Customer Reviews:
A Great Group of Players!.......2007-01-13
I read this book in less than 3 hours, because it held my interest completely and I just had to finish it. I read the previous three books about Joliffe and the players, but this is among the best by far. The interaction of the players is superb, with their easy friendship and good humored chiding. The new member of the troupe, Gil, can use some additional exposure -- and further development of what may be an interesting character.
I hate to give any part of the plot away, but consider reading the book because it is well written and beautifully researched. The crime and its solution are simply an added and well brought about bonus. A most for hystorical mysteries fans!
Enjoy!!!!
Book Description
Performing at the wedding of Sir Edmund Deneby's daughter, the player Joliffe has another task to perform--as a spy. As he uncovers the secrets of the Denebys' sordid history, it becomes clear that this wedding celebration is destined to end in tragedy.
Customer Reviews:
Faux pas?.......2007-03-12
As the author of this series, I of course enjoy reading praise of my books, but critical remarks frequently provide me with amusement of another kind. The review that forgives my "small faux pas" of having Joliffe at Lord Lovell's confrontation of the villains because no lord would have a "lowly servant" present at such a time tickles me, because would Lord Lovell really be fool enough to confront the villains alone, without -- in modern terms -- back-up? (He's not a gothic heroine, after all.) And for the sake of damage-control -- limiting who knows what about a nasty situation that could only get worse, the more widely it's known -- who better to have with him than the person who has clued him in to what has been going on? Besides,there were gradations of servants as well as of other ranks; Lord Lovell had used Joliffe as a specialist in the matter, rather than as a plain, all-purpose servant, so "lowly" doesn't seem quite appropriate anyway. Not to mention what Joliffe would say about being called "lowly"!
A Nasty Family.......2007-01-13
The story here is so ugly that we find ourselves ready to wring everybody's neck once we get an inkling of what may be happening in the household where the players come to exercise their craft. However, the storyline is magnificently developed by the author and the characters appear true to the period and their various personas.
The lessons Bassett, the playmaster, imparts to Gil (the new troupe member) are priceless, particularly with the thoughts of his own beginnings with the company that they evoke in Joliffe. Not true to life is the ending, when Lord Lovell asks Joliffe to join him when confronting the family of evil doers. As a mere lowly player, no lord would ever involve him in such event! However, how else would Ms. Frazer let us know what happened? So... I forgive her for that small faux pas.
Altogether a good story, but less of a mystery than her others and definitely a dark downer.
A PLay of Dux Moraud.......2006-11-02
A gently thoughtful tale about a 15th century troupe of players in England, A Play of Dux Moraud probes into what it takes to be good player and a good person. The levels of acting and being within a player or a person make a man a genuine hero, a skillful actor, or a hollow coward. This novel richly entertains as it leads the readers to a deeper reflexion on the complexities of living.
History and Mystery at its best........2006-07-14
Margaret Frazer has created another first-rate mystery series. The historical period is beautifully created and meticulously researched. This author is one of the few who is capable of creating a truly complex mystery and a believable cast of characters. I enjoyed A PLAY FOR DUX MORAUD very much.
A destitute playing troupe . . . ........2005-09-26
The destitute playing troupe of performers made up of Joliffe, Basset and his daughter Rose, her son Piers and her love Ellis, had a stroke of very good luck. After years of traveling the countryside hoping for a few coins that would allow them to survive, they come under patronage of generous Lord Lovell. Their prayers had been answered, thought the actors. The only request Lord Lovell made was that the troupe takes on Gil Densell, the young son of one of Lovell's bailiffs, as an apprentice. How could their generous patron be denied such a small favor?
Lord Lovell added to the troupe's good fortune by providing them with a very good job. The son of Lord Lovell's landholder and daughter of his friend, Sir Edmund Deneby, were to be married. The troupe was asked to go to Deneby Manor and perform as a betrothal present for the young couple. And while there, Lord Lovell says, "I wanted to be able to call on your wits if need be."
The bride-to-be was recently betrothed to another man - a man who died under suspicious circumstances shortly before the wedding. And her current marriage seemed rushed. Lovell wants to know what is going on behind the scenes.
