In this novella prequel to Four Sisters, All Queens, author Sherry Jones tackles the story of Blanche de Castille, the White Queen of France, and mother-in-law of one of the four sister-queens. Blanche has built her life on the advice of her grandmother Eleanor of Aquitaine, though she finds that such advice tends to run thin under distress. When Blanche's husband, King Louis VIII turns up dead, she must navigate a treacherous court mired in politics and ambition to place her young son on the throne, protect France -and her own honor.

From the very first word up to the last, I was completely entranced by this story. Every single sentence felt like it was carefully crafted with purpose and elegance. Author Sherry Jones offers readers a glimpse into the past that's unlike just about any other historical novel out there. Her attention to detail is impeccable, but not so laborious that it weighs down the plot or characters and lends just enough for readers to get a vivid view of the period.

Jones does an incredible job of bringing Blanche to life on the page. Most importantly, Blanche was not portrayed as a one-dimensional character who is driven by blind ambition, but also managed to have true human emotions that make her an honest and real character. Other characters seemed a tiny bit underdeveloped, but this novella was so short that these characters didn't get as much "screen time" to entirely take on lives of their own.

Despite that, I devoured White Heart. As a historical fiction nerd, it was fascinating to read about such a strong and compelling woman in the midst of a world filled with enemies. The only real issue I had is that it's too short (I know it's a novella, but still). I wanted to read more about Blanche and her story -and how she overcame it all.

Can't wait to check out Four Sisters, All Queens in May. ( )