Every time I picked up "The Falcon's Eyes", I was whisked back in time to the Medieval Era, and went on such an emotional journey throughout this incredible book!

I can only imagine the amount of research Francesca Stanfill must have done for this novel, as history jumps to life right off of the page, and I felt immersed in the world of the story being told.

This book centers around Isabelle, a strong, brave, courageous, and intelligent woman. I do not want to say too much because of spoilers, but, I will say, this book truly has so much in it; heartbreaking moments, heartwarming moments, moments that will have you on the edge of your seat, shocking moments, and so, so much more.

So many historical figures are featured throughout this book, including Eleanor of Aquitaine.

If you enjoy Historical Fiction, I highly recommend this book! I look forward to reading what Ms. Stanfill writes next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper for the e-ARC of this book, and to Harper for sending me a physical copy as well! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Francesca Stanfill's The Falcon's Eyes moves back and forth in time through 12th century France and England to portray the life of famed and Eleanor of Aquitaine from the perspective of a much younger admirer.

After her marriage to a wealthy, controlling nobleman (Gerard) and the loss of 2 babies, Isabelle decided to take control of her own life, and ended up as a companion to Eleanor. When Gerard learned what she had done to escape him, he sought revenge.

Isabelle vows to safeguard Eleanor's legacy, while trying to protect herself and those she loves from Gerard.

As a lover of historical fiction, and medieval history itself, I could not possibly say enough good things about this book. Francesca Stanfill brings the Norman courts of France and England-- as well as the period's monasteries-- in the twelfth century in beautiful, vivid detail. She crafts nuanced, interesting, and sympathetic characters, especially in her protagonist Isabelle, who is both of her time and ahead of it. She chafes against the strictures placed on noble women in her era, but finds moments of meaningfulness and agency in her life nonetheless, fighting for autonomy and expression. Isabelle's journey takes her far and wide, and every setting is rendered so evocatively! This is a beautiful and touching blend of historical research and imaginative storytelling, and I enjoyed every word.

Unfortunately, although the theme of this book intrigued me, the writing didn't work for me. I found it fulsome, somewhat overwritten; highly detailed, yet focused on telling more than showing. First-person narration didn't help.

I received an ARC in exchange for this review.

Twelfth-century Europe was not a good time or place to be born female. Even queens had few rights, garnered little respect, and were tolerated largely for their ability to produce male heirs—preferably in quantity and without exhibiting any unfortunate qualities such as independence or intelligence. One notable exception was Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen of England thanks to her marriage (following a scandalous affair and divorce) to Henry II of England—although Eleanor spent many of her later years imprisoned by her no longer loving husband, not least because she did her best to conspire with their sons against him.

Eleanor certainly appears in the last third of this long (832 print pages) but engrossing novel, but the heroine is Isabelle, a young countess whose impoverished family is delighted to marry her off to the wealthy if less distinguished Gerard de Meurtaigne. At first, Isabelle welcomes the match, but her new husband soon shows disturbing hints of cruelty when crossed, however inadvertently, by either his colleagues or his dependents, including his wife. Budding friendships with her maid, her steward, and even the noble Lady Fastrada attract Gerard’s ire, leaving Isabelle yearning for the one sure escape available to medieval women: the convent at Fontevraud, which attracts both nuns like Lady Fastrada’s sister and well-endowed laywomen in search of a quiet refuge.

How all this gets worked out shouldn’t be disclosed in a review, but the whole is a rich and absorbing picture of medieval life at all levels, from the sorceress living in a hut in the woods to the falcons’ mews and the exigencies of travel. The author conveys what must have been extensive research with a sure hand and a light touch, so it never takes over the story or obscures the characters. In her youth, Isabelle’s impulsiveness, which endangers both herself and others, sometimes made me cringe. But watching her mature and craft a satisfying life for herself despite the constraints placed on her by society, church, and family is well worth the occasional yearning to sit the heroine down and explain why doing or saying X is a really, really bad idea.

I hope to host an interview with Francesca Stanfill on New Books in Historical Fiction (link below) in July, but those plans are still underway.