The Plantagenets by Dan Jones

 

Publication Date: April 18, 2013

Length:  560 pages

My Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you have looked at any of my reviews on my blog you know I'm absolutely obsessed with this topic. I'd read part of Jones' book Wars of the Roses (still need to finish it!) and decided to start at the beginning and go back and read this one first. I also heard an interview with him on the Podcast "History Extra" and found him to be very knowledgeable about his work. His way of explaining things was interesting and so I wanted to dive into his written work of course. Also, I wanted to understand more about the earlier monarchs who shaped the landscape prior to the Wars of the Roses.

SUMMARY

The book is divided into sections covering the reign of each King from Henry I to Richard II. The years span approximately from 1120 to 14oo as these cover the sinking of The White Ship through the deposing of Richard II by Henry IV. Within each section are chapters that have helpful titles to narrow the focus down if you are wanting to read about a specific area of the King's reign. Each ruler is given pretty equal time and nothing is left out including temperament, family dynamics, relations with the Barons and Nobles of the day, economical concerns, major battles, and challenges. Jones gives a fair analysis of his subjects, shining a light on their foibles as well as pointing out when they are maligned by unfair critics. Even King John is treated as worthy of seeing things from his point of view and no one is above scrutiny or praise. From The Anarchy to Bolingbroke's conquest, we see a solid timeline of events and how each led to the next. 

WHAT I LIKED

The book covers so much information in an easy to read way it is astounding to behold. I can't imagine the time and research that went into this book as it is packed full of all the things I already knew plus many stories I didn't. It was fascinating to read about John especially for me because Jones surmises at the end of his reign what exactly his brother Richard or his father Henry could have done differently in some of the unfortunate circumstances he was put in. There is a wealth of information about Edward I and II which I find hard to come by in most books. Overall it was a good snapshot of each era with enough detail to satisfy those who know very little or already know a lot about each one.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

There wasn't a whole lot I didn't like except that it could get a bit dry sometimes. I found myself skimming some of the chapters that got bogged down in economics or the intricacies of warfare. I'd have preferred more personal stories but there were enough included that it was still interesting. Some rulers such as Henry II are bound to be more filled with domestic drama and colorful characters. I wanted to be educated on all aspects of the period so it definitely delivered in that regard but I've come to realize I just don't need to know every last detail about the Magna Carta to understand its significance.

RECOMMENDATION

Yes. Whether you are a lover of this area of history or brand new to it, you will enjoy this book and if you want to zero in on certain people or events it is easy to read the parts you want and separate them from the ones you don't. Everyone who loves history will get something out of this book.

Top Ten Neglected Historical Fiction Topics

 

TOP TEN TUESDAY

HOSTED BY THAT ARTSY READER GIRL

KILCHURN CASTLE, SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

As I was once again looking for a historical fiction book about the Highland clearances, this top ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) topic came to me: subjects that are neglected in the historical fiction genre. We know history is written by the victors, right? And it occurs to me that there are some topics that the historical fiction market is so saturated with (the Tudors, WW II) because those are the topics that naturally lend themselves to easy research and readily available primary sources. It's a shame because there are many books yet to be written on subjects that are more obscure but oh. so. interesting. Here are my top ten time periods that I wish I could find more good fiction to read from. And yes, I can hear all the authors out there shouting..."well why don't you write one!" It's not easy, to be sure.

Let me know if you have any books to suggest on these topics or if you know of some neglected historical fiction ideas just waiting to be written about.  I'd love to know what I'm missing!

1. Scottish Highlands- Yes there is Outlander and tons of Scottish romances. There are plenty of books and novels devoted to Bonnie Prince Charlie and Flora MacDonald. But I have found it almost impossible to find a novel that focuses on the people of the Highlands. I'd love to know more about their personal stories....the clans and their experiences from the 17th and 18th centuries. A story about how it felt to go from the height of the clan culture, through the Act of Union, General Wade's road construction, and the subsequent Jacobite risings. And not just a book that is billed a romance or war book. Rather something in the vein of Gone With the Wind for the Scots would be amazing!

