The Wild Hunt by Elizabeth Chadwick

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Obtained from: Personal Library

Read: September 27, 2015

During the 12th-century Welsh March Wars, King William Rufus orders Guyon, 28, to marry nearly 16-year-old Judith in order to secure lands from Judith's despised uncle, Lord Robert de Belleme. As the marriage begins, Guyon is angry and Judith is terrified. He is experienced in both love and war, and is hostile about marrying this child and surrounding himself with such a nest of political vipers. Judith, having watched her father abuse her mother, expects her own marriage to include rape, beatings, and humiliation. What gradually develops between them is a trust and respect that eventually blooms into a passionate love. Their story is tightly interwoven with a tenuous political situation as brothers battle for the kingdom and the barons divide themselves between the factions.

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William II and Henry I of England

I've read Elizabeth Chadwick's The Wild Hunt three times now and I love it as much today as I did when I first discovered it. As a teen, I was seduced by the romance between Guyon and Judith, but as an adult I find myself draw to the characters, atmosphere, politics, history and emotional conflict. Romance aside, there is a certain timelessness to the narrative that appeals on a variety of levels. 

Guyon's relationship with Judith might sound odd to some, but the pairing of a twenty-eight year old to a maid of sixteen was quite acceptable in the twelfth century and I like that Chadwick didn't shy from exploring the intricacies of that age gap. The novel spans four years and the emotions she illustrates in both hero and heroine are intensely authentic. The relationship ebbs and flows, it changes as the characters grow together and that really worked for me. 

Guyon's relationship Rhosyn is equally intriguing. Chadwick's treatment of the Welshwoman in downright captivating. On the surface, she is Judith's rival, a pebble in the boot of the Lady's marriage, but as a reader I couldn't help respecting Rhosyn's position and spirit. She is honest to herself, kind, generous, gentle, sensitive, accepting, practical and realistic. I liked that. Too often, authors paint the other woman in extreme shades, but I felt Chadwick's approach thought-provoking and appreciate how she handled Guyon's conflicting emotional allegiances without physical infidelity or blatant stereotyping. 

Several members of the supporting cast also caught my eye. The author had no cause to develop them as she did, but conflicts each faced over the course of the story added much to the fabric of the narrative. Eluned's childish infatuation and jealousy, Rhys' sense of possession and developing understanding of the world and Alicia's struggle for happiness both during and after her marriage pulled me further into the story. Each has an individual journey and I liked how their struggles played into the main story line. 

Chadwick's book marked my first introduction to the Welsh March Wars, but I've learned a lot about them over the years and revisiting the novel only heightens my admiration for her handling of the material. Most who read the book will remember the character drama, but the power struggle between Guyon and the other marcher lords is rather interesting if you've an interest in period politics. The novel touches on the death of William II and ascension of Henry I, but Chadwick's focus is definitely on the border violence that characterized the age. 

Atmospherically, I love this piece. There are a couple of words, treadmill for example, that stand out like sore thumbs, but for the most part the language and descriptions feel genuine to the era. Chadwick obviously understands the period and the lifestyles of those who lived in it. Folk remedies such as moldy bread are prominently depicted, but no one feigns to know why the treatment is effective and there are no undue hints that the concoction of bacteria on the aging crusts is in fact penicillin.

Bottom line, The Wild Hunt is a wonderful book. Brilliant in both historic detail and fictional drama. Highly recommended. 

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"I cannot tell you, love. Call it a political secret if you will, or just plain discretion. It is a confidence I think I would rather die than break."

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Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva by Eliza Redgold

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: May 14, 2015

We all know the legend of Lady Godiva, who famously rode naked through the streets of Coventry, covered only by her long, flowing hair. So the story goes, she begged her husband Lord Leofric of Mercia to lift a high tax on her people, who would starve if forced to pay. Lord Leofric demanded a forfeit: that Godiva ride naked on horseback through the town. There are various endings to Godiva's ride, that all the people of Coventry closed their doors and refused to look upon their liege lady (except for 'peeping Tom') and that her husband, in remorse, lifted the tax. Naked is an original version of Godiva's tale with a twist that may be closer to the truth: by the end of his life Leofric had fallen deeply in love with Lady Godiva. A tale of legendary courage and extraordinary passion, Naked brings an epic story new voice.

