Book reviews featuring history, historical fiction, and mysteries, as well as my thoughts on all things bookish.
Thursday, November 10, 2022
Isabeau, A Novel of Queen Isabella and Sir Roger Mortimer (The Isabella Books Book 1) by N. Gemini Sasson
Monday, September 26, 2022
Queen of Swords by Judith Tarr
Publication Date: 1997
Length: 464 pages
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ 3 out of 5 stars
WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK:
This was the first Judith Tarr novel I'd run across. It looked interesting and I hadn't found another book concerning Queen Melisende of Jerusalem that was historical fiction. Also, it is part of a trilogy about Melisende, Cleopatra, and Theophano (I'd never even heard of her!) Judith Tarr has a Ph.D. in Medieval Studies, not something to be taken lightly when considering whether she has the background knowledge to write about the time period. So I was excited to try this book out. I was surprised to find out it was written in 1997 and I'd never seen it before. I settled in to read all about Melisende and her life in novel form.
I got about a third of the way through it and realized that strangely enough it wasn't really Melisende who took center stage. It was the fictional character, Richildis, and her fictional family. That would be fine in a historical fiction novel so I found it a bit odd that the book was subtitled "An Epic Tale of the Princess of the Crusades" and that the book jacket talks all about how it is a story about Melisende. It really isn't at all. She doesn't even appear all throughout the book. Nevertheless I decided to keep reading assuming the story would still cover the time period in an interesting way.
SUMMARY:
In Jerusalem in the early 1100's, Lady Richildis has arrived to try and convince her brother, Bertrand, to return with her to France and reclaim his lands and home, La Foret. Bertrand, who is firmly dedicated to his life in Jerusalem, is adamant that he will not return with her and immediately sets about creating a life for his sister in the Crusader states. Richildis is at first homesick and bewildered by the difference in culture, the heat, the style of dress, food, and all the opulence found in the Middle East. She wants to return home as quickly as possible but has vowed not to do so without her brother. Before long though she is settled in the household of Melisende as an attendant and begins to adjust and even enjoy her new life. Still dreaming of returning to France one day, she tries to accept that for now she is stuck in a foreign land under the care of others.
Melisende, wed to Fulk of Anjou, is frustrated in her role as wife and mother. She has ambitions beyond her household and through her birthright believes she has the better claim on ruling than her Frankish husband. Born into an influential family, but being female, she is unable to fully realize her autonomy as ruler although she is given more say in diplomacy than most women of her day. Richildis, witnessing the daily frustrations of the Queen, becomes a trusted confidant. She is one of the few around Melisende able to break through her rather cold and dominating personality.
Meanwhile, Bertrand has made a secret life for himself with Courtesan, Helena. Unable to fully commit to one another initially, they spend their days dancing around their true feelings. When an unexpected event occurs, they both find themselves at odds with each other and what to do about their future. Richildis also begins a love affair with a Byzantine nobleman, Michael, someone who is so radically different from her in background and breeding that it seems impossible they will ever make a life together. The two couples spend a good deal of time coming together and falling apart before finally reconciling their futures.
Of course as the novel takes place across a span of twenty years, much is happening in the Crusader states around them. Beginning in the year 1129 and ending in 1153, the characters are taken on several journeys that include the second crusade and time spent with real life figures, Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Louis of France. There are several famous battles and political events dramatized. The childhood and move into young adulthood of Melisende's sons Baldwin and Amalric are portrayed along with their fictional childhood companion, Arslan and as the novel draws to a close we are left wondering what becomes of them all.
WHAT I LIKED:
This book kind of had to grow on me. My initial disappointment that it wasn't really about Melisende made it hard to shift gears. Because my favorite kind of historical fiction centers around real people, I have to be prepared to accept fictional characters as the focus. It took a bit of further reading but I came to enjoy Richildis, Michael, Bertrand, and Helena's stories. Tarr creates compelling background, dialogue, and culture so that they seem authentic for the time. I especially liked how she chose to have Michael come from an entirely different background than the others and as their relationship progresses, he and Richilidis have to learn to accept suspicion from all sides.
The descriptions of life in Jerusalem and the battles and political drama of the day are nicely detailed although if you are looking for a book with lots of action, this is not the one to choose. It centers around the character relationships and war and fighting take a backseat to personal dramas.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The negatives for this book for me include her depiction of Eleanor of Aquitaine and the length of the book. I felt Eleanor was the one character she presented as one dimensional and cold, conniving, and scheming. It was one of the few books in which I walked away not liking her character at all. This is odd because I have always found her to be multi layered and fascinating. Here she seems selfish and immature. Not at all how I envision her but maybe Tarr is onto something? After all, she has the Ph.D. in this area! The book is quite long and there were times it dragged a bit. I think some of the personal interactions between the couples could have been cut down and more history included. But it is just a quirk of style and I still learned a lot and was entertained.
