Can't Wait Wednesday: The Abandoned Queen by Austin Hernon (Berengaria of Navarre Medieval Trilogy Book Two)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Abandoned Queen by Austin Hernon. I purchased book one and intend to read it this year. Books two and three are out in 2024 and this is the second in the trilogy. At first I saw it as a romance type book but then I read the sample of book one and it was actually a pretty good start as a historical fiction book. The author is an older gentleman who has written another series about William the Conqueror's son, Richard. 

I hope you have found something you can't wait for on this Wednesday!

February 2, 2024

Historical Fiction

Description courtesy of Amazon books

Berengaria follows her king into the deadly heart of the Crusade…

1191

Having married Richard the Lionheart, Berengaria of Navarre is now preparing herself for the turbulent life of a queen.

Though he has not yet secured an heir, Richard is determined not to settle down until he has recaptured Jerusalem from the Saracen forces. Vowing to stay by his side for as long as possible, Berengaria accompanies him on the perilous voyage to the Holy Land.

Caught up in battle plans, Richard has barely a moment to spare for his new bride. And after witnessing a sea battle and a deadly siege in Akko, Berengaria is left disturbed by the king’s ruthlessness.

Surrounded by misery and bloodshed, the young queen begins to understand the true cost of war. And as Richard becomes ever more consumed by his ambitions, she starts to wonder whether their marriage will ever have a chance to flourish…

Will Richard survive his brutal Crusade? Will he and Berengaria return to England in triumph?

Or will the horrors of war tear their marriage apart?

The Abandoned Queen is the second historical novel in The Berengaria of Navarre Medieval Trilogy: Early Plantagenet novels set during the Third Crusade and the reign of Richard the Lionheart.

The Road To Runnymede by David Field (The Medieval Saga Series Book 6)

 

Publication Date: 

January 16, 2023

Length: 

215 pages

This is the second David Field book I've read this year and he is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. His books have that perfect balance I love between straight, dry history facts and overly romantic fiction in too many modern historical fiction books today. And while I am happy his books are so inexpensive to buy and free to read with Kindle Unlimited, I'm starting to think he is selling himself short and needs to charge more! 

Summary:

This is the sixth book in his seven part series about the Norman conquest through the reign of Henry III and his son Prince Edward, who eventually becomes Edward I. I reviewed book seven last month, The Conscience of a King, which was about Simon de Montfort. I decided to back up and read about King John, who I honestly know little about, having run across very few historical fiction books devoted to just him and his reign. The book incorporates a fictional character, Hugh, Earl of Flint, to guide the narrative and shows his service to John along with the real person of Ranulf, Earl of Chester. The two cousins endure many hardships and abuse as they try to carry out King John's demands and also care for their much neglected families, who suffer loneliness and worry for their men who are usually far away from home and involved in the next brutal battle. 

When the story begins, Richard the Lionheart is still alive and ruling as well as taking advice from his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine and it seems as if there is no reason to believe this world of strong leadership will not go on for some time. Hugh, having been on crusade with Richard, is happy and content serving his King who he respects deeply and holds in much esteem. When Richard dies young and unexpectedly, Hugh's world drastically changes with the ascension of his younger brother John to the throne of England. 

John and Richard are as different as is possible and Hugh learns quickly that taking advice and self-restraint are not qualities the new leader possesses. Seeing everyone as a possible threat, John seems to work overtime to alienate even his most loyal supporters of which Hugh and Ranulf try to be. As the barons of the day are overtaxed, over committed to endless wars across the channel in France, and treated with disdain at every turn, things become perilous for Hugh as he tries to support John, while seeing the writing on the wall of a coming showdown between the King and his subjects. 

My Thoughts:

Throughout the story of the facts of John's reign, the attempts to restore his lands in France, and his interaction with the Welsh and Scots, is the side story of Hugh and his wife Edwina and their children. Geoffrey, Hugh's son, who will also factor in the next book, is anxious to prove himself and learn the art of being a squire, then a knight in the King's service. He is sent at the age of fifteen to train on the Earl of Chester's estate and bears witness to the brutality of the day in situations beyond his control. The personal stories of Hugh's family members serve to keep the story from becoming too dry and give the reader someone to root for. 

As I read this book I realized that it is a great place to start if you have very little knowledge of the time period. But it is also a great recap of events that are easily forgotten. I found myself wishing I'd read it before tackling some of Sharon Kay Penman's work because Field's books are much shorter and to the point, at only 250-300 pages each. You will not get the detailed, intricate backgrounds of each character or the exhaustive research in Penman's novels, but you will definitely come away with sound information and understand the why, who, and what behind the chosen subject. 

Field has done his homework and he even adds some things I hadn't read about before. His description of the storm which led to the loss of the crown jewels at the end of story was superb and he explains things so effortlessly that even the Great Charter (Magna Carta) was made interesting, something I'd always been a bit bored by. He did a wonderful job of making me understand how John went from being totally in control to being forced to agree, albeit with his fingers crossed, to demands from barons who dared to defy him. 

