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…

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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 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.

Kings and Queens of Britain: Every Question Answered by David Soud

 

Publication Date: September 1, 2014

Length: 1190 pages

I am still making my way through this wonderful book. But as crazy as my week has been I decided since I haven't finished another complete book, I wanted to review this one anyway as it is one you can read a little at a time, skip around in, treat it more as a "coffee table" type of book. That, and I absolutely love it. It is the kind of history book I will come back to again and again. The colorful pictures and sidebars alone are worth the price and even though I bought it on Kindle I am thinking of ordering the hardcover copy just to have the glossy pictures at my fingertips. 

This book is organized into short chapters on every British monarch, beginning with the Kings of Wessex and starting with a brief history of Roman Britannia. It covers all the important dates and events in the lives of the rulers and the common people, while skipping too many details that would confuse and bore readers who might not have all the background knowledge to follow along easily. Although I consider myself to be better educated in this area than say the average American friend I know, there are many monarchs I know very little about and so giving a general overview of each King and Queen and the milestone historic events in their lives, allows me to see if I am interested in learning more about that person or time in history. 

The sections included are: The House of Wessex, The Norman Kings, The House of Plantagenet, The Houses of Lancaster and York, The House of Tudor, The House of Stuart, The House of Hanover, The House of Windsor, and Royal Edicts. Beautiful pictures of landmark buildings, people, castles, and original documents are included and I spent a lot of time looking at those before I even started reading anything. 

Another plus with this book is that it is not filled with dry and dull facts. The author states that he wanted it to be a "pageant of personalities" rather than a straight history book and he does a great job of focusing on the personal stories while also adding the necessary background of the time period to complement the subjects' life events. 

The last section on Royal Edicts is a wonderful addition. It begins with the Laws of William the Conqueror and runs all the way to Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Speech. As someone who is a bit lazy about reading authentic, primary sources when researching an event in history it was really great to have the major ones complied together and ready to read. There were some like The Assize of Clarendon or The Magna Carta that I know a bit about from reading historical fiction but had never bothered to look at outside of the novel I was reading. It just made this book that much more thorough of a source to pick up when I need to see a chronological timeline of rulers and resources. 

If you are someone interested in the entire chronological timeline of British rulers while not wanting a gigantic, super detailed, time consuming tome this is the book for you. I have found other ones that focus on just Kings or just Queens or maybe a certain era, but this is the best one I've run across that fits in all the rulers with colorful, engaging stories and fascinating supplemental material. It's a perfect gift for the true Anglophile in your life!

For a Queen's Love: The Story of the Royal Wives of Phillip II (Book 10 of the Tudor Novels) by Jean Plaidy

 

Publication Date: January 1, 1954

Length: 338 pages

The original title of this book is The Spanish Bridegroom and as Plaidy's books have been republished, some are being renamed. Her popularity has grown in the last two decades as people have rediscovered these classics. I have been wanting to read this book for a long time as it concerns a person I know almost nothing about. Thanks to the author I have learned some very interesting facts about Phillip of Spain. I am honestly surprised this was renamed the way it was because the queens take a backseat to Phillip in this tale. The original title was much more applicable to the content. His story is absolutely fascinating too. 

The book is divided into three sections: Maria of Manoela, Mary Tudor, and Elisabeth De Valois. I was curious as to why Plaidy didn't include Phillip's last wife, Anna of Austria with whom he spent the most years with. I would have liked for the story to have continued to the end of Phillip's life but I guess she decided three case studies were all she wanted to focus on. 

The story begins with Phillip's childhood and his living in the shadow of his powerful father, Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.  Being a more serious, religiously bent person, Phillip struggles to connect with people in a warm way, and finds it hard to tolerate fun and frivolity. He is influenced at a young age by romantic notions of love when his cousin, Maria of Portugal is sent to him as a young bride and his infatuation of her causes him to lose his carefully guarded feelings. Maria, young and naive as well, is adrift in a strange land and although appreciates her new husband's attentions, finds Phillip to be hesitant about showing too much affection. Maria gives birth to their son, Don Carlos, who proves to be a disaster from start to finish. Without giving too much of the main story away, Carlos factors into the book throughout all the way to the end and his life is as wild and interesting as any of the other people mentioned. He could have had his own tale all by himself.