RECOMMEND OR NOT? MOSTLY YES
I would recommend this book if you are interested in this time period and want a rich picture of Jerusalem during the Crusader states' glory days. I find precious few books on this time period as it is so I admire Tarr for tackling the subject.
Saturday, August 27, 2022
To Hold the Crown by Jean Plaidy (Uneasy Lies the Head- UK Version)
Thursday, August 11, 2022
The Jane Seymour Conspiracy (The Marquess House Saga Book Four) by Alexandra Walsh
Thursday, August 4, 2022
Devil's Brood by Sharon Kay Penman
Friday, May 6, 2022
The Land Beyond the Sea by Sharon Kay Penman
Publication Date: March 3, 2020
Length: 688 pages
This book will always be special to me for two reasons. First, it is Sharon Penman's last novel before her death last year in January 2021. And second, it introduced me to a period of history I knew nothing about. I'd never even heard the term, Outremer, or "the land beyond the sea" until I read this book. We lost a gifted historical novelist with the passing of Penman and I'm so glad she chose to write about this unique period in time. I've searched in vain for another similar book to continue reading about the topic and just haven't found one. I'll have to settle for straight history books and that's okay but this book pulled me into the characters and their feelings in a way no non-fiction book can match. That was Penman's speciality.
In the late 11th century the people of the First Crusade captured Jerusalem from the Saracens and the Kingdom of Jerusalem was born. In this world of many competing cultures and faiths the throne of the Kingdom and its outlying principalities was always undergoing internal strife due to the different factions and families that wanted to rule. This is the basis for this novel and it includes such an array of colorful characters that I feel each could have their own book.
The story focuses initially on the life and rule of Baldwin IV. A mere child of fourteen when he takes the throne, he is also dealing with the terrible disease of leprosy. His mother Agnes de Courtenay is always scheming behind the scenes to make sure her children are given their place of importance over their stepmother, Maria and her children. Baldwin suffers with his disease, balancing family squabbles, and facing down the Kingdom's greatest threat: the army of the dynamic Muslim leader, Saladin. He is supported and beloved by his tutor, William of Tyre and Penman does a wonderful job of drawing on his writings from his book written during the period, A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea. We see the relationship between the two as an affectionate father/son interaction.
Balian d' Ibelin, a prominent nobleman, is the other focus of the book as he is intent on supporting Baldwin and keeping the kingdom stable. His marriage to Maria Comnena, Baldwin's stepmother increases hostilities with the de Courtenay faction including Baldwin's mother and Uncle, Joscelin. Much of the novel we see the d'Ibelin faction competing with the de Courtenays in their quest to control the politics of the day.
Saladin and his brother Al-Adil are only too happy to attempt to use this strife to their advantage. The Muslim leaders see the weakened ties of the Franks and this allows an opening for the Saracens to gain a foothold through attacks which ultimately lead to the downfall of Jerusalem. Through her recreation of their interactions with one another, Penman gives us a glimpse of the relationship between Saladin, Al-Adil, and Balian d'Ibelin. She lets us see the human side of the Saracen leaders and while no doubt brutality is the order of the day, it is clear that neither side is all good or all bad.
This book was definitely challenging and I had to take my time reading it. Thankfully, Penman gives an overview of the main players at the beginning and I found myself referring to it often. When I read historical fiction I tend to look up a lot of the events and people to see if they really occurred. This story reads like a soap opera and it was always fascinating to find that each time I checked it was all true! I'd really like to read it again now that I have been listening to a wonderful podcast, History of the Crusades, which has recapped the events of this book. I was frequently confused the first time around but now think I'd enjoy it more, having a good grasp of the characters and main events.
It is absolutely fascinating to think that all of this was going on in the Middle East while there was so much happening in Europe during the reign of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. It makes me curious as to why very few authors have attempted to write about it. It is no doubt a very complex subject and time period but it is so rich with possibility I hope we will see more books about Outremer in the future.