I love that Field didn't start writing and publishing until he retired from his work as a lawyer. I think to become an author in your 70's is amazing! I am pretty sure I read he'd written a lot before then but hadn't published his work until later. He is doing a great service by giving us these books about English and Australian history, written in an entertaining, readable style for all. I will definitely be reading more. I'd like to start the new year with his book about Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, The King's Commoner, because I don't know much about that story. 

The Stolen Crown by Carol McGrath

 

Publication Date: May 18, 2023

Length: 434 pages

As someone who came late to the game in studying the period of The Anarchy between Stephen and Matilda, I am always excited to get my hands on any books set during that time. It is fascinating and exciting and a great backdrop for historical fiction. This author seems to be very popular right now and the gorgeous covers of her books really catch the eye and make you want to try them.

The story begins in 1127 at Windsor Castle. Matilda, or Maud, as she is called, former Empress of Germany, has been called home to England by her father, the current King Henry I, to take up her rightful place as heir to the throne. Having been widowed in Germany and no longer wife of the Emperor there, being female she is at the mercy of her father who insists on making her the one to inherit the crown upon his death. The barons and clergy are not thrilled, but with Maud's brother William, the only legitimate male heir having drowned years before, Maud is all that is left. They swear allegiance to her in front of Henry but this is short lived upon his death. 

Maud is also painfully betrothed to the immature Geoffrey of Anjou and the two are like oil and water. Geoffrey is several years her junior and Maud is used to the adulation and honor due an Empress from her years spent in Germany, while Geoffrey is completely uninterested in both his older wife and in taking up duties in England. He is much more wedded to France, specifically his home territory and in acquiring Normandy and its surrounding lands. 

The basic story of the Anarchy period is related chronologically from the years of Henry's death to the crowning of his grandson, Henry II. We witness the chaos of Maud's fight to regain her title and crown from her cousin Stephen, who has the support and backing of much of the nobility who see a male ruler as the only real solution. All the major players are here: Maud's confidante and trustworthy brother, Robert of Gloucester, sheriff Miles of Gloucester, and Brian Fitz Count, one of the nobility and supporter of Maud. The major battles and skirmishes, Lincoln, Oxford are recounted, as well as Maud's escape into the wintry night to Wallingford. 

We are also introduced to fictional character, the loyal Alice, and her knight love interest, Sir Jacques, who serve as the way McGrath inserts the goings on of the more common folk and their attachment to the nobles and royals in the time period. Alice and her family are entertainers, puppeteers who are loyal to Maud and her side of the fight for the crown.

I started out really enjoying this book. And then about halfway through I started to lose interest. I pushed through to the end but found myself trying to figure out why I wasn't as excited to read it as it unfolded. After reading some reviews by others on Goodreads I finally realized the answer. There just wasn't the character development I wanted and one reviewer described the writing as "wooden." Sometimes it vacillated between sounding like a history book recalling facts and details, and then would try to switch to a more romantic style. It just didn't work for me. I will not say it is not worth reading but I didn't come away learning a lot of new information about the period and I also didn't really care about any of the characters involved, fictional or real. All the information was there but it just didn't flow or have that personal touch the way good historical fiction should.

Will I read another book by this author? Yes, I would like to try one of the books in her Rose trilogy. I am wondering if I read about a subject I don't know a lot about I might enjoy it better. Possibly because I've read so much on the Anarchy period in much greater detail, this book just recapped things I already knew and I skimmed through it for that reason. I rarely shut out an author after one book as I like to see if another works better. This book is a great fit for someone who is just learning about this subject and needs the background information told in an entertaining style. McGrath clearly has that knowledge and her research is solid.  It is good to know what you do learn from it is based on proven, historical facts. That is my number one reason for reading and loving historical fiction.

The Conscience of a King by David Field (The Medieval Saga Series Book 6)

 

Publication Date: March 31, 2023

Length: 276 pages

I have purchased books one, six, and seven in this series as they have gone on sale. They sat in my Kindle for awhile and I decided to read the last book in the series first. This was because it is about Simon de Montfort and there are so few historical fiction books about him. 

Simon de Montfort begins his young life watching his parents' quest to conquer the religious Cathars in the Albigensian Crusades in southern France. His father is killed in 1218 while fighting and Simon and his brother Amaury are left as heirs to a family title that must be fought for after it is stolen and given to a distant cousin by a vengeful King John. Amaury agrees to relinquish all rights to the earldom, being the older brother and first in line to inherit any lands, if Simon gives up all rights to the family lands in France. When Simon travels to England to regain his title, Earl of Leicester, he becomes a close ally for a time of King Henry III. He spends countless time and energy proving himself as a military leader and strategist, convincing Henry of his loyalty and rightful place as part of the English nobility.

