BOOK REVIEW - The King's Sister by Anne O'Brien

Pages: 560

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Date: November 2014

Purchase this novel at AMAZON

Book Blurb

One betrayal is all it takes to change history

1382. Daughter of John of Gaunt, sister to the future King Henry IV, Elizabeth of Lancaster has learned the shrewd tricks of the court from England’s most powerful men.

In a time of political turmoil, allegiance to family is everything. A Plantagenet princess should never defy her father’s wishes. Yet headstrong Elizabeth refuses to bow to the fate of a strategic marriage. Rejecting her duty, Elizabeth weds the charming and ruthlessly ambitious Sir John Holland: Duke of Exeter, half-brother to King Richard II and the one man she has always wanted.

But defiance can come at a price.

1399. Elizabeth’s brother Henry has seized the throne. Her husband, confidant to the usurped Richard, masterminds a secret plot against the new King. Trapped in a dangerous web, Elizabeth must make a choice.

Defy the King and betray her family. Or condemn her husband and send him to his death.

Sister. Wife. Traitor.

She holds the fate of England in her hands.

My Review 

Anne O’Brien is by far one of my favorite historical fiction authors, and I am reminded of why this is after reading “The King’s Sister”. I can honestly say that I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster while reading this novel. I laughed, cried, felt angry, shocked, and sad as I completely lost myself in this book due to Anne O’Brien’s superb writing skills. Prior to reading “The King’s Sister” I knew very little about Elizabeth of Lancaster. She has always been a minor character who I “met” in passing as I read novels about King Henry IV or her famous father the Duke of Lancaster. However, after reading this book, I honestly felt as though I knew her. Ms. O’Brien really has a way of bringing her characters to life for readers. I’ve read several of her novels, and I’ve loved every one. The way that the author describes the everyday lives of her characters makes them seem so real. Obviously Elizabeth of Lancaster truly was a real person hundreds of years ago, but there was very little that was known about her. As with many important women from history, their importance was overshadowed by whatever the men at that time were doing. However, the way that the author portrays Elizabeth of Lancaster feels right, and it is easy to picture her just as described. Since I knew so little about her life, I was shocked when certain events happened, and I actually got teared up towards the end. To be able to really connect with a character, to me, is a priority when I read a novel. I want to love, and sometimes even hate, the character. I want to feel like I KNOW the character by the time I finish the novel. Nothing is more disappointing than reading a novel and being unable to understand the main character or to have any type of strong emotions for the character.

“The King’s Sister” had my interest right from the beginning, and when I closed the book at the end, I wanted it to keep going. I have nothing but positive feelings and glowing praise for this novel, and it is a solid FIVE out of FIVE stars for me!

Praise for Anne O’Brien

‘The gripping tale of Elizabeth of Lancaster, sibling of Henry IV. Packed with love, loss and intrigue’ - Sunday Express S Magazine

‘Her writing is highly evocative of the time period… O’Brien has produced an epic tale’    - Historical Novel Society

‘Anne O’Brien’s novels give a voice to the “silent” women of history’ - Yorkshire Post

‘This book is flawlessly written and well researched, and will appeal to her fans and those who like Philippa Gregory’s novels’ – Birmingham Post

‘A brilliantly researched and well-told story; you won’t be able to put this book down’ - Candis

About Anne O'Brien

Anne was born in the West Riding of Yorkshire. After gaining a B.A. Honours degree in History at Manchester University, a PGCE at Leeds University and a Masters degree in education at Hull University, she lived in the East Riding as a teacher of history. Always a prolific reader, she enjoyed historical fiction and was encouraged to try her hand at writing. Success in short story competitions spurred her on.

Leaving teaching – but not her love of history – she wrote her first historical romance, a Regency, which was published in 2005. To date nine historical romances and a novella, ranging from medieval, through the Civil War and Restoration and back to Regency, have been published internationally.

Anne now lives with her husband in an eighteenth century timber-framed cottage in the depths of the Welsh Marches in Herefordshire, a wild, beautiful place on the borders between England and Wales, renowned for its black and white timbered houses, ruined castles and priories and magnificent churches. Steeped in history, famous people and bloody deeds as well as ghosts and folk lore, it has given her inspiration for her writing. Since living there she has become hooked on medieval history.

