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Category Archives: Medieval Period

Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman

18 Sunday Sep 2011

Posted by misfitandmom in Favorite Authors, Historical Fiction, Medieval Period, Sharon Penman

≈ 14 Comments

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Lionheart, Richard I of England, Sharon Kay Penman

Over the years I have tried several different novels that focused on the Lionheart whilst he was on crusade, yet none of them really managed to engage me (although they did make for good sleeping pills). I’d about given up hope on ever finding one that would hold my interest until word came that Sharon Kay Penman was planning to continue her Angevin series with a book on Richard and I was dancing with joy – if anyone could do it, the fabulous Sharon Penman could. Was I bored?

No, I was not.

I think everyone knows the bare bones of this story, as well as all the myths and legends that have sprung up around it so I’ll pass on trying to recap it and just share my thoughts on the reading experience. I absolutely loved how the author portrayed Richard. He is very much a man of his times, a king and a warrior who did what was necessary to get the job done and keep his men (and women) safe. I loved his sardonic wit, and had many laugh out loud moments. I felt his anguish at some of the tougher decisions he was forced to make, as well as his frustrations with the constant backstabbing and squabbles amongst those who were supposed to be his allies (damn those double-dealing Frenchmen…). His sense of timing and drama were perfection (oooh, that last-minute swoop into Cyprus to save the day once again, you just can’t make that stuff up).

And how did Richard’s queen Berengaria fare? Imagine being torn from your home and family, married to a virtual stranger, trekking half way around the world, surviving perils on the high sea, the stench and disease of a military camp and more, yet she handled it like a seasoned pro. Richard’s sister Joanna was another favorite, very much a chip off of the old Angevin block and always there to knock some sense into her hard-headed brother when needed.

While I enjoyed this novel a great deal, this is not a light and easy read and is one best read without all of life’s little distractions (no kids) so it can be savored as only a Penman novel should be. The cast of characters is large and complex (there are a lot of POV switches), as well as complicated politics and back-history the reader needs to take in. If you are looking for a light easy read with romanticized view of Richard this is probably not the book for you.

Lastly, are you going to have another great love story like Penman gave us in Here be Dragons and The Reckoning? Will they smoke off the pages like Henry and Eleanor in When Christ and His Saints Slept? Can’t tell you that (besides, since there is one more book coming the story is only half told), but I will tell you that Berengaria’s first…ummm…*cooking lesson* was priceless. The bed burning in Here Be Dragons is still tops, but Penmenians* will love it.

*Many thanks to you-know-who for coining that phrase and letting me steal use it 😉

Review copy provided by the folks at Putnam, thank you.

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Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick

19 Sunday Jun 2011

Posted by misfitandmom in Elizabeth Chadwick, Historical Fiction, Medieval Period

≈ 8 Comments

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Adeliza of Louvain, Empress Matilda, Henry I of England, Robert 1st Earl of Gloucester, Stephen King of England

A woman may be the power behind a man, but she is not allowed to take power for herself.

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is the story of two women, one an Empress and one who was Queen of England and begins in 1125. Matilda, married off at a young age is summoned home from Germany after the death of her husband the Emperor. Old king Henry may have plenty of bastards, but Matilda is his only legitimate heir and Henry wants her married well and to someone who can sire sons.  Much to Matilda’s displeasure, he picks the very young Geoffrey la Bel, Count  of Anjou, but duty and honor always come first and they do well enough with each other despite a very rocky start. The second woman in the book is Adeliza of Louvain, king Henry’s second wife, who is apparently unable to conceive the much-needed male heir. Matilda and Adeliza are close in age, and become good friends, but that relationship is sorely tried after the death of the old king when Stephen of Blois is conveniently poised and ready to steal Matilda’s crown.

