Review

The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen’s Champion

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The Greatest Knight

The Greatest Knight

The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen’s Champion

By Elizabeth Chadwick

Sourcebooks, Inc.

ISBN: 1402225180

4.25 stars

Elizabeth Chadwick, how I do enjoy your writing. This is only the second of Chadwick’s books that I’ve read but she is fast becoming a favorite author of mine.

In The Greatest Knight, we meet William Marshal. A young knight without much experience and a sometimes lazy attitude. Due to infighting among the royal family, he gets his chance to prove himself in battle rather soon though. Over the coming years, he learns not only the value of hard work, but he gets the chance to excel not only at his knightly skills but also sharpen his diplomacy skills while wading through the shark infested waters of the court.

A deeply honorable man, his loyalty is sought by many, as well as, his skills in battle. Fortunately, and unfortunately, he serves under both a King and a Price and witnesses both of their deaths. Thrown back into the fray when more fighting breaks out among the royal family, he wants only to retire to his lands with his new wife and lead a quite life with his growing family. What he gets is more pain and suffering and a test of his loyalty once more.

Chadwick has a way of bringing Medieval England alive. Somewhere along the way I fell for William and really did sympathize with him. I wanted to see him live a quiet life without the court intrigue but then again, the court intrigue is what really brings the book alive. Henry II and his Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, rule over a divisive time in English history — sons and fathers are literally looking to murder each other and love is not something you attribute to this family but it proves a wonderful backdrop for this story.

I don’t know much about this particular time period, but Chadwick has made me want to read more. I believe The Scarlet Lion is a continuation of the story of William Marshal and I have to admit that I am be interested to see how this one turns out.

If you like historical fiction, I recommend this one.

Daughters of the Witching Hill

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Daughters of the Witchiing Hill

Daughters of the Witching Hill

By Mary Sharratt

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

ISBN: 978-0547069678

3.5 stars

Bess Southers lives in Pendle Forest with her small family. A cunning woman she’s called by some, by others a witch. A fine line in 16th Century England. She wanders the forest helping to heal animals and people alike, careful not to run afoul of the authorities or tout her powers.

Bess’s best friend from childhood, Anne, comes seeking her help to protect her daughter from their cruel landlord. Bess, who has only ever used her powers for good, balks at the idea of stirring up evil even if it may lead to good. She knows the path she walks can easily blur but in spite of herself, she agrees to help Anne and instructs her in her spiritual ways. Anne eventually turns to evil, embracing her dark powers and the two once close friends find their friendship broken.

As Bess grows older and begins to feel her powers ebb, she longs to teach her granddaughter Alizon and pass down her knowledge. Alizon does not want to learn, knowing full well what people think of her family. It causes her and her grandmother great pain and suffering yet she holds firm to her decision. Unfortunately, Jamie, Bess’s grandson, also seems to have inherited some of her abilities. A slow child who has grown into a wayward soul, he doesn’t seem to understand the distinction of good and evil and what his abilities are. While Alizon struggles to help control him, she finds out more haunting information about what he may have done, scaring not only herself but also her family. When the witch hunt begins, Bess and her family are arrested knowing full well what can and, probably will happen, to them all.

Daughters of the Witching Hill is based on a true account of a witch hunt and trial in Lancaster, England in the early 1600s. Seven women and two men were accused and hanged as witches. The fictionalized version here plays the frenzy and paranoia cards well especially when the hunt gets underway. Accusations fly and neighbors turns against life long friends and family causing everyone to wonder if their closest friends are courting evil. You begin to wonder about the people involved and how they are able to believe something so preposterous.

This is first and foremost a story about strong women. Bess stands up to almost everyone and whether it’s because of her powers or confidence, you don’t know. However, throughout the story, she felt like a stranger to me, but an admirable one. She has an incredible love for her family and she’ll do whatever she can to protect them. Alizon on the other hand, was very open and likable, struggling to be strong for her family and hold her own when others want her to be something she cannot fathom.

In addition to this blog, I also do reviews for The Book Reporter website. The above is a summary of my review, which can be read in full here. The book was provided to me by the publisher for The Book Reporter review.

