Henry conquered England and together they ruled a vast kingdom. At first they worked to unify and repair their war-torn lands - before being torn apart by intrigue, adultery, and deadly revenge.
Henry II dreams of enacting a new judicial system, a common law that would help foster peace. But a devastating betrayal by his closest confidante, Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, thrusts Henry into a rivalry that threatens to tear church and state apart. Eleanor, an accomplished ruler in her own right, steps in to help Henry quell the rebellions across their lands. But when she learns of her husband’s secret romance with the fair, young Rosamund de Clifford, it shatters her heart and ignites a bitter vengeance that will engulf their family in treachery and betrayal. As Eleanor takes the side of her sons against their father, these young royals, chafing for power of their own, wreak havoc across the continent, igniting a war whose tragic consequences Eleanor could never have foreseen.
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Virginia Henley's historical romances have won praise for their ability to "illuminate and entertain" ( Publishers Weekly). It is 1322, and the Marcher lords are rebelling against King Edward II. Lady Brianna de Beauchamp, daughter of a powerful Marcher, knows she should not involve herself in the battle. But when she meets dangerously handsome Wolf Mortimer, who has the gift of second sight, she cannot deny her passions.
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Very sweet...
- By Marie on 07-13-09
By: Virginia Henley
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Isabella: Braveheart of France
- By: Colin Falconer
- Narrated by: Anne Johnstonbrown
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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12-year-old Isabella, a French princess marries the King of England - only to discover he has a terrible secret. Ten long years later she is in utter despair - does she submit to a lifetime of solitude and a spiritual death - or seize her destiny and take the throne of England for herself? Isabella is just twelve years old when she marries Edward II of England. For the young princess it is love at first sight - but Edward has a terrible secret that threatens to tear their marriage - and England apart.
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A Bizarre "Reader's Digest" Version of History...
- By Sara on 01-06-15
By: Colin Falconer
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Katherine
- A Novel
- By: Anya Seton
- Narrated by: Lorna Bennett
- Length: 29 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Set in the vibrant fourteenth century of Chaucer and the Black Death, the story features knights fighting in battle, serfs struggling in poverty, and the magnificent Plantagenets—Edward III, the Black Prince, and Richard II—who rule despotically over a court rotten with intrigue. Within this era of danger and romance, John of Gaunt, the king’s son, falls passionately in love with the already-married Katherine. Their affair persists through decades of war, adultery, murder, loneliness, and redemption.
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my favorite novel brought to life
- By Heather on 10-04-23
By: Anya Seton
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When Christ and His Saints Slept
- Plantagenets, Book 1
- By: Sharon Kay Penman
- Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
- Length: 36 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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In When Christ and His Saints Slept, the first of a trilogy that will tell the story of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, master storyteller and historian Sharon Kay Penman illuminates one of the less known but fascinating periods of English history. It begins with the death of King Henry I, son of William the Conqueror and father of Maude, his only living legitimate offspring.
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Please release Pt 2!
- By BVerité on 06-08-19
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In the King's Service
- Childe Morgan Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Katherine Kurtz
- Narrated by: Nick Sullivan
- Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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In this first book of an all-new Deryni trilogy, New York Times best-selling author Katherine Kurtz takes listeners back in time - before King Kelson's bride...before King Kelson's birth... when the magical Deryni blood was sought by the most powerful men and women in the kingdom of Gwynedd. Back when a man named Donal ruled over all.
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Needs a female reader
- By Shannon on 02-07-19
By: Katherine Kurtz
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Captive Queen
- A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine
- By: Alison Weir
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 19 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Renowned for her highly acclaimed and bestselling British histories, Alison Weir has in recent years made a major impact on the fiction scene with her novels about Queen Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey. In this latest offering, she imagines the world of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the beautiful twelfth-century woman who was queen of France until she abandoned her royal husband for the younger man who would become king of England.
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Why the Negativity?
