Newbery Medalist Konigsburg tells the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine from a unique perspective. While waiting in heaven for divine judgment to be passed on her second husband Henry II, Eleanor and three of the people who knew her well recall the events of her life.
Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife to two kings, mother to two others, has been waiting in Heaven a long time -- eight centuries, more or less -- to be reunited with her second husband, Henry II of England. Finally, the day has come when Henry will be judged for admission. While Eleanor, never a patient woman in life or afterlife, waits, three people, each of whom was close to Eleanor during a time of her life, join her. Their reminiscences do far more than help distract Eleanor -- they also paint a rich portrait of an extraordinary woman who was front and center in a remarkable period in history and whose accomplishments have had an important influence on society through the ages.