While at Deneby Manor and during the readying for the celebration, the actors had a warm dry place to stay, good company and regular, meals. All considered luxuries to the once struggling actors. Joliffe, who was very popular with all who lived at the manor and the townspeople, found it easy to gather information about the Denebys.
Not hard to uncover was the evident distaste the promised bride and her mother, Lady Benedicta, had for each other and the wall of ice that stood between the bride's parents. Other mysteries, however, are harder to unravel.
The story is slow to start, but the delay is well worth it. Frazer holds your interest with deftly drawn characters acting in a stage of intricate and accurate details of medieval life. The author's attention to the factual events and trimmings of a performance troupe from that period, add to the delight of the story.
As the book ends, the answers to the mysteries are exposed and answers that one would never imagine appear.
History and mystery buffs alike, will enjoy A Play of Dux Moraud.
Customer Reviews:
A Much Tighter Tale this time.......2003-09-27
I've been reading the Sister Frevisse series, and I found that this book is the best so far. The plot is much tighter, and the characterizations much more believable. All the action takes place within the walls of Sister Freveisse's nunnery and that helps keep the plot focused. In this tale, Sister Frevisse is drawn into political and court intrigue when two small boys with their retinue of five adults come seeking sancturary within the nunnery. All kinds of mishaps occur until finally someone turns up dead in a nearby creek. Sister Frevisse must set out to unmask the killer in order to protect the two little boys in her care.
The Real Deal.......2001-06-20
Margaret Frazer has done it again. In this story of two young boys, half-brothers to the underaged King of England, she blends her profound knowledge of the history and theology of late medieval England with a satisfying plot to keep the more sophisticated reader entranced. There are echoes of 'real' history--the princes in the tower--and lots of details that bring the characters and times to life. Above all, Frevisse is fully developed as a 15th century Benedictine nun--her theology is accurate and if her Latin is a bit shaky, we'd never know.
I'm tired of all the superficial 'medieval' mysteries that are just modern stories with a few knights sprinkled around--Frazer knows her stuff. This heroine recites her Hours, but thinks about her God as the granddaughter of Geoffrey Chaucer would have. I have most of the series and will try to find the rest, for sure.
Royal Intrigue comes to St. Frideswide's.......2000-11-25
Margaret Frazer visits St. Frideswide's at the time the prioress is near death in her book the Boy's Tale. The Boys are Henry VI half brothers Jasper and Edmund. They fled for their lives and are trying to make it to a safe place in wales. They were over taken and must claim sanctuary at the nunnery.
Sister Frevisse is able to figure out who they are and helps to guard them from danger. This is not an easy task because the boys are quite mischievous and the villain is persistent.
I am very fond of this genre and likely to overlook any glaring faults. It is really for pure enjoyment that I read these and Frazer has yet to let me down.
Interesting and historically accurate.......2000-02-20
Reading this book is a joy. It's fast paced, with interesting characters, nice twists and a human nun, for a change. I enjoyed it so much, that I have already bought two more of Ms. Frazer's book. It's refreshing to find these entertaining and at the same time historically accurate mystery books.
Excellent Historical Mystery.......1999-12-06
Margaret Frazer is a master at historical detail. When it comes to an accurate evocation of the middle ages, she is unmatched in any genre. Of course, there's also the tightly plotted and compelling mystery story to enjoy, too.
Book Description
In their lively and engaging edition of this sometimes neglected early play, Cox and Rasmussen make a strong claim for it as a remarkable work, revealing a confidence and sureness that very few earlier plays can rival. They show how the young Shakespeare, working closely from his chronicle sources, nevertheless freely shaped his complex material to make it both theatrically effective and poetically innovative. The resulting work creates, in Queen Margaret, one of Shakespeare's strongest female roles and is the source of the popular view of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick as `kingmaker'. Focusing on the history of the play both in terms of both performance and criticism, the editors open it to a wide and challenging variety of interpretative and editorial paradigms.
Customer Reviews:
A myopic of a king done in play format........2007-05-27
The three books that cover the life Henry VI are each masterpieces in their own right. They are each important parts of the multi-facted life of Henry VI. Wonderful history lesson.
