Category: Book Reviews

Book Review: “Devil’s Gambit” by Jeri Westerson

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The year is 1540, and King Henry VIII is looking for a wife. He has been a widower for over three years, and his councilor Thomas Cromwell believes that a foreign alliance will be the best path forward for England, so he arranges a marriage between Henry and Anne of Cleves. In theory, it should be a good match, but it falls apart quickly. To top it all off, one of Anne of Cleves’ Maid of Honour brought her own drama to court that ended with a murder. Can Will Somers, the King’s Fool, navigate the drama at court while dealing with his own love life, or will the mystery of the missing body prove too much for him to handle? This is the premise of the next book in the King’s Fool Mysteries series called “Devil’s Gambit.”

I would like to thank Old London Press and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I enjoyed the previous books in this series that I have read, so I wanted to see what would happen next for Will Somers.

We begin with the disastrous first meeting between Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves before their wedding. Since Anne did not understand English or English customs, she was confused. Henry wanted to send her away immediately, but Will convinced Henry to become friends with Anne. At the same time, Will is introduced to Anne’s Maid of Honour, Margaret Loy, a German woman who has fallen in love with an English gentleman. However, the gentleman’s father does not approve of the match.

Things take a drastic turn when Lord Humphrey, the gentleman’s father, is found dead in Margaret’s chamber. The only person for the case is, of course, Henry’s jester Will Somers, but as soon as he starts the case, the body goes missing. To top it all off, Will is dealing with his relationships with his wife Marion and his lover Sir Nicholas Pachett Lord Hammond. Sir Nicholas has recently gotten married and is now asking Will for help in his marriage. Talk about an awkward situation. Will must choose who he truly loves, while giving relationship advice to the King, helping Anne navigate the English court, and solving a murder mystery.

While I did think the relationship exploits of Will Somers did take up a bit too much of this book and took away from the mystery itself, I think it was a decent novel. If you are a fan of the previous novels in the King’s Fool Mysteries, you will enjoy “Devil’s Gambit” by Jeri Westerson.

Book Review: “The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens” by Nicola Clark

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When we think about queens of the Tudor dynasties, we often think about films and dramas that show the queen with a gaggle of girls following behind, gossiping, and just being best friends with their queen. However, things on TV and on the screen are not always truthful. The ladies-in-waiting during the Tudor dynasty lived on a tightrope on whether to live their truths or to stay neutral and silent. For centuries, these women tended to be in the shadows of those whom they served, until now. Nicola Clark, in her debut book, “The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens,” tells the stories of these hidden figures of Tudor history.

I have been following Nicola Clark on social media and her research. When I heard that she was writing a book about the ladies-in-waiting for the Tudor queens, I was intrigued. I wanted to see what new information Clark could provide to the study of the Tudor court.

Clark has decided to focus on the ladies-in-waiting during the reign of the six wives of Henry VIII. While there were numerous ladies-in-waiting during Henry’s 36-year reign, Clark has made a conscious decision to focus on a select few of the women who served. She has chosen seven women to highlight: Maria de Salinas, Lady Willoughby, Elizabeth Stafford, Duchess of Norfolk, Mary Howard, Duchess of Richmond, Gertrude Blount, Marchioness of Exeter, Jane Parker, Viscountess Rochford, Anne Basset, and Katherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk. Some of these figures, such as Maria de Salinas, Jane Parker, and Katherine Willoughby, are relatively familiar to average Tudor fans; however, including other women from different levels of service, from novices to more experienced ladies, adds depth to this area of study.

Clark shows us as readers what life was like for a lady-in-waiting, what they would deal with daily at court, and how, after they got married, home life was like. We get to see how they navigated an ever-changing world, from switching between queens quickly to figuring out what they were willing to sacrifice for their position and their families, as well as discovering whether their faith was strong enough to survive the dynasty. It was all a matter of time and patience.

 I found this an enjoyable read with stories about women who were often on the sidelines. Clark shed light on more obscure Tudors, and I think it gave more dimension to the tumultuous Tudor court. I am curious what Clark will write about next. If you want to learn more about the ladies-in-waiting for the wives of Henry VIII, I recommend you read “The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens” by Nicola Clark.