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Monk's Hood (Cadfael Chronicles Book 3) by Ellis Peters
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Uneasy Lies the Crown: A Novel of Owain Glyndwr by N. Gemini Sasson
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Queens of Jerusalem by Katherine Pangonis
Publication Date: February 18, 2021
Length: 313 pages
Queens of Jerusalem is the first non fiction book I have read concerning the Crusader period. I have read many historical fiction books and have been following an excellent podcast (History of the Crusades) for quite awhile now. Thanks to the background knowledge I've amassed lately in fiction and audio shows I really found this book fascinating. This is Pangonis's first book and I think she did a great job!
The following ladies are highlighted in this book: Morphia of Melitene, Alice of Antioch, Melisende of Jerusalem, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Constance of Antioch, Agnes de Courtenay, and her daughter Sybilla of Jerusalem. I was a little surprised that Sybilla's half sister, Isabella didn't get her own chapter but I suspect that had to do with the fact that she wasn't seen to be a strong ruler with great influence in her own right. I also thought including Eleanor of Aquitaine to be a little odd in that she wasn't Queen of Jerusalem. However, I see her significance in this period and understand why she would appear in the book.
Each chapter delves into the background and marriages of the ladies and she stresses the fact that much of their influence came from the ability to command the respect of the men around them. The research was often slanted in the direction of sinner or saint. William of Tyre's "History of Deeds Beyond the Sea" is used for much of the book but Pangonis reminds us frequently that he was a man of his time. And that as an Archbishop his standards for the women of his day were high. Let's just say he gives Queen Melisende a gold star for proper behavior and is not impressed with Eleanor.
I felt like the overall feel of this book was one of modern day feminism. The author is realistic in portraying the struggles of medieval women trying to assert themselves but she often devolves into a discussion about how the men didn't give them a chance to show what they were "really made of." While I agree this is likely the case I also think that it is a stretch to expect women would be considered likely rulers in such a brutal time period. She does acknowledge, as in the case of Queen Melisende, that some were given more respect if they were original inhabitants of the Crusader states as opposed to Europeans, ie, Eleanor of Aquitaine who were seen as outsiders from Europe.
The matter of succession is touched upon time and again and even though some of the women were allowed to rule if no males were sired in the line, they often gave up any semblance of influence as soon as they were married. Their husbands assumed the role of King. Queen Melisende is the exception to this rule as she ruled alongside her husband, Fulk of Anjou.
I also enjoyed how she included some of the Muslim women who made an impact on the region and while they didn't get their own chapter in the book their stories are worthwhile and won't be found to appear much in literature or history books.
The personal touches she included are very interesting. There were a fair amount of stories highlighting the plight and personality of each woman. It made me sympathetic to them and see them as people instead of distant historical figures. I came away wanting to know more about each one. Their clothes, homes, and daily lives are beautifully described along with the landscape and harsh climate which really makes one feel like they are there. It was fascinating to read about all they endured and I found myself feeling sad for the ones who were treated badly and put aside when they could not produce an heir or their husbands tired of them.
I thought this book was well researched and included information I'd not heard elsewhere. She stresses the importance of remembering that the ability to see the women is always filtered through the lens of the men writing about them and therefore some of the time we have to draw conclusions based on what we know of the period and realizing not everything is an honest, unbiased account. She did a great job of sifting fact from fiction and I came away with a better understanding and respect for these ladies who were often put into dangerous and impossible situations. One can only imagine the courage and strength it took to be a female ruler of any kind in the middle ages much less in places like the Crusader states.
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Lionheart by Ben Kane
I have to admit that reading historical fiction written by men has always been hit or miss for me. No disrespect to men....I love men! But sometimes their writing can lack all romance or personal touches beyond dates and battles. So the cover for this book is what really hooked me into trying it, shallow I know but I'm a sucker for all things Crusades and Richard the First.
This was a well written piece of historical fiction. The author plans to make this a three part series and I will definitely be reading the next two books. We open Lionheart with a fictional character named Rufus. This is not his real name but one given to him by his captors. Right away I liked the style of the book, written in first person and giving us a running glimpse into the character's thoughts. Rufus is an Irish boy who has been given as a hostage to the English after his father and kin rebelled against them. He is lonely and depressed and treated horribly by one of the knights at the castle where he is being held. Gradually, through a wild turn of events, Rufus becomes a trusted squire, and then eventually, knight of Richard the Lionheart.
This book spends a lot of time setting up the relationship between Rufus and the common squires around him and focusing on the struggles between Henry Plantagenet and his sons. Our main character is always there in the middle of battles and action, often through coincidental twists of fate that stretch the imagination a bit. I know some of the reviews I read took issue with this but with fiction I always give a lot of wiggle room to authors trying to let their readers in on as much of the history of the day as possible. After all, it is called historical fiction for a reason.