As a frequent member of the court, Simon witnesses Henry's ability to be swayed by whomever is in his current circle. Henry's wife, Eleanor of Provence and her foreign relatives, often influence him in negative ways, wanting lands, money and titles of their own. Henry's mother, Isabella, who has married into another influential family, the de Lusignans of France, also vie for special privileges and the result is a bitter revolt of the barons and native English nobility who see their rightful inheritances being squandered by those without the authority to do so. 

When Simon marries and begins a family with Henry's sister Eleanor, the stakes increase and the couple work to navigate the tricky political world they are thrust into. When the King and Simon have a serious disagreement and falling out over money owed, the de Montforts flee to France, living as exiles. As things become more tense in England between the barons and Henry, Simon is eventually to return, fighting against Henry and his son Edward, with a showdown of epic proportions.  

This book stuck to the facts of Simon's life as a history book would, only adding a few fictional characters. It is not a long book but packs a lot into the pages. We witness Simon growing both physically and emotionally as well as spiritually and as he moves from young, idealistic boy to military leader, husband, and father, he gains respect from those around him and devotion from those he has saved from a life of poverty and misery. 

Field does a great job of simplifying what is a complicated period, with the Barons' Wars, the foreign influences at court, and the reasons behind the discontent in the nations of England and France. Using a fictional girl, Merle, who is given to Simon as a concubine, whom he never treats as one, the author allows us to glimpse the compassionate part of de Montfort, when he treats her well and cares for her when he doesn't have to.

I have always found this period and subject to be a bit on the dry side, as it is hard to keep up with the political machinations going on but I understood things so much better after reading this book. The significance of de Montfort's attempts at reforms with the provisions of Oxford is not easy for the casual reader and I wish I'd read this one first before Falls the Shadow, by Sharon Penman because I think I might have kept things straight a bit more in her much longer, involved novel. 

I intend to read the other books in this series as well as his Tudor and Maritime ones focusing on Sir Francis Drake. If you are looking to better understand the period of the Norman Conquest through the reign of Henry III, I highly recommend these books in the Medieval Saga Series. 

Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman (Plantagenet Novels Book 4)

 

Publication Date: October 4, 2011

Length: 624 pages

I looked back at my Amazon purchases to see when I actually bought this book. It was March of 2022. I couldn't believe it because I started it the week it arrived. It has taken me a year and a half to read every page and it was worth the time. When I finished it, I felt as if I had lived through every moment of the third crusade along with Richard, Berengaria (his wife and queen), and Joanna (his sister and former Queen of Sicily). It is a masterpiece of storytelling and research. 

The first half of the book the main subjects are making their way across Europe to the Holy Land; not necessarily together. We see Joanna, widowed and desperate in Sicily as her former husband's scheming cousin Tancred tries to seize the throne and takes her prisoner in Palermo. She is rescued by Richard as he is traveling to Jerusalem on his crusade to retake the holy city. He frees his sister while subduing Tancred and regaining Joanna's dowry. It is a glimpse into the character and bravery of Richard to come as he stops to exert time and energy into the situation, never doubting his ability to create events to unfold according to his plans. 

Joanna and Richard are eventually joined by their mother Eleanor of Aquitaine (whom Joanna has not seen in decades) and Richard's new betrothed, Berengaria of Navarre. Richard, Joanna, and Berengaria continue on their journey to Jerusalem and Eleanor returns to England to deal with brother John and his scheming back home. The journey across the sea to Acre is hardly uneventful as Richard manages to conquer the island of Cyprus along the way, marrying Berengaria there before continuing on their way. 

Also traveling to the middle east is Phillip II of France and their whole relationship is one of necessity and dysfunction. Jealousy, greed, and eventually bitterness become the heart of their interactions and as things unfold along the way, the two men and their entourages are embroiled constantly with infighting and suspicion. Neither leader wants to concede power or prestige to the other and their inability to work together to defeat Saladin will be the undoing of the carefully laid plans to retake Jerusalem. 

The second half of the novel focuses on what happens after the arrival of the Crusaders in Acre and their many battles, setbacks, victories, and perilous attempts to accomplish their goals. It feels like Richard and Phillip are always one foot forward, two steps back with success and failure. Other major players getting in the way include Hugh III of Burgundy, who always seems to be opposed to whatever Richard decides, the irritating Guy of Lusignan, and Conrad of Montferrat, whom Richard must unwillingly work with in order to secure the Holy Land after he eventually has to leave to return to his place as King of England. At every turn, Richard skillfully works to lead his soldiers, showing no fear, and that he will be right alongside them in the trenches, along with striving to maintain diplomacy between the Crusader leaders and the Muslim factions with whom he often has a cordial relationship. It is a lot for one man to shoulder.

