Book Club Discussion Questions
For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Christine de Pizan and our BookBrowse Review of The Queen's Lover.
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
Catherine de Valois, daughter of the French king Charles VI, is born into troubled times. Brought up in a royal court, she is Catherine is married off to England's Henry V before she is even out of her teens as part of a treaty honoring his victory over France. Within two years she is widowed, and mother to the future King of England and France -- even though her brother has laid claim to the French crown for himself. Caught between warring factions of her own family and under threat by the powerful lords of the English court, she must find a way to keep her infant son safe. History comes alive in this lyrical and moving true story of one woman's courage and the inception of one of the most famous royal lineages of all time.
- Catherine and her brother Charles are brought up underfed and unnoticed by their royal family, despite being at the heart of the most glittering court of Europe. What effect does this neglect have on each of them? Do you think that children can overcome the emotional stunting caused by early lack of care?
- In the Middle Ages, love was seldom taken into consideration as a reason for marriage among the wealthy and high-ranking. In modern times, marrying for anything but love is considered suspect. Do you think we take romantic love too seriously today, and undervalue other considerations which might also lead to the creation of successful families, such as friendship, compatibility, shared values, and similar educations?
📖
Get the full reading guide
Join BookBrowse free to unlock all 7 discussion questions, author background, themes, and more for The Queen's Lover.
Join free — it takes 30 seconds
Already a member? Log in →
- How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
- What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
- Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of HarperPaperbacks.
Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.