Book Review: “‘If Any Person Will Meddle of My Cause’: The Judicial Murder of Anne Boleyn” by Heather R. Darsie

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We all know the story of Anne Boleyn. The story of the English noblewoman who caught the eye of King Henry VIII, who decided to divorce his first wife, Katharine of Aragon, to marry Anne. He broke away from Rome and created the Church of England to do it, but marital bliss did not last long, as a few years later, Anne would leave their three-year-old daughter Elizabeth behind when she was executed by Henry over charges of adultery. We know this version of the story, but what if we look at Anne’s story from a continental European perspective? How does her story change when we view her life through a religious lens? Heather R. Darsie hopes to show her audience a different side of Anne Boleyn in her latest book, “‘If Any Person Will Meddle of My Cause’: The Judicial Murder of Anne Boleyn.”

I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I have thoroughly enjoyed Darsie’s previous books because she adds depth to the Tudor dynasty by exploring European sources that are not prevalent in other nonfiction books about the Tudors. When I heard that she was writing a book about the fall of Anne Boleyn, I was curious to see what new information her continental sources would provide to Anne’s story.

So, how do you add something new to Anne Boleyn’s story when it is one of the most discussed topics when it comes to studying the Tudors? Darsie explains that her book is not a typical book about Anne Boleyn, as it focuses briefly on Anne’s life and examines the legal, religious, and international contexts surrounding her life. Each chapter of this book begins with part of a poem by Sir Thomas Wyatt, which is a nice touch as he was an admirer of Anne Boleyn. The first part of the book was a bit of an overview of Anne’s life, but Darsie did not go into much depth about Anne’s fall. Instead, she shows the relationships between England and continental Europe with the different political powerhouses. I found the information about the relationship between England and the German princes particularly interesting. It is these relationships that would prove pivotal in Anne’s life, reign, and fall from grace.

It is truly part two where Darsie shines. It is here that she focuses on the religious aspects of Anne’s fall. We all know that Anne was a bit more radical when it came to her religious views, but Darsie takes it a step further. She shows how England was trying to break from Rome centuries before Henry came along. Then, we get to see the religious reformers of England and of Europe who impacted Anne’s religious leanings. There is also an incident in Munster with the Anabaptists that freaked out Henry VIII very badly. Once you put the pieces together that Darsie lays out, it is quite astounding. 

As someone who reads a lot about Anne Boleyn, I am always looking for a new approach to her life. This is exactly what I wanted. By the end, I was speechless, and it brought new life to Anne’s fall and ultimate death. If you are a Tudor nerd and want a new angle to Anne Boleyn’s story, I highly recommend you read “‘If Any Person Will Meddle of My Cause’: The Judicial Murder of Anne Boleyn” by Heather R. Darsie.

Book Review: “Queens at War: England’s Medieval Queens” by Alison Weir

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The fifteenth century in England was a time of war. Between a usurper king, fighting with France, and fighting amongst themselves, an English king must be prepared to go into battle at any moment, and his queen must be ready to support him in any way. During this period, there were five kings and queens, and while the kings get a lot of attention, it is the queens who should get their flowers for what they did in times of distress. Alison Weir explores the lives of the final five Plantagenet queens in her final book in the England’s Medieval Queens series, entitled “Queens at War.”

I would like to thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. I am a big fan of Weir’s books, and I have thoroughly enjoyed her England’s Medieval Queens series. I wanted to see which queens Weir would focus on in this book and how she would approach their lives.

The years covered in this last book are 1399-1485, covering the reigns of Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, Edward IV, and Richard III. The queens featured in this book are Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Woodville (spelled Widville in this book), and Anne Neville. While I am familiar with the stories of Katherine, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Anne, Joan is a less well-known figure to me. Weir gives her readers a bit of background information about how Joan of Navarre was Henry IV’s second wife after his first wife, Mary de Bohun, died. Joan was married previously as well, to John IV de Montfort, Duke of Brittany. While she did have children with John, she never had royal children with Henry IV. Weir shows how Joan was treated as the stepmother to King Henry V after he married Katherine of Valois.

Weir explores Katherine of Valois’ relationships with both Henry V, the warrior king, and Owen Tudor, the man she fell in love with after the death of Henry V. We get to see how Katherine’s son, Henry VI, and his wife, Margaret of Anjou, dealt with the rising Yorkist faction. With her husband taking ill, it was Margaret of Anjou who was the figurehead for the Lancastrian cause in a conflict that would be known as the Wars of the Roses. Eventually, a young man named Edward IV would become King of England, and he shook the English court by marrying an English woman, Elizabeth Widville (Woodville). Finally, Weir explores the downfall of the Plantagenet dynasty and the end of the young Yorkist regime with Richard III and his wife Anne Neville.