The old king is dead and the rats are scurrying everywhere

The barons are most unwilling to let a woman rule them, but Matilda is not about to give up and she’s aided by half-brother Robert of Gloucester and Brian Fitzcount. Adeliza is now married to William d’Aubigny who is loyal King Stephen, and while she sympathizes with Matilda’s cause, her duty and honor to her husband comes first – and those conflicting loyalties and how it reflects the friendship between the two women are very much what this novel is about, along with the impact a long and bloody civil war has on the countryside and the people.

This is a complicated piece of history with many players, but I loved keeping the main focus on the relationship between Matilda and Adeliza and found it a very effective way of showing the reader a different side of Matilda, who had a reputation for being a bit of a termagant. Adeliza’s devotion to the church and her charities was also an excellent way to show the more human aspects of the conflict and the great toll it took on the country. I very much enjoyed watching Matilda’s relationship with her son and heir, especially after his *invasion* of England at fourteen.  As with all of her novels, Chadwick excels at bringing the medieval period to life – prepare to let yourself be sucked into another century for the weekend. Thumbs up on the author’s notes at the end where she tells us what is fact and what has been surmised. Lastly, a very big thumbs up for staying true to her character’s devotion to God, honor and duty and not succumbing to the temptation of throwing in an affair that never happened just to spice up one’s book. Five stars.

Many thanks to Little and Brown for my copy.

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Lion Invincible by Carol Wensby-Scott

10 Friday Jun 2011

Posted by misfitandmom in Historical Fiction, Medieval Period, Richard III, Wars of the Roses

≈ 7 Comments

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Northumbria

Portions of this review will discuss events that are historical fact. Those not familiar with the period might consider them spoilerish, so enter at your own risk.

After the battle of Towton, a very young Henry (Harry) Percy gets off on the wrong foot with the Yorkist victor and is promptly sent to gaol for nine years, the latter portion of which he spends at Pembroke castle where he meets Henry Tudor and his mother Margaret Beaufort. Harry is a Percy at heart and eventually bows to the inevitable and since a Yorkist king is as good or bad as a Lancaster, he swears fealty to King Edward so he can regain his earldom and lands in Northumbria.

“…I have more to concern myself with than whether my king is descended from John of Gaunt or Lionel, Duke of Clarence.”

Harry was the product of a most unhappy marriage, and between that, his vicious mother and his younger illegitimate cousin John, let’s just say that there’s plenty of emotional upheaval, double-dealing and scheming afoot in Northumberland – can Harry get past the emotional baggage and find happiness with Maude Herbert? Let’s hope so…

The Lancasters aren’t down yet and Edward’s reign is a rocky one at times, and Richard of Gloucester is sent to stabilize the north. While the two lords butt heads at first, they eventually build a friendship based on mutual respect, and Harry swears fealty to Richard as his overlord. When Edward IV dies, Richard’s ambitious nature comes to the fore, heads start rolling and let’s just say that Harry’s faith and loyalty to Richard is sorely tested, particularly when the young princes go missing (and what an interesting little twist on who suggested that foul deed).

“Yet the accusation that Richard had murdered his nephews had raised enough smoke to choke all Christendom and still Richard did nothing.”

Henry Tudor finally makes his bid for England’s throne and Harry is commanded to bring out the north, but is he able to keep his oath of loyalty after Richard’s recent actions?

“But I did warn you, my lord, that if you ever break faith, I would not lift a hand to save you from all the fires of Hell.”

Fires of hell indeed, but you’ll have to read it for yourself. This was great reading, and fascinating getting a look at this conflict from the Percy point of view and I found the author’s theory as to why Harry held back at the battle of Bosworth field a credible one, as well as events that happened afterward. Wensby-Scott excels at taking an extremely complicated bit of history and puts it into novel format that is both educational and entertaining. The characters are well drawn with plentiful shades of gray – no Richard-Sue to be found here. This book is the third in a trilogy the author wrote on the Percys of Northumberland, the first two being The Lion of Alnwick and Lion Dormant. They’re getting a bit hard to find, so if you’re interested I’d recommend snapping them up sooner rather than later. 4/5 stars.

