Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick - Book Giveaway

Book Review and Book Giveaway

Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick

Back Cover Blurb

Two very different women are linked by destiny and the struggle for the English crown. Matilda, daughter of Henry I, is determined to win back her crown from Stephen, the usurper king. Adeliza, Henry's widowed queen and Matilda's stepmother, is now married to William D'Albini, a warrior of the opposition. Both women are strong and prepared to stand firm for what they know is right. But in a world where a man's word is law, how can Adeliza obey her husband while supporting Matilda, the rightful queen? And for Matilda pride comes before a fall ...What price for a crown? What does it cost to be 'Lady of the English'?

Empress Matilda

Lady of the English

(Maud)

Adeliza of Louvain

Queen of England

Matilda was one of two legitimate children of King Henry I of England. When her brother, William, died in the White Ship disaster, she became her father’s sole heir. Her father made his noblemen swear their oath to accept Matilda as queen of England and duchess of Normandy after his death.

King Henry I of England

As a young woman, Matilda was sent to Germany as the bride of Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor. By all accounts, they had a happy but childless marriage.

Henry V

Holy Roman Emperor

When Henry died in 1125, Matilda returned to England where her father forced her, now a dowager empress, to marry Geoffrey of Anjou, a lesser nobleman eleven years her senior. This new marriage brought her little happiness. From the start, it was fraught with abuse. She left him and ran back to England. But political need came into play. Through her father’s intervention, and urged by step-mother Adeliza, Matilda reluctantly returned to Geoffrey. She bore him three sons, Henry (later King Henry II of England, Geoffrey (Count of Nantes) and William.

Geoffrey of Anjou

Matilda's father, King Henry I of England, died in 1135. Forgetting the vow they made to crown Matilda as Queen of England, the nobles reneged and placed Stephen of Blois, her cousin on the throne.

Stephen of Blois

But Stephen did not prove a popular king. Several of his nobles turned on him. The nobles urged Matilda to come to England to be crowned. With the support of her uncle, King David of Scotland, and his army, Matilda attempted a return. Stephen was captured and taken prisoner at a battle at Lincoln.

No woman had ever ruled England or Normandy, especially Matilda who had a reputation for being arrogant, bad-tempered, and moody. Few people liked her. Nevertheless, she travelled to Winchester, and was proclaimed queen. It was then her difficult personality became evident. She refused to converse kindly with the people.

Stephen’s wife visited her to beg for her husband’s freedom in exchange for their exile across the sea and a promise to never interfere in her life again. Matilda refused and ordered the woman away, a decision she would come to regret.

Those loyal to Stephen, continued to fight for him. Their cause gained support as more and more people became disenchanted with their harsh, unkind queen. Even her husband would not come to England to help her. Surrounded by her enemies, she was forced to flee from Winchester, her supporters killed or captured. Disguised in a coffin perforated with holes so she could breath, Matilda made it to Gloucester and Oxford Castle. While one of her supporters crossed the sea to fetch her eldest son Henry who was ten years old, her castle was besieged by Stephen whom Matilda had earlier freed. His men surrounded the castle and prevented food and supplies from entering.

Determined to escape, she and three of her knights dressed themselves in white and in the dead of winter, escaped by climbing down the walls with ropes. Camouflaged against the snow, no one saw them. They crossed the ice-covered river on the ice, walked in the night, and arrived at Abingdon. On horseback, they rode to Wallingford, where Matilda greeted her young son, Henry.

An uneasy truce between Stephen and Matilda came to be. Matilda raised her son at Gloucester until her husband sent for him so he could see his eldest before he left on a crusade. Geoffrey died during this crusade.

Matilda no longer wanted to be queen. Her son, Henry, became king.

Henry II

King of England

Matilda retired to a convent until she died at Rouen in France where she was buried. Her epitaph reads:

"Here lies the daughter, wife, and mother of Henry."