Overall, I found this an informative and easy-to-follow book. It was a bit of a review for me as I am familiar with this period, but I found myself learning new information in this book, which was exciting. I think if you want to learn about 15th-century queens or if you are a fan of England’s Medieval Queens series, I recommend you read “Queens at War” by Alison Weir.

Book Review: “Legenda: The Real Women Behind the Myths That Shaped Europe” by Janina Ramirez

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When we think of famous medieval European women, we often think of figures like Joan of Arc and Isabella of Castile. They are seen as women who broke the mold and challenged traditional stereotypes by becoming leaders in traditionally male-dominated fields. These women would be used to craft the identities of their respective nations, but they would help shape the identities of other women from the 18th and 19th centuries. We think we know the stories about these medieval women and their lives, but what new information can we learn from their lives when we examine their lives from their eras? Janina Ramirez takes the stories of seven medieval women and their contemporaries to show how their legacies have been transformed in her latest book, “Legenda: The Real Women Behind the Myths That Shaped Europe.”

This is the third book that I have read by Janina Ramirez, as I have read her book “Femina” and her biography on Julian of Norwich, which I loved. So when I saw that she was writing a new book about medieval women, I knew it was an instant buy for me.

While there have been centuries worth of amazing women from all over the world, Ramirez is focusing on seven countries/areas of interest: France, the Iberian Peninsula, Greece, the Low Countries, Germany, Italy, and Britain. In each chapter, Ramirez focuses on two women or groups of women, one from the medieval era and one from either the 18th or the 19th century. For the medieval period, she has selected: Joan of Arc, Isabella of Castile, Anna Komene, Marie of Oignies and the Beguines, Empress Adelaide of Bavaria, Catherine of Siena, and Lady Godiva. For the more modern women, Ramirez focuses on Charlotte Corday, Agustina Raimunda Maria Saragossa, Laskarina Bouboulina, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Lola Montez, Anna ‘Nina’ Morisi, and Queen Victoria. 

What is truly inspiring about this book is seeing these stories removed from the glossy veneer used to promote nationalism, to show that these women were real and they made a difference by being themselves. We get to see warriors, writers, queens, empresses, revolutionaries, and religious women. However, we also get to see them as daughters, sisters, wives, and mothers. These women did not live in a vacuum. They lived and were more than just symbols for their nations. They fought in their own ways for what they believed was right, whether it was to protect their families or their nations, or following the path set forward by their faith. These women were real, and they were not myths; they were human. 

This is another sensational book by Ramirez. While I did know a few of the medieval women featured in this book, I knew nothing about the 18th and 19th-century women, which was thrilling to see how Ramirez weaved these tales together. I loved this book so much, and I am excited to see what she will write next. If you love medieval women’s history and learning more about their legacies, I highly recommend you read  “Legenda: The Real Women Behind the Myths That Shaped Europe” by Janina Ramirez.

Book Review: “Canticle” by Janet Rich Edwards

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Have you ever believed in something or someone so much that you were willing to do anything to be with them? What if it meant isolating yourself from everyone and everything you loved? Aleys knows this all too well. Born near Bruges during the 13th century, Aleys believes that she is destined for great things and has religious visions. Can this young woman survive both religious and political challenges to make her aspirations of being closer to God a reality, or will she fly too close to the sun and lose everything? Janet Rich Edwards tells Alleys’ tale in her debut novel, “Canticle.”

I would like to thank Spiegel & Grau and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I am always looking for a fresh approach to the past, so when I read the premise of this novel, it sparked an interest in me. As it is a debut featuring a religious group of women that I was not familiar with, the beguines, I wanted to see how Edwards’s writing style would bring something new to medieval historical fiction.

