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alquemist's review against another edition
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
thisotherbookaccount's review
5.0
I know there are seven books in The Accursed Kings series by Maurice Druon, but do I really need to read book 7 to have a proper closure? Judging by reviews and the fact that book 7 was published 17 years after the sixth almost like an afterthought, I’d say the answer is: no, this is it. The story has been told, and this is as good as it gets.
And what a story!
I came into this series the same way as many other readers here, I’m sure. George RR Martin dubbed this series as “the original Game of Thrones”, and he recommends Druon’s masterpiece whenever someone asks him for book recommendations. And you can clearly see how much he’s been influenced by the French writer’s historical epic. There are no dragons in The Accursed Kings series. Instead, you have something even more sinister and dangerous: humans, specifically humans in power. At the end of the day, the series is about the absolute corruption of power, and the length to which people are willing to go to obtain that power. And greed, too, and the two usually go together. If you are a fan of the politicking and court intrigues in A Song of Ice and Fire, you will most definitely love Druon’s series about the English and French monarchy. And the best part? (Most of) The events actually happened.
Before reviewing the entire series, let’s take a look at the sixth and, to me, the final book in the series: The Lily and the Lion. So far in the series, the “bad guys” have been winning. And I say “bad guys” because there aren’t very many good guys in the story. Everybody is in shades of grey, and Baglioni (a fictional character created by Druon, I believe) is the only protagonist (although there are many protagonists) who lives up to the name. Everybody else is corrupted to some degree, but some more so than others. The kings and queens here aren’t necessarily the main puppeteers behind the scheming and plotting. Rather, at the centre of it all, Druon attributes the chaos that led up to the Hundred-Year War to the conflict between Mahaut, the Countess of Artois, and Robert of Artois, her cousin. Nearly every evil deed throughout the series can be attributed to the two of them one way or another, and their schemes have worked — until now.
The Lily and the Lion is the book that brings justice upon our two main antagonists. If you’ve been waiting for these characters’ comeuppance, you will find it here — and satisfyingly, too. The first half of the book deals with Robert of Artois’ last-ditch effort to fuck his aunt up — and he wins! Mahaut dies in a spectacular fashion, and I feel that Druon totally earned it as a writer. A lot of times, writers kill off characters for the sake of it, and as readers, you sometimes don’t feel like they’ve earned it? This time, however, you’ve seen all the things that Mahaut has done behind the scenes, so her death’s particularly sweet — and poetic, too.
But Robert’s victory doesn’t last very long. Admittedly, he does a way better job than expected, but even he meets his poetic end towards the last bit of the book. It is clear that Druon enjoyed the hell out of writing for this character, and he even broke the fourth wall right before the epilogue to talk about how unfortunate it is for him to kill off his favourite character because of, well, history. In contrast, Robert’s end, even though it’s less-than-dramatic, is perfect for his characters, who’s always been about the theatrics and extravagance. Again, a totally earned character death, and I enjoyed every bit of it.
And I have to give even more props to the way Druon brings the story back to Jean I during the epilogue. Jean I’s story is THE reason why book 4, The Royal Succession, to me, is the best book of the series. I mean, shit, you mean the baby that Mahaut poisons ISN’T Louis X’s real baby, and that the real Jean I is actually running around the countryside and being raised by Marie de Cressy!? In real life, the baby’s name is not Jean I, but John I, and his survival is but a rumor in the history books. But Druon certainly made a convincing case in book 4, and the reason why book 5 isn’t a five-star book is because it didn’t address the fate of the real Jean I.
But here he is, at the end of book 6, a full epilogue dedicated to the real Jean I, 20-30 years in the future. But there isn’t a sweet ending for him, since the series is called The Accursed Kings and any male heir related to Philip the Fair is, supposedly, cursed by the Templars. Despite heavy campaigning by Jean I, he ultimately dies alone in a prison. As happy as I am to learn the fates of Baglioni, Cressy and the real Jean I, their bitter end is a sad yet poignant ending to the series as whole.
Speaking of that, I am very happy to have experienced — yes, experienced — this series. I know the Middle Ages was a truly fucked up period of time, but I never knew just how fucked up it really was. Who cares if Druon may have taken some creative liberties with the characters? The story’s exciting at every turn, and you never quite know how things are going to turn out. Yes, the bad guys get their comeuppance in the end, but you KNOW that the events described here lead up to the Hundred-Year War. I’ve already purchased a book on that subject, and I cannot wait to read about the bitter battle between the Yorks and the Lancasters.
I highly recommend this series to anyone with an interest in Medieval history, or if you are just a fan of historical fiction in general. This is as good as it gets.
And what a story!