Not A Single Complaint!.......2000-04-27
This was one of Shakespeare's earliest plays. (possibly his third) Yet, there is nothing to indicate he was only starting out. Right away he grabs our attention with the funeral of King Henry V. Henry V's brothers Bedford and Gloucester help us to see the virtues and strengths of the deceased king. The Bishop of Winchester is well drawn as a comical villain who plots and plans, but never succeeds in doing any real damage. (Not until the next play anyway.) Talbot is memorable as the selfless hero of the play. York is memorable as the hero who defeats Joan of Arc. King Henry VI himself is interesting. First we see him as a helpless infant. By the third act, we see that he has both strengths and weaknesses. He makes the mistake of dividing the command between the rivals Somerset and York. But also, we see that he does not tolerate treason or neglect of duty. There are also many memorable scenes. The garden scene that foreshadows the War of the Roses is well drawn. The scene where York comforts his dying uncle is tragic beauty. Bedford's death in 3.2 has almost a divine tone. The death of Talbot and his son is very lamentable. York's sudden rise to power is captivating. Perhaps Shakespeare's greatest achievement in this play is that he simultaneously shows us England's war with France and the dissension with England itself.
Part 3 and still running strong!.......2000-03-24
This is not quite as good as 1 or 2, but it is still excellent! Shakespeare grabs us with the dispute between Henry VI and York. While it seems to end peacefully it does not, and the war goes on! York's death in 1.4 is another landmark in Shakespeare's writing. The scene (2.5) where Henry finds true terror is horror, sorrow, and yet beauty and yet another moving part of the play. (The son that hath killed his father and the father that hath killed his son.) The war pauses in disaster for Henry and some comic relief is offered. But the horror starts all over again when Edward IV and Warwick have a falling out. The war starts over again, and the King of France gets involved! The scene where King Henry VI is reinstated is a scene of beauty and hope. While all of this is happening, Shakespeare carefully prepares the monstrously satanic character of Richard III. From here, the play just gets more and more bloody. A final moment of horror is offered when the eventual Richard III proudly compares himself to the one who betrayed Christ. In part 4 "Richard III," the real terror begins!
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- Wonderful Fiction Filled With Charistmatic Characters
- England's greatest Queen as a vulnerable Princess...
- Purely Fictional,,Elizabeth Was A Virgin
- Best Book I have ever read!!!
- Boring!
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Virgin: Prelude to the Throne
Robin Maxwell
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ASIN: 0743204859 |
Book Description
...a riveting portrait of Elizabeth I as a romantic and
vulnerable teenager, dangerously awakening to a perilous
liaison with the wrong man.
England, 1547: King Henry is dead. Elizabeth's half-brother, nine-year-old Edward, is king in name only. Thomas Seymour, brother to the ambitious duke who has seized power in this time of crisis, calculatingly works his way into Elizabeth's home in genteel Chelsea House. He marries Henry's widow, Catherine Parr, and uses his venerable charms and sexual magnetism to indulge his infatuation for young Elizabeth. Caught hopelessly under Thomas Seymour's spell, surrounded by kind friends and hidden enemies, Elizabeth can only follow her heart to ensure survival.
"History doesn't come more fascinating" (Entertainment Weekly) than in the enthralling novels of Robin Maxwell. Virgin is her crowning achievement in a stunning trilogy that "brings all of bloody Tudor England vividly to life" (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Fiction Filled With Charistmatic Characters.......2005-03-08
Although the author admits she may have strayed off the precise history of the events that took place before Elizabeth took the throne, the story she tells is one full of passion, love, friendship and gives a good example of what many suppose the Tudor era was like. Her descriptions of each character, although extreme at times, portrays a good example of what history show them to be like.
I would recommend this book to anyone with a deep interest in Queen Elizabeth or the tudor era who is tired of reading the facts and wishes to enjoy a nice story along with it! Informative yet interesting all in one jolly package.