Interspersed between the chapters with Richard as the focus, we see the relationship between Joanna, Berengaria, Richard, and other minor characters. These are nice breaks of quiet domesticity because the intense fighting and political discussions are frequent and require much concentration to follow. I especially loved getting to know the person of Henry II of Champagne, Richard's nephew, who strives to keep the peace between those around him and stay loyal to those he believes in. 

This book is incredibly dense with material. There are vivid descriptions of the major battles, the landscape, and the cultures found in Sicily, Cyprus, Tyre, and Acre. Even the first half of the book had me intrigued to find out more about Sicily. I thought I'd be bored by the fact that we don't even arrive in the middle east until halfway through the book, but the battle to conquer Cyprus is so wonderfully told I found myself a bit sad when they finally leave the island. 

There is a definite bias Penman displays towards Richard in that she clearly feels he is usually making the correct decisions for those around him. One comes away with the feeling that Richard is stubborn, but thwarted by others, rather than sometimes wrong. She does do a good job of showcasing his inability to be an attentive husband and in that area the reader can't help but side with Berengaria, who is portrayed as loving, sweet, and desperate for a child with Richard. It is this that makes him appear a bit cold and unfeeling with his often one sided obsession with his mission, rarely considering how it all will take a toll on his wife and sister Joanna, who is also often waiting around to see what they will have to endure next. 

What really got to the heart of the novel for me though were the last few chapters in which Richard makes a last push at the Battle of Jaffa. The account Penman gives of Richard leading his men and pushing them on despite the odds against them is breathtaking. I could see it all in my mind, could feel the courage and loyalty between him and his soldiers and afterwards I truly understood why he is called Richard the Lionheart. Normally I do not enjoy long, drawn out battle descriptions but this book was superb in this area. She was able to capture everything that makes it an epic: suspense, fear, and victory in the hearts of the men fighting whether they win or lose. That is what makes this book a true gem. I am looking forward to reading A King's Ransom, and seeing how Richard deals with his harrowing journey back to England and his mother Eleanor's fight to save him and his throne from the clutches of his brother John and Phillip of France. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Kingmaker's Women by Julia A. Hickey

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa  at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Kingmaker's Women by Julia A. Hickey. I am drawn like a magnet to anything Wars of the Roses and the daughters of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, are never a boring topic. This book focuses on Warwick's wife, Anne Beauchamp, and her daughters, Isabel and Anne Neville, exclusively and delves into whether or not they were pawns in their father's war games or women who used their own wiles to exert influence over their situation. It looks fascinating. Happy Wednesday reading everyone!

August 30, 2023 (The publisher may have changed the date according to Amazon)

History/Middle Ages History

Description courtesy of Net Galley

They were supposed to be pious, fruitful and submissive. The wealthiest women in the kingdom, Anne Beauchamp and her daughters were at the heart of bitter inheritance disputes. Well educated and extravagant, they lived in style and splendour but were forced to navigate their lives around the unpredictable clashes of the Cousins’ War. Were they pawns or did they exert an influence of their own?

The twists and turns of Fate as well as the dynastic ambitions of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick saw Isabel married without royal permission to the Yorkist heir presumptive, George Duke of Clarence. Anne Neville was married to Edward of Lancaster, the only son of King Henry VI when her father turned his coat. One or the other was destined to become queen. Even so, the Countess of Warwick, heiress to one of the richest titles in England, could not avoid being declared legally dead so that her sons-in-law could take control of her titles and estates.

Tragic Isabel, beloved by her husband, would experience the dangers of childbirth and on her death, her midwife was accused of witchcraft and murder. Her children both faced a traitor’s death because of their Plantagenet blood. Anne Neville became the wife of Richard, Duke of Gloucester having survived a forced march, widowhood and the ambitions of Isabel’s husband. When Gloucester took the throne as Richard III, she would become Shakespeare’s tragic queen. The women behind the myth suffered misfortune and loss but fulfilled their domestic duties in the brutal world they inhabited and fought by the means available to them for what they believed to be rightfully their own.

The lives of Countess Anne and her daughters have much to say about marriage, childbirth and survival of aristocratic women in the fifteenth century.

The Sun in Splendour (Plantagenet Saga Book 14) by Jean Plaidy

 

Publication Date: October 5, 1983

Length: 365 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

I have been trying to read this book for years. After plowing through Sharon Kay Penman's 1,200 page version, also titled The Sunne in Splendour, I wanted to get Plaidy's take on the Wars of the Roses and the life of King Edward IV and his wife Elizabeth Woodville. Penman's version focuses on younger brother Richard's point of view while Plaidy sticks with a multitude of viewpoints, mostly that of Edward and Elizabeth. Of course I knew going in this was the YA version of the story and nothing in the realm of a huge historical fiction work like Penman's but I don't care. I enjoy Plaidy's simple style. She has a way of taking the complex and simplifying it and adding her own personal touches. That's why I continue to read and review her books even though I realize they are really for a younger audience just starting out with the subject of the book.

