MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE AGES Queens, Saints, and Viking Slayers, From Empress Theodora to Elizabeth of Tudor

Ten remarkable women from the Middle Ages are briefly profiled in this lighthearted historical account. Anne Day-Jones's pleasing British voice adds a sense of integrity to the superficial sketches of powerful women ranging from the wife of an Ottoman sultan to Elizabeth of Tudor. Day-Jones's crisp enunciation is helpful as the listener is introduced to names of ancient Vikings and Greeks, and her cheerful pace is a good match to the ebullient tone of the narrative. She manages to inject a tongue-in-cheek nuance when delivering inane pop culture allusions, such as "traffic-cone hats" and a "bridezilla." This little book, entertaining and certainly not academic, is improved by Day-Jones's performance. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2016]