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Review: The Viscount who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

Book review of The Viscount who Loved Me by Julia Quinn, an historical romance novel set primarily in regency London.

The Viscount who Love Me by Julia Quinn book cover
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Synopsis

Kate Sheffield is determined to protect her younger sister, Edwina, from society’s rakes while they are in London for the season. This creates quite a problem for Anthony Bridgerton, who has decided that it’s time he found a wife. Edwina fits his requirements, so he pursues her.

As the sisters get to know Anthony, Kate realises that Anthony isn’t as terrible as she had thought. But just as she removes her objection to Anthony courting Edwina, Kate and Anthony are found in a compromising situation involving a bee.

Their ensuing marriage works out well, until Anthony realises he might be falling in love with Kate. Because of his certainty that he will die sometime in the following nine years, this terrifies him. Can he and Kate defeat their demons? Will they be able to love each other freely?

Review

The Viscount who Loved Me is the second of Julia Quinn’s books about the Bridgerton siblings. It tells the story of how Anthony, the eldest Bridgerton, finds love and marries the next viscountess.

I liked how Kate isn’t the ravishing beauty who is the typical heroine in romance novels. She has an inner beauty that Anthony eventually recognises, but she is always compared to the more fashionably beautiful Edwina. It’s such a refreshing change from the norm.

Kate is brilliant. She is intelligent, has a sharp wit, and cares for others. When Anthony is less than perfectly polite, Kate doesn’t hold back from being rude right back. And the way she delights in Anthony’s discomfort is hilarious.

I also loved the relationship between Mary and Kate. They have a really strong bond and I might have forgotten they weren’t mother and daughter if it wasn’t mentioned so much. Mary is so unlike the stereotypical evil stepmother I just had to like her.

My favourite scene has to be the scene where they all play Pall Mall. It showed Anthony’s devotion to his family and further built his relationship with Kate. Before this, Anthony was difficult to like (not great for a romance hero); his views on marriage and how he treated Kate were so annoying.  I also loved the glimpse of Daphne and Simon, the protagonists from the first book in the series (The Duke and I).

The Viscount who Loved Me is full of hilarious dialogues. Anthony and Kate have the best banter. They also exchange veiled insults and share tender moments. It was such fun to read.

Unfortunately, the steamy and tension-filled scenes between Anthony and Kate became a bit lukewarm towards the end of the book. Their banter is no longer fun and light, but grows serious.

Conclusion

Have you read The Viscount who Love Me? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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Review: The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

Review of The Duke and I, a regency era romance set in 1813 London by Julia Quinn.

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn cover
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Synopsis

After two seasons of minimal success on the marriage mart, Daphne Bridgerton is uncertain if she will ever meet a man she can marry. Then she meets Simon Basset, newly minted Duke of Hastings.

Simon was rejected by his father for having a stutter as a child. Because of this, he is determined never to marry or have children to carry on the family line. He suggests to Daphne that they pretend to be courting. Hopefully, this will keep the Ambitious Mamas of marriageable-aged daughters from bothering him and make her more attractive to potential suitors.

However, Simon is increasingly attracted to Daphne, and Daphne cares more and more for Simon. And after they are found in a compromising position in a garden, Daphne’s elder brother demands they marry. Simon eventually agrees, but his constant dedication to spite his father comes between them. Can Daphne defeat Simon’s hatred of his father?

Review

The Duke and I is the first of Julia Quinn’s novels about the Bridgerton siblings. It tells the love story of how Daphne, the eldest Bridgerton daughter and fourth Bridgerton child. It is also the inspiration for the first season of Netflix’s fantastic new show: Bridgerton.

The first half of the story almost seemed like a different book to the second half. I think the author may have used the first half to set the scene for the rest of the series. She introduced the large and lively Bridgerton family masterfully. Aside from some serious physical attraction, the relationship between Simon and Daphne didn’t develop much. This made the kissing in the garden scene feel a bit sudden.

The chemistry between Simon and Daphne was beautiful. I just couldn’t help falling in love with them as a couple. I liked how they have vastly different backstories but still have a connection and common purpose. And the banter between them was fun and adorable.

“Sir! Sir!”

With great reluctance, he dragged his eyes up to her face. Which was, of course, delightful in and of itself, but it was difficult to picture her seduction when she was scowling at him.