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Lion Dormant by Carol Wensby-Scott

07 Tuesday Jun 2011

Posted by misfitandmom in Historical Fiction, Medieval Period, Wars of the Roses

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Earl of Northumberland, Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York

Harry (Hal) Percy is the grandson of the first Earl of Northumberland and son of Harry Hotspur. When the book begins in 1414, Hal is a *guest* of the Scots whilst they sort out his ransom, and he’s been waiting many years for that to happen. In the meantime, the Nevilles have been making out quite well taking over the sequestered Percy holdings in Hal’s absence. Henry Bolingbroke is dead, his son Henry is in a forgiving mood and Neville’s scheming wife Joan Beaufort (you know, one of those Beauforts), suggests they marry their daughter Alianore off to Percy so’s when the goods are returned to the rightful owner they’ll still have their finger in the familial pie. Everyone seems to love the plan but Hal, who might hold a wee bit of a grudge against the man who killed his grandfather, hacked off his head and hung it as a trophy.

“Well, I resent the fact that your father holds land that should be mine. I resent the fact that he hacked off my grandfather’s head and kept it on London Bridge for ten years. And most of all I resent the fact that I was forced to marry you to get back what was already mine.”

What. A. Family.

Needless to say, although Hal is willing to swallow any bitter pill to get home and get his properties back, he’s none too happy with the wife he’s saddled with and she’s left to mildew in the country whilst he goes off to play at being a courtier and soldier in Henry V’s service. Hal eventually comes home and he and Alianore come to terms (and a very happy marriage), but when Henry dies leaving a mere baby as heir, those old rivalries that have been simmering since the deaths of Edward III and Richard II start heating up again – and they get even hotter when Henry reaches adulthood and appears to have a few screws loose.

Might there be another, more capable person with an equally good claim standing by waiting to snatch the throne from Henry? Learning from his grandfather’s mistakes, Hal is determined to support his anointed king, but since his in-laws the Nevilles have other plans that really makes the family relationships sticky. Well, you know what happens next, Richard of York makes his run for the throne supported by the Nevilles and what is now known as the Wars of the Roses begins. Can the Percys hold firm in their loyalty to the king, or will they be swept away in the tides of war?

I knew there were strong family ties in this dispute, but I had no idea how closely related so many of the northern families were. Alianore’s sister was Cecily Neville (married to Richard of York) Hal’s mother Elizabeth was a Mortimer (thus closely tied to Richard of York), and the list goes on and on. What do you do when you prepare to face your brother or cousin on the battlefield?

“I should hate you but I don’t. Being a Percy just doesn’t seem a good enough reason. A man must be judged by what he is, not his blood, and I’ve enough of yours and you’ve enough of mine for me to be confused…But Beaufort blood. That’s another thing.”

Well, you know those Beauforts 🙂

While not quite as unputdownable as the first book in this trilogy, I enjoyed this a lot. The author does an amazing job of taking a highly complicated cast of characters and not only making it all understandable but entertaining as well. The characters are well drawn, and no one is completely bad or good – they are people of their times and class and behave accordingly.  Two thumbs up, and I’m now off to work on book #3, Lion Invincible. I loved how she portrayed nutty Henry VI and can’t wait to see what she does with those grasping Woodvilles. 4/5 stars.

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The Lion of Alnwick by Carol Wensby-Scott

06 Monday Jun 2011

Posted by misfitandmom in Historical Fiction, Medieval Period

≈ 10 Comments

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Earl of Northumberland, John of Gaunt 1st Duke of Lancaster

“If there were ever an English king of Scotland than there would be no Scotland. And remember, my fledgling lord, if there is no Scotland then mayhap there’ll be no Percys.”

The Lion of Alnwick begins in 1357 as young Henry (Hal) Percy should be at court focusing on garnering royal favor and the best positions, but he takes one look at Margaret and falls head over heels, despite her being a widow with nothing to bring to the marriage, and she’s a Neville to boot (gasp!). They wed, and happily, but Hal’s loyalty is to King Edward and his relationship with the Duke of Lancaster and his son-in-law John of Gaunt suffer because of it and tensions are…well…just a wee bit heated, and it becomes even more so as John eyes the succession while an aging Edward is more interested in his mistress Alice Perrers than governing the kingdom.