From start to finish, Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick captured my interest. As with all of Elizabeth’s novels, the story is vividly described with a depth of historical detail that is rarely matched by other novelists in the genre. She brings to life the story of a queen who was contrary, vitriolic, and verbally blunt. Despite the known rancorous personality of this fascinating queen, the author allows us to see her in several dimensions – a young bride, an abused wife, a political pawn. And it is this that allows us to admire her courage and strength in the face of an entire country that refused to fully accept her as their queen. A wonderful reprieve from all the Tudor novels that are saturating the market, I urge you to get this book for insight into this fascinating woman’s life.

An Interview with Elizabeth Chadwick

Many thanks to the members of Historical Novel Review for inviting me to give this blog interview.

I’m delighted to be here!

I'm very excited to have one of Britain's finest writers joining us here today. A warm welcome to Elizabeth Chadwick. Thank you for taking the time to allow us to get to know you better. 

1. Can you tell us a little about your novel?

LADY OF THE ENGLISH is the story of Empress Matilda, daughter of King Henry I. She was so called because she had married the Emperor of Germany at the age of 12 and lived at the German court . When she was about 23, her husband died and her father summoned her back to his side, intending to make her heir to England and Normandy. A woman on the throne was not a popular choice in a male dominated society, and Matilda found herself forced into marrying a youth she hated because her father ordered it so. When her father died, Matilda’s claim to the throne was pushed to one side by his barons, who elected her male cousin Stephen to the throne instead. The scene was set for war as Matilda set out to claim her rightful crown.

LADY OF THE ENGLISH is also the story of Matilda’s stepmother Adeliza of Louvain. She was the same age as Matilda and had been married at a very young age to Matilda's father as his second wife. The women became good friends and allies. Adeliza married a baron of the opposition, and the story follows Adeliza's struggle to help Matilda and yet still be a good wife to her husband. It examines through the characters different aspects what it meant to be a woman in the 12th century.

2. What inspired you to write a novel about a woman in this period of history?

I have always written about the medieval period and both men and women in this timeframe. It’s my home territory and my comfort zone. I have done detailed research into the period and I love bringing it to life for a modern audience. It's as simple as that. I am always inspired by the Middle Ages! Also the more I research, the more I realise how much we don't know about the period today, and how much we assume we know which is often very wrong. For example: At one end you have the view that women were powerless in the society of the time, and at the other end the view that actually they were very powerful and filled with the light of modern feminism. The truth is always tinted in shades of grey. They weren't powerless, but their power was measured in different ways to modern Western society. They had their fields of influence that waxed and waned with their role in society. The most powerful women were mothers of male children and widows who were able either to wield the reins behind-the-scenes, or take them in their own right. Daughters and young wives were perhaps the most powerless and had to bide their time.

3. What hardships did women face in this particular century and what lessons can today's woman learn from it?

I've covered this is in a small part in the above question. They didn't have independence as we know it, and had to work out how to get their own way by more subtle means, but it also meant they were more vulnerable. A man was permitted to beat his wife for example, and property laws frequently put women at a disadvantage. Other hardships, are still suffered by many women around the globe today. Famine, war, rudimentary and often ineffective healthcare were just a few of the hardships medieval women might face at some point in their lives. There was the absolute peril of childbirth to face time and again. Contraception was haphazard at least, and the belief system said that one should only lie with one's spouse for the intentions of procreation.

Without vaccination, without access to good paediatric care, only the strong survived and Medieval women often had to deal with the death of one or more of their children. They might be more accepting and fatalistic than us, but it still didn't mean that they grieved less.

I think from Medieval women, we can learn to be grateful for what we have today and not to complain about small things -such as the cliché of the broken fingernail. I also think that while retaining our compassion, we should learn to be tougher.

4. What inspired you about your heroine? Why did you choose her?

LADY OF THE ENGLISH actually has two heroines in the Empress Matilda and Adeliza of Louvain. I have always been interested in the Empress. She is portrayed as a cold, hard, bad-tempered woman. I have even described that way myself in earlier novels from a superficial examination of her character. But I wanted to find out what she was really like? If she was a termagant, then were there reasons for it? What she being misrepresented? Were there any alternative views of her personality? What were the people around her like? What made her tick? Writing novels is always about asking and answering questions.