“Were you listening to me?”

“Of course,” he lied.

“You weren’t.”

“No,” he admitted.

A sound came from the back of her throat that sounded suspiciously like a growl. “Then why,” she ground out, “did you say you were?”

He shrugged. “I thought it was what you wanted to hear.”

Daphne is such an amazing young woman. She’s intelligent, friendly, and clear-headed. She has a sly sense of humour and a fantastic grasp on how to deal with men. I loved how she wasn’t afraid to interfere in things that affected her even though the men tried to exclude her.

Some parts of the story were repeated a bit often. These include the fact that Simon’s stutter is brought on by stress and anger and that Daphne is from a large and loving family with overbearing brothers. It keeps things consistent, but gets a bit overdone.

The Controversial Scene

About 80% of the way through The Duke and I, there is a controversial, potentially triggering scene. Some people would say that Daphne raped Simon. I’m not so sure – it’s very much more complicated than that.

Because of his problems with his father, Simon has decided that he will never have children. So before agreeing to marry Daphne, he tells her that he cannot have children. Daphne takes this to mean that there is something physically wrong with him and because she’s so innocent, she doesn’t notice the little thing he does to ensure that she will never conceive.

Two weeks into their marriage, Daphne puts two and two together and realises what Simon has been doing. They fight about it, and after a failed reconciliation, Simon gets very drunk. After a short nap, they have some apparently mutually consensual sexy times that becomes less mutually consensual at the end. Simon (understandably) becomes very angry and leaves.

I’m not going to get into the debate of who was right or wrong. However, I didn’t like the way it was delt with in the story. Simon and Daphne separate for a time, but come back together fairly easily.

Neither of them acknowledges their mistakes or apologises to the other. There’s very little discussion afterwards, and what discussion they have is centred around having children, not the issues they’ve had. I find it difficult to believe that a couple could get over something so major so easily.

Conclusion

Have you read The Duke and I? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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Chronicles of Brother Cadfael

Medieval mysteries set in 12th century England by Ellis Peters

The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael the first omnibus cover

Books

  • A Morbid Taste for Bones
  • One Corpse Too Many
  • Monk’s Hood
  • St. Peter’s Fair
  • The Leper of Saint Giles
  • The Virgin in the Ice
  • The Sanctuary Sparrow
  • The Devil’s Novice
  • Dead Man’s Ransom
  • The Pilgrim of Hate
  • An Excellent Mystery
  • The Raven in the Foregate
  • The Rose Rent
  • The Hermit of Eyton Forest
  • A Rare Benedictine
  • The Confession of Brother Haluin
  • The Heretic’s Apprentice
  • The Potter’s Field
  • The Sumer of the Danes
  • The Holy Thief
  • Brother Cadfael’s Penance

Synopsis

After a life on crusade, Brother Cadfael has retired to the monastery of Saints Peter and Paul outside Shrewsbury. His days are mostly spent working in the garden and creating medicines for the local community. However, his worldly experience makes him perfect for solving any mysteries that come his way.

These mysteries sometimes take Brother Cadfael away from Shrewsbury and the monastery. Occasionally, he is called to his native Wales. Always, he uncovers the truth and does what he can to see the right thing done.

Review

One of my favourite TV shows at the moment is Death in Paradise. I like it, partially, because despite the fact that it’s a murder mystery, the overall feeling is upbeat with the occasional bit of humour. The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael are the same. The writing is light and easy even as it deals with death and murder.

I like how the books don’t glorify the violence that must occur in murder mysteries and books set in this rather violent period of English history. They don’t go into detail on the gore-y bits and the language is kept clean.

Speaking of language, the writing style is easy to read. While it’s obviously not the same English that was spoken during the 12th century, the language doesn’t feel historically out of place – there’s no modern slang, euphemisms, or sayings. Also, the pacing is generally unrushed, which feels suitable to the historical setting, but doesn’t drag.

While the books are set in a particular historical period, the reader doesn’t have to know anything about history. However, Ellis Peters (the author) still pays attention to historical details, particularly clothing and the way things are run.

I also like how much variety there is between the different mysteries. Victims are murdered in various ways: strangulation, poisoning, stabbing. Then there’s the occasional mysteries that look like but aren’t murders. So much variety!