The latter part of the book covers the reign of Richard II (loved his portrayal here), and the continuing conflicts with Gaunt’s (now Duke of Lancaster) ambitions to either rule or be the puppet master behind the throne. Hal’s son Harry (Hotspur) has his own issues as he’s torn between his loyalty to his father and his childhood *friend* Henry Bolingbroke (Gaunt’s son) who may or may not have his own aspersions to England’s crown. And then there’s Hotspur’s devious, bitchy, grasping wife Elizabeth – but she is a Mortimer after all, what do you expect?

“So the white rose and the red rose come together! A charming bouquet, if it were not for the stink of intrigue.”

Confused? This is a complicated bit of history, but Wensby-Scott does an excellent job of putting it all together in a novel that is both highly entertaining and educational at the same time. This book finishes off after the battle of Shrewsbury (look it up and spoil at your own peril).

“A trickle of blood had dried and hardened on the rotted cheek-tears of blood, yet there was none left to weep for now.”

 Book two is Lion Dormant and continues the story of the Percys and Nevilles and the events leading up to the Wars of the Roses. The third book is Lion Invincible and as I understand it covers the events leading up to Bosworth field. I loved her writing, especially the dialog. I still can’t decide who got the best lines, Hal, Lancaster or Elizabeth. Highly recommended and fairly HTF on the cheapish side, especially the last two. A huge thank you to Madame Guillotine by mentioning these on her blog or I’d never have come across them. Five stars.

FTC, a genuine Amazon verified purchase.

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I Am the Chosen King by Helen Hollick

27 Sunday Feb 2011

Posted by misfitandmom in England, Medieval Period, Norman Conquest

≈ 7 Comments

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Battle of Hastings, King Harold, William the Conqueror

Long before the Tudors we’ve become so tired of and before the Plantagenets we are never tired of (at least not me ;)), came Harold Godwinesson…the last English King.

I am the Chosen King begins in 1043 and continues the story of Saxon England started in The Forever Queen. Edward (or Edward the Confessor as he came to be known after his death) rules England along with his aging mother the scheming Dowager Queen Emma. Earl Godwine is the second most powerful man in England, and that power is well spread among his large brood of sons, including Harold.

A powerful Earl in his own right, Harold knows he must eventually enter into a Christian marriage with a woman of higher birth, but in the meantime falls in love and handfasts with Edyth Swannhaels, a woman he can never marry. Harold’s story is intertwined with that of Duke William of Normandy (who believes he has a rightful claim to the throne through Queen Emma) as fate, treachery and a weak king with no heir sends England spinning out of control and ripe for picking at the hands of the Norman aggressors. Only one man can rule England, which one will be the victor at the Battle of Hastings?

There’s actually a whole lot more to it than that, but you’ll just have to read it for yourself to find out. While most of us know of the 1066 Conquest and what follows afterward, there aren’t many novels on the events prior to it, and I very much liked having an an “inside” look. I loved the strong and vulnerable aspects of Harold’s character (have the tissue ready for the end), and shuddered at the implacable and terrifying Duke William of Normandy. I really enjoyed Hollick’s writing style, a bit sparse and lacking overly flowery prose, which I found a very pleasant change of pace. Her battle scenes are excellent without going OTT in the blood and gore department, nor sending my eyes glazing over with endless minute details of every piece of weaponry and battle tactic imaginable. Ms. Hollick gets a huge thumbs up from this reader for her excellent author’s notes at the end, letting us know what is known, what was surmised and what was tweaked in order to tell Harold’s story. I loved the tidbit in the notes about Elizabeth II carrying the blood of both Harold and Duke William in her veins.