With Adeliza of Louvain, I realised that no one had ever written a novel about her, and that in fact she was very important to the history of the period, because without her quiet, understated courage, Matilda would have found it far more difficult to make her bid for England's crown, and Henry II might never have come to the throne. I was also interested to find out about Adeliza's relationship with a baron called William D’Albini who she married after her husband King Henry I died. D’Albini supported the opposition during Matilda’s bid for the crown, yet he and Adeliza seemed to live together in harmony. So what was their story?

5. Can you describe a typical writing day?

Depends what day of the week you take as all are different but typical in their own way. If you ask me on a weekday, mostly I write for half of the day and an evening. I will take time out to do the grocery shop, meet a friend, or keep fit at the gym. When I write, I tend to do so in short bursts interspersing with social networking such as Facebook and Twitter and sites such as Goodreads and Historical fiction Online. I know a lot of writers need a concentrated amount of time in which to write, but I find it fairly easy to switch between disciplines. The weekends tend to be my most intensive writing days because I don't take time out to do things away from the PC - other than eat! I am more of a night owl than a lark, and can sometimes be found toiling away in the early hours of the morning, which tend to be late at night in Australia, and mid-evening in the USA, so generally that's when I hook up with overseas readers and friends.

6. Can you tell us briefly about any new novels in the works?

I have been contracted to write 3 novels about Eleanor of Aquitaine by my UK publisher – The Summer Queen, The Winter Crown and The Autumn Throne. I’m researching and writing the first one at the moment. I feel that there is still a place for another Eleanor of Aquitaine novel in the market and my take will be unique! While waiting for the Eleanor books, Sourcebooks in the USA are going to be publishing A Place Beyond Courage, Shadows And Strongholds and Lords of the White Castle, three of my UK titles that have not received a widespread USA audience before.

When We Were Gods by Colin Falconer

Throughout the centuries, the legend of Cleopatra VII, Queen of Egypt, has fascinated and intrigued. But it has also been clouded by speculation, embellishment, and stormy controversy. Thousands of years after her death, she remains an iconic figure, an enigma; her fascinating life the fodder for numerous novels and movies. Of all the books I’ve read about this notorious heroine, Colin Falconer’s version is perhaps the most plausible and realistic version. He has struck a suitable balance between circumspect and entertainment. 

Cleopatra was born into the Ptolemaic dynasty sometime in late 69 BC – August 12, 30 BC. She was considered the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. She spoke Greek and later Egyptian, flaunting herself to the world as Isis, an Egyptian goddess. After the death of her father, as was tradition for Egyptian royal families of the time, she married her brothers, but after their deaths or murders, she became Egypt’s sole ruler. Her liaisons with Caesar strengthened her power and she bore him a son whom she named Caesarian.

Caesar

After Caesar’s horrific assassination, Cleopatra united with Marc Antony, handsome, powerful, and natural leader of men who loved the decadent life.

Marc Anthony

Together with Marc Antony they set out to defeat Caesar’s power hungry and ruthless nephew and heir, Octavian.

Octavian

Cleopatra bore the handsome, charismatic Marc Antony twins, Selene and Alexander.

Cleopatra and Marc Antony

But the fates brought little luck to Marc Antony and he committed suicide after failed battles. Heartbroken, Cleopatra followed him to the grave by allowing the bite of a poisonous asp to kill her.

Cleopatra by Frank Dicksee

The novel opens when Cleopatra is 18 years old at the death of her father, Ptolemy. Intrigue and danger follows as powerful men try to usurp the throne of Egypt from her. My favourite passage in the novel is the very first scene where Marc Antony is introduced. I must have read and re-read that scene no less than ten times just for the pure enjoyment. Nothing short of brilliant and so much fun! The story unfolds chronologically, realistically, and with a wonderful mix of fiction and fact. I cannot state it enough how real the story seemed and how believable the author portrayed Cleopatra to the reading audience. Her cunning and wisdom was more than adequately captured, as was her devotion to her children, her country, and her love for Caesar and Marc Antony.

