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The Nostradamus Prophecy (2008)

by Theresa Breslin(Favorite Author)

3.83 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0385613091 (ISBN13: 9780385613095)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Doubleday

review 1: "HARK to the BEATING WINGS of the ANGEL OF DEATH!When Nostradamus, wild-eyed and trembling, proclaims to the French Court his prophecy of a great massacre, the young King Charles only laughs. His mother, Catherine de Medici, pays more heed to the soothsayer's words - she believes he can truely see the future.But Nostradamus's prophecies are not only for those who rule; he also has a message for Melisande, the minstrel's daughter. For he is certain that Fate links him and Melisande together. And as the Angel of Death approaches, the soothsayer gives into her safekeeping some very special parchments - parchments that the titled heads of France would do anything to see."I picked this up from the YA section of Stourbridge library out of an interest in the author's agent and cu... moreriosity about the kind of writing that appealed to her. I'm glad I did. Although the protagonist Melisande is but twelve years of age at the start of the story (that's how it's written, only in first person from Melisande's point of view - it was on to a winner with me just from this by the way), she is, in some respects, a girl of that age - a young lady rather than a child. In other respects, she is unlike many other girls would have been. Melisande is well-educated, strong-willed, outspoken, quick-witted and capable. Just the kind of girl I like.This is the way I enjoy learning about history best: from reading fiction. Even given that some aspects of this story are entirely fictional, I'd far rather learn about sixteenth century France by reading this than by reading a factual account. And this is a time period I was not at all familiar with before reading this novel. There was a fair amount of explaining historical context and several instances where the author repeated information she'd already told us, but given that this is aimed at perhaps the younger end of the YA range, I overlooked it.Full of betrayal, love, deceit, secret caverns and passageways and even a leopard, this book has a very innocent romance lightly threaded through it. There's a loose moral to the ending, but one that encourages the reader to make up their own mind.
review 2: A good children's book reminiscent of The Red Necklace and The Silver Blade from Sally Gardner. I am fascinated by anything connected with Nostradamus and although not completely factually accurate, the books gives you a taste of France in the late 16th century, the various machinations of Catherine de Medicis, the religious struggle between Catholics and Huguenots, court conspiracies as well as the more personal story of Melisande, the heroine of the piece, who eventually learns her role in Nostradamus' prophecy. Plenty of thrills and spills and a vibrant way to introduce yourself to this historical era. less

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