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I often refer to myself as a cover slut and Eliza Redgold’s Naked is yet another brilliant example of that comic personal quirk. Truth is I’ve little interest in the legend of Lady Godiva as there is virtually no historic evidence indicating her erotic exhibitionism actually took place, but I do enjoy art and John Collier’s striking oil was hard to ignore. I requested the book without much thought and only realized my general indifference as I downloaded an advanced reader’s edition to my kindle. 

Silly me right? Such is life, but a book is a book and I enjoy a challenge so it should come as no surprise that I poured myself a steaming mug of caribou coffee, opened my notepad and went to work. Three hundred and some odd pages later, well, I can’t say my opinion has changed, but I didn’t really expect it would so I suppose that a moot point. 

Atmospherically Redgold did not capture the period to my satisfaction. My introduction to historic fiction began with eleventh century England and all things considered, I’ve a fairly high standard of expectation. Fair or not, Redgold’s interpretation felt basic in comparison and I struggled to see Coventry through her heroine’s eyes. 

The romantic elements of the story were stronger than I expected, but had I done my homework I’d have noted Redgold has a couple of romance titles to her name. I don’t hold it against her, she handled the more intimate moments of the story rather well, but they did catch me off guard and I can’t help wishing there’d been some hint of them in jacket description. 

I felt Redgold’s interpretation of Godiva straightforward and lacking in depth, but her understanding and illustration of the political stage impressed me. Redgold’s presentation of the ruling class and their affairs was clear enough for those unfamiliar with the material to grasp, but not so rudimentary as to bore readers who might already possess a comprehensive understanding of Godiva’s situation. 

Redgold’s narrative style felt awkward and dialogue heavy, but the plot was certainly more coherent than that showcased in Galland’s Godiva. Unfortunately neither packed much of a dramatic punch and while each proved a pleasant enough diversion, neither fully captivated my imagination. 

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Shame. I licked it on my lips, tasted its vinegar on my tongue. Only moments before I’d told Aine I would feel no shame bringing justice. Now my head drooped like a harebell on a stem.

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Heir to a Prophecy by Mercedes Rochelle

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Read: December 15, 2014

Shakespeare's Witches tell Banquo, Thou Shalt Get Kings Though Thou Be None. Though Banquo is murdered, his son Fleance gets away. What happened to Fleance? As Shakespeare's audience apparently knew, Banquo was the ancestor of the royal Stewart line. But the road to kingship had a most inauspicious beginning, and we follow Fleance into exile and death, bestowing the Witches prophecy on his illegitimate son Walter. Born in Wales and raised in disgrace, Walter's efforts to understand Banquo's murder and honor his lineage take him on a long and treacherous journey through England and France before facing his destiny in Scotland. 

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Mercedes Rochelle's Heir to a Prophecy was an interesting choice for me. The fact that it is historic fiction and relates to the royal Stewarts were major selling points, but I personally feel Shakespeare overrated and wasn't at all convinced the book would work. The realist in me screamed proceed with caution, but I hoped for the best am happy to report the risk proved worthwhile. 

Historically speaking, the novel touches a lot of wonderful material and I actually like how it acts as a sort of bookend to the play on which it is based. There are a few graphic scenes, but I felt the content necessary and entirely appropriate to the subject matter. 

I liked the balance Rochelle managed to create between fact and fiction and was pleasantly surprised at how she was able to manipulate the Shakespearean elements of the story without allowing them to overwhelm her own vision and voice. Ideally I have liked fewer protagonists and more character development, but I'm not at all disappointed with the time I spent with this piece.

A highly creative read, Heir to a Prophecy was both fun and original. A solid selection for fans of both historic fiction and light fantasy.

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Daughters of kings were destined to be peace makers, giving their hand in marriage to cement a political bond. Love was a luxury that wasn’t considered important.

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Check Out All the Stops on Mercedes Rochelle's Heir to a Prophecy Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, December 8
Interview & Giveaway at Mina’s Bookshelf

Wednesday, December 10
Guest Post at Boom Baby Reviews

Thursday, December 11
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, December 12
Interview at Let Them Read Books

Saturday, December 13
Spotlight at I’d So Rather Be Reading

Tuesday, December 16
Review at Book Nerd
Guest Post at Queen of All She Reads
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, December 17
Review at Back Porchervations
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Friday, December 19
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee

Saturday, December 20
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, December 22
Guest Post at Historical Fiction Connection

Tuesday, December 23
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Friday, December 26
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, December 30
Review at Unshelfish
Review at The True Book Addict

Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: March 09, 2013

In 1002, fifteen­-year-old Emma of Normandy crosses the Narrow Sea to wed the much older King Athelred of England, whom she meets for the first time at the church door. Thrust into an unfamiliar and treacherous court, with a husband who mistrusts her, stepsons who resent her and a bewitching rival who covets her crown, Emma must defend herself against her enemies and secure her status as queen by bearing a son. Determined to outmaneuver her adversaries, Emma forges alliances with influential men at court and wins the affection of the English people. But her growing love for a man who is not her husband and the imminent threat of a Viking invasion jeopardize both her crown and her life. Based on real events recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Shadow on the Crown introduces readers to a fascinating, overlooked period of history and an unforgettable heroine whose quest to find her place in the world will resonate with modern readers.

