The Winter Crown

The Winter Crown picks up where The Summer Queen left off--Eleanor of Aquitaine has married Henry of Anjou, soon to be Henry II of England after receiving an annulment of her marriage with Louis of France. Far from being the glittering experience of co-rule Eleanor may have envisioned, she soon finds herself almost continuously pregnant as Henry takes care of his vast domains. Eleanor is never shy and retiring, however, and even with her numerous children, she gives Henry a run for his money in both personality and politics. What could have been a time of her life that would be easily glossed over comes alive in the capable storytelling hands of Elizabeth Chadwick; she brings Eleanor's determination, heartbreak, and haughtiness to life in ways that will have you cheering her on even when she could possibly be wrong.

I was absolutely swept away into Eleanor's world with The Winter Crown. The relationship between Eleanor and Henry is fraught with temper, both good and bad; you can feel the sparks fly whenever they are together, yet I never got the sense that Eleanor particularly liked Henry except for what he could bring her...and vice versa. Still, when his affair with Rosamund de Clifford is revealed, I could feel the humiliation and despair Eleanor tried to hide; even when she treated him horribly, I could still empathize with her. More moving, though, is the emotion Eleanor had to swallow at the early loss of her daughters to marriages for alliances; it's not something that is often discussed, being seen as a trial women and children had to endure during the era. Add in the violent times, including the death of Thomas Beckett, and the degeneration of the relationship between not only Eleanor and Henry, but between Henry and their sons, and you have a story that makes fact read like fiction in the best ways possible.

Whenever I read anything by Elizabeth Chadwick, I'm reminded that there are few historical fiction authors who can transport you into the times quite as thoroughly and as seamlessly as she does. Eleanor being one of my personal heroines, I'm particularly pleased with how she is displayed in The Winter Crown: she's a real person, capable of both subterfuge and assertiveness, but with a human side that translates across the centuries. With the end of The Winter Crown, I'm left hanging and waiting on The Autumn Throne. I feel confident that I will love the close of Eleanor's story as much as I have the first two thirds.

~taminator40

Simply One of the Best

Elizabeth Chadwick's The Summer Queen is the first in a planned trilogy on Alienor of Aquitaine (popularly known as Eleanor), and having just finished it, I can hardly contain my enthusiasm for this novel. I always love Chadwick's books, but I sort of wondered what else could be added to the story to make it more engaging. It's my pleasure to say that not only does this novel deliver, it does so beautifully, bringing life to characters and events in vivid detail. I'm blown away.

The Summer Queen takes us through the years Alienor was married to Louis of France and into the first blush of her marriage with Henry of England. Alienor, duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, finds herself continually putting her own feelings and needs aside as her overly pious first husband disappoints her again and again. Chadwick takes us through it all: the births of unwelcome daughters, the arduous Crusade, the loss of freedom, and the desperation to end an untenable marriage. Alienor often follows her heart, and she's not written as a saint by any means. What does come through is her indomitable spirit and her determination to protect and advance Aquitaine at any cost. It's evident that Alienor is a passionate woman strapped to a man who becomes more priggish and overbearing as the years pass, and it's easy to see how she felt when first encountering young Henry, the polar opposite of puckered Louis. Part of me wanted to yell at her, to warn her of what's ahead, but most of me just wanted to luxuriate alongside her while she's enjoying herself.

There simply aren't enough words for me to express how much I enjoyed this novel; knowing it would be good because it was by Chadwick, I had no idea I'd become thoroughly engrossed as I was. I even found myself slowing down in my reading just so I could spend more time inside the world brought to life. Alienor's motivations for her actions and her strongly held emotions are vibrantly brought to life against a background where the Church was all and women were expected to do as they were told. If it's possible, Alienor is even more of a personal heroine for me now after having read Chadwick's excellent novel. Highly recommended.

~taminator40

Elizabeth Chadwick's Lady of the English

I'm always faced with a conundrum whenever I read a new Elizabeth Chadwick novel; I want to inhale it because I know how good it's going to be, yet I also want it to last as long as possible so I can luxuriate in the story. Let's just say that with Lady of the English, I managed to make the novel last nearly a week so I could continue to spend time in the magnificent world and lives EC has re-created. In fact, days after I finished, I'm still thinking about the story and marveling that Ms. Chadwick was not only able to stick to the historical facts but to bring them to life so vividly that I feel as though I actually know these characters.