Sometimes she escapes from writing. She enjoys her garden, a large, rambling area where she grows vegetables and soft fruit as well as keeping control over herbaceous flower borders, a wild garden, a small orchard and a formal pond. With an interest in herbs and their uses, Anne has a herb patch constructed on the pattern of a Tudor knot garden and enjoys cooking with the proceeds. Gardening is a perfect time for her to mull over what she’s been writing, as she wages war on the weeds.

Learn more about Anne and her fantastic novels on her website:  http://www.anneobrien.co.uk/

Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell

Blurb:

A rich tale of power and forbidden love revolving around a young medieval queen


In 1002, fifteen­-year-old Emma of Normandy crosses the Narrow Sea to wed the much older King Athelred of England, whom she meets for the first time at the church door. Thrust into an unfamiliar and treacherous court, with a husband who mistrusts her, stepsons who resent her and a bewitching rival who covets her crown, Emma must defend herself against her enemies and secure her status as queen by bearing a son.

Determined to outmaneuver her adversaries, Emma forges alliances

with influential men at court and wins the affection of the English people. But her growing love for a man who is not her husband and the imminent threat of a Viking invasion jeopardize both her crown and her life.

Based on real events recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Shadow on the Crown introduces readers to a fascinating, overlooked period of history and an unforgettable heroine whose quest to find her place in the world will resonate with modern readers.

My Review:

I absolutely loved “Shadow on the Crown” by Patricia Bracewell. Not only because of her captivating writing style and thorough research, but also because I had never heard of or read about Emma of Normandy before this novel, so it was great to learn about a different historical figure! The author’s writing style is very fluid and detailed, as well as interesting. It was difficult for me to put the book down once I started reading it, and it was easy to lose track of time once I started. I loved that Patricia Bracewell stayed true to the historical facts, but also incorporated things like forbidden love and intrigue within the novel. I also enjoyed the rivalry between Emma and Elgiva. It added drama to the novel, and provided a foil for Emma.

I think of myself as a knowledgeable person when it comes to knowing about kings and queens of England, so coming across a novel about a queen I had never heard of grabbed my interest right away. I definitely fell in love with Emma’s character in this novel, and my interest in this time period has been piqued. This novel is the first installment in a series of three, so I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!

I would definitely suggest this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially those who are tired of reading the hundreds of books about the Tudors or Plantagenet’s. It was refreshing to read about a different figure in England’s history, especially one as captivating as Emma of Normandy. Like I said, I had never heard of her before, and I had no problem understanding what was going on, so don’t feel as though you need to ‘read up’ on Emma before buying this novel.

I gave Shadow on the Crown a five out of five stars! I have a feeling that I’ll be giving all of the books in this series a five out of five!

Make sure to BUY this novel--CLICK HERE!

Isabella: Braveheart of France by Colin Falconer

Blurb:

She was taught to obey. Now she has learned to rebel. 

12 year old Isabella, a French princess marries the King of England - only to discover he has a terrible secret. Ten long years later she is in utter despair - does she submit to a lifetime of solitude and a spiritual death - or seize her destiny and take the throne of England for herself?

Isabella is just twelve years old when she marries Edward II of England. For the young princess it is love at first sight - but Edward has a terrible secret that threatens to tear their marriage - and England apart.

Who is Piers Gaveston - and why is his presence in the king’s

court about to plunge England into civil war?

The young queen believes in the love songs of the troubadours and her own exalted destiny - but she finds reality very different. As she grows to a woman in the deadly maelstrom of Edward’s court, she must decide between her husband, her children, even her life - and one breath-taking gamble that will change the course of history.

This is the story of Isabella, the only woman ever to invade England - and win.

In the tradition of Philippa Gregory and Elizabeth Chadwick, ISABELLA is thoroughly researched and fast paced, the little known story of the one invasion the English never talk about.

My Review:

“Isabella: Braveheart of France” by Colin Falconer is an excellent work of historical fiction. I was excited when I received a request to read and review this novel, because it takes place during one of, what I consider to be, the most interesting periods in history. It takes place during reign of Edward II, when England was still at odds with Robert the Bruce in Scotland, and in a fragile peace with, his wife Isabella’s brother, the King of France.