Have you read this series? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

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Review: Some Enchanted Evening by Christina Dodd

Review of Some Enchanted Evening by Christina Dodd, a regency era romance set in 1808 Scotland.

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Synopsis

Clarice is a princess of Beaumontagne, a small kingdom in the Pyrenees Mountains. Or she was, until revolution threatened her family and she was sent to safety in England. Now, Clarice travels from town to town, selling cosmetics in order to support herself and her younger sister Amy.

Arriving in the Scottish town of Freya Crags, Clarice finds herself the personal guest of Robert MacKenzie, Earl of Hepburn. Robert has been troubled by some things that had happened during the Napoleonic Wars. Clarice’s presence gives him an opportunity to fix these wrongs. While there, she also improves his relationship with his sister and brings him back to full sanity.

Review

Some Enchanted Evening is a light and easy read with a simple (and somewhat silly) plot. Exiled princess falls in love with a troubled Scottish earl – nothing too complicated. There is a lot of time spent on verbal sparring and long conversation, but not enough time spent on creating depth (there is almost no character or relationship development).

So much about the story makes no sense. I find it completely unbelievable that Clarice could make herself look so convincingly like another woman to trick Colonel Ogley. Clarice and Amy are supposed to be hiding from potential assassins, but Clarice draws attention to herself while selling cosmetics. Also, the motivations for certain actions seem a bit far-fetched. For instance, I don’t believe for a second that Clarice slept with Robert that first time “because you needed me.”

I have serious problems with some of the choices the author made in naming the characters. Clarice and Amy are not names that royalty give their children, even royalty in small fictional countries. Also, one of Clarice’s middle names is Jayne, spelled with a “Y”. This is a minor issue, however.

Some Enchanted Evening is supposedly set in 1808 Scotland. However, it has more of a fairy-tale, not historical, feeling. Clarice has been travelling unchaperoned in a time when it was unsafe for women to travel alone. She sells cosmetics to young ladies when makeup is only used by courtesans. Then she jumps into bed with Robert without a thought for the possibility of pregnancy. It’s too modern.

However, I loved the way that Clarice helped Millicent (Robert’s sister) to recognise her worth. She didn’t need the royal creams to be beautiful; Millicent just needed a bit of confidence. And the old men in the village were just lovely.

Conclusion

Have you read Some Enchanted Evening? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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Review: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

Book review of The Other Boleyn Girl, an historical fiction novel set in Tudor England by Philippa Gregory.

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory cover
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Synopsis

This book follows Mary, sister of Anne Boleyn (Henry VIII’s second wife). Mary is lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon when she catches the king’s eye. Her ambitious and overbearing uncle sees an opportunity and quickly removes Mary from her husband’s household. Before long, she is in the king’s bed advancing her family’s fortunes.

After she has borne him a daughter and a son, Henry’s attentions stray to Mary’s beautiful older sister, and Mary is ordered to help Anne catch the king. As always, she obeys, but then Anne falls out of favour and their entire family is put at risk.

Review

Like Philippa Gregory’s other Plantagenet/Tudor books, The Other Boleyn Girl is heavy reading with many historical tidbits. Generally, I find that Philippa Gregory sticks to the historical record, but also goes along with whatever current theories happen to be popular. When reading this book, you do have to keep in mind that it is a novel, and as such is not historically perfect.

I loved the relationship between Mary and William Stafford. William was obviously able to give her the kind of life she wanted but couldn’t have being at court all the time. I really admire Mary’s strength in standing up to her uncle and leaving her family with William. I’ve come across Thomas Howard before and he was clearly a Horrible Man.

“Who d’you think is hearing the evidence against these men? Who will be president of the court against your brother? Your own uncle! Does he use his influence to save him? Does your father? No.”

Most of The Other Boleyn Girl is written from Mary’s POV. This makes some of the characters seem one-sided. For example, Catherine of Aragon is portrayed as an older woman/role-model who can do nothing bad.

The exception to this is Mary’s brother and sister. Mary has a real love/hate relationship with George and Anne. She loves them both dearly, but is often jealous of or frustrated at them. Like when Anne denies Mary permission to see her children, Mary hates Anne.

That being said, this book didn’t push sympathy for Anne Boleyn under the reader’s nose. Many people see Anne as a victim, and she is usually portrayed as one. The Other Boleyn Girl shows her doing some questionable things but also as a victim who had few choices and did what she was pushed to.