This is the second time I’ve read this book, the first being about three years ago in its original version, Harold the King, and that book has a permanent place on my keeper shelf. For some reason this wasn’t quite as unputdownable as it was the first time around, but I’m guessing that’s because I didn’t let enough time lapse between the reads and much of it was still fresh in my mind. I still loved it, highly recommend it and should appeal to both male and female readersFor those interested in reading other novels on this period I’d recommend Valerie Anand’s Gildenford (the first in a trilogy), although don’t read it too close together with this one as you’ll get a lot of been-there done-that. Parke Godwin also wrote a novel on Harold called Lord of Sunset, but it didn’t exactly rock my world as I’m not fond of multiple first person narratives. That said, Godwin does do an excellent job at showing the inherent difference in the Saxon and Norman mindset and cultures in A Memory of Lions which is set shortly after the Conquest (review here).

Thanks to Sourcebooks for providing me with this review copy.

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The Queen of Last Hopes by Susan Higginbotham

01 Saturday Jan 2011

Posted by misfitandmom in Medieval Period, Wars of the Roses

≈ 8 Comments

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margaret of anjou

Margaret of Anjou is married off to Henry the VI with the hope that the marriage will bring finally peace between England and France. Hah. The English hate her, especially when she’s unable to produce the required heir. Gossip swirls about her and her alleged lovers and when she finally produces a son ole’ Henry’s about the only one who believes the boy is his.  Always in the wings lusting after Henry’s crown is Richard, Duke of York (and believes his claim is the stronger), and when Henry’s mind goes a bit awry he’s more than ready to step in and take it all…

Everyone’s fortunes take plenty of ups and downs as power passes between the Lancasters and Yorks admidst intrigue, treachery and some incredibly bloody battles (which are not recounted in detail here) – who will rule England in the end? Yes, there’s a whole lot more to it than that and if you know the history of the Wars of the Roses you don’t need a rehash (that’s what Wik is for after all), and if you don’t I’m not going to spoil it for you. I’m just here to discuss the reading experience.Kudos to Susan for taking on a character so reviled by history and shedding new light on her actions – although I’d have liked to see Margaret with a few more warts and flaws. I did struggle with the multiple POV’s at first and for me as a reader this story would have come off better in the third person narrative. That said, I did adore Hal (I’m in love) and I laughed my arse off with Edward of Lancaster and Anne Neville. All in all this is a good book, just not up to the higher quality I’ve become accustomed to in her earlier books. I hear the next one is set in the Tudor period and I’m wondering if I picked up on a hint on the topic at the end of this one. Time will tell…

Thanks to Sourcebooks for my copy.

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The Virgin Widow by Anne O’Brien

22 Wednesday Dec 2010

Posted by misfitandmom in Historical Fiction Lite, Historical Romance, Medieval Period, Richard III, Wars of the Roses

≈ 9 Comments

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Anne Neville, margaret of anjou

3.0 out of 5 stars Author Anne O’Brien puts a new spin on the early life of Anne Neville, daughter of the mighty Earl of Warwick, “The Kingmaker“. Both Anne and her sister Isabel are major prizes on the marriage market (and must marry where papa says), but Anne has her heart set on a Plantagenet husband, childhood *friend* Richard, younger brother of Edward IV. Getting her heart’s desire isn’t quite so easy as there’s this little dispute going on commonly known as The Wars of the Roses (or The Cousin’s War as Phillipa Gregory has decided to call it ;)). This is a very complicated period (read more here), but for our intents and purposes, Warwick and Isabel’s husband George, Duke of Clarence, get miffed at King Edward, turn their coats, hightail it to France and throw in their lot with Margaret of Anjou. George thinks he’d make a better king than older brother Edward, but Warwick’s changed his tune and marries Anne of to Margaret’s son Edward of Lancaster, who is or is not the Prince of Wales depending on whether you are a York or a Lancaster.

Confused? I told you trying to explain this was complicated. SPOILER WARNING going forward. Much of this is known history to those familiar with the period, but for those new to the party it might seem like I’m spilling the beans, so consider yourself warned.