- By E. Willaims on 06-28-11
By: Alison Weir
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Almost Innocent
- By: Jane Feather
- Narrated by: Rosalind Ashford
- Length: 16 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Growing up behind the impenetrable walls of an English fortress, young Magdalen does not know that she is the illegitimate daughter of a powerful English prince and his murdered French mistress - or that she has been a pawn in the struggle between England and France ever since she slipped from her dying mother's womb. All she knows is that she longs for excitement. And then one day, as if in answer to her prayers, the splendid figure of Guy de Gervais, a true knight in shining armor, rides into her cloistered world and spirits her away.
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Beautiful medieval romance, loved it
- By RomReader on 08-06-19
By: Jane Feather
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The Everlasting Covenant
- By: Robyn Carr
- Narrated by: Nicola Barber
- Length: 14 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Anne Gifford's dowry - or lack thereof - is of no concern to Sir Dylan DeFrayne. Wrapped in each other's arms, what more could they possibly need? Yet the young lovers' passion can never be sanctioned - the DeFraynes and Giffords have been sworn enemies for decades. Lest more blood be shed, the two must keep their affair a secret…and plot their elopement. Clad in threadbare hand-me-downs, Anne never expects the powerful and aged Brennan Forbes to remember her face, let alone propose marriage.
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This is not the same Robyn Carr
- By MickeyMarie on 01-22-13
By: Robyn Carr
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A Triple Knot
- By: Emma Campion
- Narrated by: Heather Wilds
- Length: 14 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Joan of Kent, renowned beauty and cousin to King Edward III, is destined for a politically strategic marriage. As the king begins a long dynastic struggle to claim the crown of France, plunging England into the Hundred Years' War, he negotiates her betrothal to a potential ally and heir of a powerful lordship. But Joan, haunted by nightmares of her father's execution at the hands of her treacherous royal kin, fears the king's selection and is not resigned to her fate. She secretly pledges herself to one of the king's own knights, one who has become a trusted friend...
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GOOD HISTORICAL FICTION - FOR A CHANGE
- By The Louligan on 10-05-14
By: Emma Campion
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Grave Mercy
- His Fair Assassin, Book 1
- By: Robin LaFevers
- Narrated by: Erin Moon
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Escaping an arranged marriage, 17-year-old Ismae finds sanctuary in the St. Mortain convent, where the sisters worship the gods of old. There, Ismae learns that the God of Death has special plans for her—a destiny that will one day compel her to betray the man she loves.
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Slow Start but Finished Strong
- By The Mankers on 10-12-12
By: Robin LaFevers
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The Blue Falcon
- By: Robyn Carr
- Narrated by: Nicola Barber
- Length: 14 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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In love and war, some oaths are meant to be broken.… Riding into the arena under the furling blazon of the blue falcon, Sir Conan de Corbney accepts a token from the young beauty Lady Chandra, sparking a romance foretold long ago. That is, unless Conan’s mother can help it. Colluding with her son’s rival, Sir Tedric, Lady Udele secretly arranges a more lucrative marriage for her son and weds him to Edwina - Chandra’s older sister - while Sir Tedric claims the fiery Chandra for himself. Thus begins the star-crossed lovers’ quest, amidst treachery and betrayal, for the path back to each other’s arms.
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What a waste of time
- By MickeyMarie on 01-16-13
By: Robyn Carr
What listeners say about Gilded Cages
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- USA Dianne
- 07-05-14
Strong woman, who's story should be better known
What made the experience of listening to Gilded Cages the most enjoyable?
I knew nothing of Eleanor of Aquitaine before I read this book. This is a very interesting story that lives up to the saying 'Behind every great man is a great woman'. It was informative, you learnt some interesting facts without any effort. I also loved the use of the period slang.
What other book might you compare Gilded Cages to and why?
The Lady Elizabeth: A Novel had a similar feel, which is not surprising considering it is a the same genera.
