The falcon's eyes A novel

Stanfill (Wakefield Hall) reimagines in her sharp latest medieval abbeys, aristocrats, and Lady Isabelle, the spirited confidante of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Set in France and England at the end of the 12th century, the story follows curious Isabelle, who at 17 marries Gerard, Lord de Meurtaigne, a wealthy, newly titled widower who wants a noble-born wife to give him an heir. Initially, Isabelle is enamored with Gerard and her new opulence, but she also fears Gerard will discover her "furtive life" of hidden relics and potions given to her by a clairvoyant. They divorce after Isabelle fails to produce an heir, and she happily joins the vaunted Fontevraud Abbey as a lay noblewoman. But after Gerard finds one of Isabelle's secret objects left behind after the divorce, he vows to find and punish Isabelle for casting a spell on his new wife. As Gerard closes in on the abbey, Isabelle escapes to England and becomes a companion to Queen Eleanor, who was exiled by her husband, King Henry II. Fireside vignettes feature Eleanor and Isabelle discussing history, poetry, and philosophy, all while the queen maneuvers to mold the court and preserve her legacy. The enriching dialogue between brave Isabelle and wise Eleanor consistently intrigues, as does the bewitching blend of tainted nobility, secretive domestics, and palace plots. This is a crackling historical. Agent: Lynn Nesbit, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (July)

Stanfill's (Wakefield Hall; Shadows and Light) third novel is set in medieval France and features Isabelle, a headstrong, intelligent girl who does not fit into the role of a proper young lady. When she is married off to a lord, Isabelle hopes her life will change for the better, but Gerard is controlling, making it clear that his fortune, his reputation, and his home are to be her priorities, along with bearing him a son, an heir. There are moments that Gerard seems to genuinely care for Isabelle, but mostly he is more concerned about his name and his reputation. Isabelle tries to control her own destiny in her new life. At times, her life seems to parallel that of fallen Queen Eleanor, whom Isabelle reveres. She is surrounded by a host of interesting people, including Eleanor of Aquitaine; some are her allies and some are not. VERDICT This is a long but engaging book. The time period is well researched, and Stanfill's narrative remains true to the customs. Will appeal to fans of Philippa Gregory and Hilary Mantel.--Melissa Palmer

The author of Shadows and Light (1984) and Wakefield Hall (1993) presents a remarkable 12th-century noblewoman's journey from a French country estate to the side of the greatest queen of the Middle Ages. "Never before had I seen a woman who was old…yet alluring. Her fair skin was wrinkled, but her vivid dark eyes, framed by a luxuriant expanse of brow, were still beautiful and bespoke an undaunted spirit." That's our first glimpse of the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine, English ruler and mother of rulers, in Stanfill's lavishly detailed historical novel. That description is given to us by Isabelle, a brilliant young woman who tries and fails to fit the mold of baby-making machine that the age required. It's disappointing that it takes 500 pages to get to this exciting encounter, but Stanfill amply fills the preceding pages with a portrait of the private struggles and desperation of aristocratic women like Isabelle who, despite their best efforts, fail to satisfy the ambitions of their husbands. For many, such failure left them with only two choices: going home to their parents or to an abbey. Isabelle eventually finds refuge in an abbey patronized by Queen Eleanor, who seeks a companion in old age. Not just anyone will do--Eleanor requires someone who can write, play chess, and keep up with her sparkling wit. Trained in the classics by her grandfather, Isabelle is the right person for that role. Eleanor's life and the complicated relationship between England and France play in the novel's background until fate brings the two characters together. All the exotic, romantic elements of the medieval world--falconry, ancient ruins, rustic healers, feasts by warm candlelight, ominous prophecies--are here as well as a frightening figure from Isabelle's past, intent on ruining her and those she loves. Brave and defiant, Isabelle comes to understand that doing great things, as Eleanor has done, isn't necessary to triumph in life. Sometimes, as she realizes about the old motto vincit qui patitur ("He conquers who survives"), the simple act of living is victory enough. This whopper of a novel is perfect for readers who want to lose themselves in a long historical yarn. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.