Conclusion

Have you read The Other Boleyn Girl? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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Review: The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner

Book review of The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner, an historical fiction novel set during the French Revolution.

The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner cover

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Synopsis

Yann Margoza’s life is turned upside-down when the small group of magicians he works with are invited to perform at the Chateau of the Marquis de Villeduval. One of the group recognises Count Kalliovski (murderer, blackmailer, and all round baddie) and is quickly murdered. Yann and his mentor Têtu, escape and Yann is sent to safety in England.

Three years later, Yann returns to France at the height of the Revolution on a mission to rescue Sido, the daughter of the Marquis de Villeduval. In the meantime, The Marquis has lost his mind and Count Kalliovski insists that Sido marry him in order to pay off her father’s debts.

Can Yann find and rescue Sido? Will she leave France without the Marquis? And how does Count Kalliovski fit into their pasts?

Review

The first time I read The Red Necklace, I was about 12 years old (it’s not targeted at young adults, but then again, my mother gave me Cross Stitch to read when I was only 15 – tells you something about my family). I remembered it having a lot of witty lines, so when I came across a copy at a second-hand book sale, I didn’t hesitate to buy it.

I liked Yann. He is charming, quick-witted, and brave – everything a hero should be. Sido wasn’t as likeable but I felt bad for her. She’s foolishly loyal to a father that hates her and doesn’t actually do anything other than being a damsel in distress for Yann to rescue.

On the other hand, I loved to hate Count/Citizen Kaliovski. He is merciless and evil, but not just plain evil – there are hints of his backstory throughout the book which gives him some depth and help us to understand him.

Sido looked completely broken, her face pale, her dress filthy. On seeing her, Kalliovski was in no doubt that she would be his, regardless of the Marquis’s objections. The game was all but won.

Only two women in his life had ever had the wit to resist him. One would have nothing to do with him, and the other … the other … had revealed in him a weakness that no true gambler can afford. Weakness was what he looked for in others; to detect it in himself was unforgiveable. His strength was to know that every man had a flaw, every soul its price. Just once he had been powerless against passion, defeated by the Queen of Hearts. Never again.

I also liked how many of the characters had traits that didn’t necessarily contribute to the story. For example, Têtu is a dwarf. There is no reason for Têtu to be a dwarf; he just is. It made it feel more authentic. After all, real people have physical characteristics that don’t hugely affect their lives.

In the middle of the book, the story jumped forward a couple of years. I found this sudden and jarring. It might have worked better if it had been separated into a part one and part two, rather than trying to flow straight through without pause.

The Red Necklace does a good job of showing how out of touch the rich were during this period. For the first half of the book, the upcoming revolution is very much present but kept in the background which makes their obvious terror in the second half more understandable.

Conclusion

Have you read The Red Necklace? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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Review: Tangled in Time by Barbara Longley

Review of Tangled in Time, time-travelling romance set in Ireland by Barbara Longley.

Tangled in Time by Barbara Longley cover
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Synopsis

Regan MacCarthy is in Ireland for a break from her exhausting life. While trying to return her ability to see ghosts, she meets a gorgeous man who refuses to accept his death. Fáelán is a 3rd century warrior who was cursed by the faerie princess Morrigan. He is doomed to live in the Fae realm, invisible to most humans, until he falls so deeply in love he would sacrifice his life.

To this end, Fáelán spends the following weeks showing Regan around Ireland, longing for the solstice when the realms meet and he can touch her. Once Regan and Fáelán have fallen for each other, Morrigan steals him back into the void. With the help of Morrign’s daughter, Regan travels back in time to the 3rd century to prevent the curse and save Fáelán’s life.

Review

This book is called “Tangled in Time,” which gave me the impression that the characters get tangled up in time. But having read it, I think it’s time itself that gets tangled. Regan goes back in time, changes things, and returns. Fáelán both lives through time in the normal linear manner and jumps straight from the 3rd century to the 21st.

There’s a good amount of scientific explanations behind the alternate realms/dimensions. However, once time-travel gets involved in the second half of the book, the scientific explanations become a bit complicated – I had to think through it a bit to understand it.