Which character – as performed by Elizabeth Jasicki – was your favorite?
All the characters were great.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
It is a very long book, but I did listen to most of it in one weekend.
I will differently be listening it again during my holidays.
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- Christy
- 10-16-15
Eleanor of Aquitaine
I really liked this book and recommend it highly! Others gave the narrator bad reviews, but I don't think she was horrible. She wasn't the best, but not the worst, either. Great read!
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2 people found this helpful
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- KBP
- 08-14-23
Great Book….except for the narrator.
The story was wonderful but if it wasn’t for the story, I would’ve returned it because of the narrator. A few of the key characters were good but the breathy, annoying voice of Thomas Beckett was cringe-worthy which she also applied to a few other characters along with overly childish voices for others
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- Kristi R.
- 06-24-14
Eleanor and Henry II of England
This book was interesting for the most part. Parts of it dragged especially when Eleanor was imprisoned and other people's stories were at the forefront. I have read several books on Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II. The Lion at Winter is one of my favorite movies.
The narrator for this book tries to sound like Katharine Hepburn and does a good job. I hated her characterization of Thomas Becket, he was lispy and very wimpish. Not Richard Burton at all.
The story begins with Eleanor and Henry already a family with Fair Rosamund just around the corner. The author takes a lot of liberties with her death and sorry to say but I can't buy it. This is one reason I can't give it five stars.
The author does great when describing the complicated relationship between Eleanor and Henry. I have no trouble believing in their love even though both have hurt each other over the years. Wonderful job here!
The childrens' complicated relationship is handled quite well also. When you have a strong father and mother and no clear outline for your future it's difficult to act responsibly.
My husband and childrens' bloodline can be traced back to Henry and Eleanor's son John so this is a personal story for me.
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4 people found this helpful
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- A User
- 06-10-13
Wonderfully done and written.
Would you listen to Gilded Cages again? Why?
Yes I love it. I have it on my MP3 player and listen to it as work. I am a lampwork bead maker and design them for pens
Which scene was your favorite?
the whole thing from front to back and all the in between
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
You thought you knew the true story - Now you can go between the lines and still want more
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2 people found this helpful
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- Jessica Jewett
- 05-11-15
Full of detail, lacks some good writing.
Exquisitely researched and full of detail. My only qualm was the periodic bouts of awkward prose. Certain phrases were very very overused. Otherwise it was a wonderful book.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Beth King
- 09-02-22
interesting story well narrated
Great story that covers a turbulent time in history and a fabulous cast if characters
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- Sarah
- 09-06-13
Enjoyable Retelling
Any additional comments?
Gilded Cages is the second book recounting the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine; the first, Beloved Enemy, tells of her marriage to Louis of France and the beginning of her life with Henry II; this volume completes her biography. The story is well-known; the main difference from some writers' interpretation is that Thomas a Becket is portrayed very negatively.
Apart from Ms. Jones' excessive fondness for the archaic term "sennight" [a week], which she uses on every occasion she can fit it in, I found this an enjoyable listen, and well read. Falls into the "ripping yarn" category. Recommended, as long as you are not looking for a scholarly work. Some of the episodes are more legendary than documented.
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6 people found this helpful
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- P.J.
- 01-09-16
Good Story with a Strong Irritation
Queen Eleanor and King Henry seem to have a marriage based on love and full of children. However, over time King Henry's male bravado takes the usual course of kings of that era. The story follows their lives which are twisted as Henry becomes infatuated with a young woman, another young woman schemes for power and Eleanor and her sons plot to against Henry.
Well written, good narrators but one big irritant: for some strange reason after a couple of hours the writer finds it necessary to have the characters use the exclamations "God's eyes" and "God's teeth" repeatedly - to the point that I was ready to just scream. These exclamations add nothing, seem senseless, are irritant, distracting and so frequent it really ruins the reading.
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2 people found this helpful