“Canticle” is a novel that follows three main narrators: Aleys, the young woman who longs to have a deeper relationship with God; Friar Lukas, who wants to grow his monastery; and Jaan Smet, Bishop of Tournai, who wants to get closer to the pope and power. We begin with Aleys as a young woman. She lives with her mother, father, brothers, and sister. Her mother died during childbirth, leaving the family broken. Aleys’s father decides to marry her off to a rich merchant, but Aleys decides that she wants to live a religious life, so she runs away. It is here she meets Friar Lukas, a Franciscan, and she wants to become a Franciscan, but Lukas convinces her to join the community of beguines.

It is in the community of beguines that Aleys discovers her true self and a series of translations that will send shockwaves all the way to Rome. The Bishop wanted to take down this community so that he could earn the respect of Rome and possibly become a cardinal. However, it was Aleys who was about to change with a miracle that sent the town into a frenzy. It was Friar Lukas who convinced Aleys to take the ultimate step and become an anchoress. It was when Aleys became an anchoress that Edwards truly shines because she shows the isolation that an anchoress might feel in her cell. But life has a way of reaching even an isolated cell, and Aleys must choose whether to save herself or her beloved beguines.

I found this a delightfully evocative novel about medieval religious life. It made me feel sympathy for the beguines and the anchoresses who were willing to risk it all to get closer to God. I really enjoyed Edwards’ writing style, and I can’t wait to see what she will write about next. If you want something medieval that focuses on religious life, I would recommend you read “Canticle” by Janet Rich Edwards.

Book Review: “The Thistle and The Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor” by Linda Porter

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The Tudors have been an area of fascination for historians and history nerds alike for centuries. The attention tends to focus on either Henry VIII and his six wives or his daughter, Elizabeth I, but we need to remember that they were not the only Tudors. In fact, we should remember that Henry VIII had siblings, Arthur, Margaret, and Mary. While Arthur and Mary tend to get more attention due to their proximity to Henry VIII and his marital life, Margaret Tudor had her own eventful life as Queen of Scotland and the mother of King James V. Linda Porter tells Margaret’s story in her latest biography, “The Thistle and the Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor.”

I had heard that Porter was writing a new biography about Margaret Tudor, so I knew I wanted to read it. I have read a few books about Margaret Tudor, but they have been relatively short, so I wanted to see what new information Porter would include in this book.

Margaret Tudor was the second child of King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth of York. As such, she was destined to marry a foreign prince and create a strong alliance for the brand-new Tudor dynasty. Since her brother Arthur was betrothed to Catherine of Aragon, Margaret’s parents chose a match with Scotland and King James IV, who was twice the age of Margaret. As Queen of Scotland, Margaret did her best to bridge the gap between England and Scotland, deal with her husband’s mistresses and illegitimate children, and be a mother to her son, King James V.

Everything changed when James IV died at the Battle of Flodden. Margaret was now a widow and regent for the young King James V. To protect her family, Margaret decided to marry Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, which turned out to be a trainwreck. Although Archibald did give Margaret her daughter, Margaret Douglas, he was stealing from Margaret’s own properties, which was a jerk move. Margaret wanted a divorce, but her dear brother Henry VIII was against the idea. A bit hypocritical, especially since he would divorce Catherine of Aragon a few years later. Eventually, Margaret would divorce Archibald and marry a third time to Henry Stewart, Lord Methven.

Throughout history, Margaret Tudor has been viewed negatively because she married Archibald so quickly, but Porter showed that Margaret should be applauded for how she survived during difficult circumstances. She fought for herself and her children, even if it meant that she was at odds with her husbands or her brother. Through her letters, we see how Margaret was a diplomat trying to make peace between England and Scotland.

Porter does an excellent job telling Margaret’s story in a respectful manner. This book is extremely well researched and easy to read. If you are a Tudor fan and you want to learn more about Henry VIII’s sister Margaret Tudor, I highly recommend you read “The Thistle and the Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor” by Linda Porter.

Book Review: “Royal Childbirth in the Middle Ages: Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth” by Michele Schindler

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Throughout history, many aspects of life have changed drastically, but one thing has remained the same: the different stages of life—birth, youth, adolescence, adulthood, old age, and death. It is the first stage of life, birth, that tends to get the least amount of attention when it comes to historical research. In recent years, it has been gaining more and more attention, especially when it comes to royal births, which have the most amount of written records. Michele Schindler has chosen to focus on the aspects of medieval childbirth in her latest book, “Royal Childbirth in the Middle Ages: Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have enjoyed the previous book that I have read by Michele Schindler, and so when I saw that she had a new book about the medieval period out, I was excited to read it. I have read a few books that featured childbirth, primarily in the Tudor period, but never when it comes to the medieval period, so I wanted to learn more.