Anne’s narrative covers her early years, her marriage to Lancaster, the failed attempts to reclaim England for the Lancasters and subsequent trials and tribulations as a consequence of her father’s treasonous plots. This book does not cover Anne’s years as Richard’s queen, the plots of That Grasping Henry Tudor, nor the events leading up to Bosworth Field.

While not necessarily a bad book, those looking for insight into Anne will likely be disappointed. From what I gathered at the author’s comments at the end (an interview of sorts, not notes), this was written more with romance in mind and that is what you are going to get. As for O’Brien’s writing itself and her take on the period, I do have a few quibbles. Written in the first person narrative (not a favorite of mine) set some limits on recounting back history for the reader and I was scratching my head a time or two when Anne had long conversations with Richard about past events both of them should know perfectly well. Anne refers to her parents as the Earl and the Countess more often than mother and father, and that is both in her *thoughts* and in private conversations with her sister. Odd, that. As a very well-born medieval lady, Anne should know that marriage is about duty and making powerful alliances and not about *twu wuv*, yet she’s constantly stamping her feet when Richard doesn’t declare his true feelings – dangit by this time she’s in a serious political pickle and anyone with a brain in her head should be jumping at the best offer she’s ever going to see.

Anne’s little episode as a kitchen maid (known history, I am not spoiling) is given an unusual twist, and by the end images of Disney’s Cinderella and Prince Charming were stuck in my head and never let go. All of the baddies are easily recognizable by their “feral” smiles, and that includes Margaret who is given a plot twist that will probably inflame the die-hard Ricardians.  That said, I do give the author kudos for giving Anne some backbone, as well as a more rounded Richard without the sugar-coated-to-the-point-of-vomit-inducing-perfection we’ve seen so much of from other authors currently writing about Richard.

All in all, not a bad book by any means, and should do nicely for readers new to the period and looking to get your feet wet, just don’t take everything as the gospel truth. The be-all to end-all book on this period is still Sharon Penman’s fabulous Sunne in Splendour and one I would highly recommend.

FTC? Library loot.

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The Secret Eleanor by Cecelia Holland

20 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by misfitandmom in Historical Fiction Lite, Medieval Period

≈ 3 Comments

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Eleanor of Aquitaine

2.0 out of 5 starsHolland’s take on Eleanor of Aquitaine begins in 1150. Her marriage to Louis VII of France has yet to produce a son and heir (only two daughters) and she’s become something of a liability – at least that’s how flunky Thierry and Abbe Bernard see it. Eleanor gets a good look at Henry d’Anjou when he comes to court to pay homage to Louis and she thinks she’d like to dump hubby #1 and hitch her star to Henry instead. As for Henry, yep he’s lusting after the beauteous Eleanor as well, and with a little aid and sleight of hand from her younger sister Petronilla, the two lovers meet and have their night of passion (although this reader found it more eeeewwww than passion).

The story then switches gears to events leading up to Eleanor’s divorce from Louis, dodging a couple of much too amorous suitors and her future with Henry, now Duke of Normandy and soon to be Henry II of England (no spoilers, that’s known history). There is a somewhat fanciful twist to this, hence the “secret” in the book’s title, and that twist puts Petronilla front and center in the action, as well as forever changing the relationship between the two sisters. 

My thoughts? While certainly not near as dire as Alison Weir’s Captive Queen, this book didn’t exactly rock my world either. The author had a bad habit at the first of telling us how bad the bad people were with a much too liberal use of stinky breath and body odor. The same goes with Eleanor’s reputation as the big slut of Christendom. We are told she is because all the bad guys call her that, but outside of the one time with Henry (which none of those baddies knew about) I didn’t see references to previous encounters. Or did I miss the boat again?

Even when things centered around Petronilla in the latter half of the book, the pacing was terribly slow, the medieval settings not very believable (I got soooooo tired of hearing about Holy Week), and frankly the big “secret” was just a bit too improbable to believe, let alone that everyone in Eleanor’s household was in on it. Some of it I would buy, but for Henry not to notice up close and personal? Bah!