After many years of service Rufus is eventually knighted and becomes a loyal follower of Richard. He is grateful and humbled to be given the opportunity to serve a man he greatly admires and respects. There is still a tension involving the original knight who beat him when he was newly arrived from Ireland (whom he calls Boots and Fists) and Rufus that has yet to be resolved. In the sequel I expect there to be more fireworks between these two.
Lionheart does not follow Richard and Rufus to Outremer and the Crusades as that is the basis of Book 2. Rather it sets up the characters, real and imagined, and their personalities and qualities that make them unique to their place in history and the story. Major battles and skirmishes are told with plenty of detail but not so much that you lose interest or find it hard to follow. I greatly enjoyed the way the author gave us an inside view into how Henry is betrayed by his sons and how Richard manages to gain the trust and loyalty of his men. Kane does a good job of showing how Richard defends his rightful territories while adding personal touches that make us want to know what happens to these characters later.
If I had one negative about this book it would be that it could get a bit simplistic in its dialogue. I have reviewed books by Sharon Penman about this same time period and she is superb at the vocabulary and dialect that would be realistic for the time and place. I think Kane does well but does not have as good a grasp on this area of his writing and so I occasionally found myself thinking the characters sounded a bit twenty-first century. But this is minor and not so glaring that it detracts from the overall feel of the story.
If I want to read Book 2 in a series then it is a good sign that the first book was a job well done. I have already ordered Crusader and am excited to begin it soon. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about how Richard the Lionheart went from a seemingly minor third son of Henry the Second to master of Aquitaine and eventually King of England and Crusader.
Monday, January 31, 2022
Time and Chance by Sharon Kay Penman
This is my fourth novel to read by Sharon Kay Penman. It is a sequel and begins after The Anarchy period in 1100's England. I admit going in I was already partial to anything about Eleanor of Aquitaine so this was going to have to be really awful for me not to enjoy it. I love Penman's style and her stellar research. She is known for being rock solid with historical facts and I am comforted by that when I read her books. It is not enjoyable for me to read a long epic historical fiction novel only to find out most of it was embellished or distorted for the purpose of the writer's narrative license.
The story begins with the newly married Eleanor and Henry and how they are navigating his reign as King of England. Penman does a good job of setting up the story through the eyes of several main characters, one of which is fictional. His name is Ranulf and my impression is that throughout the story and the previous book he is there to give us a glimpse into the lives of the Welsh people. He is descended from a Welsh mother and is a bastard of King Henry the first. He is also married to Rhiannon (also fictional) who is Welsh. I do confess that I wish she'd stuck to real characters as I think Ranulf and Rhiannon have way too much of a part in the two books I've read so far in this series. Eleanor and Henry have enough drama between the two of them that I think we'd have been better served by reading more of their lives than adding a character that doesn't even exist. But over time I grew to enjoy Ranulf more and even found myself wondering what will become of him in the next book, Devil's Brood.
Much of this book is centered on Henry's rift with his Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. I found this to be the most compelling part of the book. I know some might find the material a bit confusing and dry but it is a complex subject and requires concentration. I felt well rewarded by the end of the book in that I finally understood what caused such a power struggle between the two former friends. Penman does a good job of setting it up in chunks interspersed with lighter moments between Eleanor and her ladies, Henry and his relatives, and Ranulf and Rhiannon's lives so that it isn't too much to process at once. I found myself really beginning to see both sides of the conflict and to know why there is no real hero in the end here. Henry and Thomas both come across as incredibly stubborn and entitled and you just know it isn't going to end well.
Eleanor gives birth many times throughout the book and at the end we see the birth of her last son, John. Without giving too much away we also see the cracks beginning to form in her and Henry's romantic relationship as Eleanor ages and Henry grows restless with being her husband. Clearly, the time they spend apart is a huge factor as to why their marriage continues to flounder.
In addition to Henry, Thomas, and Eleanor's lives we get a glimpse of some of the Welsh leaders of the day which I found really interesting. I know next to nothing about this part of history so I was happy to learn something new.
I really enjoyed this book but feel it was sort of a bridge to the next one. The following book will delve more into the children of Eleanor and Henry and their final marital break. It is the middle book of what was originally a three part series so this makes sense and from what I've seen it is the shortest book in the series. I'm looking forward to continuing and will write a review of the next book when I complete that read.