After the death of Maria, Phillip marries Mary Tudor of England with the hope of solidifying relations between Spain and England, thwarting France, and strengthening the hold of Catholicism in Europe. Mary is quite a bit older than Phillip and along with still mourning the young, beautiful Maria, Phillip is repulsed by both Mary's looks and desperate, clinging behavior. He spends much of the time doing his duty of trying to beget a spare heir to hopefully replace his unstable son Carlos while finding a way to quickly get away from Mary and his miserable life with her in England. When Mary passes after many failed attempts at producing a child, Phillip is relieved and finds himself free from a drab life, ready to find another queen to marry.

When Phillip marries his third queen, Elisabeth De Valois he is a seasoned King, older and less naive in his views of the world and of women but nevertheless is enchanted by his French bride. She is only 14 when they wed in contrast to Phillip's 32 years but her beauty and kindness resonate with the entire household and as she was originally promised to Phillip's son, Carlos, her subsequent betrothal to the King causes great tension between Father and Son that never fully resolves itself. Once again, Phillip hopes this younger wife will produce a son, an heir to replace his first one. Elisabeth, daughter of Henry II and the infamous Catherine de Medici, finds herself at first fearful of her Mother's disapproval, even though she is far away in France but as she becomes more comfortable in her role as Queen of Spain, begins to mature and rely more on Phillip's growing attachment and the positive confidence he instills in her. Just when she starts to imagine a contented life with her husband, Elisabeth learns how cold he can be as she watches in horror the ruthlessness of the Spanish Inquisition and Phillip's radical nature emerges. He turns into a frightening figure who is a religious zealot, showing no mercy to the poor people, imprisoned, tortured, and killed for their beliefs. 

This was a dark book, especially for Plaidy. She says in the introduction that she tried to write it from Phillip's perspective and to see him in a more human light than he is sometimes given credit for. His enforcement during the Inquisition period forever brands him as a merciless religious tyrant and while there is no getting around this fact, it is interesting to see how the author manages to explain why he is so dedicated to the Catholic cause during this time period. Phillip truly believes he is doing God's will, saving the people from further, eternal tortures and also saving his own soul in the process. There are many moments in the book that invoke sympathy and understanding towards his way of thinking and she does a good job of showing his desire to forgive his son again and again for his mentally unstable behavior. In the end though, Phillip morphs into a hardened man whose first loyalty is to God and securing his place on the throne at all costs. 

Plaidy spends quite a bit of time with dialogue between the main characters and inner monologue to convey their thoughts. I always enjoy stories better when authors narrate more but here the style worked in that I got a good sense of what Phillip and his wives were thinking about the other. This was one of my favorite of her books, probably because I learned so much about a new area of history and about a man I only knew previously as the husband of Mary Tudor. I am now wanting to read her books on Catherine de Medici, the mother of Elisabeth De Valois. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: Matilda II: The Forgotten Queen by Joanna Arman

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring Matilda II: The Forgotten Queen by Joanna Arman. I have always loved reading about the reigns of Henry I and II but it is hard to find anything on the wife of Henry I. Much has been covered about their daughter, the Empress Matilda, but not so much about her mother, also named Matilda. I am glad to see this subject given a whole book and hope it is informative and interesting. 

*I'm not finding it anywhere for sale in the United States yet but hopefully it won't be long.

Happy Reading!

June 30, 2023

History

Description courtesy of NetGalley

The wife of King Henry I and the mother of the Empress Maud is a woman and a Queen forgotten to history. She is frequently conflated with her daughter or her mother-in-law. She was born the daughter of the King of Scotland and an Anglo-Saxon princess. Her name was Edith, but her name was changed to Matilda at the time of her marriage.

