Goodness I didn't want this book to end..where is the next one in the series? Recommended for all those who read about the period before and after the Norman Conquest.
Jan Foxall is a very fine writer and knows her history of this period. Queen Emma, a favorite of mine, does not come off too well- definitely not the "Mother of the Era" and her sons' issues are surely the result. The relationships, of Earl Godwin, Duke William and all the protagonists, both political and interpersonal, are shared in a very succinct way.
The characters come to life, whether for good or for bad and make their lives and times understandable to the reader. A hard and violent period of change and turmoil described in a very coherent, believable tale.
I really very much enjoyed it and gave it 5 stars
A slightly different perspective but one I enjoyed a great deal. I will of course read all three books and will also start the series on the Norman Conquest.Very happy to have finally decided to read this one, I am a Plantagenet junkie.
I think that there was just the right pace and depth for an enjoyable read. Jan Foxall's historical facts work quite well for me. Definitely recommend! I give it 5 stars.
The Masque of a Murderer is the third Lucy Campion mystery novel, although the first for me. Susanna Calkins is what I would call a social historian(which I understand well) and is drawn to this period of social mobility. She discusses this in her historical note which was very well done.
A complex and multilayered mystery which reflects the ups and downs of the period in which it is set. The disruption of societal roles at this time is sort of evident in the dialogue which is a bit stiff as is some of the interaction between the characters.
The final chapter does a heroic job of tying loose ends up in a complicated and sometimes baffling mystery. 3.5 stars. Very unique subject matter!
"The crime-solving duo known as the King’s Hounds—Halfdan and his master, Winston—are investigating a possible plot against King Cnut by onetime enemy-turned-ally Jarl Thorkell. Joined on the arduous journey by Winston’s woman, Alfilda, and Atheling, his cranky mule, they venture to the markets in Thetford to gather information."
Really enjoyable book which I sincerely hope is going to continue as a series. I compare it to the Crowner John series which also is a favorite and like both of them a great deal. Especially interesting is the early time period of King Cnut, one of my very favorites.
Recommended for historical mystery fans as well as medieval of this particular time period.4.5 stars.The pace is a tad slow, but it does truly get there!
"A Reed in the Wind " follows the eventful life of Joanna, daughter of Henry II of England and his queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. This book is the third in Rachel Bard's trilogy about Plantagenet queens. The heroine of the first, "Queen Without a Country," was Berengaria, wed to Richard the Lionheart. The second, "Isabella: Queen Without a Conscience," examines the beauteous, controversial Isabella of Angouleme, queen of King John, Joanna's younger brother"
Joanna of Sicily and England had a complicated life with high and low periods interspersed through it. I knew about her life as well as others in her family, my favorite one of all time. I believe that she made a difference to her time and place and was not merely "a reed in the wind".
A poignant ending to her life at a relatively young age, nonetheless left me with a feeling that she had accomplished a lot of what she had hoped to. Recommended for the fine historical research as well as a gentle but compelling narrative.
From the Publisher~ "The next page-turner in the award-winning Joanna Stafford series takes place in the heart of the Tudor court, as the gutsy former novice risks everything to defy the most powerful men of her era.
After her priory in Dartford is closed—collateral damage in tyrannical King Henry VIII’s quest to overthrow the Catholic Church—Joanna resolves to live a quiet and honorable life weaving tapestries, shunning dangerous quests and conspiracies. Until she is summoned to Whitehall Palace, where her tapestry weaving has drawn the King’s attention. "
The first two were my favorite books of the series, so far, although all are terrific reads. An energetic and extremely fast moving look at a troubling time in English history. I felt it was definitely a bit more complex, as well as less plausible, than either the Crown or The Chalice. Am sure that would not be the case for many or even most readers of this era, just my own thoughts about pace.
Joanna Stafford is invited to attend the King, at Whitehall Palace, as he wishes to commission a one of her tapestries. Such a lot happens in a few short months! Such a lot has happened in the two years since The Crown! What a great ending to a swift moving tale of intrigue and oppression!
Although Elizabeth of York's story is known to me, it is always poignant and sad. The author's telling of the Pretender (or Richard)'s story alternately with Elizabeth's was a different interpretation and worked well. A strong feeling of there being no "winners", on either side from the Wars of the Roses is accurate, I believe.
Judith Arnopp is a fine storyteller and always recommended to everyone who enjoys accurate historical fiction. Get your copy now!