England's greatest Queen as a vulnerable Princess..........2003-12-27
Great Harry, England's King Henry VIII, is dead. Nine-year-old Edward is now King Edward VI, a boy powerless to stop his uncle Edward Seymour from stealing power as Regent. Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth retires to life in the country with her stepmother Catherine Parr, the Queen Dowager, and her new husband Thomas Seymour. But it is soon apparent to young Bess that a very powerful presence in Chelsea House has eyes for her, and drives nearly everyone mad with his charms. He wants Elizabeth, not bothering to hide his lascivious desires, and he'll do anything to acheive the ultimate goal: the Crown...
I read the hardcover edition of this book and found it appalling. Thomas Seymour was a cold-hearted, greedy, selfish wretch, the way he plotted to get what he wanted. Even so, this is a good read!
Purely Fictional,,Elizabeth Was A Virgin.......2003-08-17
Robin Maxwell is doing nothing different here. Queen Elizabeth, England's greatest queen, has had many stories and films mad about her that portray her as a woman who not only had [realtions] with men but motheredd children in secret. All of these stories are false. There are many theories disputing her prized virginity. Queen Elizabeth will continue to fascinate people worldwide. She reigned at a time when it was radical for a woman to be empowered, at a time when much of the history has been shrouded by myth and fiction. The time after Henry the 8th's death and Elizabeth's ascension to the British throne, is still very much wrapped in fiction.
Queen Elizabeth's "thing' with Thomas Seymour was [physical]. However, Thomas Seymour molested her as a teen, seduced and hoped to control Elizabeth as his ambition was to marry the future queen and become king. It is possible that the young teenage Elizabeth had a crush on Thomas Seymour. Although he was married (to Elizabeth's stepmother Katherine Paar) he was handsome, he was daring and need I say more ? Young women know what's it like to have a crush on an older, attractive man, especially one who was as interesting as Thomas Seymour. However, even if there was a crush, Thomas merely wanted to use Elizabeth as means to an end- that end being his claiming the English throne. When Katherine Paar died at childbirth, Thomas Seymour proposed to Elizabeth, who wisely refused him. Thomas Seymour was eventually executed and Elizabeth imprisoned temporarily since it was thought that she was in on the plot. ELIZABETH DID NOT HAVE A CHILD BY THOMAS SEYMOUR. It is absurd and purely fabricated for the sake of sensational literature to claim that William Shakespeare was the son of Thomas Seymour and Elizabeth. Also ELIZABETH DID NOT HAVE CHILDREN BY ANY OTHER MAN. If Elizabeth had relationships with men, there are a number of ways to look at them:
1 Platonic- romantic. Although she may have wanted to marry a man and mother children, Elizabeth knew it would mean that her husband had to be fit to rule England if he outlived her. It was a dangerous time. The Protestant versus Catholic rivalry could erupt into violence and war, To Elizabeth, only she was capable of ruling England properly and she was. Her relationships with such men as Robert Dudley of Leicester and Robert Devereaux Earl of Essex were romantic- but not [physical]. They were strong friendships.
2. Safely [physical]- IF and that's a big if in my opinion, if Elizabeth did engage in [physical] intercourse with men (as is insinuated in the movie Elizabeth with Kate Blanchett in 1999) then Elizabeth and her lovers practiced a form of safe [realtionships] during this time (use your imagination). Perhaps [the physcial part] was not involved but other methods and there are reports that some women had the knowledge of how to prevent pregnancy, even if these women were considered "sinful" or were prostitutes or courtesans. If Elizabeth did use protection and avoid pregnancy, she did so without the knowledge of the court or the entire realm of England. What was more important is to rule in her own right as "Virgin" Queen even if "virgin" was...only a slight truth.
I hope these two theories help establish more truth. At any rate, altlhough this novel is very well written and presents exciting fictional versions, it is almost an insult to the Virgin Queen for in my opinion she was still a virgin.
Best Book I have ever read!!!.......2003-04-13
This book is amazing. It gives a wonderful description of an area of Elizabeth's life that few have ever explored. You really get a good sense of the times as well as the characters. A MUST READ!!
Boring!.......2002-11-17
I read The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory and loved it, so I chose this as a follow up and was very disappointed. It lacked any interest or excitement.