2. West Indies Plantation Years- Most of the books I've found on this topic are either mysteries or experiences of the slaves and their revolts. And while I love those books and think they are worthy of reading, I'd love a book that shows the life of both slave and master with a storyline. Also, showing what life was like and how things were run. The setting of Jamaica is a particular favorite of mine and while I fully understand you can't separate the story from the brutality of the life there, I'd like a well researched novel about all aspects of the system. Too often the story is a simplistic one that doesn't give a lot of inside knowledge into the daily workings and social systems of both the owners and their slaves. 

3. The Crusades: From the Middle Eastern perspective-   I absolutely loved Sharon Penman's The Land Beyond the Sea. I thought it was original and detailed and tackled a rarely covered subject. I learned so much about the major players of the reign of Baldwin IV and the fall of Jerusalem. But when I finished the book I found myself fascinated with Saladin....the leader of the Muslims who brought about the fall of the Kingdom. It would be really great to read a fiction story told from his perspective and giving more insight into the world of the Crusades from the Muslim side. I had so many unanswered questions about their story. 

4. Cawnpore Massacre and British India-  Anne Perry wrote an amazing Christmas novel on this topic. It is called A Christmas Garland and it centers on the Cawnpore Massacre and a soldier caught up in the drama. For years I've tried to find something similar that delves into the lives of the soldiers and the Indian people who were involved. This topic, along with British India is in short supply in the historical fiction world and usually centers around a mystery or is too modern in voice for my taste. Authenticity on this period is hard to come by.

5. Cornwall and Wales- I'd love to read more about both of these places and their history. Poldark is great but is an anomaly concerning Cornwall. Wales is so neglected I struggle to find anything to reference except Sharon Penman's Welsh princes trilogy and Cadfael Chronicles. These countries are so amazing and rich in history they are just begging to be included.

6. Stories from WWI (other than Britain, Russia, and Germany)-    I fully understand that any novel focusing on WWI has to include the big three. But I'm always fascinated with Austria- Hungary, Romania, France, and Italy. What were their stories? Marie of Romania is one I'd love to read more about. And although France may not have been an aristocracy anymore, I know there are amazing personal stories that would make fantastic material for a novel. 

7. The Three Edwards- You can find a bazillion historical novels about Henry the Eighth and Elizabeth Tudor. But try finding a good one about any of the Edwards of the Middle Ages. It's tough! Until reading straight history books about them I had no idea how incredible their accomplishments and personal dramas were. And of course, Edward II is a hot mess so you'd think there would be a glut of stories about his reign and downfall...but there just isn't.

8. Pirates of the Caribbean- This one is baffling to me. The actual, true story of these pirates is so amazing that you'd think someone would want to research and write a book about them from a factual account. Not the swashbuckling romances or kiddie books like Treasure Island, but a real account of what it was like to live in that world. I'd love to see a solid fiction story that takes this fascinating time period and transports me there. Sort of Outlander, Pirate style.

9. East Germany during the Cold War- To be fair, I admit I haven't looked super hard for historical fiction on this topic but I do think there is an awful lot of literature about Nazi Germany and the Russian Revolution,  but not so much about what lives were like once the Iron Curtain descended upon the German people. After the fall of the Berlin Wall there was more access to their stories and it would be nice to hear more about what it was like during that period. 

10. The Oregon Trail- This is one of my favorite history topics and I'd love to see more historical fiction about it. Not romances or westerns but actual stories of life on the trail. Too often an author uses it as a small backdrop but doesn't really immerse you in the life of the people. John Jakes' The Seekers and Gwen Bristow's Jubilee Trail  do a decent job of what I would call authentic historical detail but the books aren't completely centered around the actual Oregon Trail life.

The Reluctant Queen: The Story of Anne of York by Jean Plaidy

 

Publication Date:  1990

Length:  299 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK

This is book 6 in Plaidy's Queens of England series and one of the few books I've found that covers Anne of York exclusively. She is often a storyline in books about Richard III, Edward IV, or the various famous women that surrounded her such as Elizabeth Woodville.  I was eager to read something that focused on her alone. Plaidy is simplistic in style but rock solid in research and I know when I read her books I will learn a lot in an easy to read fashion. She is one of my favorite authors for "getting to the point"  about her subject. 

