This novel is a work of historical literary fiction centering on the lives of three women in two different timelines. The source of focus and great research is the contributions of two of the women in art, poetry, and knowledge in medieval France. This is an incredibly difficult topic to take on as there is a lack of documentation preserving the role and impact of women in medieval Europe. The author brings great detail to this period documenting what the lives of women may have looked like.

Verity, the main protagonist and professor, is greatly dissatisfied by her work and research in her present historical field. While taking time to salvage her career she is presented with an opportunity to examine a medieval illuminated manuscript of Christine de Pizan's. Verity becomes convinced that the illuminations must have been created by another woman; with the credit being given to a man, and she sets out to prove this point.

Alternating between viewpoints of Verity, Beatrice (Anastasia), and Christine, the reader is taken on a very accurate journey through medieval France. I found the stories of Anastasia and Christine to be the most enjoyable as they radiated a confidence and self-assuredness that may have been quite impossible during the time. Feminism and the birth of such seems an unfeasibility, but one I would hope occurred even in small circles.

The writing and attention to detail, while extraordinary, becomes somewhat excessive. The author pays just as much attention to describing tea pot as she does the art of an illuminated manuscript. I also did not care for the introduction of Anastasia 2.0 to the story. I understand this was a path for Verity to reinvent herself, and love life, but I felt Anastasia 2.0 was fickle and undeserving of her.

Overall, I would recommend this novel as a unique work of historical and women’s fiction set in medieval Europe.

I was so excited for this based on the description! It was obvious how well researched the topic was and I loved the beautiful descriptions of the art and manuscripts. Ultimately, I didn't ever quite connect with the characters and I found it hard to keep track of who was who. However I enjoyed reading it to learn about a period I'm not very familiar with.

I find Arden's prose lyrical, the main character relatable, and the subject matter fascinating. The execution, though, needs some tweaking. The MS relies so heavily on description of what Verity did and saw that my eyes were glazing over from boredom. For example, when Verity leaves her friend's apartment, do I need to read how she ran down the hall and then raced down the stairs and then walked out the door? Not really; just tell me she raced out of the apartment and headed to the cafe. In short, the prose needs tightening to improve pacing.

An atmospheric and satisfying read. Very recommendable. Definitely a favorite recent read and I fully respect the craft and skill of the author. Well-developed characters populate a carefully developed setting that almost works as its own character within this read. Easy to recommend to all historical and contemporary fiction readers as well as those interested in women in history.

Cities of Women was a great read and even though it is not a mystery per se there was some intrigue. I really enjoyed that the three stories were not so similar to each, but complemented each other. The book is well paced and even though there are three stories happening, it all flows well. Beatrice's and Christine's stories were particularly interesting of the three stories. They were two women who lived in medieval France and were of decent means but went through many different trials in life. Through these, they remained strong and didn't let their passions for writing and illustration go. The book is well-written and very artistically written which fits the story very well.

Verity is risking a lot to be able to give women the credit they deserve for their contributions to art. She travels to London to prove that Anastasia, who there is limited to no record of, is the artist behind the art that accompanies Chrisitine's work. She ends up meeting a woman coincidentally named Anastasia, who assists her along the way, but there is some mystery that surrounds her as well.

If you love historical fiction, with strong female leads, a love story, art, and beautiful writing this is a wonderful read.

There were many issues with the formatting on my Kindle. The lining was a big mess throughout the book.

Cities of Women is a love letter to books and medieval artisans and a must-read for Ren-Faire enthusiasts. It’s an engaging, women-centric story with well-researched historical details. Like any historical fiction, some points lack verisimilitude but not to the point of distraction. I really enjoyed the multiple storylines that connecting across time and the overall plot. The only thing I wanted more of was emotional depth to the female relationships!

A captivating read featuring parallel stories. I felt inspired and connected while reading this. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

An amazing premise with two stories being told in two time periods, one is modern day as Verity is searching for the illustrator of a medieval manuscript. The other is told in the mid 14th century about Anastasia's life. This is such an interesting book that delves into the struggles women go through from the past and today but also their successes. The descriptions were amazing especially the illustrations you could really picture everything and tell a lot of research has gone into this work to make everything as accurate and true to life as possible. Just a great read about the strengths of women and trials they have to go through and have gone through and seeing them being overcome.

I loved the parallel stories in this novel, but Beatrice's and Christine's story lines stuck out to me and kept me hooked. I loved the descriptions of Beatrice's life, and I thought it to be a very convincing creation of the past.