Book Description
The Oxford Shakespeare General Editor Stanley Wells The Oxford Shakespeare offers authoritative texts from leading scholars in editions designed to interpret and illuminate the plays for modern readers. - a new, modern-spelling text, based on the 1623 First Folio - detailed introduction considers composition, sources, historical events, performances and changing critical attitudes to the play - on-page commentary and notes explain meaning, staging, identify historical figures and events, and much else - appendices include extracts from the chronicle sources and new research on the use of boy actors in Elizabethan performance - illustrated with production photographs and related art - full index to introduction and commentary - durable sewn binding for lasting use 'not simply a better text but a new conception of Shakespeare. This is a major achievement of twentieth-century scholarship.' Times Literary Supplement
Customer Reviews:
Possibly the Greatest of the History Plays........2006-07-18
"Henry V" and "Richard III" seem to be Shakespeare's most popular and famous history plays. But I myself have always leaned towards this one. The play starts with the wedding of King Henry VI and Queen Margaret. At this point in the game, France has gained the upper hand. But England still controls Calais, Anjou, Maine, Normady, and some areas around Bordeaux. Well, th virtuous Gloucester (and only remaining son of King Henry IV) is shocked along with some others that Anjou and Maine will have to be returned to France as well. This angers York and he thinks Henry VI's questionable marriage amongst other things is just cause to aim for the crown. (In history, Richard was actually VERY loyal to King Henry VI, even when situations practically invited him to seize the crown. Eventually, he was forced somewhat by Margaret's actions to take up arms.) Later, we see that Gloucester's wife has her eyes on the crown as well. Meanwhile, Margaret is growing weary of King Henry VI, and her affair with Suffolk is becoming more prevalent. Act one ends with a dramatic scene of Pagan Prophecies and Lady Gloucester's arrest. Act 2 begins with the comical scene of someone claiming a false miracle. Though the comedy breaks when Gloucester learns of his wife's treason. York gathers his allies Salisbury and Warwick and plans his move to seize the crown. In one of his stronger moments, King Henry VI orders the execution of those who plotted against him. Though he is smart and knows that the virtuous Gloucester's wife must be treated a bit more gently. So he makes her do public penance and banishes her. Gloucester bids a sorrowful farewell to his banished wife, and must stand trial himself. We also learn that all of England's French territory is lost. (Though this is not 100 % true. England still held Calais, and would continue to do so through the reigns of Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III, Henry VII, Henry VIII, and Edward VI.) Moving on, York, Somerset, the Cardinal, Suffolk, and Queen Margaret all work to bring Gloucester down. He defends himself with dignity, but is arrested. Soon afterwards, Glouceter is pronounced dead. True King Henry VI is often rebuked for fainting here, but he actually displays one of his finer moments. He banishes the vile Suffolk for the murder and does not back down even when Margaret in a deceptive manner says Suffolk is innocent. Perhaps one of the greatest scenes is 3.3 where the Cardinal goes insane (quite possibly guilt over Gloucester). In this brief scene, the cardinal's insanity fills us with horror, and the scene where Henry VI forgives him is actually very touching: 'Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all.' Act 4 is dominated mostly by the rebel Jack Cade. He has launched an uprising against the king, and he is actually quite theatrical and offers some comical moments. Well, he gets quite far, but is finally defeated by Buckingham and Clifford. Cade tries to escape, but is killed by Iden. Onto the final act. having left for Ireland, York returns in arms, but decides to back off for the time being, when Buckingham insists that Henry VI has met York's demand and imprisoned Somerset. This proves not to be, and Yort takes up arms. His sons (the eventual King Edward IV and King Richard III) appear and the war begins. York does gain the advantage here, but things are far from over. King Henry VI and Margaret escape, and the scene where Young Clifford discovers his father (killed By York) and gives his soliloquy of revenge is a scene that combines sorrow, rage, hate, and beauty ever so well.
Book Description
Recently widowed and still grieving, Cristiana Helyngton finds her life wrenched apart by her late husband's greedy and ambitious relatives, who are determined to have control of her lands and her daughters. Kidnapped, defamed, and imprisoned in a nunnery, she must find a way to save herself before she can save her children.
