Great Maria

A literary phenomenon.

-New York Times

Her father is a robber baron...

Her husband has grand ambitions and a quick temper...

She will become...the Great Maria.

A lush portrait of the eleventh century that leaves out none of its harshest nature, Great Maria is Cecelia Holland at her most evocative. A mere fourteen years old, strong-willed Maria is betrothed to Richard. Theirs is a marriage of conflict, yet one that grows over the years into respect and partnership. As they struggle-at times against each other, at times side-by-side-Maria and Richard emerge as full-blooded characters you'll never forget.What Readers Are Saying

Holland's characters are so complex and vividly drawn that the reader actively participates in their adventures.

An intriguing plot, unforgettable characters, and a wonderful sense of place makes this one of the finest books I have read.

If Hemingway had written historical fiction, he would have had a hard time beating Ms. Holland. Her terse, tense writing style is incomparable, and her character development is superb.

A stunning book.

Characters so believable, they walk off the page and into the room. Few authors can bring the past to life as powerfully as Cecelia Holland. I'd recommend her to any fans of historical fiction.

-Elizabeth Chadwick, author of The Greatest Knight and To Defy a King

This novel's success is assured by its own excellence.

-Library Journal

One of the very best historical novelists of our day.

-Larry McMurtry

Loosely based on the Norman Conquest of Sicily, "Great Maria "is the story of a courageous woman struggling for love and power. A masterful writer whom the "New York Times "called "a literary phenomenon," Cecelia Holland sets this story in southern Italy, where Maria, a daughter of a Norman robber baron, must work with the husband she never wanted as a kingship drifts within their grasp. At its heart, Great Maria is the story of a woman who must find a way to survive in a male-dominated world, a woman who triumphantly makes strengths out of weaknesses.

"Mrs. Holland presents history from the feminine viewpoint and brings the harsh spirit of the age to life through vivid characters, vivid scenes, and a sharp-edged prose. And through her fighting heroine she speaks to modern woman in her fight." -"Publishers Weekly"

Her husband has grand ambitions and a quick temper...

She will become...the Great Maria.