A Corpse at St. Andrew’s Chapel

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A Corpse at St. Andrew's Chapel

A Corpse at St. Andrew’s Chapel

By Mel Starr

Monarch Books

ISBN: 978-1-85424-954-8

3.75 stars

Master Hugh de Singleton is a surgeon and the bailiff at Bampton manor. He’s the Lord’s representative and not always a popular person around the manor. One night, the village beadle, the man in charge of curfew, goes out on his rounds but doesn’t return the next morning. Hugh and a few men from the village go out to search for him and find him dead under a bush looking as if he’d been attacked by a wild animal. Soon after, a second person turns up dead and Hugh finds himself on a search for two killers.

In addition to his duties at the castle, Hugh is trying to solve two murders, find a poacher, and reassure people that a wild and crazed wolf is not on the prowl. He spends his days creeping about like one of the killers hoping to find out who’s been poaching deer from the Lord’s forest and wondering if the two murdered men might have seen something they shouldn’t have.

A Corpse at St. Andrew’s Chapel is a medieval murder mystery. It’s the second book in the chronicles of Hugh de Singleton. It was a quick, fun read and while it was still a bit of historical fiction for me (which I’ve sort of been avoiding to staunch any burnout I think I might be suffering from) it wasn’t overflowing with history, it was just the setting and I enjoyed that about the book. There were a few odd parts which I could have done without (Hugh gets a bit too interested in a scullery maid for my taste — leering is never becoming) but overall it a was nice distraction from my regular reading pattern. It’s the second book in the series featuring Hugh de Singleton but it worked as a standalone book for me. You don’t need to know anything about the people and places and Starr provides enough background for you to understand without feeling left out. My guess is that might change as the series progresses. A third book in the series is planned — A Trail of Ink.

I received this book through the Early Reviewer program on LibraryThing.

Wolf Hall

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Wolf Hall

Wolf Hall

By Hilary Mantel

Henry Holt & Company

ISBN: 978-0-8050-8068-1

Henry VIII needs an heir. His twenty year marriage to his queen, Katherine, has only produced one child, a girl named Mary. More children aren’t forthcoming and he wants out of the crumbling marriage. He becomes obsessed with Lady Anne Boleyn. The king’s quest for an heir and a way out of his marriage lay waste to his trusted circle of advisors including a once close friend, Cardinal Wolsey. Henry believes the only way out of the marriage is to break with Rome, the pope, and Catholic Europe so he can make himself head of a new church, grant himself a divorce, and marry Anne.

Thomas Cromwell, a man of Wolsey’s who survived the Cardinal’s political downfall, steps into the fray. He’s a former soldier, an opportunist, and always seems to get his way. He’s exactly the man the king needs to break his stalemate with Rome, establish a new religion, and marry and, hopefully, produce an heir with Anne.

I’ve had Wolf Hall sitting on my shelf for several months and I was really excited to finally pick it up. Unfortunately, I was not in the mood for this book which really disappointed me. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the book because I did, very much actually. But I didn’t become attached to any of the characters and if I had put this book down at any point, I probably would not have picked it back up again. Thankfully, I was traveling with this book and stuck in four airports which provided not only the opportunity but the will to finish reading it.

Henry VIII is manic — one day he loves you, hates you the next. Anne Boleyn is phenomenally mean, driven, and crazy but it’s so pitch perfect that you love her for it and thank Mantel for making her such an interesting character. Cromwell is a bully, sometimes mean, but most of the time subtle. He has an uncanny ability to understand people and know what they want and use it to his own ends. His family situation is bad as a child but, once he escapes, things turn around for him. I, however, didn’t feel anything for him. I didn’t like or dislike him, just felt nothing.

One annoying thing about this book, and I read this in another review and was ready for it, Cromwell is constantly referred to as he. I was looking for it and maybe that’s why it stuck out so much. Once I got used to it, it was fine though. And, no, I’m not trying to cause you any undue annoyance here, just pointing out something that will be abundantly obvious as soon as you finish the first paragraph. You’ll most likely get over as I did.

