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.