In the end, I am finally persuaded that Holland is not an author for me. I did enjoy her two Lily Nevada books, but everything else of her’s that I’ve tried has gone flying – including The Bear Flag set in old California, a period that I usually gobble up like a cat with a bowl of cream.

If you enjoy a “what if” story that’s light on the history you might enjoy this, but if you’re expecting an Eleanor on par with Sharon Penman’s I suspect you’ll be sorely disappointed. Library only, and then buy it if you love it.

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The Bridges Over Time Series by Valerie Anand

06 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by misfitandmom in England, Medieval Period

≈ 18 Comments

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norman conquest, Proud Villeins, Ruthless Yeomen

Valerie Anand has penned her fair share of historical novels, as well as a series of historical mysteries under the name Fiona Buckley.  In the 1990’s Anand wrote a six book series commonly referred to as The Bridges Over Time, which begins just prior to the Norman Conquest and finishes up the Whitmead family’s story in the 1960’s, and I finally finished reading the last and thought I’d post a bit on them here. In order:

The Proud Villeins 

Sir Ivon de Clairpont is a Norman knight with holdings of his own and comes to England as part of a large escort to Alfred Atheling. Earl Godwinson and his men attack the group and slaughter Alfred and most of the knights, although some are spared and sold into slavery – and one of those is Sir Ivon. Ivon dreams of returning to his home in Normandy, but after several escape attempts he is crippled in the foot and must accept his lot in life as a thrall.

After the Conquest, King William tires of the revolts in the north and sends his knights in to destroy all sources of rebellion with what has come to be known as the Harrying (or Harrowing) of the North. All males over the age of ten are murdered, homes burned, crops destroyed and women and children left to starve. The rest of the story follows two subsequent generations of the family as Anand lets the reader see the impact of war on the lower classes, including the Civil War between Stephen and Maude.

The Ruthless Yeomen

1271. Isabel of Northfield can’t accept her lot in life as a villein forever tied to the land and the Lord who owns it. Fueled by old family legends of a freeborn ancestor, recently widowed and not wishing to marry the new husband chosen for her, she thinks she can improve her lot in life by joining the church – but evil Abbess Christiana only covets the land Isabel can bring her. The next part continues as a relative of Isabel’s, Nicola, is married to the ill-tempered Thomas Woodcarver and they share a tenuous marriage as both chafe at the bonds that tie them to the land and their overlord.

When plague strikes most of the countryside they grab at their chance to escape bondage and bluff their way into taking over the tenancy of Whitmead pretending to be distant relatives of the previous tenants. The final segment of the story is that of their grandson John and his involvement in The Peasant’s Revolt, and finishes in 1399 as the newest and wholly free member of what is now the Whitmead family is introduced and ready to begin the next chapter of the story.

Women of Ashdon

Susannah Whitmead is sent to live with the Hurleighs and be educated as a lady by Mistress Agnes. Susannah brings with her a family keepsake – a device of a curved bridge across a river – although by this time no one in the family remembers the origin of the device and their ancestral roots. In love with up and coming but penniless Giles Saville, Susannah is forced by Agnes to marry Sir James Weston and she joins the household at Ashdon House, a house she comes to love more than anything else in life. Susannah’s second marriage takes her to Cornwall, where her husband becomes involved in the protests against the high taxes imposed on the populace by Henry VII along with the plots to replace Henry with the imposter Perkin Warbeck (or is he an imposter??).

The second half of the book is the story of Susannah’s granddaughter Christina during the reigns of Mary and Elizabeth Tudor. Christina’s never-ending obsession with Ashdon House makes for an unhappy marriage that gets her exiled by her husband to Cornwall where she falls into the clutches of a Catholic cousin – who does her the “favor” of getting her recalled to Ashdon house by arranging a visit by Elizabeth I. In years to come during the plots by Mary Stuart against Queen Elizabeth her supporters force Christina to repay an old debt at a very high price.

