E. L. Konigsburg (1930–2013)

Eleanor of Aquitaine, Bishop Suger, Empress Matilda and William the Marshall wait in Heaven for King Henry II to ascend after many years below, in this creatively-framed and immensely engaging work of historical fiction for young people. Each in turn relates the events of a period of Eleanor's long life, from Suger's account of her marriage to Louis VII of France and their actions during the Second Crusade to Empress Matilda's description of the early days of her marriage to King Henry II of show more England. William the Marshall recounts the latter days of her marriage and her imprisonment by her husband, while Eleanor herself tells of her life after Henry's death, and her efforts on behalf of her two remaining sons, King Richard the Lionheart and King John...

Only the second book I have read from E.L. Konigsburg, following upon her Newbery Medal-winning From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, which I encountered as a child, A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver is absolutely brilliant, and more than enough to convince me that I need to track down more of the author's work! Fortunately, I read it with friends who are aficionados when it comes to the author's books, so I have some ideas of where to go next. In any case, I thought the framing device here was fascinating, allowing for a certain amount of commentary and introspection that might not otherwise have been possible. The story itself, the narrative of Eleanor's life, was also fascinating, and I thought Konigsburg did an excellent job writing from the different perspectives of her four storytellers. Suger's beauty and spirit-focused account is very different from Empress Matilda's tart (but fair) take on her daughter-in-law. All in all, well worth the time of any young reader who enjoys historical fiction, or who is fascinated by Medieval Europe and/or Eleanor of Aquitaine. show less

A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver tells the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine, that striking queen who married two kings, ruled two countries, gave birth to three kings, was imprisoned by her husband for sixteen years, and who, in this tale, is now in Heaven recounting the events of her life to pass the time.

E. L. Konigsburg has long been celebrated as one of the more versatile and creative authors in young adult fiction, and this story is no exception to her skill. In her hands Eleanor show more emerges as an extravagant, intelligent, strong young woman, full of personality and passon, who had no hesitation about what she wanted and how to get it. Eleanor tells some of the story, but much is also told by her mother-in-law Matilda, the Abbot Suger, and William the Marshall.

I remember studying Chrétien de Troyes in college; well, Eleanor was his patroness. Everything is connected eventually for those of us who study English! Chrétien de Troyes wrote poems and romances based on Arthurian legends, and "cleaned up" the stories to make the knights bolder, the ladies more beautiful, the deeds more heroic. All of this was connected with Eleanor's famous "Court of Love," which gave shape and momentum to the chivalric tradition. Although historically there is some question as to the real weight and importance of the Court of Love, Konigsburg clearly takes Eleanor's side, writing that she is the reason that men open doors for women to this very day. It's funny that what many modern feminists regard as degrading began as the philosophy (quite opposite that of the rest of the world at the time) that man was entirely the property of woman.

Of course this is Eleanor's story written for young readers, and though certain inappropriate things can't be entirely ignored (like Henry's philandering, especially with Rosamund Clifford), Konigsburg glosses them as best she can. Nor can you get around the sixteen-year imprisonment... even for royalty, that's a rather unusual domestic arrangement. And sometimes life just wasn't pleasant back then; Eleanor's son Richard died of the infection from an arrow would in the shoulder, after his surgeons dug around unsuccessfully in his shoulder to remove the arrowhead. Ugh...

Of course the story is a dreadful theology of Heaven and Hell, a caricature of Roman Catholic beliefs (everyone spends some time in Hell before being admitted "Up", and being "Up" translates to boredom for the feisty Eleanor). But, taking it as a fictional frame only, I like it. It gathers all the main players in Eleanor's life and allows them to tell their part of her story.

All in all, this is an enjoyable introduction to one of history's most fascinating women. Recommended. show less

Rereading this with my daughter was wonderful! The magic of running away to live in the MET still resonated, but I loved Claudia's journey to understand herself even more than I did as a child. Her exploration of her own motivations will stay with her much longer than her week in the museum. I loved that she and her brother Jamie have such different personalities when it comes to spending money and planning. They are forced to learn how to prioritize and compromise. And Mrs. Frankweiler is show more just delightful! show less

Amedeo has just moved to a new town with his mother. When he runs to their next door neighbour to borrow her phone, he meets Mrs. Zender, an eccentric, flamboyant former opera singer who is selling her estate to move into a retirement home. Amedeo also meets William, a slightly aloof classmate whose mother is in charge of selling off Mrs. Zender’s antiques. But when Amedeo and William find a strange painting in Mrs. Zender’s home, it opens the doors to questions about Mrs. Zender’s show more history and also the history of forbidden art in World War II.

E.L Konigsburg is a fantastic writer. I’ve read her stuff a long time ago when I was young, but I’d forgotten what to expect when I picked up this book. Luckily I was not disappointed. Konigsburg writes with a maturity that makes her books worthwhile for adult readers as well. I’ve read some reviews that complain about this very quality, that say Mysterious Edge is not really a children’s book because it uses profanity or that it focuses too much on Peter, who is an adult. I’m not sure I agree with that, but I do think it’s a book for older children, or children who want to be shown a glimpse of a messy adult world (especially with the talk of the Holocaust and degenerate art).

Amedeo and William are both highly intelligent, unusual children, and Mrs. Zender was a study in a complicated, sometimes frustrating, personality. I liked how Konigsburg connected the painting with its history. However, I do wish the book had been meatier. It felt short, able to be read in one sitting, more like a tasty appetizer than a full meal. It was, like its title suggests, mysterious, and I want more. show less