Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver

Title: Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver
Author: E.L. Konigsburg
Historical Fiction, Intermediate to Middle Grade Level

     This story is about Eleanor of Aquitaine as she waits in Heaven for the arrival of her second husband, King Henry II.  As she waits with Abbot Suger, her mother-in-law Matilda-Empress, and William the Marshal, they discuss the events of her life to which they remember before dying.  I found this book very interesting in the way it is written and organized.  Each of the four characters in Heaven tell their own personal story of what they remember about Eleanor's life, and then in-between each story is their conversations in Heaven as they wait for King Henry II to come "Up."  Obviously this is the fictional element of the book as the author is also able to tell a great deal of history as well.  Konigsburg brings the characters to life, and there are many of them.  Abbot Suger discusses his first meeting of Eleanor of Aquitaine and her first marriage to King Louis VII.  Eleanor and Abbot Suger have a lot in common of their lavishing lifestyle and appreciation for beautiful and expensive things.  Abbot Suger, being a man of God, sees the good in Eleanor, her energy and passion for what is beautiful in the material world of Earth.  Matilda-Empress then takes over discussing Eleanor's recklessness, divorce, and deep love with her son King Henry II.  Matilda-Empress seems to not be too fond of Eleanor at first but I think she as the story progresses she begins to find a better understanding of her loud and never-tiring daughter-in-law.  William the Marshal takes over after Matilda-Empress' death to tell of the problems between Queen Eleanor and King Henry II and their children.  He tells as much as he can till King Henry II's death and Eleanor's release from prison where she takes over to end the story of her life.  This all sums up right in time to see King Henry II arriving in Heaven after 800 years.
     I really enjoyed this book and learning about life in the Middle Ages for the royalties of Europe.  I felt that I learned a lot of information that otherwise would have been uninteresting if it weren't for the format of this book.  The first person perspective and the drama and view from Heaven make the stories so much more inviting and fun to read.  I would recommend this to older students probably in middle school who are interested in this time period or European royalty in general.  Though they may be skeptical as I was to read about the time so long ago that is not often spoken of, this is a great book to encourage interest in subject, storytelling, and reading.