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Patricia Bracewell's Shadow on the Crown marked my first encounter with Emma of Normandy. The historic record is sketchy at best, so it isn't as if there's a lot of information for those looking to learn more about her, but even the basics were new to me. Naturally this blank slate mentality made it difficult to discern where fact met fiction, but it also made reading the book a unique experience as I was able to really lose myself in the narrative. 

Bracewell's interpretation of Emma is wonderfully dynamic. She is passionate, resilient and astute, but there is a vulnerability in her make-up that rounds out her character and draws on the reader's sympathies. I found the fire and spirit Bracewell folded into Elgiva of Northampton equally fascinating and enjoyed watching the two vie for power in Æthelred's court. 

I admit Bracewell's depiction of the Anglo-Saxon king didn't make much of an impression on me, but his eldest son is another story entirely. Little is known about Athelstan and his siblings, but the romantic arc she constructed for Æthelred's sixteen year old heir was highly satisfying and speaks volumes about the author who imagined it. 

Finally, I thought the world these individuals inhabited beautifully developed. Though the novel is character driven, the reader is afforded a thorough understanding of the period, the lifestyle of the court, and the political stage on which Emma's story takes place. I personally believe atmosphere an essential factor in any fiction and can't help but appreciate the effort and research Bracewell put into crafting such an authentic setting.

Impossible to put down, Shadow on the Crown captivated my imagination from the start and left me itching to see how things will unfold in future installments of the trilogy. 

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As Norman bride and English queen she would walk a fine line between the interests of two rulers -- her brother and her lord. Both men would demand her fealty. One, at least, would exact a heavy price if she were to prove disloyal.

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1066: What Fates Impose by G.K. Holloway

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Read: March 19, 2014

King William then utters the following words to the room: ‘I appoint no one as my heir to the Crown of England, but leave it to the disposal of the Eternal Creator, whose I am and who orders all things. For I did not attain that high honour by hereditary right, but wrested it from the perjured King Harold in a desperate bloody battle.’ England is in crisis. King Edward has no heir and promises never to produce one. There are no obvious successors available to replace him, but quite a few claimants are eager to take the crown. While power struggles break out between the various factions at court, enemies abroad plot to make England their own. There are raids across the borders with Wales and Scotland. Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex, is seen by many as the one man who can bring stability to the kingdom. He has powerful friends and two women who love him, but he has enemies will stop at nothing to gain power. As 1066 begins, England heads for an uncertain future. It seems even the heavens are against Harold. Intelligent and courageous, can Harold forge his own destiny – or does he have to bow to what fates impose?

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G. K. Holloway's 1066: What Fates Impose was a difficult book for me to get into, but once I did, the volume was impossible to put down.

Holloway's interpretation of Harold Godwinson is truly magnificent. I've seen the last Anglo-Saxon King of England depicted in fiction before, but nothing I've encountered compares to the multifaceted figure seen here. Being a fictional account, one cannot take Holloway's characterization as fact, but there is something very sympathetic and profound in his portrait of this oft overlooked monarch. 

Politically, some readers might find Holloway's work heavy-handed, but being familiar with the period, I actually found the story well-rounded and satisfying. His description of the years just prior to the Battle of Hastings add depth to the conflict, giving the reader a genuine sense of the era and better understanding of the campaign.

A word of warning friends, 1066: What Fates Impose isn't for the faint of heart. This isn't a historical romance in which the nastier cast members earn their comeuppance. This is hard hitting historic fiction. Bloody and unapologetic, Holloway recreates the brutal realities of the eleventh century within these pages and though I personally value the authenticity this piece, I wouldn't want to mislead anyone with my praise.

An authoritative and original fiction, 1066: What Fates Impose is a gripping tale of rivalry, ambition and deceit. Highly recommended. 