The author’s writing style is direct and easy, allowing the reader to immerse themselves into the story seamlessly. Cleopatra evolves as a sensual, strong, woman trapped in a world of betrayal and the constant battle for power and supremacy. I liked this author’s prose and the way he tells a story. He worked hard to present the facts, but was able to add enough color and individuality to keep me turning and turning the pages. The level of detail made this novel real as life itself. This is the first novel I’ve read by Colin Falconer, but it won’t be the last. I’ll be collecting all of his books and will avidly follow his career from here on in. Bravo Mr. Falconer! Thank you for the pleasure of reading such a fine book. Now, off to Amazon to acquire The Sultan’s Harem.

The Confession of Katherine Howard by Suzannah Dunn

Suzannah Dunn’s latest novel, recounts the compelling story of Katherine Howard, the fifth wife of Tudor King Henry VIII. The story unfolds through the first person narrative of her companion and lady-in-waiting, Cat Tilney, and is told in three parts based on the affairs of Katherine Howard.

Katherine Howard

In the first part of the story, Katherine Howard and Cat Tilney live with the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, a woman who took on the children of poor aristocratic relatives for education and training.

Dowager Duchess of Norfolk

Because the Duchess was often away, she left her young charges to their own devices which resulted in too many freedoms and a very licentious household indeed. Katherine, a passionate young girl with a keen interest in men and sex, soon became embroiled in her first affair with her music teacher, Henry Mannox.

A short time thereafter, Katherine abandoned Mannox to take up with Francis Dereham. That affair cooled when a position was arranged for Katherine in King Henry’s court as lady in waiting to the new queen, Anne of Cleves.

King Henry VIII

Anne of Cleves

Henry lacked interest in Anne and instead found himself quite taken with Katherine. So much so that the king annulled his marriage and married Katherine only three weeks later.

Meanwhile, back at the Dowager’s household, an abiding friendship developed between Cat and Francis Dereham that blossomed into love. Before long, Queen Katherine summoned them both to court. It was then that Cat discovered Katherine was conducting an affair with Thomas Culpepper, a favorite courtier and a gentleman of the king's bedchamber.

Katherine’s indiscretions soon became known. Cat tried to warn Katherine to put an end to her affair or it could result in her death, but Katherine continued to manipulate and set out to fix matters by her own hands. To keep her ex-lovers silent, she hired them into her household – Henry Mannox as a musician and Francis Dereham as her secretary.

Mary Hall, an embittered chambermaid at the Dowager Duchess’ household and witness to Katherine’s torrid affairs, revealed the information to Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury and a friend of King Henry.

Thomas Cranmer

Archbisoph of Canterbury

Cranmer, fearful that any contract made between Katherine and Francis Dereham would invalidate the marriage to the king, revealed this information to Henry. A secret investigation was launched which resulted in Dereham’s and Culpepper’s imprisonment. Under torture, the two men confessed and ultimately Katherine was charged and executed.

Suzannah Dunn has penned an intriguing tale of a queen’s self-inflicted downfall. Filled with lush descriptions, the prose is easy to read and the story moves along in an interesting way. The novel focuses quite heavily on the adolescence of Katherine and Cat, whereas I longed for more details about Katherine’s troubles during her marriage with the king and her subsequent imprisonment and execution, like the title suggested. I think the story might have been much stronger in Katherine’s viewpoint rather than that of Cat who is too far removed from true conflict.

Even so, I found the novel to be well written and a wonderful depiction into the treacheries of court life during the 16th century. It is an enjoyable read with plenty of historical accuracy and details to keep readers interested.

A Song of Awakening by Roby James

A Song of Awakening by Roby James

Review by Tracy Falbe

Set in the 13th century, A Song of Awakening by Roby James opens during an uneasy peace between the Welsh and the English, who are determined to subjugate the tenaciously independent Welsh. Three Celtic bards, two old men and their apprentice Ine, journey to the Welsh village of Flint to witness the birth of Briana. The older bards prophesize that Briana will bring freedom to Wales. Because bards are highly revered within Welsh society, Briana becomes entrenched among her people as their hope for their future.

