Eleanore of Avignon: A Novel by Elizabeth DeLozier. Dutton, 2024. Historical fiction.
In 1347, Eleanore Blanchet has learned midwifery and about herbs from her recently deceased mother. She lives with her father and twin sister and is busy with her work. When she meets Guigo de Chauliac, doctor to Pope Clement, he realizes the importance of her work and takes her on as his assistant. Life in hard in Provence and, because she is a woman, Elea has her hands full voiding being called a witch. As the plague comes to their area, Queen Joanna is pregnant and comes to the city. The doctor and his young assistant are called to tend her.
This is a debut novel and bodes well for the author's future. While the details of suffering from the plague are realistic and sometimes rather gruesome, the story of the courage and determination of early medical practiioners ring true. Notes at the end tell which characters were historically real and which are made up. Can Elea escape the dreaded disease herself and find love amidst all the strife? Keep reading!
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