The Queen who united the line of William the Conqueror with the House of Wessex lived during an age marked by transition and turbulence. She married Henry in the first year of the 12th century and for the eighteen years of her rule aided him in reforming the administrative and legal system due to her knowledge of languages and legal tradition. Together she and her husband founded a series of churches and arranged a marriage for their daughter to the Holy Roman Emperor. Matilda was a woman of letters to corresponded with Kings, Popes, and prelates, and was respected by them all.

Matilda’s greatest legacy was continuity: she united two dynasties and gave the Angevin Kings the legitimacy they needed so much. It was through her that the Empress Matilda and Henry II were able to claim the throne. She was the progenitor of the Plantagenet Kings, but the war and conflict which followed the death of her son William led to a negative stereotyping by Medieval Chroniclers. Although they saw her as pious, they said she was a runaway nun and her marriage to Henry was cursed.

This book provides a much-needed re-evaluation of Edith/Matilda’s role and place in the history of the Queens of England.

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: 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 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. 

Isabeau, A Novel of Queen Isabella and Sir Roger Mortimer (The Isabella Books Book 1) by N. Gemini Sasson

 

Publication Date:  September 7, 2010

Length:  428 Pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆

WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK:

This was my second book to read by N. Gemini Sasson. I previously reviewed her book about Owain Glyndwr of Wales and it was one of the only books about him I've seen in novel form. Likewise, I haven't seen much about Isabella in fiction and honestly not much about Edward II or Roger Mortimer either. All of these people are new material for me as I don't know much about the three Edwards or the 1300's in general. Listening to the History of England podcast I'm up to this time period and their story sounded fascinating. So I thought I'd give this book a try.

SUMMARY:

Our story opens in 1308 as the young Isabella of Boulogne, France is wed to Edward II of England. She is 12, he is 23 and a new King, unimpressed with his child bride. He presents as a brooding, unattentive husband and Isabella hopes with time this will change. Edward is easily influenced by those around him who are charming and take the upper hand, as his insecurities create a neediness for someone to guide him. When a current favorite of his, Piers Gaveston, is murdered, Edward goes into deep mourning. Although they manage to produce four children, Isabella long suspects his attraction to his male favorites is beyond the normal bounds of friendship. When Edward attaches himself to yet another companion, one Hugh Despenser, she is afraid her influence over him and their children is waning with each passing day. Edward seems unconcerned for her welfare beyond what will obtain him the approval of Despenser. He is a scheming, selfish man who has no interest in Isabella other than to torment her with his plans to control Edward and the kingdom. When Isabella relies on help from Edward during a precarious altercation with the Scots, she is devastated to find he is unwilling to come to her rescue in a timely fashion and she barely escapes with her life. 

Enter Sir Roger Mortimer, a nobleman and marcher Lord who has become a battle hardened warrior leading the baron's revolt against Despenser and the King. He is captured along with his Uncle and with Isabella's help he escapes to France. As things between Isabella and Edward continue to deteriorate, her children are taken from her and put into the care of the Despensers. Isabella is ordered to France to negotiate a peace between Edward and her brother Charles. As she spends her time in France with Mortimer, Isabella finds her attraction to him growing and it is reciprocated. Soon the two devise a way to exact justice and revenge on their enemies back in England and will lead an army to depose the King. 

WHAT I LIKED:

I enjoyed learning about the main characters in this book since I knew so little of their lives and how they came to control England through Isabella's son, Edward III. The story was engaging and historically accurate, which I love in a good historical fiction novel. Each time I researched something I found the author had done her research and stayed true to the facts. Some things had to be hinted at due to lack of proof, i.e., whether or not Edward was in fact in a sexual relationship with Gaveston and Despenser, but historians have long disagreed about this topic. It is understandable that Sasson would have Isabella arrive at that conclusion as the interactions of the men must certainly have seemed at least somewhat suspicious, even for the middle ages. The descriptions of the people, customs, dress, castles, and battles are interesting and authentic. Sasson does a good job immersing the reader in the time period and is gritty when necessary. The description of Mortimer and his Uncle during their imprisonment was difficult to read and downright depressing. But this is what makes it such an accurate depiction. The story moves along at a good pace and one is able to understand what is happening without getting too bogged down with extraneous details.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