As little Briana grows up, the prophecy about her seems completely impossible. She is just a girl in a dangerous world increasingly threatened by Welsh tempers and English ambition. But for a time, she enjoys a decent life in Flint. She shows an aptitude for music, and Ine gives her lessons when he can.

Another major character in the novel is Rees a nephew of King Edward of England. While Rees is maturing, one of the old Celtic bards also stops by this young man's house and encourages him to maintain his love of music. Rees is mindful of the advice but knows that it is his role to be a knight. He grows into an excellent knight and is hardened by the Crusades into a phenomenal fighter. His intellect is also stimulated in foreign lands where he learns formal reason and logic from a scholar. The novel emphasizes that Rees is set apart from the vast majority of medieval society because of his intellect and his ability to apply it to problems.

Of course King Edward has a dangerously sharp mind as well. Cunning, cruel, cold, Edward Plantagenet is a man who gets his way, which includes brutally conquering the Welsh and securing that land with new castles. Edward projects indomitable authority. Many people dread his presence, but the author still imbues him with a recognizable humanity. 

Edward easily recognizes the many talents of Rees and constantly takes advantage of them. He forces Rees to perform some ugly tasks when subduing the Welsh, and he makes Rees rule in Flint.

As the gripping dramas between the characters develop and play out, A Song of Awakening presents a marvelous depiction of the medieval world. Every scene is lush with detail, and you can really feel yourself at the banquet table listening to Ine play and sing or imagine the fiery stallion beneath Rees as he rides in his armor to battle. Rees beautifully embodies the concept of knighthood. He is skilled, powerful, and inspiring, but harsh deeds not of his choosing tarnish his honor.

Many tragedies and travails shape Briana as she matures. She is a bold woman but knows how to hide her true feelings in order to protect herself and others. The hope her people place in her is a great burden because she does not know what to do for them, but her loyalty to Wales is unswerving.

A Song of Awakening is written with beautiful, complex, and unhurried prose, and every word contributes to its engaging and heartfelt story. As the title implies, music is the soul of this novel. The mystical energy of music mortars together the story elements with the strength of a castle wall. Roby James has succeeded wonderfully in summoning the drama, culture, and challenges of medieval life. The author shows both male and female perspectives with thoughtful care. Everything is there from the whoring and ale-swilling of lower ranking knights to the intrigues of Queen Eleanor's household. Although this is a long novel, the story never drags. A strong current of conflict, expectation, and hope carried me from page to page. I highly recommend A Song of Awakening to anyone who appreciates finely crafted historical fiction and genuine characters. 

Queens and Empresses: From Cleopatra to Queen Victoria by Mark Hichens

Queens and Empresses: From Cleopatra to Queen Victoria
by Mark Hichens

If you love biographies about famous women throughout history, then this is a fabulous book to have on your bookshelf. The author, Mark Hichens, has put together a collection of biographies gathered from many different eras and numerous countries. Presented in chronological order according to era, the book opens with Cleopatra and ends with Queen Victoria.

Each biography is surprisingly thorough with plenty of detail, well-researched, and written in a pleasing voice and good pace. I found the biographies to be historically accurate and with enough detail so as to keep the reader interested without overwhelming them. All of the women presented, have previously had their lives recreated in popular fiction, and although many readers will be familiar with each woman’s story, it’s a pleasant change to read about their lives, from start to finish, in one succinct chapter.

The eleven women are:

Cleopatra

Catherine de Medici

Mary Queen of Scots

Elizabeth I

Maria Theresa of Austria

Christina of Sweden

Catherine I of Russia

Catherine II of Russia

Marie Antoinette

Empress Josephine Bonaparte

Queen Victoria

The thread of commonality between each woman is their ability to overcome adversity in worlds where women were of lesser importance. Each woman managed to strengthen their seats of power and leadership based on a combination of shrewd wit, wild luck, or profound sacrifice. Some were most beloved, but others were greatly detested. Several, courageously faced execution. Whether they loved their husbands or were forced into marriages of political convenience, each woman’s story is compelling.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I hope the author produces more such books in the future with lesser known royal women. I, for one, found this book fascinating and I look forward to more.