This is one of those novels that should’ve been split into two or three volumes. The author’s need to cram such a full life as France's King Henri IV’s into one book results in lots of telling and very little showing.

Certain scenes and events are brought to life, but most of the time we’re told by the third-person narrator what happened, when it could’ve been dramatized to make the reader feel part of the action.

We also get a lot of repeated info – a Plaidy trait – which is a waste of words.

Henri IV, and his first wife Margot, are fascinating characters, so it’s a shame the author didn’t make more of this. she does a better job in her Catherine de Medici series, which covers much of what happens in “Evergreen Gallant”.

In short, this isn’t a bad read, but has potential to be a whole lot better. An opportunity missed. ( )

The reign of King Henri IV of France. A plodding, anecdotal history from Plaidy - readable and accessible as usual, but not as gripping as a story (even the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre takes up little more than a page). Henri, the loveable and loving King of Navarre, marries Margot, a Princess of France and daughter of Catherine de Medici; he then moves onto several other women, has many children, fights in wars, and cheats death - until he falls at the hand of an assassin. Should be exciting, but isn't in this telling - perhaps there was little fiction could add to fact? Here, Plaidy is merely competent as a storyteller, and better at introducing characters from the past. ( )