There wasn't much in the way of character development and I found myself unable to get into the mind of especially Edward and Despenser. I felt like they were very one dimensional and there wasn't enough back story as to how the two became so involved. I wanted to know more about the initial lead up to the conflict between the Despensers and Isabella specifically and I came away still not feeling much of a connection to any of them. The same can be said of all the characters although I probably felt more of an in depth knowledge of Mortimer than anyone else. The book switches back and forth in first person between Isabella's and Mortimer's experiences and although I didn't mind that it felt like I sometimes didn't get enough time with each one. Just when I'd get a good grasp into the mind of one it would switch. For this story it just didn't work well. 

RECOMMEND? OR NOT?      Yes, I still recommend it.  It is a solidly researched book about a rarely covered period. Sasson's books usually tackle these more obscure figures in history and so I want to support them. I gave it three out of five stars because I felt it was just that: not spectacular, yet worth a read. You will learn a lot and come away with an understanding of the basic facts of Isabella and Mortimer's alliance and subsequent control of England. 

Queen Victoria's Granddaughters: 1860-1918 by Christina Croft

Publication Date:  October 28, 2013

Length:  423 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5 stars

WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK:

All my life I've been obsessed with Queen Victoria. It amazes me how many lives she influenced as queen and as the grandmother of an empire. She and her descendants linked countless nations through marriages and children and their personal sagas provide endless material for writers.  They endured highlights and hardships most of us cannot fathom. And at the end of an era it all came crashing to a halt with the fading of the Imperialist age. Christina Croft is excellent and so knowledgeable about this time period. 

SUMMARY:

This book spans the years before and during World War I, culminating with the painful and tragic end of Alix and Ella, the two unfortunates who ended up in Russia during the Revolution. Queen Victoria  produced  twenty-two granddaughters, five of which became monarchs through their marriages:  Maud of Norway, Empress Alix of Russia, Sophie of Greece, Marie of Romania, and Ena of Spain. The author includes details about each granddaughter with a family lineage synopsis at the beginning of each chapter. Although more information is naturally found surrounding the more well known women, lesser known granddaughters are equally covered with details about their personal lives and interactions with the Queen. As the twentieth century dawns, the lives of all the women are changed and altered in ways both good and bad. The book moves in a chronological time order so that we see history unfold along with their personal lives. The family dramas, alliances, and feuds are covered in detail so that the reader has a sense of the anguish and sadness that was present surrounding the shifting loyalties between relatives who only yesterday were loving family.  

WHAT I LIKED:

Pretty much all of it! The quick reminder before each chapter of who's who in the family is a great help to keeping everyone straight. There are so many marriages and babies etc. not to mention romantic entanglements between family members that you need this quick update every few pages. I especially loved that I was learning history along with the personal stories of the women. While the book focuses on them, it never strays from their importance in the historical timeline. By the end of the book one will know the major events going on in the world that contributed to the downfall of these various countries and kingdoms ruled by the husbands or relatives of the women. Croft does a good job of moving the book along while being sure to include personal details of all the women. It is an ambitious task to cover this many people equally and with I'm sure a scarcity of primary sources for all of them. 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

I have to confess I didn't really care about some of the women. While I appreciate the idea behind the book I'd like to see Croft tackle the biographies of just the five monarch granddaughters. She has written about so many of Victoria's relatives and offspring that I know she'd be great at this. It has already been done in Julia Gelardi's excellent book, Born To Rule, but still, I'd love to read Croft's take on the same subject. Other than this, there isn't much negative to take away here.

RECOMMEND? OR NOT? Yes, absolutely! If you have any interest in the British monarchy, reasons for the start of World War I, or in Queen Victoria herself I highly recommend this book or anything by Croft. 