I came into this series the same way as many other readers here, I’m sure. George RR Martin dubbed this series as “the original Game of Thrones”, and he recommends Druon’s masterpiece whenever someone asks him for book recommendations. And you can clearly see how much he’s been influenced by the French writer’s historical epic. There are no dragons in The Accursed Kings series. Instead, you have something even more sinister and dangerous: humans, specifically humans in power. At the end of the day, the series is about the absolute corruption of power, and the length to which people are willing to go to obtain that power. And greed, too, and the two usually go together. If you are a fan of the politicking and court intrigues in A Song of Ice and Fire, you will most definitely love Druon’s series about the English and French monarchy. And the best part? (Most of) The events actually happened.
Before reviewing the entire series, let’s take a look at the sixth and, to me, the final book in the series: The Lily and the Lion. So far in the series, the “bad guys” have been winning. And I say “bad guys” because there aren’t very many good guys in the story. Everybody is in shades of grey, and Baglioni (a fictional character created by Druon, I believe) is the only protagonist (although there are many protagonists) who lives up to the name. Everybody else is corrupted to some degree, but some more so than others. The kings and queens here aren’t necessarily the main puppeteers behind the scheming and plotting. Rather, at the centre of it all, Druon attributes the chaos that led up to the Hundred-Year War to the conflict between Mahaut, the Countess of Artois, and Robert of Artois, her cousin. Nearly every evil deed throughout the series can be attributed to the two of them one way or another, and their schemes have worked — until now.
The Lily and the Lion is the book that brings justice upon our two main antagonists. If you’ve been waiting for these characters’ comeuppance, you will find it here — and satisfyingly, too. The first half of the book deals with Robert of Artois’ last-ditch effort to fuck his aunt up — and he wins! Mahaut dies in a spectacular fashion, and I feel that Druon totally earned it as a writer. A lot of times, writers kill off characters for the sake of it, and as readers, you sometimes don’t feel like they’ve earned it? This time, however, you’ve seen all the things that Mahaut has done behind the scenes, so her death’s particularly sweet — and poetic, too.
But Robert’s victory doesn’t last very long. Admittedly, he does a way better job than expected, but even he meets his poetic end towards the last bit of the book. It is clear that Druon enjoyed the hell out of writing for this character, and he even broke the fourth wall right before the epilogue to talk about how unfortunate it is for him to kill off his favourite character because of, well, history. In contrast, Robert’s end, even though it’s less-than-dramatic, is perfect for his characters, who’s always been about the theatrics and extravagance. Again, a totally earned character death, and I enjoyed every bit of it.
And I have to give even more props to the way Druon brings the story back to Jean I during the epilogue. Jean I’s story is THE reason why book 4, The Royal Succession, to me, is the best book of the series. I mean, shit, you mean the baby that Mahaut poisons ISN’T Louis X’s real baby, and that the real Jean I is actually running around the countryside and being raised by Marie de Cressy!? In real life, the baby’s name is not Jean I, but John I, and his survival is but a rumor in the history books. But Druon certainly made a convincing case in book 4, and the reason why book 5 isn’t a five-star book is because it didn’t address the fate of the real Jean I.
But here he is, at the end of book 6, a full epilogue dedicated to the real Jean I, 20-30 years in the future. But there isn’t a sweet ending for him, since the series is called The Accursed Kings and any male heir related to Philip the Fair is, supposedly, cursed by the Templars. Despite heavy campaigning by Jean I, he ultimately dies alone in a prison. As happy as I am to learn the fates of Baglioni, Cressy and the real Jean I, their bitter end is a sad yet poignant ending to the series as whole.
Speaking of that, I am very happy to have experienced — yes, experienced — this series. I know the Middle Ages was a truly fucked up period of time, but I never knew just how fucked up it really was. Who cares if Druon may have taken some creative liberties with the characters? The story’s exciting at every turn, and you never quite know how things are going to turn out. Yes, the bad guys get their comeuppance in the end, but you KNOW that the events described here lead up to the Hundred-Year War. I’ve already purchased a book on that subject, and I cannot wait to read about the bitter battle between the Yorks and the Lancasters.
I highly recommend this series to anyone with an interest in Medieval history, or if you are just a fan of historical fiction in general. This is as good as it gets.
alternbruno's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
El sexto y penúltimo libro de la saga es en realidad el último en narrar lo que ocurrió en Francia de principios de siglo XIV hasta la mitad cuando ya todos los hijos de Felipe el Hermoso han fallecido. Para no entrar en detalles y minucias, baste decir que se ocupa de relatar el reinado de Felipe VI. Este rey, llamado "el encontrado" sería el primero de la dinastía Valois -porque se había acabado la línea principal capetina- y su reinado marca el inicio de la guerra de 100 años.
