I think I would actually give this 3 stars for the actual writing, but it gets an extra star for the illustrations. Just about every well-known and important picture of the people or events of the time is included.

I realize this was written for children, so I won't criticize it for skimming lightly over the issues of Richelieu's life. I will say, though, that at times it paints him in an unnecessarily unflattering light. There are incidents and issues that the book glosses over that would be seen differently if more details were revealed.

For example, there is the recounting of the events of the Day of Dupes. For one thing, the book states the date of this event as November 30th, when really it was the 11th. But beyond that, Richelieu is described as sneaking into the queen mother's room through a secret passage, surprising her and the king in their conversation, and provoking a major outburst from the queen mother. All this indeed happened, but the way it is recounted here makes it sound like Richelieu was up to no good. The author tells us that the cardinal threw himself at the king's feet but neglects to mention that he also burst into tears, which puts a new perspective on things. In fact, throughout the book Richelieu's humanity is barely touched on, and he comes out seeming colder than he really was.

To me it seems like the author has no real love for Richelieu and that she wrote his biography like she was writing a research paper.

This is a MUST read for anyone even remotely interested in French history. Although the book is written for children, Glossop manages to capture the imagination of even the most jaded adult with her brilliant imagery and seamless prose.