93. Matrix by Lauren Groff
Matrix is a highly fictionalized story about the real 12th century author Marie de France. I didn’t really know anything about Marie de France going into this book, so I was unsure how much was based on actual events and how much was imagined. It turns out that though many of her manuscripts survive there is little actually known about who Marie de France really was. It’s mostly speculation, so pretty much this entire book is a work of fiction. In this story, she is cast out of court by Eleanor of Aquitaine and sent to live in an abbey where she eventually overcomes her disdain of religion and religious life to become the head of the abbey where she experiences visions from God. As it is alluded to many times throughout the book that Marie was in love with Eleanor, I would have liked to have gotten more glimpses of their earlier relationship, which I think would have helped round out Marie’s obsession with her. Overall, I did find it an engaging book that had interesting things to say about women, power, and religion. I give it a 7 out of 10.