Se fue la parte 4 de la serie y se pone cada vez mejor. Creo que en éste título se puede conocer hasta qué punto puede llegar la ambición como para ya no diferenciar entre amigos y enemigos, familiares o no familiares, culpables o inocentes. ¡Que magnífica es ésta saga!

Vicious, delicious and dark. These are just some of the ways that you can describe the Accursed Kings series by Maurice Druon. This is the first time, however, that "heartbreaking" is the only fitting word to describe the ending to the series' fourth installment.

It's difficult to draw the line between fact and fiction for this series. As someone who is not well-versed in Medieval history, it's difficult for me to figure out the things that happened and the ones that came out of Druon's head. Nonetheless, Druon has created characters that I came to care deeply about, especially Marie de Cressay and Guccio Baglioni, the one beacon of hope and innocence in this dark, messed up world.

Between the scheming, the backstabbing and the betrayals, Marie and Guccio's story has always been a light at the end of the tunnel. Naive, perhaps, but it was pure and innocent. It is the one love story that isn't driven by political manoeuvrings and greed.

However, in this book, even that comes crashing down for the two characters, thanks to power-hungry assholes (Fuck you, Mahaut). It was painful to read the last chapters of this book, to see the two characters fall apart due to the villainy of others.

I have read a lot of Medieval fiction, but even those did not prepare me for Marie's loss. And to think that I have always been a supporter of Philip V's succession, his "victory" over the Duke of Burgundy and Charles of Valois left a bad taste in my mouth -- and I am sure his as well.

And, man, women were treated like cows for the slaughter back then, weren't they?

I'd say this is the best book in the series so far, and bold, too, for daring to bring a righteous king morally to his knees and killing off something beautiful. The worst part? Most of everything probably happened for real.

There are no winners in this story, only sinners. Sinners and greedy assholes.

3.5

Malditos! cómo pueden creer que la vida de un Rey es mas importante que la de un mortal!!

The books subtitle should be 'How appallingly can women be treated. Oh you think that badly? Well think again it's much much worse.'

So the tale of the French aristocracy get more and more tawdry. Women locked up, used to seal deals, given to people. Cast of into convents. If they happen to be peasants, raped and horribly abused by their 'lords'

And we ladies are supposed to shut up look downwards and grin and bear it.

Oh my goodness I'm so angry, I despise nearly everyone in this book and I can't wait for certain people to get what they deserve (Robert of Artois I'm looking at you you vile excuse of a man)

Oh and the whole pope selection should be mentioned as entirely grubby. Again, you get the feeling that people haven't changed and power corrupts totally.

The main story for me was what happens to poor Marie. It's absolutely heart wrenching. This is an absolutely brilliant book and a must read.

I’m glad to, after about a year away, get back to this series. Game of thrones but better (and finished)

Varias personas me dijeron que esta había sido su novela de la saga favorita y puedo ver por qué. Es la que tiene el ritmo más trepidante, con el mayor número de giros y tramas políticas que se entrecruzan. Digamos que tras tres libros de desarrollo, es aquí donde explotan todos los tejemanejes y las conspiraciones que habíamos visto evolucionar.

De forma simplista, los buenos episodios de "Juego de tronos" se parecen a este libro.

Sí, puede que ahora Francia tenga un buen rey (en opinión de Druon), un gobernante hábil e inteligente, ¿pero a qué precio? ¿Cuál es el baremo por el que calculamos si una persona es buena o mala, si algo está "justificado" o es pasarse de la raya?

Así que estoy con toda la gente para la que esta es su parte favorita, porque yo también creo que es la más completa en cuanto a desarrollo de personajes, de tramas políticas, presentación de giros y el mantener una ambigüedad ética que plantea cuestiones interesantes.

Another twist and turn in this series. The king's brother plots and schemes his way to the throne. Lots of interesting historical facts and dynamics. Was a quick read!