There are many rumors surrounding Edward II and his ‘favorites.’ Most historians tend to agree that these favorites, Gaveston and Despenser, were likely Edward II’s lovers, even though there is no solid proof Edward II was homosexual. His overt favoritism towards these men, during different times in his reign, caused much anger among those men who were higher ranking. It also caused his wife, the Queen of England, Isabella to feel animosity towards these men. The novel does an excellent job of giving the reader an idea of what was really going on during this time period. We are able to see Isabella’s struggle to accept something which she cannot control, which is the fact that Edward will never love her like she wants and needs him to and he chooses others before her. Falconer also does a great job painting a picture of Edward’s weaknesses, which eventually cost him the crown of England. Even a reader not familiar with this time period will be able to grasp what is going on fairly easily, because the author does a great job of giving the reader the details in an interesting way, without feeling like they’re reading a history book. Isabella is really brought to life in this novel, and the author doesn’t put her into the ‘she-wolf’ role that many authors have done before. Yes, she is a strong woman, and she is intelligent as well as a shrewd judge of character, but she is not the ‘man-eater’, who stole her husband’s crown for her son and then had him killed, that many historians have made her out to be. I think the author did an excellent job of portraying her as what, I believe, she was really like during her lifetime. The affair between Mortimer and Isabella is also brought to life in this novel, and that was a plus for me, because I believe that historical fiction containing some semblance of a love story or a romance adds to the overall interest level.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It kept my interest throughout, and I believe the author stayed true to the actual history of that time period. The novel is written in third person, but in present tense. This distracted me at first, because I’m used to third person, historical fiction novels being written in the past tense. After a couple chapters I became familiar with his style of writing, and it was no longer a distraction. Anyone who has interest in Medieval Europe, or in historical fiction dealing with England’s Kings and Queens, will definitely find this novel to be very interesting. I would recommend it to all lovers of historical fiction.

I give this novel five out of five stars!

BUY ISABELLA: BRAVEHEART OF FRANCE HERE!

THE BURNING CANDLE: A MEDIEVAL NOVEL by Lisa J. Yarde

Blurb:

Love is for women who have choices. She has none.

In eleventh-century France on the eve of the First Crusade, Isabel de Vermandois becomes the wife of a man old enough to be her father. He is Robert de Beaumont, Comte de Meulan. A hero of the Norman victory at Hastings and loyal counselor to successive English kings, Robert is not all Isabel had expected. Cruel and kind by contrast, he draws her into the decadent court of King Henry I. As Robert's secrets are unraveled, Isabel finds her heart divided. Her duties as a wife and mother compel her, but an undeniable attraction to the young William de Warenne, Earl of Surrey, tempts her. In a kingdom where love holds no sway over marital relations, Isabel must choose where her loyalties and her heart lie.

Based on the life of a remarkable medieval woman forgotten by time, The Burning Candle is a story of duty and honor, love and betrayal.


Review:

This is the first book that I’ve read by Lisa J. Yarde, and I was pleasantly surprised by it. I think that the author really did justice to this time period. The characters at times come across as ‘cold’, but that’s part of the reason I believe the novel felt ‘real’ to me. People during the Middle Ages aren’t really thought of as being exceptionally loving or soft. So many children died young, and marriages between royal and/or wealthy people were often arranged, so in order to survive I believe the people had to be a little ‘cold’.

I really enjoyed reading Isabel’s story as she grew from an abused child to a moderately happy woman. Part of the reason I enjoy historical fiction, is the fact that I am able to get a feel for how this real person, from history, may have actually felt or acted. I think that the way Isabel’s character is described is perfect. She is a strong woman, and though as a reader you may dislike her at times, you also are able to relate to her, because she’s not perfect. I really enjoyed reading about the relationship between her and her husband, Robert de Beaumont, who she was contracted to marry at such a young age. I feel it clearly showed the true dynamic of many royal medieval marriages. The author obviously uses her creative license, but it definitely helped to make the story more interesting. And, Thorold’s character was the perfect villain!  His twisted influence in the story definitely helped to add to the suspense.

The thing that truly makes a historical fiction novel great for me is the addition of a love story, and the love story in this novel is amazing. As a reader, you are able to see the hardships that Isabel has suffered all of her life, and I think the love story helps to lighten the book up a little and to give the reader a little hope. I was completely caught up Isabel’s story, and the fact that the novel is based on actual historical figures and situations, makes it that much more interesting as a reader.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction from the medieval time period. I read it in two days, and had trouble putting it down. I love reading novels based on actual historical figures, especially people like Isabel, who led such fascinating lives. The only issue I had with this novel is the grammatical errors. The book definitely needs to be proof read again, because it’s frustrating to be reading an amazing book, only to keep coming across spelling/grammar errors.

I give this novel five out of five stars.

BUY THE BURNING CANDLE HERE!!!