The story begins with the viewpoint of the Woodville family, specifically Jacquetta Woodville. Her beautiful daughter Elizabeth Grey, recently widowed, is determined to confront the new Yorkist King, Edward IV to try to regain her sons' inheritance lost when their father died fighting for the Lancastrians in the second Battle of St. Albans. Their famous meeting in Whittlebury Forest sets off a romantic chain of events culminating in the marriage of Edward and Elizabeth and propels the Woodville family to the highest standing in the country, allowing for numerous appointments of family members to important positions. The Woodvilles become more powerful than most of the reigning nobles of the land and create widespread resentment for years to come. 

As the story shifts from the initial meeting of Edward and Elizabeth and their betrothal to their reign as King and Queen of England, Plaidy's narrative viewpoint also shifts, to that of Richard Neville, called the Kingmaker due to his role in seating Edward on the throne, and Edward and his brothers, George, Duke of Clarence, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester. We see the unfolding of the Wars of the Roses through the lens of Neville and the King and the many twists and turns of loyalty and betrayal between them all. 

The three main parts of the book are divided into: Sunrise, High Noon, and Sunset. This correlates to the rise of Edward IV and his glory days of rule, followed by his death and the period of instability when his very young son and heir, Edward V is proclaimed King only to be dethroned by his Uncle and ultimately the disappearance of Edward and his brother. I found that Plaidy covers all the relevant players thoroughly and leaves no one out, from the many friends and admirers of Edward IV to Anne of Neville, to Buckingham and Henry Tudor. Her research is solid and detailed and she includes personal stories for each. 

If you know the story of the Wars of the Roses you won't learn a lot of new information with this book. But somehow that didn't bother me at all. I knew what was going to happen pretty much throughout the whole book but it was like getting a refresher course. I It doesn’t delve into battles or detailed politics of the day but focuses more on relationships and betrayals. If you are new to the story you will come away with everything you need to grasp the major players and the historic timeline.

Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman

Publication Date: 1988

Length: 592 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆

I originally was not going to write a review for this book until I'd written one for Here Be Dragons, book one of the Welsh princes trilogy. But I read that one two years ago and I've honestly forgotten a lot. So I decided to go ahead and finish this one, book two, and give my thoughts on it. Sharon Penman is one of my favorite authors and I always look forward to starting a new book of hers. While this one was not as engaging for me as I'd hoped it would be, it nevertheless is still a masterpiece of the time period she's covering. 

I really felt like this story was two timelines in one. Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester and Llewellyn of Wales both take center stage, with de Montfort monopolizing most of the book. It is part of the Welsh princes trilogy but it felt more like Simon's tale. When it begins, he has gone to try to reclaim his inheritance from his cousin, the Earl of Chester, who has no heirs and was given the title by King John, who saw fit to disinherit de Montfort's family. This opening scene sets the stage for Simon's courage and boldness as he is taking a chance that he will be rebuffed and humiliated. He eventually achieves his goal along with the admiration of those who are surprised he is able to pull off such an unlikely feat. 

He eventually weds, Eleanor, King Henry III's sister and develops the trust of the King. When Henry sides with other influential nobles against Simon, their relationship begins to sour. Throughout the first half of the book a lot of time is devoted to describing how these events came to be and why Simon and Henry begin to fall out with each other. Simon is charismatic and fearless, while Henry is portrayed as weak willed, heavily influenced by his mother and wife's relatives, and frustrated by what he sees as insubordination by Simon and Eleanor to his rightful place as the King. As tensions grow and Henry is forced to abide by the Provisions of Oxford, the document setting up accountability by the King to his barons, both men are pushed over the threshold into all out war.

Woven within the main storyline is also the relationship between Simon and Henry's sons. Prince Edward is the anti-thesis of his father, a born warrior with a restless nature. He spends time with Bran and Harry, Simon's sons, getting into a lot of mischief. Although Edward is not able to defeat Simon initially, losing to him at the Battle of Lewes in 1264, he eventually manages to escape and the two will meet later in the epic showdown at Evesham. In between, Simon essentially rules England for a year and sets the background for representative government, which is why he is still relevant in history books today. 

As for Llewellyn the Last, grandson of Llewellyn the Great, several parts are devoted to his relationship with his brothers, especially Dafydd, and his victory in establishing, for a time, an alliance between himself and de Montfort. We see Llewellyn grow from a young boy into a ruler, harkening back to his grandfather whom he loved and admired while having a very difficult relationship with his father and mother. Unfortunately, his future remains insecure as things do not go as planned for his country when de Montfort is unable to fulfill his own plans for England. Without giving away the entire story, it is clear that neither man's path to victory is guaranteed. The ending is both compelling and heartbreaking. 

