The Falcon's Eyes

A sweeping, suspenseful tale about marriage, freedom, identity and motherhood, <em>The Falcon's Eyes</em> not only illuminates a brilliant century and the notorious queen who dominated it but also brings to life the vivid band of characters whom the heroine encounters on her journey to selfhood. Principal among them is Isabelle's charismatic, controlling husband, as obsessed by falconry as he is by having an heir. The various settings- Château Ravinour, Fontevraud Abbey, and Queen Eleanor's exiled court in England- are depicted as memorably as the noblewomen, nuns, servants, falconers, and courtiers who inhabit them. With a series of twists and turns, the story pulses forward as Isabelle confronts one challenge, one danger, after another, until it hurtles to its final, enthralling page.

With the historical understanding of Hilary Mantel and the storytelling gifts of Ken Follett, Francesca Stanfill has created an unforgettable character who, while firmly rooted in her era, is also a woman for all times.