SUMMARY

The story, written in first person, begins with a prologue in which Anne is dying and reminiscing about her life and marriage. It is also the night of an eclipse which gives it a supernatural element and sets up the idea that Anne is part of a larger, heavenly plan. She thinks about her husband Richard, his brother King Edward, and the enemies surrounding them all as Richard struggles to maintain his tenuous hold on the crown. It is clear that Anne is no fan of Edward and blames his "profligacy, his self-indulgence" for his downfall, noting that none of his faults mattered to the public because he looked and acted the part of a glorious King. Anne realizes she will die soon and is worried about leaving Richard alone, although suspects there is a budding affair between him and his niece Elizabeth of York.

The story then switches to her remembrance of her life beginning chronologically with her birth to Richard Neville, the Kingmaker and Anne Beauchamp, an heiress whose lands and fortune brought her father the title, Earl of Warwick. She mentions her love for their childhood home, Middleham Castle and how happy she and her sister Isabel were there, although notes that she saw little of her father due to his political obligations. When she is five she remembers her ten year old sister explaining the events occurring around them which will change their lives and the course of history: the cause of the War of the Roses and the "silly old Henry and his horrible Queen Margaret." Anne is still too young to understand it all but has a sense of foreboding of things to come. When Edward of York thwarts her father's plans to marry him off  to a French lady by marrying Elizabeth Woodville instead, Anne's life is turned upside down.

Isabel is soon married to George, Duke of Clarence, giving birth to a stillborn son and finds her marriage is not as happy as she had hoped it would be. To Anne's trepidation she too is married off to the Lancastrian heir, Edward and has to reckon with Queen Margaret whom she soon discovers is not as frightening as she originally thought. She does not have much time to settle into her new life before her father is killed at the Battle of Barnet along with her new husband, Prince Edward. When Anne is sent back to England she finds herself a pawn in the politics of the new Yorkist court and due to the machinations of her brother-in-law George, is abducted and placed into a cook's shop, forced into labor and attempted brainwashing that she is just a common scullery maid. She is eventually tracked down and rescued by Richard, with whom she had struck up a renewed friendship and he proposes marriage to her. Anne is overjoyed and agrees to become his wife. 

As Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Anne and Richard experience joy and happiness away from the royal court. Sadly, this carefree life will not last long as they are pulled back into the ongoing strife. Anne loses more of those most dear to her and must eventually accept that she will take on the role of the "reluctant" Queen. The joy of motherhood tempers her melancholia but even that will have its challenges and tragedy. Throughout the reign of her husband, Anne tries to hold out hope that they will one day return to their happy life in the north at Middleham Castle. 

WHAT I LIKED

I already knew the basics about the Wars of the Roses and Anne and Richard's story. I loved that Plaidy included new details I hadn't seen focused on as much in other stories. Anne's abduction and rescue from the cook shop, her dying during an eclipse, and her relationship with Queen Margaret are often overlooked because the narrative is geared toward the men of the story or the battles and politics. I really felt like I was living inside Anne's head and seeing her view of things, giving the reader a fresh perspective. Curious and researching the back stories from this book I discovered that historians are divided on the story of Anne's abduction and how it all unfolded but Plaidy obviously went with the best version of her research from the time. It doesn't bother me to know she might have taken some liberties due to holes in the story. It happens in historical novels. This was a great overview of Anne's life, her marriage to Richard, and her dismay at dying, leaving him to reign alone. If one didn't know anything about the Wars of the Roses, you would come away schooled in the basics and able to move on to more complex, detailed stories of the saga.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

Most of Plaidy's stories would probably fall into the category of YA if I'm being honest. They aren't terribly deep and her style of writing is sometimes a bit choppy. Being used to longer, incredibly detailed stories like Penman's The Sunne in Splendour, I could easily dismiss her work as childish. But I rarely feel this way when I'm done with one of her books and this one was no different. If you are looking for deep and flowery prose you won't find it here but that's okay sometimes. 

RECOMMENDATION

Absolutely, yes.....this is a solid historical novel, well researched, and told in a straightforward way. All of her Queens of England books are wonderful and cover engaging women who lived through extraordinary times.