"A fully rounded biography of a great medieval lady is hardly possible, given the limited sources. Nonetheless, Theodore Evergates, with his knowledge of the sources gained from years of studying the counts of Champagne, has given the fullest portrait of Marie of France to date. It is likely that his book will be stand for many years as the standard study of Marie of France." (Sehepunkte) "[Marie of France] . . . contributes to our increasing realization that ruling women were nothing unusual in medieval France with its detailed account of Marie's political activity . . . [F]or literary historians, it fills in a picture that had until now been extremely limited of this important patron." (French History) "Medievalists will surely rely on Marie of France as the standard reference on the countess' life for years to come, while scholars of the history of religion more broadly will find it useful for its discussion of the varying forms of interaction between the church and members of the lay aristocracy in the High Middle Ages. Readers of all backgrounds, however, will appreciate the skill with which Evergates constructs an eminently readable narrative from such fragmented sources." (Reading Religion) "A masterful biography and a welcome, and much needed, contribution to our understanding of medieval aristocratic women." (Amy Livingstone, Ball State University)
