The Irish Princess- Elizabeth Chadwick- A "Must Read"~ 5 Stars~

What a fascinating historical novel about a pivotal time for many people. Elizabeth Chadwick is a favorite author, of course, but the supporting characters in addition to Richard de Clare are known to me ancestrally.

My maternal ancestors are from Ireland, Faunt from Limerick (13th century castle), who came in the retinue of the Norman Kings.They were knights and mercenaries, from the very south of France along the Mediterranean. In addition, my father's Kirwans were from the Wexford border and his mother a Carrow, (Raymond le Gros was born in Carew Castle) from The Welsh Marches. I am a lot Irish but mostly Norman Irish (per DNA results also). I have Pendergast cousins still in County Wexford, (characters Maurice Pendergast and his family.

The history here was superb, I knew little about Aoife and her parents but a good bit about Isabelle who married William, Henry, John and Henry III's marshal both in Wales and Ireland.It was delightful to read about how the Normans came to Ireland initially and what they did there (not all of it savory by any means).My Great Grandfather was Patrick Faunt born in Limerick to a Soldier in the British army in 1865( yes, they stayed as military people and "nailers" or blacksmiths in the armies over the centuries.

I loved this book for many reasons, not the least that it was so carefully written with extraordinarily vivid characters who, I feel were true to what they were in life. Recommended to many, including my Irish relatives.