I will say this — the writing is fabulous and the entire story so wonderfully told. I just wish I had picked this one up at another time. It wasn’t what I was looking to read but I do see myself re-reading this book at some point in the future.

Normally I include a 1 to 5 rating with my reviews. I’m bypassing that this time. I’m conflicted about this book (as you might have already noticed, you can thank me later for pointing that out now) and I didn’t want to let my odd reading preferences color my review too much. So, take from all this what you will.

The Creation of Eve

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The Creation of Eve

The Creation of Eve

Lynn Cullen

G. P. Putnam’s Sons

ISBN: 978-0399156106

4.5 stars

In Rome 1559, Sofonisba Anguissola is training to be a painter. Under the tutelage of Michelangelo, she begins to stretch her talent to heights unheard of for a woman at the time. Her father places a lot of faith in her abilities and provides her with the best teachers, but her status as a woman means she cannot study, sketch, or paint the naked body. This leaves her with little understanding of the human form itself and she is told it adds an inhibited quality to her work that she struggles to overcome.

During her time in Rome, she meets and falls in love with another student of Michelangelo’s, Tiberio Calcagni. Their brief affair causes her shame and she leaves the city hoping that what happened between her and Tiberio will not be found out by her father who worked so hard to make sure she would have the chance to learn her craft.

Unaware of what will happen between her and Tiberio as there is no forthcoming proposal of marriage, she takes a position as a lady in waiting to Elisabeth of Valois, the young bride of Felipe II, the King of Spain. She is to teach the young Queen how to draw and paint. Unfortunately, her sad love life, or lack there of, weighs heavily on her. The love trials of the young Queen breaks Sofi’s heart while all this time she wonders silently about Tiberio.

Sofi’s heart suffers while she is at court and the growing attraction she sees between the Queen and the King’s brother, Don Juan, brings her even more heartbreak. Her choices are limited and she struggles with her heart, who she is, and what she must do for the Queen.

Very little action takes place in this novel but the affairs of the heart take center stage and the entire time you’re aware that the story is being told by an artist. The descriptions, colors, and experiences are filtered through an eye that is always looking for shape, texture, and depth.

Told through diary entries, each chapter begins with a painting hint or fact. I loved that the story was told through Sofi’s point of view as it allowed you to get close to the characters. Sofi’s descriptions of the court, the Queen’s dresses, the other ladies in waiting, and the palaces are wonderful and it’s as if you’re watching and hearing the conversations first hand.

Oddly enough this is a book about a painter but very little painting takes place. Somehow that’s a good thing as you come to know the artist behind the easel instead and it’s a good story. For anyone who loves historical fiction, this is a great read. You finish the last page wanting to know more about everyone in the story.

In addition to this blog, I also do reviews for The Book Reporter website. The above is a summary of my review, which can be read in full here. The book was provided to me by the publisher for The Book Reporter review.

Disquiet

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Disquiet

Disquiet

By Julia Leigh

Penguin Books

ISBN: 978-0-14-311350-8

5 stars

Disquiet is a tiny book with an enormous footprint.

It starts with a reunion but there’s nothing happy about it. It starts with a birth that quickly turns into a funeral which keeps getting delayed. It’s about neglect, abuse, ambivalence, and sadness so deep it’s all consuming that it brings everything and everyone to a halt.

Olivia shows up at her mother’s house in rural France with her two children who have never met their grandmother. She’s running away from her abusive husband and has no place left to go. Upon answering the door, her mother informs her that her brother, Marcus, and his wife Sofie, will be moving in with their new baby. She expects the two to arrive with the child at any moment. Unfortunately, the homecoming of Marcus and Sofie is a tragic one — the baby is stillborn. Sofie treats the child as if it it were still alive and refuses to bury the baby causing everyone in the house great distress. Her behavior is disturbing and wrenchingly sad as the same time. You feel horrible for her and at the same time want her to say goodbye and let the child go.

In a short amount of time, several lives collide and no one knows what to do or is in any position to take control leaving you feeling just as disturbed, scared, sick, hurt, and as crazy as everyone in this book.

