Elzbieta Cherezinska writes with great depth and imagination, bringing to life seductive and detailed worlds."—Olga Tokarczuk, Nobel Prize Laureate and Man Booker Prize winning author of Flights
"The Widow Queen is the story of a woman standing strong in a world run by men, and of the sacrifices we must make for power and love. Elzbieta Cherezinska brings epic history to life with her own unique and recognizable voice. Her stories have emotion, drama, and make even the most well-known historical events feel exciting and fresh."—Tomek Baginski, Executive Producer, The Witcher, Netflix
“A fascinating and forgotten corner of history . . . Cherezinska brings to life a world of violence and beauty, superstition and intrigue.”—Linnea Hartsuyker, author of The Half-Drowned King
“Fascinating, authentic, and beautifully told, The Widow Queen is the story of a forgotten Polish princess in an era of warriors, the headstrong, clever Swietoslawa—twice a queen, mother of kings. An impressive and compelling story brought vividly to life!”—Susan Fraser King, author of Lady Macbeth and Queen Hereafter
"THE WIDOW QUEEN is a genuine gift for historical fiction enthusiasts: a deeply-detailed story of power, politics, and love—and the impossibility of keeping all three. In Swietoslawa, Elzbieta Cherezinska reveals to us a complex woman who was ignored by historians, rightfully elevating her to an equal standing with her more-famous allies and enemies. This carefully-crafted novel lives up to its protagonist’s title: the Bold One."—Nathan Makaryk, author of Nottingham
“Look no further for your next great adventure. The Widow Queen unspools the true history of two courageous siblings, Boleslaw—the first and future King of Poland, and his daring sister Swietoslawa, fated to a royal destiny in a great Norse kingdom. Ranging across Baltic shores to the northern reaches of Scandinavia, and far West to King Ethelred's England, Cherezinska propels us through a tale of great personal and social transformation, from pagan to Christian, and private to political. This hidden history of a forgotten yet vitally important heroine brings Swietoslawa into the limelight she so richly deserves.”—Octavia Randolph, author of The Circle of Ceridwen Saga
05/21/2021
Duke Mieszko I ruled 10th-century Poland as a converted Christian. His two legitimate children, daughter Swietosława and son Bolesław, were his means to greater power. Swietosława, "the bold one," possessed both beauty and intelligence. Yet her real value was political. At a time when noble daughters were used, the book says, as "seals of peace, alliances, ceasefires," and Poland's borders were fluid, Swietosława is married to King Eric of Sweden. He renames her Sigrid Storråda, as he cannot pronounce her name. Swietosława's bold intellect gains her respect at court, and when she is widowed, she is again crowned queen when she marries Sven Haraldsson, king of Denmark, who renames her Gunhild. In her first novel in English translation, Cherezinska restores and draws on the history of the real Swietosława, whom she calls "the causative axis of events" across several countries. Although largely fictionalized, the novel's narrative is drawn from history's footnotes. Set during a time of transition between paganism and Christianity, the story features dozens of characters across Europe. The book's maps and genealogical charts are helpful, but it is a challenging entry point to the era. VERDICT Political intrigue driven by a woman's unacknowledged influence is woven through a medieval history, targeting informed readers.—Jessica Bushore, Xenia, OH