For Dame Frevisse of St. Frideswide's nunnery, Cristiana is at first simply a duty among others, but questions rise and troubles deepen--and then turn deadly. Cristiana, to secure her freedom and save her daughters, must use a secret entrusted to her by her husband as he was dying-but it is a secret that could bring down those lords nearest the king and destroy, rather than save, those most dear to her.
Frevisse, drawn into trouble far deeper than she initially imagined, must decide where her deepest loyalties lie: to the truth-or to England's peace. And whatever she chooses, in the end her help may be of little use against the ruthless men threatened by the secret on which all of Cristiana's hopes depend.
Customer Reviews:
What fun - and it didn't keep jolting me with historical blunders!.......2006-09-23
With the death of her beloved husband, Edward, Cristiana Helyngton thinks her world has come to an end. Unfortunately it's only the start of her troubles. Her unscrupulous brother-in-law promptly and secretly obtains custody of Cristiana, her lands, and her two daughters, by representing Cristiana as a madwoman to the powerful Duke of Suffolk. With her brother off to Ireland in service as a knight to the Duke of York, Suffolk's political adversary, there's no one to protect or rescue Cristiana as Laurence Helyngton carries her off to confinement in a convent. There she lives in prescribed and bitter penitence, half starved and terrified on behalf of her girls. She knows that Laurence plans to force 12-year-old Mary to wed his son, securing the deceased Edward's estate under Laurence's control. After that he intends to place 8-year-old Jane in a nunnery, unless she's needed to replace Mary if the older daughter fails to seal the marriage by producing an heir.
But Laurence Helyngton has made one huge mistake. He's committed his sister-in-law to St. Frideswide's, where Sister Frevisse is hosteler. The gifted amateur detective soon suspects things aren't exactly as Cristana's "guardian" has described them. As she and Domina Elisabeth are drawn ever more deeply into the Helyngtons' escalating conflict, Frevisse realizes that people far more powerful than Cristana and Laurence may stand or fall based on its outcome. Among them is Alice, Duchess of Suffolk, Frevisse's estranged but still beloved cousin; and possibly King Henry VI himself.
Margaret Frazer's meticulously researched history, well-drawn characters, and credible plots have me reading her mystery novels eagerly, and that's remarkable because this genre usually leaves me cold. Dame Frevisse stories are an absolute delight, from first page to last, as Frazer immerses herself in the details of medieval life and takes me along for the ride. Can't wait to get my hands on another!
A seamless tale of treachery and murder........2006-02-11
This medieval series set in mid tenth century England are wonderful history lessons, as well as some very-well crafted mysteries. This particular book is set in the spring and summer of 1149 and most of the action occurs in and around Hertfordshire. We have the story of a young widow and her fight to keep her children and her lands away from some very unscrupulous relatives after her husband dies. Cristiana is not a heroine that readers will immediately like, but the tragedy of her story cannot fail but to touch people, as it does Sister Frevisse. This story also places Sister Frevisse in a very difficult situation. She must choose where to place her loyalties and she must also decide whether a piece of correspondance should be made public or not. I highly recommend this series to any lovers of Medieval fiction. Ms. Frazer's research and knowledge are impeccable. She's also a first-rate storyteller.
A top-notch entry in an excellent series........2005-04-22
This is one of my favorite series and this novel is as good as any that Frazer has written. Both her continuing characters and her new characters are interesting and well developed. The mystery is well done, and the story is wrenching but believable. (This is one of the saddest stories that I have ever read.)
I would recommend this series to fans of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael. Of all the series that have been likened to his, this is probably the closest in spirit. The characters are believably Medieval and Frevisse is a nun with a real vocation; the spirituality of the characters is portrayed very well - deep and real but not saccharine.
Solid Frazer Story; Poorly Published.......2005-02-27
While Frazer uncharacteristically leaves the story with loose ends (i.e. the Duchess of Suffolk just simply disappears from the story), this is a solid Sister Frevisse novel. I can't help but point out how very disappointing the quality of the publishing is--so many mispellings, duplicate words (i.e. and and), missing words. While this is not unusual in publishing these days, it's always disapointing. And, for me, always disrupts my enjoyment of the book. Alas for automated proofreading!
