The Falcon's Eyes: A Novel

Written by Francesca Stanfill

Narrated by Karen Cass

“Stanfill has persuasively re-imagined the Middle Ages, surrounding the legendary Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine with indelible characters in an immersive tale of intrigue, bravery, ruthlessness, and compassion. . . . The Falcon’s Eyes is a dazzling adventure, with riveting twists and turns and a surprising yet deeply satisfying conclusion.""—Sally Bedell Smith, author of Elizabeth the Queen

Set in France and England at the end of the twelfth century, the moving story of a spirited, questing young woman, Isabelle, who defies convention to forge a remarkable life, one profoundly influenced by the fabled queen she idolizes and comes to know – Eleanor of Aquitaine

Willful and outspoken, sixteen-year-old Isabelle yearns to escape her stifling life in provincial twelfth century France. The bane of her mother’s existence, she admires the notorious queen most in her circle abhor: Eleanor of Aquitaine. Isabelle’s arranged marriage to Gerard --- a rich, charismatic lord obsessed with falcons --- seems, at first, to fulfill her longing for adventure. But as Gerard’s controlling nature, and his consuming desire for a male heir, become more apparent, Isabelle, in the spirit of her royal heroine, makes bold, often perilous, decisions which will forever affect her fate.

A suspenseful, sweeping tale about marriage, freedom, identity, and motherhood, The Falcon's Eyes brings alive not only a brilliant century and the legendary queen who dominated it, but also the vivid band of complex characters whom the heroine encounters on her journey to selfhood: noblewomen, nuns, servants, falconers, and courtiers. The various settings — Château Ravinour, Fontevraud Abbey, and Queen Eleanor’s exiled court in England — are depicted as memorably as those who inhabit them. 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 Hillary 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. 

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Jul 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9780063074255

Francesca Stanfill

FRANCESCA STANFILL was born in Oxford, England, and grew up in New York City and Los Angeles. She is a graduate of Yale University, where her studies included the History of Art and medieval history. Her articles have appeared in many publications, including The New York Times Magazine, New York, and Vanity Fair. Her lifelong fascination with the twelfth century and its legendary queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, propelled her to write The Falcon’s Eyes, her third novel. She lives in New York.

Reviews for The Falcon's Eyes

[maryreinert · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The cover of this book is so misleading (at least the cover of the book that I read) "A story of Eleanor of Aquitaine" - no it's not! It is the story of a young girl married off to an ambitious older man who loves falcons. Isabelle is definitely the focus of the story - Eleanor doesn't even appear until about 3/4 of the way through and then as an older woman imprisoned by her sons due to the struggle between them. Isabelle isn't particularly a likeable character and although it does seem as the setting represents the actual time, much of the characterization, etc. does not. The ending was pretty trite - disappointed.

[cats57_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

When I finished this book, I needed to mull over what I was thinking. Had I gone with my very first impression, I would have told you that there were many problems with this novel, the 'mystery' was easy to figure out, important secondary characters are lost toward the end, and you don't get involved with the Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine until about 65% of this novel. I would tell you that our main character, Isabelle, was (for the times) a willful, dishonest, whiny character that I just couldn't sympathize with. Her family was mean to the point of unbelievability. After some minor research, I found that an important part of this book was historically incorrect. But this is fiction, is it not?I wonder about the ending too. It really wasn't a true ending (sort of a cliff-hanger in my mind)-I wonder if it was meant to be this way to get us to think or if there will be another book coming?After mulling over this book overnight, I'm going with my first opinion. I was able to finish this book but was unhappy doing so.*ARC supplied by the publisher, author, and Edelweiss.