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‘You can tell Duke William that whatever either of us thought at the time, no one has the right to promise a crown, not even the King.’

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CHECK OUT ALL THE STOPS ON G.K. Holloway's 1066: What fates impose virtual book tour

Monday, April 14
Kincavel Korner
Historical Fiction Connection

Tuesday, April 15
Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, April 16
Svetlana’s Reviews and Views (Review)
To Read or Not to Read

Thursday, April 17
Closed the Cover
Historical Tapestry

Friday, April 18
Time 2 Read

Monday, April 21
Flashlight Commentary (Review)

Tuesday, April 22
Broken Teepee (Review & Giveaway)
Flashlight Commentary (Interview)

Wednesday, April 23
Oh, for the Hook of a Book (Review)

Thursday, April 24
Reading the Ages
Oh, for the Hook of a Book (Interview)

Friday, April 25
Impressions in Ink (Review)

Monday, April 28
Just One More Chapter
Kinx’s Book Nook (Review)

Tuesday, April 29
Historical Readings and Reviews
CelticLady’s Reviews (Review)

Wednesday, April 30
Historical Tapestry (Review)

Thursday, May 1
Caroline Wilson Writes

Friday, May 2
A Book Geek
Confessions of an Avid Reader (Review)

Godiva by Nicole Galland

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Local Library

Read: January 23, 2014

Everyone knows the legend of Lady Godiva-the woman who (in)famously rode naked on horseback through Coventry to relieve her people from unfair taxation. But why would a lady of the court take it all off and risk everything, including husband, home, and well-being? In this richly imagined retelling of an oft-told ancient tale, Nicole Galland gives us Lady Godiva in all her, um, glory, as she and her best friend (the Abbess Egdiva) and husband (Leofric, Earl of Mercia) embark on an adventure filled with courtly intrigue, deceit, back-stabbing, and romance.

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Lady Godiva. Wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, the only woman to remain a major landholder in the years following the Conquest, made famous for the most erotic ride never made.

That's right folks, well-known as the legend is, most scholars agree the ride itself never happened. Why you ask? Well, the first verified record of the countess' exhibitionism was put down in the 13th century, which sounds great until you realize Godiva lived in the 11th century, a fact which makes Roger of Wendover's word for word account of the event inconsequential at best, but why let probable truth get in the way of a good story, eh? 

Being vaguely familiar with the legend I was interested to see how Nicole Galland would fictionalize it and while I wasn't disappointed, I wasn't what you'd call blown away. 

Admittedly, I have high expectations of fiction set in this era. The Norman Conquest is where I started my love affair with historic fiction and I've never quite gotten over it so it's really no surprise that the lack of atmospheric detail in Galland's work rubbed me the wrong way. Galland efforts aren't bad, but they don't jump from the page or give a real sense of life in this period. 

Galland's leading lady is similarly unconvincing. Under Galland's pen, Godiva, who is witnessed standing bare before Sweyn Godwinson by Edward the Confessor and her husband, understands and embraces her femininity, routinely using coquetry and flirtation to manipulate medieval politics. So why I ask, does Galland do a one-eighty in the second half of the novel, suddenly presenting a shy noblewoman who fears riding nude will endanger her immortal soul and the impact such action would have on what I imagine was an already tarnished reputation? Was she the promiscuous siren or the chaste wallflower and am I wrong for wanting continuity in her character either way? 

Galland attempts to explore several themes over the course of the novel, one of which is the relationship between Pagans and Christians in a world where faith is becoming an exceedingly tense political issue. Don't get me wrong, I love this idea and think Galland could have touched on some intensely interesting material if she'd really developed it, but I can't help feeling it overburdened a narrative that was already encumbered by excessive plot. 

By her own admission, Galland set out to write about the Abbess of Leominster and her love affair with the Earl of Wessex and personally, I would have appreciated that story much more than her foray into the Godiva legend. Why? Because, it's the truth. Regulated to supporting roles, Edgiva and Sweyn outshine Galland's headliner. They actually journey from one emotional plane to another in a compelling and thought-provoking series of events that challenge both their personal beliefs and those of the medieval world. Their story, cheapened though it is by the emphasis Galland placed on their contemporary, made this novel worth reading.

So, do I or do I not recommend Godiva? Well, that depends on what you're looking for. There are definitely more convincing and coherent pieces on the market, but the book is notable for its depiction of an all but forgotten footnote of English history. 

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“I do not fear humiliation. I am a woman of the Church. The Church preaches nothing but humiliation.”

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