Eleanore of Avignon

Eleanore of Avignon- Delozier
4 stars

One more book added to a growing list of plague survival stories.

This one takes place in Provence, 1347. It was not a good time to be an intelligent female with career ambitions. Eleanore is an herbalist and midwife with skills that she learned from her deceased mother. She grieves for her mother lost in childbirth. She feels abandoned by her twin sister who will soon marry. She fears the radical priest who threatens to accuse her of witchcraft. These are only her day to day concerns.

I am completely ignorant of medieval European history. I was fascinated to read that Pope Clement did not reside in Rome, but in Avignon during this era. Eleanore’s herbal cures capture the attention of Guido de show more Chauliac, the Pope’s physician. Eleanore is thrilled to become the doctor’s apprentice and midwife to Queen Joanna. All is well until the plague ravishes the city.

I needed a strong stomach for the descriptions of the disease and the medical practices. Delozier captured the devastation and the desperation. She also showed that some healers did use a methodical approach to finding treatments. Her inclusion of Jewish physicians and the Jewish community was interesting, although I thought the romance sub-plot was unlikely. The author’s notes at the end of the book were well worth reading. show less

Eleanore of Avignon is a dazzling debut novel about one woman's determination to heal others, despite sexist limitations imposed in the medieval world. It grabbed me from page one and held my attention throughout. 4.5 stars is probably more accurate.

Eleanore lives in the French town of Avignon during the Avignon Papacy (1309-1376). Though still a teenager, Eleanore has studied under her herbalist-midwife mother since she was seven years old and is her mother's designated successor. After her mother's death, fate puts Eleanore in the path of Guy de Chauliac (1300-1368), noted surgeon and chief physician to Pope Clement VI (1291-1352).

Intelligent and ambitious to learn all she can about the art and science of healing, Eleanore strikes a show more bargain with de Chauliac. If she can prove herself worthy, he will take her on as an apprentice.

Working together, Eleanore and de Chauliac face non-stop drama: the pope's ongoing illness, a visit from the pregnant Queen Joanna I of Naples (1325-1382), the arrival of the Bubonic Plague in 1348, demonstrations of flagellation, and the widespread superstitions that underlie witch hunts and antisemitism.

As the author explains in the Historical Note at the end of the novel, Eleanore is a fictitious character but her skillful creation gives we readers a rich glimpse into medieval society. How families live. Restrictions placed on women. The supreme power held by the papacy. The ostracism of Jewish citizens. The primitive ways in which illness and death are handled. In short, Delozier has created a book where I felt totally transported to a 14th century world - one of the aspects I most love about historical fiction.

My criticisms are minor. There are few places where I felt the author was a bit heavy-handed, spelling out information that already seemed obvious to me. But these were few in number and I think they are just part of this being a debut novel.

I highly recommend Eleanore of Avignon and eagerly look forward to DeLozier's next book. show less

Eleanore of Avignon is a dazzling debut novel about one woman's determination to heal others, despite sexist limitations imposed in the medieval world. It grabbed me from page one and held my attention throughout. 4.5 stars is probably more accurate.

Eleanore lives in the French town of Avignon during the Avignon Papacy (1309-1376). Though still a teenager, Eleanore has studied under her herbalist-midwife mother since she was seven years old and is her mother's designated successor. After her mother's death, fate puts Eleanore in the path of Guy de Chauliac (1300-1368), noted surgeon and chief physician to Pope Clement VI (1291-1352).

Intelligent and ambitious to learn all she can about the art and science of healing, Eleanore strikes a show more bargain with de Chauliac. If she can prove herself worthy, he will take her on as an apprentice.

Working together, Eleanore and de Chauliac face non-stop drama: the pope's ongoing illness, a visit from the pregnant Queen Joanna I of Naples (1325-1382), the arrival of the Bubonic Plague in 1348, demonstrations of flagellation, and the widespread superstitions that underlie witch hunts and antisemitism.

As the author explains in the Historical Note at the end of the novel, Eleanore is a fictitious character but her skillful creation gives we readers a rich glimpse into medieval society. How families live. Restrictions placed on women. The supreme power held by the papacy. The ostracism of Jewish citizens. The primitive ways in which illness and death are handled. In short, Delozier has created a book where I felt totally transported to a 14th century world - one of the aspects I most love about historical fiction.

My criticisms are minor. There are few places where I felt the author was a bit heavy-handed, spelling out information that already seemed obvious to me. But these were few in number and I think they are just part of this being a debut novel.

I highly recommend Eleanore of Avignon and eagerly look forward to DeLozier's next book. show less

In Eleanore of Avignon, DeLozier offers a gripping debut set in 14th-century Avignon, on the cusp of the Black Death. Her heroine, Elea Blanchet — a midwife and herbalist — resists the constraints of her time, apprenticing to a physician and confronting the twin horrors of illness and superstition. The medical detail is visceral and well-researched; the atmosphere of fear, faith, and fragile hope rings true.
The novel’s strengths lie in its vivid characters, especially Elea and her sister, whose bond never feels perfunctory. The writing is both immersive and moving, bringing to life a world where life and death, prayer and science, duty and grief converge.
On the flip side, some plot developments strain credibility, and certain show more romantic and secondary arcs feel more rushed than fully earned. Still, this is a powerful read — one that lingers, reminding us how desperation breeds heroism, even in the darkest hours. show less

Disappointing Debut.

Narrated in the first person by the main character, Eleanore, events in 14th century France are played out against a backdrop of fear, superstition, religious persecution, plague and papal politics.

Even for historical fiction, I was less than invested in the storyline as both it and the character of Eleanore was far from believable, especially for someone who is well read in the medieval universe. The main character just seemed a little too larger than life, taking on roles that only they are capable as there was certainly no-one else in the whole wide world who can. And the plot itself ... bordering on fantasy fiction.

I would probably suggest this is more suited to young adult fiction or for someone with no idea of show more the historical times in which this is set. I actually hesitated in picking this up for review. I wished I had let it pass by. show less

What an amazing debut! The story is both tragic and hopeful. The fear surrounding the Black Plague is incredibly vivid, and Elizabeth DeLozier immerses the reader in that experience through her beautiful prose. The themes of love—both romantic and familial—play a crucial role in the narrative. I am glad I read it and eagerly look forward to her next novel.

Eleanore's mother was a talented midwife and herbalist -- but even that was not enough to save her from dying in childbirth. Now, Eleanore longs to follow in her mother's footsteps, but she needs someone to train her. A chance encounter with the Pope's own physician leads to unexpected opportunity . . . but then the plague comes to Avignon.

I found this novel an immersive and compelling read, especially towards the end. I loved all of the characters, and learned a bit more about the 1346-1353 plague. Recommended for readers of historical fiction.