This series just gets better and better.......2005-02-02
Frazer makes 15th century England come alive: good plot, interesting characters (although Christiana is sort of wimpy/weepy ) it is hard to put down. LOVE Dame Fevrisse!
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Henry VI (Parts I, II and III) (Signet Classics)
William Shakespeare
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ASIN: 0451529847 |
Book Description
The complete historical play-revised and expanded
The rise and fall of a British king-from his crowning and confrontation with Joan of Arc's French legions through the War of the Roses to his exile and return-the immortal Bard reveals the loves, conflicts, and intrigues that defined the reign of Henry the Sixth.
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'Though I have been dead these fifteen years, I still command here, and none can enter these gates without my permission.' When Sir Philip Harclay returns to England after a long absence, he finds that his childhood friend, Arthur,Lord Lovel, is no longer alive, and that the castle and estates of the Lovel family have twice changed hands. But a mysteriously abandoned set of rooms in the castle of Lovel promises to disclose the secrets of the past. After a series of frantic episodes and surprising revelations, culminating in a trial by combat, the crimes of the usurper and the legitimacy of the true heir are finally discovered. 'The literary offspring of the castle of Otranto', as Reeve described it, The Old English Baron provides an ambitious rewriting of Horace Walpole's groundbreaking work, transporting the trappings of the Gothic to medieval England. Innovative and original in its day, Reeve's historical romance is increasingly recognized as a major influence on the development of Gothic fiction.
Book Description
Two Women Set Out Across Europe in Search of a Dead Queen
The medieval queen in question is Constance of Hauteville, daughter of the Norman King Roger II of Sicily, wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI, and mother to the Emperor Frederick II. In 1194, at the age of forty, Constance journeyed from Germany south to reconquer her father's throne. On the way she discovered that she was pregnant for the first time. She decided to give birth in public so that the world would know the child was truly hers. These intriguing facts, and very few others, are all we know directly of Constance's life.
Seventeen years ago, Mary Taylor Simeti promised in On Persephone's Island--her now-classic memoir of an American in Sicily--that she would someday tell the story of Constance (who was, like her, an expatriate and the mother of a bicultural family). In Travels with a Medieval Queen, Simeti keeps her promise: retracing Constance's route from Germany to Sicily, contrasting the exotic setting of Constance's childhood in Palermo with that of her married life in the north, and drawing on reading in contiguous fields to flesh out a spare legacy of historical facts. This is the beautifully illustrated chronicle of Simeti's twentieth-century travels, first in books, then on the road, as she searches the landscapes and the monuments that survive from the twelfth century for clues to the inner life of a mother who was also a monarch.
Customer Reviews:
GREAT.......2005-08-21
GREAT_If you love history you will love this book. Fun. Great book for a rainy day - take the time travel machine.
A charming narrative!.......2003-03-21
I am an academically trained and practicing medieval historian who has written some "serious" stuff on medieval queens, and I was enchanted with this author's approach. It isn't a traditional biography -- it isn't supposed to be...it's part travel journal, part memoir, part tribute to the marginalized women of th European past; part talented amateur engagement with the middle ages.
The author's attempts to engage with and appreciate Constance of Sicily are wonderfully narrated, and I think very effective over all. I am giving a copy to each of my female grad students to read over spring break.
Quick Read?.......2003-01-09
I'm glad somebody found this to be a quick read. I found it to be hard going with a lot of " maybe -this -happened" in the text, which the author acknowledges. It seemed to jump from one year to another and back to the first year and if you were not familiar with the characters became very confusing. Parts of it were interesting, mostly the last 50 pages. The pictures were nicely done. There was a small error in the Family Tree at the beginning. Eleanor of Aquitaine did not die the same year as Richard the Lionheart.