I thought that Verity could do much better than Anastasia-- their relationship felt more out of convenience than true affection. Anastasia's reasons for hiding elements of her life from Verity annoyed me rather than evoking pity.

I recommend this book for history lovers & anyone interested in looking back at the past through a queer lens. Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel and I think the pace picked up after the first 50 pages or so. Also, I love the cover!

"Cities of Women" held a lot of promise for me: an academic searches for the mysterious woman named Anastasia who illustrated a medieval manuscript. The story is told in two time periods--modern time (where Verity is searching for the illustrator) and Anastasia's time period, the mid 14th century. The author clearly did a lot of research as the details about the period were intricate and the writing allowed me to see the beautiful illustrations Anastasia created. However, there were some drawbacks for me to this book. It seems like most of the characters spoke in a highly stilted way, as if the author thought that was how academics speak (as an academic, I'm pretty sure no one speaks like that). Most of the dialogue sounds like it is spoken by one person, it's all so similar in tone. There are a few 'quirky' characters that sound like they're in a 1920s movie. This made the book hard for me to enjoy. Finally, the idea that a history professor could do a u-turn on her research into women of the French revolution into art history of illustrated medieval manuscripts is too much of a bridge to far to believe.

The first thing that sucked me in was the cover. I found it intriguing and beautiful. I love how the story is told by two narrators, in two completely different time periods. We begin with Verity, who is a 21st-century academic, and secondly, a medieval artist. The story is the struggle of women, regardless of century, to achieve self-with and success. I going it to be an exquisitely, poignantly written and you can tell that the author did a lot of research for her book. This is a curl up in a chair with a soft blanket and a glass of wine, a couple of pieces of dark chocolate and savor kind of book.

Cities of Women by Kathleen B. Jones takes readers on an adventure that connects the lives of two ladies who lived hundreds of years apart. Professor Verity Frazier is determined to establish that a woman named Anastasia was the artist responsible for the illuminated artwork in mediaeval manuscripts, despite her own disappointment in the field of history. As Verity's tale progresses, readers are taken back in time to Anastasia, a mediaeval land where women confronted moral calamities, political intrigue, and artistic obstacles. Based on a decade of research, Jones's brilliant work of historical fiction vividly portrays the triumphs and tribulations experienced by mediaeval women artists and the modern women who draw inspiration from them. Cities of Women is an inspiring look at the lives of women who defy expectations and put their names on the line to pursue their dreams. Fans of historical fiction and those curious about the experiences of women throughout history will find much to enjoy in Jones's bright and incisive prose.

4/5 Stars from me.

***A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.***

Told primarily by two narrators, Verity, a 21st-century academic, and a medieval artist, this is the story of how women struggle to achieve success and deem themselves worthy of it. A beautifully written and painstakingly researched book, this isn’t a short or spicy beach read, but rather a book to be read slowly and savored

The Cities of Women is a dual point of view novel that goes between Verity, a 21st Century academic; Beatrice, a Medieval French artist and the occasional chapter from the point of view of Christine (de Pizan) the French-Italian writer. The story encompasses themes of understanding women from the past and striving to achieve your passion and goals within your chosen career.
The beginning of the book really resonated with me, I think so many of us experience the debilitating effects of imposter syndrome when we are working on new things in our careers that Verity felt. The writing was fabulous, as it perfectly encapsulated how flat imposter syndrome can make you feel and how you can question every little professional decision you make, even when, in the case of Verity, you are an expert in your field. The authors background as in academia is clear, I too often complain about how long it takes me (a History Teacher) to mark a paper, when my colleagues in other subjects are able to mark several. Parts of the story like these add an additional layer of authenticity, making the story and characters believable and more importantly, relatable.
Generally, the plot was well paced, with necessary description and almost poetic prose at times. I found the outline of Beatrice’s girlhood a bit slow, however, it vividly captured the essence of the period and was able to establish itself within the historical context really well. It is clear from the writing that this book was meticulously researched. I was a touch thrown with the point of views being in third person for Verity and Christine, but first person for Beatrice, I felt I had to readjust at the beginning of each new chapter. I also felt I wasn’t as in tune with the emotions of Verity as I was Beatrice’s.
Overall I found this book engaging and entertaining and I actually learnt a lot of really interesting information about niche topics like creating parchment. It also inspired me to seek out a copy of The Book of the City of Ladies, which has promptly been added to my TBR pile. This would be a great read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction through a feminine voice, with intertwining dual point of views across time. Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review, these thoughts are all my own.