I found how quickly Regan and Fáelán fell in love unconvincing. I know that Fáelán was desperate to fall in love (with anyone) to break his curse, but Regan had no such motivation. It seems even more unconvincing when early on in their relationship, there are scenes like this:

“Enough.” Her dismissive assumptions nearly chocked him. Fall in love with Regan MacCarthy? Impossible. She’d insulted him in the worst possible way, accusing him of deluding himself with faerie tales as if he were a laddie of but a handful of winters. Cursing his fate, he was sorely tempted to return to his island to wait a hundred years or so afore seeking out another woman who might see him.

I loved how Regan kept thinking of (and referring to) Fáelán as a “boasty ghosty.” That phrase made me giggle every time. Boasty ghosty.

Fáelán felt more real as the real as the book progressed. When we first meet him, he seems simple and two-dimensional. By the time he’s fallen madly in love, we have learned so much about him that he has become a really believable person with both good and bad qualities. However, this occurs so gradually that I didn’t notice it until I had almost finished to book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. However, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who didn’t enjoy science in high-school or who gets their knickers in a twist over magic.

Conclusion

Have you read Tangled in Time? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!).

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Review: Song of the Earth by John R. Dann

Book review of Song of the Earth by John R. Dann, an historical fiction novel set in prehistoric Africa and Europe.

Song of the Earth by John R. Dann (cover)
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Synopsis

Grae and the seven daughters of River Woman are the only people to survive the volcanic eruption that destroys their home. Together they find a place to settle and form a tribe. When the surrounding area is no longer sufficient to support them, the tribe separates and migrates away.

Grae leads a group north, settling in different places for a couple of years before moving on in their search for a long-term home. This group eventually ends up in what now is Europe and, when Grae dies, is led by his son, Eagle, and Grandson, Young Grae. Along the way they repeatedly come up against Neanderthals (known as wide men), hostile tribes, and evil magic.

Review

This book is decidedly odd. There is very little story arc – rather a series of loosely related events and people going about their strange lives. When trying to describe Song of the Earth, the word that springs most readily to mind is lackluster.

I found the characters difficult to keep track of. There were so many of them and a lot had very similar names to each other. It even appears that the author had trouble with this; a couple of times I thought that the character who just did something had left the tribe earlier, and when I looked back, they had.

The people invent many different things in a ridiculously fast pace, especially words. This makes it seem unrealistic, particularly when they meet other groups that they’ve never met before who already have the same technologies and use the same words.

Eagle said, “You will be chieftain someday. Perhaps you should spend more time learning how to throw your spear than thinking up new words.”

“It is not so much just thinking up new words,” Young Grae replied. “It is trying to understand strange things. If we name them better we can think about them better. We have the words ‘Sunset’ and ‘Sunrise,’ which might help us understand better why the sun disappears in the west every night and appears in the east every morning.”

Eagle said, “You are right. It is hard to even talk about things if they don’t have names. To understand strange things without names is even harder.”

I liked how the tribe had multiple enemies to contend with throughout the book. To begin with, they have to split-up and move because their environment doesn’t produce enough food for them anymore. Then, they battle against other groups of people, and at the end, there is a major showdown with Lilith and her friends.

Conclusion

Have you read this book? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

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Review: The Conqueror’s Queen by Joanna Courtney

Review of The Conqueror’s Queen, historical fiction by Joanna Courtney based on the life of Mathilda of Flanders, Duchess of Normandy and wife of William the Conqueror.

The Conqueror's Queen by Joanna Courtney cover
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Synopsis

Mathilda of Flanders reluctantly accepts her father’s choice of husband for her: William, Duke of Normandy. When she goes to Normandy for her wedding, Mathilda finds a court full of men with very little appreciation of great culture.

Keen to win Mathilda’s heart along with her hand, William vows that one day he will earn England’s throne for her. In 1051, King Edward invites the couple to his court at Westminster for Christmas and promises his throne to them upon his death.

William and Mathilda spend the following years strengthening Normandy together and raising their always increasing family. Then 1066 comes around and King Edward dies. The English seem to have forgotten their promises and crown Harold Godwinson, but William has not forgotten and plans an invasion.

Review

In The Conqueror’s Queen, Joanna Courtney beautifully rounds out her Queens of the Conquest trilogy with a book that’s descriptive and engaging right up to the end. She excels in writing a variety of unique characters each with their own personalities and motives.

