Blood, Fire & Gold Review: The Story of Elizabeth I & Catherine de Medici

“One might well wonder what thoughts came into Elizabeth’s mind when she read the letter describing her mother’s death – Elizabeth never forgot her mother or the lessons her death taught her. Cast out of court after Anne’s demise, Elizabeth learned that her life would always be in danger…”

Blood, Fire and Gold, written by Estelle Paranque, stands out as one of the most exciting and compelling reads of the past year. This book brims with tantalizing details of diplomacy and court life, delivered through an impactful and captivating narrative that kept me turning the pages.

Estelle Paranque truly hits the nail on the head by breathing life into history while igniting some genuine interest in these two extraordinary women and rival queens like never before. It offers an astute profile and portrait of two of Europe’s most remarkable rulers. It presents a genuine tale of female power and provides a refreshing perspective on the Tudor period.  

In the sixteenth century, Elizabeth I of England ruled her kingdom as the daughter of the infamous King Henry VIII, while Catherine de Medici from France was operating clandestinely, and used her children to shape the dynasties of Europe. Despite the abundance of literature that is out there about these women, their complex relationship spanning thirty years of friendship, competition, and conflict has remained largely unexplored.

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It was over the summer that I first heard about Estelle Paranque’s new book on one of her appearances during a Tudor podcast. My interest was peaked because it sounded very unique and I’ve always wanted to dive deeper into Catherine’s history and the relationship she had with Elizabeth. I’m so glad I picked it up because of how much ended up loving this book!

Blood, Fire and Gold was an instant favorite and not one I’ll forget about anytime soon. This book really took me out of my reading slump. It’s a story of ceaseless calculation, love, rivalry, war, wisdom, and female power in a male-dominated world. It’s an authentic era of great queens and their profound impact on history. Hooked by the first chapter. It was a fast read.

What truly captivates me about this book is the absence of a divisive narrative that diminishes one woman to prop up the other.  Paranque refrains from downcasting Elizabeth to praise Catherine, or vice versa.

She recognizes both women for their strengths and flaws, pairing their unwavering determination with a profound understanding of the complex historical context in which they held power. Even the figures who might receive less focus in the narrative are treated with respect and empathy.

Take the Queen of Scots, whom Paranque argues is not Elizabeth’s ultimate rival; she’s portrayed with understanding and sympathy without being belittled. She portrays these historical women as they truly were: complex individuals with their distinctive personalities, strengths, and weaknesses.

This profound empathy gives her writing a sense of excitement, ensuring that the narrative never becomes dry. Reading her book feels like being right in the heart of the action with Elizabeth and Catherine. As a reader, I was engrossed in each of their stories and rooting for them both to thrive!

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One of the bigger aspects of the book that deeply resonated with me, and for which I’m wholeheartedly grateful, is the book’s rich and immersive background. Paranque displays a masterful touch when crafting the setting in which the lives of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Catherine unfolded.

Right from the outset, readers are transported back to the Tudor era, allowing us to step into the vividly recreated world where these historical figures lived and breathed. The meticulous attention to detail, the vivid portrayal of people, and locations, and the engaging conversations truly make the historical context shine. It’s a journey I thoroughly enjoyed.

Starting from the very beginning of their lives, we’re granted the privilege of witnessing the cause-and-effect dynamics of the historical events taking place allowing us to unravel the profound significance of their actions in shaping the course of history. This immersive book fosters a connection with the past, making history not merely a distant subject but a living, breathing tapestry of human experiences that readers get to feel firsthand. 

“Now Catherine was alone in the world. As a child, she was cared for by a succession of relatives, including her grandmother and various aunts and uncles, her fate now in the hands of many people who, at times, only saw her as a pawn to advance their own political agendas after the death of the influential duke. Catherine, in contrast, was a modest girl, described as very humble and obedient. And she was already honing her instincts. The little duchess knew how to watch and wait, to observe affairs closely in order to protect herself from the harsh world that surrounded her…”

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♣♣♣  BOOK SYNOPSIS  ♣♣♣

A brilliant and beautifully written deep dive into the complicated relationship between Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici, two of the most powerful women in Renaissance Europe who shaped each other as profoundly as they shaped the course of history.

Sixteenth-century Europe was a hostile world dominated by court politics and patriarchal structures, and yet against all odds, two women rose to power: Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici. One a young Virgin Queen who ruled her kingdom alone, and the other a more experienced and clandestine leader who used her children to shape the dynasties of Europe, much has been written about these shrewd and strategic sovereigns. But though their individual legacies have been heavily scrutinized, nothing has been said of their complicated relationship—thirty years of camaraderie, competition, and conflict that forever changed the face of Europe.

In Blood, Fire, and Gold, historian Estelle Paranque offers a new way of looking at two of history’s most powerful women: through the eyes of the other. Drawing on their private correspondence and brand-new research, Paranque shows how Elizabeth and Catherine navigated through uncharted waters that both united and divided their kingdoms, maneuvering between opposing political, religious, and social objectives—all while maintaining unprecedented power over their respective domains. Though different in myriad ways, their fates and lives remained intertwined of the course of three decades, even as the European geo-politics repeatedly set them against one another. Whether engaged in bloody battles or peaceful accords, Elizabeth and Catherine admired the force and resilience of the other, while never forgetting that they were, first and foremost, each other’s true rival.

This is a story of two remarkable visionaries: a story of blood, fire, and gold. It is also a tale of ceaseless calculation, of love and rivalry, of war and wisdom, and—above all else—of the courage and sacrifice it takes to secure and sustain power as a woman in a male-dominated world.

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