In 1437, Eleanore is a skilled herbalist and midwife who flies below the radar, but longs to get the same medical education as men. She gets her opportunity when she meets the personal physician of Pope Clement during a chance encounter, bargaining for an apprenticeship and soon becoming indispensable as both the Black Death and a pregnant (and disgraced) Queen Joanna arrive in Avignon. Of course, the more prominent her position, the more she comes to the attention of the zealots seeking someone to blame for the epidemic sweeping through the land.
This isn't a particularly new take on the idea of intelligent, medicinal-focused women being called witches and blamed for illness, but it is a captivating tale. Eleanore and her predicament are compelling, if not entirely believable at times. Still, an interesting read worth picking up.
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