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16 of 17 found the following review helpful:
 Not really that good Mar 18, 2009
By Douglas Cox
"retired programmer"
My rating is extra low for two reasons: one, I expected the writing to be worthy of 5 stars and so was sorely disappointed, and two, those 5 star ratings need to be balanced into reality.
Eleanor of Aquitaine had the fascinating life depicted in this book, but she was also famous for her intelligence, which is in no way mirrored here. I'm sure the author is a nice guy, and he did do his homework on Eleanor and the period she lived in, but he's not the right person to be trying to capture the thoughts of such a person as Eleanor of Aquitaine. Dame Dorothy Dunnett or Dame Rebecca West would have done Eleanor proud, I'm sure. And there are probably others out there who could match her intelligence with the facility of expression of the above two authors.
Besides mistakenly presuming he could write from Eleanor of Aquitaine's point of view (a point of view informed by a thoughtful intelligence), he writes full history in the style of mass-market books, and thus should disappoint both the true history buffs (like me), and the mass-market book readers (who don't want so much information).
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
 A Great Read Oct 01, 2007
By Veronica J. Prior
"Power of a Woman" brings us an "autobiography" of Eleanor of Aquitaine that is accessible and entertaining! Eleanor was Medieval Europe's most interesting woman. In an age when women were considered a necessary evil, and expected to bear sons and be quiet, she defied tradition. She married two of the most powerful men in Europe, and birthed several more. She went on Crusade. She ruled vast territories. She created a definition of love that survives to this day. Telling her story in Eleanor's voice, Robert Fripp shows us Medieval Europe through her eyes: Crusades, wars, enmities, alliances, eternal subterfuge. Fripp's vision brings the very stones and glass of cathedrals and castles to life. History becomes a tapestry which Eleanor works, stitch by stitch. At eighty-one, she hasn't much time. We feel her urgency, the ache in her knees, the chill in her bones. Will she finish before she dies? Her sorrow of lost love, lost children, lost time is as real as the triumphs of her extraordinary life. Eleanor emerges as a woman of great wisdom, dearly won. A real woman, with a strong sense of her place in this life and the next. What a great read! This is so gripping. I got so totally caught up in this story one night that I woke up with images of Eleanor in my mind, and Kate Hepburn's voice in my ear. I love this story."
10 of 12 found the following review helpful:
A Must Read for History Buffs and Non-Buffs Aug 20, 2007
By George P. Lynes II
"GPL2"
"Power of a Woman" captures the moment in 1203 when the 80-year old
Eleanor of Aquitaine, near the end of her life and feeling mortal,
reflects on the life she has lived, and the loves and hurts she has
survived. To capture the essence of Eleanor, (queen of first France and
then England, mother of Richard the Lionheart and King John of Magna
Carta fame), the author has successfully parked his gender beside his
name on the title page and written Eleanor's memoirs through the mind of
this medieval woman.
Jane Rady Lynes, NY
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
A Deeper View May 28, 2008
By Richard P. Geer
Robert Fripp's novel/faux memoir has much more multi-layered depth than any of the dozen or more Eleanor books I've read. The characters are richer, the stories and themes have many more angles, and the Eleanor who saw more and aimed higher than the powerful people she played with, really comes through at age 80. It's not the most 'pop' or easy of the books, but it's the richest in its vision, much of it coming from Fripp's journalistic rigour as a former CBC series producer for "The Fifth Estate". He sees very far, in many directions--as did Eleanor.
8 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Historically Accurate And Exciting in Wealth Of Detail Oct 02, 2007
By Lady Shirley
"Royal Lady"
"Power Of A Woman" is gripping in its wealth of detail. It makes me feel like I am in the midst of all the action. Of all the books I have read, this is the only one that makes me experience what it must have felt like to have lived during those troublesome and exciting times. Such a wonderful and exciting book! "Power Of A Woman" is more than just a book, it bring the people to life in a fresh, new way and contains a wealth of exciting information on its people and the times in which they lived. I highly recommened it to all who want a historically accurate book!
Lady Shirley Cassidy
Dublin, Ireland
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