The Swan Daughter by Carol McGrath ~ Cum Laude!

The Swan Daughter is a true 11th C tale of elopement and a love triangle by best-selling author of The Handfasted Wife, Carol McGrath. A marriage made in Heaven or Hell. 


1075 and Dowager Queen Edith has died. Gunnhild longs to leave Wilton Abbey but is her suitor Breton knight Count Alan of Richmond interested in her inheritance as the daughter of King Harold and Edith Swan-Neck or does he love her for herself? And is her own love for Count Alain an enduring love or has she made a mistake?

About this author

My first degree is in History and English from Queens University Belfast. I have a postgraduate MA in writing from Queens University and an Mphil in writing from The Royal Holloway ,University of London. My debut novel The Handfasted Wife is the first in a Trilogy The Daughters of Hastings. The first is the story of 1066 and its aftermath from the perspective of the noble women.

http://scribbling-inthemargins.blogspot.com/



My Review
I hated to see this book end and tried to read ever more slowly, which is hard for me. Happily  when I reached the end I found the first chapter of The Betrothed Daughter, as well as a very fine collection of facts in the author's notes. This is my very favorite era to read about, for a variety of reasons, and a very favorite author as well.

Normans, and their castles, and their rationale as they tried to excuse their conquest of this land, may begin to explain what a poor husband Alan of Richmond was to Gunnhild daughter of Harold the vanquished King. A thousand years of mercenary soldiers in my personal family history intrigues me, and so of course I cannot wait for the next Carol McGrath book about this family.

Lovers of accurate Medieval history just have to read this book, a novel based on years of research and quite serious educated speculation.Cum Laude, what a great read!