Me pregunto si en una novela que va de sucesos históricos puede hablarse de algo como "spoiler". ¿Hay manera de anticiparse o adelantarse a eventos cuyo estudio son materia de disciplina especializada y que no se refugian o recluyen en una saga sino que existen vaciados en múltiples documentos, archivos, etc? En fin, lo planteo porque Los Reyes Malditos abren con Roberto de Artois yendo a Inglaterra a contarle a Isabel las infidelidades de sus cuñadas y cierran con su muerte herido en batalla. Luego Maurice Druon introduce un epílogo contado por el hijo de Guccio Baglioni, Gianino, cuando pide ser reconocido como el rey de Francia. El último libro sería un resumen o un relato que pretende resumir una buena parte de la guerra desatada en estos tiempos y que culmina pocos años después de la intervención de Juana de Arco.
Este libro sigue la de un narrador omnisciente que va siguiendo los acontecimientos de manera secuencial y donde pueden apreciarse horas y horas de indagación. Los puntos clave para esta novela son el torneo organizado por Felipe VI, la proscripción del conde Roberto y el inicio de la guerra. El gran proyecto de Druon se centra en narrar las tensiones franco-inglesas y el paso de una Francia consolidada y unificada a una desmembrada por los conflictos políticos y belicos, lo importante es cómo va armando el entramado de manera que no obedezca a unas cuantas voluntades individuales sin más sino a una articulación importante sobre lo que significa plasmar un estado. En una época donde todavía no existía un vocabulario claro y apenas había un derecho incipiente sobre los feudos, esta saga narra las convulsiones de un pedazo del continente que todavía no se reconocía a sí mismo como occidente.
Me pregunto si en una novela que va de sucesos históricos puede hablarse de algo como "spoiler". ¿Hay manera de anticiparse o adelantarse a eventos cuyo estudio son materia de disciplina especializada y que no se refugian o recluyen en una saga sino que existen vaciados en múltiples documentos, archivos, etc? En fin, lo planteo porque Los Reyes Malditos abren con Roberto de Artois yendo a Inglaterra a contarle a Isabel las infidelidades de sus cuñadas y cierran con su muerte herido en batalla. Luego Maurice Druon introduce un epílogo contado por el hijo de Guccio Baglioni, Gianino, cuando pide ser reconocido como el rey de Francia. El último libro sería un resumen o un relato que pretende resumir una buena parte de la guerra desatada en estos tiempos y que culmina pocos años después de la intervención de Juana de Arco.
Este libro sigue la de un narrador omnisciente que va siguiendo los acontecimientos de manera secuencial y donde pueden apreciarse horas y horas de indagación. Los puntos clave para esta novela son el torneo organizado por Felipe VI, la proscripción del conde Roberto y el inicio de la guerra. El gran proyecto de Druon se centra en narrar las tensiones franco-inglesas y el paso de una Francia consolidada y unificada a una desmembrada por los conflictos políticos y belicos, lo importante es cómo va armando el entramado de manera que no obedezca a unas cuantas voluntades individuales sin más sino a una articulación importante sobre lo que significa plasmar un estado. En una época donde todavía no existía un vocabulario claro y apenas había un derecho incipiente sobre los feudos, esta saga narra las convulsiones de un pedazo del continente que todavía no se reconocía a sí mismo como occidente.
claranina's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
kikuchiyo90's review
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
srash's review
5.0
This book largely wraps up the series, though one book (written years later) remains. Still, pretty much all the characters we've been introduced to throughout the books meet their end here. I was sad to see most of them go, even though they richly deserved their ends. The author seems to have shared my sorrow, at one point interrupting the narrative to complain about history forcing him to kill off his favorite character. Along the way, though, there's an elaborate forgery, which was as hilarious as it was thrilling, and the Hundreds Year War, fomented years earlier when a royal cousin goes to visit the queen with a malicious proposition, finally kicks off, with even more direct instigation from said cousin.
bgabriela2023's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
homa_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
ernestleberbe's review against another edition
5.0
Sans doute aucun, Le Lis et le Lion est l'opus de Robert d'Artois plus que celui des rois. D'entrée de jeu, le dernier fils vivant de Philippe le Bel se fait mourant sans laisser d'héritier, et Robert manigance pour que Philippe de Valois, fils de Charles de Valois et parent de Robert soit prononcé roi, au lieu d'autres prétendents, en Bourgogne ou de façon plus importante le jeune Edouard III d'Angleterre, descendant direct de Philippe IV Le Bel par sa mère Isabelle. Une fois Philippe de Valois devenu le roi trouvé, on suit les machinations toujours plus ingénieuses de Robert pour devenir Pair de France, pour recouvrer son comté d'Artois, pour faire assassiner Mahaut et sa fille. On suit ses aventures adultères avec Béatrice de Hirson, ancienne complice de Mahaut; son exil, lorsqu'il est révélé qu'il a falsifié les documents rendant légitime sa requête d'hériter l'Artois; sa déchéance auprès des cours d'Europe; et enfin son arrivée en Angleterre, où il fomente les racines de la guerre de Cent Ans, en convainquant Edouard III de revendiquer le trône de France par la force, dans l'optique d'un jour, peut être, retrouver l'Artois. Et enfin, par la force de l'Histoire, on apprend la mort bretonne de ce personnage dont on sent transpirer dans tout l'ouvrage combien l'auteur l'apprécie.