I think the main reason this book became a bit of a slog to get through is that it was very dry. A lot of the relevance of de Montfort and his place in history is due to his involvement in the battles between the barons and the King and the balance of power between both. Without proper background knowledge and the intricacies of the legal documents involved with it all, one easily becomes lost and confused. I know I often did. There were times I spent looking up information online just to understand what was being discussed. I felt this way sometimes in Penman's book Time and Chance, which detailed King Henry II and Thomas Becket's squabbles but the difference was I somehow cared a lot more about the two men as people, not just their feud. With Falls the Shadow I just didn't feel as attached to Simon or this King Henry. There were also a huge number of people coming and going in the novel that just seemed to be irrelevant and made it confusing to keep track of everyone.

Penman is always a wonderful author so I can't say the book was not worth it, and certainly I came away with a good sense of the time. It is not easy to find historical fiction on the people featured here so that makes it worth the read. Hopefully the third novel, The Reckoning, will be more to my taste as it covers Wales and the final battle between Edward and Llewellyn. I plan on reading and reviewing it eventually but am taking a break from this trilogy for a bit. 

 

Queens of the Crusades: England's Medieval Queens Book Two by Alison Weir

Publication Date:  February 23, 2021

Length:  560 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

This book is part two of a three part series on Medieval Queens. Book one deals with the conquest period and book three covers the age of chivalry. I already had purchased this one awhile ago when it was on sale and so that is why I started in the middle. Also, loving the Crusader period, I wanted to learn more about the wives of the Kings involved during this time. Alison Weir is known for being a solid researcher and her books cover her chosen subjects with depth and fidelity so I know I'm getting the facts, not embellished with her opinions. 

There are five sections: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Berengaria of Navarre, Isabella of Angouleme, Alienor of Provence, and Eleanor of Castile. Each queen either participated in the Crusades and, or, was Queen during the period of the Crusades. Some had husbands who joined the march to the Holy Land themselves but not all. Of course the most famous of them, Eleanor of Aquitaine, receives the most thorough treatment here but that is common when she is in the mix. I didn't mind because even though I know a lot about her life, there is always some new interesting fact I've not heard before.

The first section on Eleanor of Aquitaine picks up shortly after her meeting of Henry Plantagenet and continues into the next two sections on Berengaria and Isabella. Eleanor's long life meant that she was privy to the lives and marriages of these queens of her sons, Richard and John, and was heavily involved in the politics of the day right up until her last years. It is clear that Weir wants readers to hone in on just how influential she was after her release from captivity with her husband Henry's death and Richard's ascension. The tone of the book suggests just how impressive Eleanor was in her ability to rule when given the opportunity. 

When moving from Eleanor to the next three Queens, Weir concentrates more on their husbands. It is clear that there is just not much information on Berengaria, Isabella, or Alienor (Richard I, John, and Henry III's wives) because there was very scant attention to their upbringing and most of the sections focused on minor details such as their charities, religious leanings, and child bearing. I found that I learned much more about the governance of each King and how it affected the country than I did about their spouses but there was still an overall picture of the personalities of each woman: Berengaria presents as a kind, well loved but often neglected lady, Isabella a young naive girl who moved to a more selfish, scheming person in her second marriage to Hugh de Lusignan, and Alienor a devoted mother but often scorned by the country she ruled due to her Savoy relatives.

Eleanor of Castile was given the last section of twelve chapters, almost as much as the first Eleanor, which initially was a surprise. Not knowing much about her I assumed there would not be much more to cover about her than the three previous queens. Accompanying her husband Edward I on the crusades, Eleanor was a formidable woman who was well educated and clearly loved by her devoted spouse. She produced many royal offspring and was beloved by Edward long after her death. 

I enjoyed this book and although there were chapters I skimmed through if they focused heavily on details that didn't interest me, overall there was sold, unique information on each queen that I hadn't heard before. I often felt that Weir had little to go on for some of these women and had to stretch some related facts to the point of redundancy and tedium. Unfortunately, for the time this is too common and she had to use what she had and link it to their husbands lives in order to paint a thorough portrait. I plan to eventually read the other two books in the series and they are a great way to get a snapshot of these often forgotten queens of the middle ages. 

 

Can’t Wait Wednesday: The Conscience of a King by David Field (Medieval Saga Book 7)

This week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at WishfulEndings, is the seventh book in David Field's Medieval Saga Series. I haven't read any of his works yet so I can't recommend them but when I saw this story has Simon de Montfort as the main character, I was intrigued. You don't see much of him in literature aside from Penman's Falls the Shadow. I'm interested enough to put it in my TBR pile. 

I also really enjoy series that take historical facts and real people and make them the basis of the story rather than fictional characters. It's such a great way to learn and retain historical facts in an interesting way. This series takes you from the Norman Conquest through the end of Henry III's reign. 

March 17, 2023

Historical Fiction

Book description courtesy of Amazon 

England, 1229

After fighting in the Albigensian Crusade in France, Simon de Montfort – a landless nobleman – arrives at the court of Henry III, hoping to re-establish his family’s claim to the Earldom of Leicester. 

