Historical Fiction Reviews: 3 in 1

Young Eleanor, niece of King Edward II, is delighted with her marriage to Hugh le Despenser and her appointment as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Isabella's household. But before long, Eleanor realizes that her beloved Uncle Edward is not the mighty ruler his kingdom-or his queen-expected.

Hugh's unbridled ambition and his intimate relationship with Edward arouse widespread resentment, even as Eleanor remains fiercely loyal to her husband and to her king. However, her allegiance may cost her dearly.

My thoughts:

The book was interesting, but that is just that...it was the history itself that was interesting. Not the book.

For me it could have better. As it was now, it just did not know whether it was fiction or non-ficion. Everything had to be told, every little detail about everyone in the country. There was even a mention of something that would not happen in years. The characters could not imagine that, I do not want to know that either. We are not tellers of the future. So less of that, and more focus on characters. Without telling everything.

Still it was interesting to read about Eleanor de Clare.(even if she has TSTL moments). She married a man beneath her status cos the king told her to. Hugh was, well honestly I would have liked that he was portrayed even darker cos he was powerhungry. But I never felt we should see him as a bad man. We totally should have. And of course there is everyone else, nobles, royals. Plots, traitors, war, and a bunch of psychopaths really ;) I would NOT have wanted to be her.

Paperback, 499 pages
Published April 1st 2009 by Sourcebooks Landmark (first published July 25th 2005)
Own

A child born in the plague year of 1348, abandoned and raised within the oppressive walls of a convent, Alice Perrers refused to take the veil, convinced that a greater destiny awaited her. Ambitious and quick-witted, she rose above her obscure beginnings to become the infamous mistress of Edward III. But always, essentially, she was alone.... 

Early in Alice's life, a chance meeting with royalty changes everything: Kindly Queen Philippa, deeply in love with her husband but gravely ill, chooses Alice as a lady-in-waiting. Under the queen's watchful eye, Alice dares to speak her mind. She demands to be taken seriously. She even flirts with the dynamic, much older king. But she is torn when her vibrant spirit captures his interest...and leads her to a betrayal she never intended. 

My thoughts:

I do not really know what happened, it could have been growing all week. I was all come on, 600 pages? Why is that needed? Cos honestly nothing happened in the book.

I started to read, it felt ok, but then I started to skim and skimmed to the end. I could have worked through it and given it a good rating but it was a library book which means...I gave up and skimmed. I have too many books. I need awesome, if the library do not give me awesome I go all eh.

I am also not a fan of the this is me, the narrator, I am old now and telling my story. I want to live in the moment. I do not want the narrator as a old woman there with me at the same time looking back.

Paperback, 480 pages
Published 2012 by Mira Books
Library

Sadie Appleby has lived all her life in her small village. One night she is rudely awoken by her older and bolder sister, Ella, who has robbed her employer and is on the run. The girls flee their rural home of Westmorland to head for London, hoping to lose themselves in the teeming city. But the dead man's relatives are in hot pursuit, and soon a game of cat and mouse begins.

Ella becomes obsessed with the glitter and glamour of city life and sets her sights on the flamboyant man-about-town, Jay Whitgift. But nothing is what it seems - even Jay Whitgift.

Can Sadie survive a fugitive's life in the big city? But even more pressing, can she survive life with her older sister Ella?

My thoughts:

I wanted more from this one but it fell kind of flat for me.

First we got Ella who is a bitch. She robs her previous employer and goes to London to get pretty things and a man. I never liked her, I guess I was never meant to like her but I think she got off too easy.

Sadie could have been good, but she was just a mouse who should have found some courage and not let her sister walk all over her. First maybe she should have understood that robbing was a shitty idea.

The book takes place in London where they girls try to get by, but the whole on the run, making a new life was sort of dull.

Interesting premise, but not for me.

Cover

I prefer the other one 

Paperback, 304 pages
Published September 13th 2012 by Pan Macmillan
Own

Review: Queen Defiant - Anne O'Brien

Genre: Historical fiction
Pages: 412
Published: June 2011
Publisher: NAL
Source: My own book

 Orphaned at a young age, Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine, seeks a strong husband to keep her hold on the vast lands that have made her the most powerful heiress in Europe. But her arranged marriage to Louis VII, King of France, is made disastrous by Louis's weakness of will and fanatical devotion to the Church. Eleanor defies her husband by risking her life on an adventurous Crusade, and even challenges the Pope himself. And in young, brilliant, mercurial Henry d'Anjou, she finds her soul mate-the one man who is audacious enough to claim her for his own and make her Queen of England.

My thoughts:

I have never read a book about Eleanor but after this one I wonder why I waited so long. What a fascinating woman! Since this is a work of fiction O'Brien does give her take on the rumours surrounding Eleanor. Because like all historical books we just do not really know and have to make the best of what we do know. Though she sure made me believe I was there with Eleanor.

Eleanor of Aquitaine was married to Prince Louis of France when she was 15 and he was 17. He was raised in a monastery and would rather have wanted to be a monk. Which we do see through out this book. He is pious and rather spends his time on knees praying than doing anything else. While Eleanor was raised in the more free spirited court of Aquitaine and can't understand the darkness of Paris. I had also not realized who tiny "France" was. It was nothing really and the country as it is today was made up from different parts. So this marriage is a disaster from the start and that they had 2 kids is a miracle.

We also follow them on their failed crusade to the holy land and get to read about the rumours of her and her uncle. By now I really liked the Eleanor portrayed here, she was so strong and she tried her best. She was certainly not a meek woman of her time. I really enjoyed how O'Brien portrayed her.

The only time I was unsure about Eleanor was when she married Henry Plantagenet. She seemed weaker. He was such a womaniser but sure after a marriage like her first she needed a strong man to help her guard her lands, and he was young, virile and certainly had a reputation among the ladies. The book did make me wonder about these two, they sure had a lot of kids. There was that big age difference and then their split that is not show in this book and how the kids rebelled. But in the end, perhaps they did like each other and I am sure they quarrelled and made up a lot ;)

O'Brien does weave a great story about the early life of this marvellous woman that was queen of two countries. Was talked about a lot and managed to divorce her first husband. It was well-written and it made me want to try more books by her and see how she brings other characters from history alive. Because that is truly what she did for me, she brought them to life.

I also must talk about something I had heard about but which was brought to my attention so well here. That in those days it was sure best to keep young heiresses under lock and key. Because any man who wanted riches could just ride up kidnap and marry that woman and that was it. What a time to live in. Poor women.

Conclusion:

Recommended to those who enjoy historical fiction. It also had this lightness over it and it did not dwell on things to long but the events unfolded in a nice pace.

Rating:
Interesting

Cover:
Lovely