Parce que l'opus est si concentré sur un seul personnage à qui il arrive tant, et de façon plus importante un personnage habile qui ment et manipule, l'aventure est passionnante. De ce fait, le tome atteint la qualité de ses plus hauts prédécesseurs, le Roi de Fer et la Loi des Mâles, bien qu'il joue moins sur les héritages alambiqués et la grandeur du trône de France.
L'épilogue est tout également grandiose. On avance de quelques décennies, où l'on réalise enfin le chaos complet dans lequel les évènements contés depuis le scandale de la tour de Nesle ont plongé la France et sa couronne, d'une lignée forte de rois tout puissants, à une série de rois incompétents peinant à conserver un royaume souffrant de peste, de famine, et de défaites répétées contre l'Anglois. Après cette brève mais puissante description, on suit le destin du fils de Louis X le Hutin, élevé en Italie par Guccio qui le croit son enfant. Le futur Jean le Posthume apprend enfin sa descendance, et reçoit le soutien du tribun de Rome. La couronne de France lui miroite devant les yeux. Mais le tribun est assassiné. Et de royaume en république, Gianno/Jean cherchera de l'aide pour récupérer le trône qui lui est dû; la trouvera, puis la perdra, dans un cycle qui le rend peu un peu fou; jusqu'à ce qu'il meure dans un cachot, sans couronne et sans gloire, abandonné de tous, la dernière victime de la malédiction des Rois Maudits.
Et l'oeuvre entière se conclut là, avec même un petit paragraphe final de l'auteur qui suggère que la France ne se sortira de ses malheurs que sur un autre bûcher, celui de Jeanne d'Arc. Quid donc du dernier tome? Ecrit 17 ans plus tard, je ne suis pas certain de sa place dans la saga; mais sans le compter, la saga est un monument, un chef d'oeuvre (bien qu'imparfait) du roman historique, et se conclut aussi brillamment qu'elle a commencé. J'ai souvent pensé que j'aimerais que Druon me conte ainsi l'Histoire entière. 4/5 pour la saga, et pour ce tome 4.5/5
Parce que l'opus est si concentré sur un seul personnage à qui il arrive tant, et de façon plus importante un personnage habile qui ment et manipule, l'aventure est passionnante. De ce fait, le tome atteint la qualité de ses plus hauts prédécesseurs, le Roi de Fer et la Loi des Mâles, bien qu'il joue moins sur les héritages alambiqués et la grandeur du trône de France.
L'épilogue est tout également grandiose. On avance de quelques décennies, où l'on réalise enfin le chaos complet dans lequel les évènements contés depuis le scandale de la tour de Nesle ont plongé la France et sa couronne, d'une lignée forte de rois tout puissants, à une série de rois incompétents peinant à conserver un royaume souffrant de peste, de famine, et de défaites répétées contre l'Anglois. Après cette brève mais puissante description, on suit le destin du fils de Louis X le Hutin, élevé en Italie par Guccio qui le croit son enfant. Le futur Jean le Posthume apprend enfin sa descendance, et reçoit le soutien du tribun de Rome. La couronne de France lui miroite devant les yeux. Mais le tribun est assassiné. Et de royaume en république, Gianno/Jean cherchera de l'aide pour récupérer le trône qui lui est dû; la trouvera, puis la perdra, dans un cycle qui le rend peu un peu fou; jusqu'à ce qu'il meure dans un cachot, sans couronne et sans gloire, abandonné de tous, la dernière victime de la malédiction des Rois Maudits.
Et l'oeuvre entière se conclut là, avec même un petit paragraphe final de l'auteur qui suggère que la France ne se sortira de ses malheurs que sur un autre bûcher, celui de Jeanne d'Arc. Quid donc du dernier tome? Ecrit 17 ans plus tard, je ne suis pas certain de sa place dans la saga; mais sans le compter, la saga est un monument, un chef d'oeuvre (bien qu'imparfait) du roman historique, et se conclut aussi brillamment qu'elle a commencé. J'ai souvent pensé que j'aimerais que Druon me conte ainsi l'Histoire entière. 4/5 pour la saga, et pour ce tome 4.5/5