In pursuit of his goal, Simon soon proves his value to Henry as a military leader and political advisor, becoming one of the king’s most trusted men. 

But discontent is building within the English court. Frustrated by the king’s preference for foreign nobles and his extortionate taxes to fund wars abroad, the leading barons are constantly on the edge of rebellion.

As a man with a strong sense of justice, Simon is dismayed by Henry’s treatment of the common people and the corruptibility of the English legal system. And as the barons’ anger seems set to boil over into armed conflict, Simon must search his conscience and decide how far he is willing to go to bring about reform…

Can Simon restore his family’s fortunes? Can he help lead England into a new golden age while retaining the king’s favour?

Or will his principles cost him his life…?

The Conscience of a King is the seventh historical novel in The Medieval Saga Series – thrilling action-packed adventures set during and after the Norman Conquest.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Dark Queen Wary by Paul Doherty

This is book 4 in the Margaret Beaufort mystery series. I had not come across the other books before so was excited to know there are more. I have precious little time to read all of an entire series, but if I really enjoy a book I want to go back to the beginning. Hopefully this one does not disappoint. 

Margaret Beaufort is a fascinating figure and I always associate her with the dark side of things in the Wars of the Roses. Perhaps this is unfair and perpetuated by the STARZ series, The White Queen and The White Princess, nevertheless I can realistically see her caught up in a mystery like this one.

March 7, 2023

Historical Fiction/Mystery, Thrillers

224 pages

Book description courtesy of NetGalley

1472. Edward IV reigns triumphant over England and his rivals, the Lancastrians. But he is uneasy, for one true claimant remains: the young Henry Tudor, son of Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond. Henry's continued existence worries Edward, so he hatches a plan to bring a cuckoo into the nest – an imposter prince is presented to Margaret Beaufort as her son.

Margaret is no fool and knows she must play this game of kings carefully . . . When she is invited to George Neville’s beautiful home ‘The Moor’ to help investigate some mysterious and gruesome murders she knows dark forces are at play. Whispers of a shadowy figure called Achitophel hang over the house's occupants, like the impenetrable mist that descended on the battle of Barnet the previous year and secured the crown for Edward. And as the body count increases, Margaret suspects there is a link to that fateful battle and the murderer who seems relentless in his thirst for blood . . .

Can Margaret protect her life as well as her true son’s claim to the throne?

 

The Plantagenets by Dan Jones

 

Publication Date: April 18, 2013

Length:  560 pages

My Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you have looked at any of my reviews on my blog you know I'm absolutely obsessed with this topic. I'd read part of Jones' book Wars of the Roses (still need to finish it!) and decided to start at the beginning and go back and read this one first. I also heard an interview with him on the Podcast "History Extra" and found him to be very knowledgeable about his work. His way of explaining things was interesting and so I wanted to dive into his written work of course. Also, I wanted to understand more about the earlier monarchs who shaped the landscape prior to the Wars of the Roses.

SUMMARY

The book is divided into sections covering the reign of each King from Henry I to Richard II. The years span approximately from 1120 to 14oo as these cover the sinking of The White Ship through the deposing of Richard II by Henry IV. Within each section are chapters that have helpful titles to narrow the focus down if you are wanting to read about a specific area of the King's reign. Each ruler is given pretty equal time and nothing is left out including temperament, family dynamics, relations with the Barons and Nobles of the day, economical concerns, major battles, and challenges. Jones gives a fair analysis of his subjects, shining a light on their foibles as well as pointing out when they are maligned by unfair critics. Even King John is treated as worthy of seeing things from his point of view and no one is above scrutiny or praise. From The Anarchy to Bolingbroke's conquest, we see a solid timeline of events and how each led to the next. 

WHAT I LIKED

The book covers so much information in an easy to read way it is astounding to behold. I can't imagine the time and research that went into this book as it is packed full of all the things I already knew plus many stories I didn't. It was fascinating to read about John especially for me because Jones surmises at the end of his reign what exactly his brother Richard or his father Henry could have done differently in some of the unfortunate circumstances he was put in. There is a wealth of information about Edward I and II which I find hard to come by in most books. Overall it was a good snapshot of each era with enough detail to satisfy those who know very little or already know a lot about each one.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

There wasn't a whole lot I didn't like except that it could get a bit dry sometimes. I found myself skimming some of the chapters that got bogged down in economics or the intricacies of warfare. I'd have preferred more personal stories but there were enough included that it was still interesting. Some rulers such as Henry II are bound to be more filled with domestic drama and colorful characters. I wanted to be educated on all aspects of the period so it definitely delivered in that regard but I've come to realize I just don't need to know every last detail about the Magna Carta to understand its significance.