Queens of England by Norah Lofts

 

Publication Date: September 1, 1977

Length: 192 pages

My Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  5 out of 5 stars

WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK:

The world lost an amazing lady this week. At the age of 96, Queen Elizabeth II passed away and an era ended. I wanted to take a time out from cozy mysteries and historical fiction and review a book near and dear to my heart honoring all the Queens of England since, well, before there really were true queens reigning. It is sad to know that this book, published in 1977, will now have to be updated for the first time. Queen Elizabeth sat on the throne for 70 years, longer than any other British monarch and longer than any other female head of state in history. When I think of all she witnessed and influenced over her life it is truly amazing. 

I chose to review this book in honor of her because it was my literal obsession as a small child and what got me hooked completely on a lifelong fascination with the British monarchy and history in general. No I haven't read it cover to cover this month but I don't need to. I almost have it memorized. That's how many times I've read and studied it over the last 40 plus years. 

SUMMARY:

It details in short, 3-5 page summaries, the lives of all the female monarchs plus more obscure, earlier rulers such as Boadicea and mythical queens like Guinivere and Bertha of Kent. Giving just the basic facts, dates, and life events of each queen it nonetheless has a depth to each story that kept me coming back again and again to read about the lives of each one. There are literal stains from food and drink that are still imprinted in my original hardcover copy, evidence of my re-reading over the years but I can't bear to buy a new copy. This one is worn and special! You can still buy a new one from Amazon, but only hardcover and used ones aren't hard to find. It is worth every penny.

Each queen's story follows a similar pattern. Lofts starts with some interesting personal facts and then moves on to their early years, eventual marriage to the King or, if it is a queen in her own right such as Mary Tudor or Victoria, the how and why she came to the throne. Any romances or major tragedies are mentioned and wrapped up with a unique quote or mention of where she is buried. I always enjoyed how the short biographies convey a personal feel without spending too much time on politics or battles, that is not the theme of this book. Rather it is written in such a way that I remember even as a child, not understanding all the life events yet, I felt like I knew each one after I finished reading. Often I'd pick up this book as a research tool when delving deeper into time periods or individual biographies. Her timelines kept me focused so I could zoom out and see the larger picture, helping me to go back and study one of the subjects in more detail in another book. Being an American, these ladies were not much mentioned in school. Until I went to college and studied British history I was pretty much alone in this area of academia. We started at the Revolutionary War and even then it wasn't as if we spent time learning about Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of King George III. 

WHAT I LIKED:

Some funny things come to mind when I remember reading this book. The pictures are amazing and truly unique. I recall as a child of about 10 or so not wanting to look at the picture of "Bloody Mary Tudor," as her eyes frightened me. They are dark and serious and her face is described as "grief-stricken and ill." It really freaked me out. Other pictures that stuck with me are the effigy of Berengaria of Navarre, a colorized portrait of Katherine of Aragon, and a Holbein painting of Henry VIII. There are too many to list but they are a collection I haven't found in any other book all together. I remember spending time in my room just staring at and studying each picture, looking at the clothes, hairstyles, and facial expressions of each one, feeling as if I had stepped back in time. It was my window into a world before photographs and videos. 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: 

Nothing!

RECOMMEND:  Absolutely!

I pondered this week which queen will go next in a book like this one. Camilla isn't likely, as she is not being labeled "Queen of England" and Kate Middleton is probably the next in line. The what ifs come to mind concerning Diana, if she had lived and she and Charles had not fallen out. But what I really think about is how I've been alive for 48 years and not once has the current Queen of England changed until last Friday, September 8th. We who love this part of history have taken it for granted that Queen Elizabeth would just live forever. It will take a long time to get used to any other woman with that title. King Charles III just sounds odd to my ears and seems surreal. My grandmother, who is 93 this year says she has always felt a kinship with Queen Elizabeth due to their close ages and life experiences. She was a classy lady possessing traits we sorely need more of today like stoicism and attention to duty. The world will miss her. I hope the history books treat her well, she deserves respect despite any family flaws or political imperfections, as she gave her best to God and country. May she rest in peace.