The Faithful Lovers

A shipwreck during a violent storm off the Cornish coast sets Ninian Whitmead’s life on a completely unexpected path. The only survivor, Parvati, was brought from India and used as a “slave” by pirates. Niniane is captivated and eventually marries her. Despite Parvati’s adopting the Christian religion, the Puritans never fully accept her and as England is swept into Civil War, an accusation of witchcraft against her changes their lives forever.

The story continues  with that of their son, Charles who begins a successful career in shipping with the East India Company. His daughter Henrietta and Benjamin have loved each other from childhood, but their parents conspire to separate the pair and marry them to others. Henrietta defies her father choice, and disinherited takes up residence with a distant relative, Eleanor, and they find themselves in the midst of the Monmouth Rebellion.

The Cherished Wives

George Whitmead, a merchant with the East India Company returns home to find a bride and settles on second cousin Lucy-Anne. George, who believes women should be “cherished” and protected, brings Lucy-Anne to his country estate with his mother as chaperone. Once settled in with strict rules about allowable social engagements, he leaves his bride and returns to India. Lucy-Anne does well managing the estates and its tenants, but loneliness takes her on an unexpected path and that brings life-changing consequences for all the Whitmeads.

George returns from India for good, albeit a bit nutty in the head at times, although his son and heir Henry refuses to acknowledge it. Henry is much like his father and treats his wife and daughters in the same way as his father, “cherishing” and protecting them from the outside world, but his daughter Sophia chafes at the restrictions and almost brings herself to near ruin as a result of her attempt at freedom.

The Dowerless Sisters

The sixth and final book begins in 1885. Charlotte and Victoria Whitmead’s father gambled all and lost and then managed to get himself killed before he could recoup his losses. Faced with losing their independence by accepting the “protection” of his brother Edward, their mother sends the sisters to be apprenticed to a distant cousin and learn a trade. Charlotte and Vicky adapt well to the draper trade and eventually strike out on their own, much to the chagrin of their overprotective uncle and brother. Over time, the sisters become successful and it being too late for them to marry and bear children of their own they must content themselves with their growing family of cousins, nieces and nephews. As the Whitmead sisters grow old they see family members come and go through two world wars, personal triumphs and immeasurable loss and finally ends in 1969 as Charlotte approaches her 100th birthday. More than that, I’m not going to tell, but there’s a surprising and somewhat abrupt ending that leaves you guessing.

“It was as though a ceremony had taken place, a transfer of something abstract but precious-Experience? Hope? Responsibility?-from the older generation to the new. Whatever torch had been passed on to her tonight, she must cherish and keep burning, as long as she lived. It had been given to her for that purpose.”

One thing really refreshing about these is the story is told from the viewpoint of the common folk – not many lords and ladies to be found here. I thought the first three were the best of the lot, books four and five dropped off for me as even the sympathetic characters were not terribly likeable, but she really redeemed herself with the last. I especially liked how she tied up the Whitmead’s search for their forebears back to the first to set foot on English soil, as well as bringing Sir Ivon’s family badge of the bridge over water into the subsequent generations.

“…a family history reaching back like a bridge across time, supported here and there, as a bridge is supported by its piers, by contact with great events and great names: with pestilence and civil war, with a pretender to the throne and the ventures of the East India Company. All of it linking to a Norman knight, who had been made a slave in the North Country before the Conqueror came, and a boy fleeing through the hunger and the savage cold of a Yorkshire blizzard to escape the fire and the slaughter which had over taken his home, to three ladies taking tea on a Surrey lawn, in this August of 1960.”

These are out of print, and can be hard to find used without paying a pretty penny, but there are libraries in the US that still have them so don’t be afraid to request an ILL. Be warned though, The Dowerless Sisters is the rarest of them all and the one library in the US that has it charges a $15 handling fee. I bit the bullet though so I could finish off the series and report back here 🙂

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