Creative and imaginative biography of a little-known queen!.......2002-11-23
It's a daunting task to attempt to write a biography of someone when few primary sources exist. Constance, the last child of the Norman King Roger II of Sicily was an intriguing woman whose personal story teased, eluded and captivated author Mary Taylor Simeti for years, as she states in the pages of this biography-cum-travelogue-cum-personal memoir, but with whom she felt a strange kinship. Both were strangers in a strange land---Constance in her 10-year exile from her Sicilian homeland when she married Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI---Simeti when she married a Sicilian, settled there, and raised her children far from America. Simeti happily found a home in Sicily (and this is her 4th book dealing with Sicilian subjects); Constance finally returned, in triumph, to the land of her forebears, having borne a child along the way (a first child, at the age of forty!), the infant who would become Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor and Sicilian King. Simeti flatly states that she did not know if she had enough material to write a biography. She then takes the daring chance of fleshing out her thin material by musing about a fictitious (though likely) Arab nursemaid, a possible (though unlikely) relationship with a German courtier, and a close friendship (most plausible) with an Italian abbess, and sets out to reconstruct Constance's final trip home to Palermo, using logic, old documents, and intuition, to guess the actual route of the journey south. Simeti takes the further leap of relating to Constance as a woman and mother whose hopes, fears, and ambitions for her child were not so different from those of any other mother, despite the yawning chasm of centuries and cultures. Not a traditional biography, or history, by any means, and some points are surely controversial, but this is a compelling narrative that makes this little-known queen come alive as a personage in her own right. Simeti freely admits that although she was a history major, she is not an historian, but she shows great powers of empathy with Constance. Moreover, living in Sicily for 40 years has made her quite knowledgeable about and sensitive to the people, the land, and its ancient history. (I wish only that Simeti had taken more time in her journey to visit more sites and take more photographs!) The story of the Norman conquest of Sicily, when the House of Hauteville wrested control of this rich kingdom from Arab control, and what happened when Teutons from the North stepped in two centuries later at the death of Constance's young nephew, William II, after the throne was claimed by an illegitimate grandson of Roger II, isn't well-known, but it is highly dramatic, replete with colorful characters, intrigues, and adventure. I look forward to more explorations of Sicilian history from this talented writer, someone who loves what she does and has the ability to make otherwise dusty history come alive for her readers. A final note---Simeti talks about her own life and experiences in this unusual book but never in a jarring manner---which makes one wonder at the disturbing ad hominem remarks addressed to the author in the previous reviews---rather, the contemporary travelogue-cum-memoir has its own charm and nicely brackets the trip and experiences of Queen Constance, who becomes ever more human to us as she makes her crucial life's passage from the cold, monochromatic German castle of Trifels to the warmth and beauty of the colorful Mediterranean island her heart never really left. And there is never any question of where Simeti's heart is.
Interesting but not essential.......2002-07-04
The book was a quick read (so I don't regret having read it) but it is rather an odd mix. The story of the "medieval queen" in question (Constance of Sicily, mother of Frederick II, the HRE) is based on very litte historical information (since none exists and the author doesn't appear to be a particularly strong scholar) and for some unfathomable reason she feels the need to "make up" imaginary characters to accompany the queen on her journey. The queen does nothing on this particular trip except travel very slowly from point A to point B, giving birth along the way. She is not an active power and indeed, like nearly any royal woman of the period, was little more than a slave to her husband and her "duty." Nevertheless, the author tries to make a case for her undergoing some kind of "empowerment" through giving birth and returning to her native land as Queen. There isn't any evidence to support this assertion, and the amateur psychology (based on the author's own experience of being a mother) is not attractive.
At the same time as she tells the queen's story, the author and a friend are retracing the queen's route (based on sheer guesswork). One doesn't know whether to applaud that some buildings still exist 900 years later or bemoan the fact that so much of the medieval legacy was bombed to hell in WWII.
Then, to fill in for all the nonexistent information, we are treated to a wide range of facts about various royal houses, medieval life, etc. For me, the best part of the book was learning something about the Norman Sicilian monarchy, and its relationship to the royal houses of Germany and England.
As a light, quick read you may enjoy it, but this book really did not need to be written and there are many other, better books on women in the Middle Ages. Also, the jacket copy on this book is particularly misleading. The visuals (art/photos) in the book are well chosen.
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