Lady of the English might be more aptly titled Ladies of the English, in that it focuses not only Matilda, daughter of Henry I and rightful heir to the throne, but also Henry's wife Adeliza. While the majority of the action centers on Matilda's abusive marriage to Count Geoffrey of Anjou and her bids to attain the throne that her father had made his vassals swear to uphold for her, Adeliza is no minor character. Her barren marriage to Henry and her piety, as well as her friendship for her headstrong step-daughter give a perfect counterpoint to the often unlikeable Matilda. Matilda herself is brought to life in a way that keeps her from being the shrew she's often portrayed; while it's evident that she could have done many things to ensure her position, it is also just as evident how strongly she felt for her country and her family. Ms. Chadwick does a very credible job with both women, as unlike in temperament as they were. Added to this story is the unbelievable actual history which occurred (constant side changing, incredible escapes, daring raids) and you've got an epic adventure.


Lady of the English is everything I'd hoped it would be, and my appreciation for Ms. Chadwick as an author who successfully uses true historical fact to create high quality fiction is unbounded. While I'd known something about Matilda, I definitely feel as though I've been brought closer to an elusive woman whose tenacity and courage still comes through across the centuries. I'm glad I chose to luxuriate in this story because my knowledge is richer for it. Bar none, Elizabeth Chadwick is writing the best British historical fiction today, and Lady of the English is highly, highly recommended.
 
~taminator40

To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick

Once again, Elizabeth Chadwick has pulled me into the thirteenth century, engulfing me with the sights, sounds, and events of the tumultuous period when John was King and the Marshals and Bigods had to walk a thin line in order to keep their families safe and protect their very lives. To Defy a King is a masterpiece, rich in characters and all the details that bring the past vividly to life.

The story centers around headstrong Mahelt Marshal, favorite daughter of William Marshal (featured in The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion). Mahelt's marriage to Hugh Bigod, son of Roger Bigod (For the King's Favor/The Time of Singing) does little to bring the teen to heel and soon she has her new husband captivated, even as she continually rubs her father by marriage the wrong way. Mahelt is no shrinking violet, sitting back watching events unfold; she is impetuous, outspoken, and determined, though mindful of her duties as a wife of a powerful family. Her emotions are always close to the surface and she can barely contain her revulsion and anger with King John, even as she realizes that rebelling could cause her family to lose all.

The themes of family and honour are repeated throughout To Defy a King; it is easy to see that Chadwick wants us to understand that these were the driving forces behind the lives of those under the thumb of John's erratic, often cruel, behavior. Mahelt herself is written with such fervor that her spirit literally leaps off the pages; I could feel her anguish over the predictaments her blood family faced while being torn over her love for her husband. There is so much action, both large and small, throughout this novel that is almost impossible to read it quickly, and really, who would want to?


To Defy a King is tightly written, with differing points of view to shed light on character motivations and push the story along. The characterizations are spot on, making the characters real enough to show their flaws; the conversations pull you further into the lives of these people who lived so long ago. I felt as though I were present in their daily lives and I wanted to savour that feeling so much that I purposely dragged out the finishing of the book. Chadwick is head and shoulders above all historical writers out there today, and To Defy a King just proves that her skills are growing. Her fan base should grow as well because this is a book that will defy you to let it go.

~taminator40

The Time of Singing

Reading a new Elizabeth Chadwick novel is always a treat, and The Time of Singing is no exception. This is the story of Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk during the time of Henry II, and his wife Ida, who was a former reluctant mistress to said Henry. Chadwick follows Bigod as he grows from a young man who defies his father through the years when he struggled to regain his earldom and finally into the early time of King John's reign. As a stand-up man who had a bit of a thing for elaborate headgear (insert large grin here), Bigod springs to life under Chadwick's excellent writing skills. I can never recommend her novels enough, and this one is no exception. Unfortunately at this time, The Time of Singing isn't available in the U.S., but it's well worth the cost to obtain a copy through amazon.uk. Historical fiction isn't being written today by anyone better than Elizabeth Chadwick. She very much deserves to be as popular as Philippa Gregory, and in my humble opinion, even more so.

I'm the first to review TTOS on amazon.uk! Follow this link to learn a bit more about this outstanding piece of historical fiction: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1847440975/ref=cm_cr_thx_view.

What to read next? Whatever it is, it'll pale in comparison.

~taminator40

Amazon.uk Review

My review at Amazon.uk of A Place Beyond Courage by Elizabeth Chadwick is up. I'm pleased with it! Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/3424q2

~taminator40