Disquiet is an amazing book. There are no frilly descriptions, no soft language to cover any of the harsh realities of life, and, at the end, you feel the need for a warm smile and possibly even a hug. Leigh is a fantastic writer. If you see her book, pick it up.

The Thief

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The Thief

The Thief

By Megan Whalen Turner

Puffin Books

ISBN: 0-14-038834-6

3.75 stars

Gen is a thief and a good one, with the small exception of getting caught and landing in the King’s prison for stealing and, bragging about, the King’s official seal. When the Magus, the King’s scholar, brings him out of the dungeon to his office he does it with the intention of extracting a promise. Gen can leave the prison and not return as along as he agrees to steal a mythical stone for the King. With no choice, he sets out with the Magus and a small group of travelers who make their way through the neighboring country into Attolia to steal the ancient treasure protected by the gods.

This book moved a little slow for me at first, but then, for whatever reason, I couldn’t put it down. Gen — who is annoying, complains often, and is constantly surly — is hiding something and you want to know what his secret is. He’s over confident but somehow you know he’s more than capable of stealing the stone. One thing I did enjoy were the stories and tales of the gods that Gen and the Magus tell the other travelers along the way. They offer history and ground the story while providing a few hints as to what’s to come.

The Thief is a good quick read and once I got into the story, I kept going without putting the book down. This is the first in a series and luckily my library has the next two: The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia. A fourth book, A Conspiracy of Kings, comes out later this year. I can see myself reading the entire series.

The Girl with Glass Feet

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The Girl with Glass Feet

The Girl with Glass Feet

By Ali Shaw

Henry Holt & Company

ISBN: 978-0805091144

3.5 stars

Ida Maclaird went to St. Hauda’s Land looking for answers to a strange affliction — her feet are turning to glass. While exploring the island, she meets Midas Crook. He’s introverted, skittish, and mostly avoids people preferring to see the world through the lens of his camera. For Midas, it’s easier to photograph life than experience it.

Ida, outgoing and friendly to Midas’s lonely and shy state, stops by the flower shop where he works and asks him to coffee. She confesses that she is looking for a man named Henry Fuwa. Midas knows him but because of his own emotional and personal history with Henry, tells her nothing. Midas wants to help, but can’t bring himself to say the words or to actually do anything. It is Ida who pushes the relationship forward and once again invites Midas to spend time with her. When Ida invites Midas to the cottage she is staying at, he gets a look at her feet which entrance him enough to photograph them while Ida sleeps. Ida is hurt by his actions but somehow still wants him around for which Midas is grateful, although he’s unable to express it.

Midas becomes so captivated with Ida and her feet that he goes to see Henry Fuwa without telling her. Henry tells him what he doesn’t want to hear — there is no cure and the glass will eventually overtake her whole body. Midas doesn’t tell Ida about this visit or what he has learned but is determined to help her. Somehow Ida finds herself falling in love with Midas but she can’t help but wonder if it’s the affliction or Midas that is actually causing the feelings she’s having. While she is hoping for a cure, she can see the glass spreading and is all too aware of the fact that she hasn’t much time left.

Over the course of Ida looking for a cure, you’re introduced to a strange cast of island residents all disturbed and suffering some ailment of their own. It’s a sad story with death hanging over every page. It’s almost as if every one of the island residents is grieving in their own way, sadly looking for answers and emotions long passed or forgotten. They all seem to crave some light and happiness on a damp, foggy island. While the story is full of failures, romantic and otherwise, Ida and Midas do find each other and while the romance is far from romantic, it forces both Ida and Midas to focus on the present and enjoy what’s in front of them.

This a debut novel by Shaw and it’s a good show. While I thought some parts were slightly confusing and a few extra words of explanation could have helped in places, it’s a story I couldn’t put down in the end. While I don’t think each story needs a happy ending, I was slightly surprised and pleased by how this one turned out.

In addition to this blog, I also do reviews for The Book Reporter website. The above is a summary of my review, which can be read in full here. The book was provided to me by the publisher for The Book Reporter review.