It was interesting to see William the Conqueror before he became the Conqueror. I also enjoyed seeing a kinder, more just side of him. History tends to remember William as conniving and merciless. While that part of him isn’t absent, it is tempered by care, devotion, and a desire for loyalty. Overall, the book shows him as a well-rounded personality and makes him easier to empathise with.

I loved the relationship between William and Mathilda; they were such a great couple. While they have some rough patches, their relationship is solid. They obviously respect and trust each other. Mathilda is the perfect partner to help William rule his lands.

There was a bit where William tells Mathilda that he slept with some prostitutes before marrying her so that he would know how to please her. My immediate thought was “Aww, that’s so sweet,” but then I stopped and thought: “is that really aww worthy?” Is it? I can’t decide.

I’m not sure about the inclusion of Judith’s story. In The Constant Queen, the author included Tora’s story. This made sense as Harold had a history with Tora, and the two women’s stories eventually came together. That doesn’t happen with Mathilda and Judith in The Conqueror’s Queen.

Mathilda is a fantastic woman. She’s intelligent, down to earth, and thinks things through before dealing with the situation. While her character starts out young and flighty, she develops realistically and becomes the perfect Duchess of Normandy. I would love to read a book on her life as Queen of England.

Conclusion

Have you read The Conqueror’s Queen? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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Review: The Constant Queen by Joanna Courtney

Review of The Constant Queen by Joanna Courtney, an historical fiction novel set in 11th century Europe.

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Synopsis

Based on the life of Elizaveta, Princess of Kiev and wife of Harald Hardrada, king of Norway. When an exiled Norse nobleman (Harald) arrives at her father’s court, Elizaveta agrees to keep his treasure safe while he goes out and makes his fortune. He returns several times, but always heads back out for more.

Over time, Elizaveta grows tired of waiting for Harald to marry her. She gives him the keys to his treasure and tells him to leave. On his way home, Harald grows increasingly morose and eventually returns to Kiev to win Elizaveta back.

Together, they return to Norway to claim the crown and build a stronger kingdom. Harald’s relationship with Elizaveta is passionate and tumultuous, and he occasionally turns to a childhood sweetheart for peace.

Review

The Constant Queen is my least favourite book in the Queens of the Conquest trilogy. The book skipped through time a bit quickly for me. I had trouble keeping up with what year we were in and how what was happening fitted in with what else was going on in the world.

There was too much focus on the romantic side of the story for my liking. I would have preferred more history and politics. However, it seems that Joanna Courtney decided to use romance and a love triangle to create intrigue. Also, as the story progresses the phrases used in the romantic bits become repetitive.

Of the three men who claimed the English throne in 1066, Harald Hardrada is probably the least known and the most forgotten. Afterall, unlike Harold Godwinson and William the Conqueror, he never actually got to be King of England. I enjoyed reading a book that looked at this lesser known man and the background to his involvement in the events of 1066.

I liked the contrast between Harald’s two wives. Elizaveta is fiery, rebellious, and independent whereas Tora is sweet, understanding, and steadfast. I appreciated how the relationship between the two women wasn’t used to create drama or move the plot forward. Sure, there is some initial subtle nastiness and power struggles between Elizaveta and Tora, but by the end they become friends and learn how to work together.

“Er, Lady Tora Arnasson, this is Queen Elizaveta.”

“Of Kiev?” Tora asked, taking a single step forward.

“Of Norway,” the dark girl said stonily, taking a mirrored step.

Elizaveta did not hold out her hand and for that, at least, Tora was grateful for she could no more have kissed it than she could a weed-strung toad. Instead, they both bowed their heads in a curt greeting, more for the eagerly watching Norwegians than each other.

“And how,” Tora asked, “do you find your new country?”

“Very agreeable,” came the swift reply, laced with an exotic southerly inflection, but Tora saw the edge of Elizaveta’s full lips twitch and knew she’d hit a nerve. Good.

Unfortunately, some of the characters are distractingly modern. Elizaveta’s strength has a distinctly feminist feel to it that doesn’t fit in with the historical setting. Also, the men generally seem unbothered by Elizaveta (and later her daughter) acting rebellious; I had thought 11th century men would try to supress such actions.

Conclusion

Have you read The Constant Queen? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.

If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).

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