RECOMMENDATION

Yes. Whether you are a lover of this area of history or brand new to it, you will enjoy this book and if you want to zero in on certain people or events it is easy to read the parts you want and separate them from the ones you don't. Everyone who loves history will get something out of this book.

The Reluctant Queen: The Story of Anne of York by Jean Plaidy

 

Publication Date:  1990

Length:  299 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK

This is book 6 in Plaidy's Queens of England series and one of the few books I've found that covers Anne of York exclusively. She is often a storyline in books about Richard III, Edward IV, or the various famous women that surrounded her such as Elizabeth Woodville.  I was eager to read something that focused on her alone. Plaidy is simplistic in style but rock solid in research and I know when I read her books I will learn a lot in an easy to read fashion. She is one of my favorite authors for "getting to the point"  about her subject. 

SUMMARY

The story, written in first person, begins with a prologue in which Anne is dying and reminiscing about her life and marriage. It is also the night of an eclipse which gives it a supernatural element and sets up the idea that Anne is part of a larger, heavenly plan. She thinks about her husband Richard, his brother King Edward, and the enemies surrounding them all as Richard struggles to maintain his tenuous hold on the crown. It is clear that Anne is no fan of Edward and blames his "profligacy, his self-indulgence" for his downfall, noting that none of his faults mattered to the public because he looked and acted the part of a glorious King. Anne realizes she will die soon and is worried about leaving Richard alone, although suspects there is a budding affair between him and his niece Elizabeth of York.

The story then switches to her remembrance of her life beginning chronologically with her birth to Richard Neville, the Kingmaker and Anne Beauchamp, an heiress whose lands and fortune brought her father the title, Earl of Warwick. She mentions her love for their childhood home, Middleham Castle and how happy she and her sister Isabel were there, although notes that she saw little of her father due to his political obligations. When she is five she remembers her ten year old sister explaining the events occurring around them which will change their lives and the course of history: the cause of the War of the Roses and the "silly old Henry and his horrible Queen Margaret." Anne is still too young to understand it all but has a sense of foreboding of things to come. When Edward of York thwarts her father's plans to marry him off  to a French lady by marrying Elizabeth Woodville instead, Anne's life is turned upside down.

Isabel is soon married to George, Duke of Clarence, giving birth to a stillborn son and finds her marriage is not as happy as she had hoped it would be. To Anne's trepidation she too is married off to the Lancastrian heir, Edward and has to reckon with Queen Margaret whom she soon discovers is not as frightening as she originally thought. She does not have much time to settle into her new life before her father is killed at the Battle of Barnet along with her new husband, Prince Edward. When Anne is sent back to England she finds herself a pawn in the politics of the new Yorkist court and due to the machinations of her brother-in-law George, is abducted and placed into a cook's shop, forced into labor and attempted brainwashing that she is just a common scullery maid. She is eventually tracked down and rescued by Richard, with whom she had struck up a renewed friendship and he proposes marriage to her. Anne is overjoyed and agrees to become his wife. 

As Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Anne and Richard experience joy and happiness away from the royal court. Sadly, this carefree life will not last long as they are pulled back into the ongoing strife. Anne loses more of those most dear to her and must eventually accept that she will take on the role of the "reluctant" Queen. The joy of motherhood tempers her melancholia but even that will have its challenges and tragedy. Throughout the reign of her husband, Anne tries to hold out hope that they will one day return to their happy life in the north at Middleham Castle. 

WHAT I LIKED

I already knew the basics about the Wars of the Roses and Anne and Richard's story. I loved that Plaidy included new details I hadn't seen focused on as much in other stories. Anne's abduction and rescue from the cook shop, her dying during an eclipse, and her relationship with Queen Margaret are often overlooked because the narrative is geared toward the men of the story or the battles and politics. I really felt like I was living inside Anne's head and seeing her view of things, giving the reader a fresh perspective. Curious and researching the back stories from this book I discovered that historians are divided on the story of Anne's abduction and how it all unfolded but Plaidy obviously went with the best version of her research from the time. It doesn't bother me to know she might have taken some liberties due to holes in the story. It happens in historical novels. This was a great overview of Anne's life, her marriage to Richard, and her dismay at dying, leaving him to reign alone. If one didn't know anything about the Wars of the Roses, you would come away schooled in the basics and able to move on to more complex, detailed stories of the saga.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

Most of Plaidy's stories would probably fall into the category of YA if I'm being honest. They aren't terribly deep and her style of writing is sometimes a bit choppy. Being used to longer, incredibly detailed stories like Penman's The Sunne in Splendour, I could easily dismiss her work as childish. But I rarely feel this way when I'm done with one of her books and this one was no different. If you are looking for deep and flowery prose you won't find it here but that's okay sometimes. 

RECOMMENDATION

Absolutely, yes.....this is a solid historical novel, well researched, and told in a straightforward way. All of her Queens of England books are wonderful and cover engaging women who lived through extraordinary times.