Schindler has decided to divide her book into sections, each part focusing on a different stage of childbirth: conception, pregnancy, birth, baptism, infant care, and how society as a whole understood childbirth as part of a woman’s life. Each section has sub-sections that explore aspects like miscarriages, twins, confinement, stillbirths, wet nurses, and deaths during infancy. These are very heavy topics, but they are discussed in a respectful manner.

To give context to the topics discussed, Schindler uses examples from multiple centuries to show how royal and noblewomen dealt with childbirth and its struggles. Some of the women featured in this book include Margaret Beaufort, Margaret of Anjou, Eleanor Cobham, Isabella of Castile, Alice Chaucer, Anne Neville, and Elizabeth of York. She also compared these lives and how they experienced childbirth to the common people to show the difference in status and the importance of ceremonies like confinement to the nobility.

Overall, I found this book to be really well researched, as well as being pretty easy to follow along with. I found a deeper appreciation for medieval women and what they had to go through to have a child. If you want to learn more about medieval childbirth practices pertaining to the higher echelons of society, I would recommend you read “Royal Childbirth in the Middle Ages: Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth” by Michele Schindler.

Book Review: “Life in the Medieval Town” by Kathryn Warner

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Have you ever watched a movie, played a video game, or read a novel set in the Middle Ages and wondered if life was really like that? Was it super dirty, grimy, and deadly, or is this a fictional device to show how bad the past was compared to the present? Kathryn Warner has delved into the archives to uncover the truth about what life was like in an average medieval town for her latest book, “Life in the Medieval Town.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I enjoyed the previous books that I have read by Warner about Medieval Europe, so when I saw this title available, it piqued my interest. I have read books about medieval life, so I wanted to see what new information she could provide to this area of social history.

As Warner explains at the beginning of this book, the modern world and the medieval world are opposites. While we in the modern era care about the latest gadgets and an excess of commodities, the medieval era cared about simplicity and owned very little. So, for those of us living in the modern world, Warner treats this book as a sort of time traveller’s guide to a medieval town. Warner chooses to highlight life in London, specifically between the reigns of Henry III and Henry VI, which is quite a range, but it shows how medieval England changed over time. 

We start with how medieval people partied after a particular knighting ceremony, before moving throughout the streets of London and exploring the different occupations one could have. We then explore the brothels and the different types of people and languages one might hear on an average day. It shows the diversity of medieval England at this time. Warner also shows her audience the importance of cleanliness and how modern medieval homes could actually be with glass windows, cellars, and latrines. We get to see the different popular names and how job titles were altered in their spelling due to gender. You get to see what curfew meant, what kinds of legal punishments were available, what people ate, drank, and wore on a typical day, plus how medieval people told time, how they handled health, and how they took care of one another, even during the Black Death.

This is such a fantastic resource for medieval novices, writers, and medievalists alike. I knew quite a bit of the information in this book, but I still found some fascinating facts. Warner has an immense knowledge of the medieval era, and it shows throughout this book while maintaining an easy-to-follow writing style. If you are a medieval nerd who wants to learn more about the social history of a medieval town, I highly recommend you read “Life in the Medieval Town” by Kathryn Warner.

Book Review: “Convent Wisdom: How Sixteenth-Century Nuns Could Save Your Twenty-First Century Life” by Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita

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Have you ever read about a historical figure and used what they went through to help you get through difficult times? It is as if you read about their life at the perfect time in your life to help you get through your own struggles. Growing up, for me, it was reading about young Elizabeth I. For Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita, it was reading about 16th and 17th-century nuns, the ones that they were researching for their PhDs. What lessons did Garriga and Urbita find when they were researching two centuries and the nuns who lived during this period? They share the lessons that they learned from the past in their book, “Convent Wisdom: How Sixteenth-Century Nuns Could Save Your Twenty-First Century Life.”

I would like to thank Avid Reader Press/ Simon & Schuster and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I am a novice when it comes to nun research, especially when it comes to those outside of England, so when I saw the title of this book, it was intriguing to me. I wanted to see how they could blend the past with the present day.

Garriga and Urbita met while working on their PhDs at Brown University, and this book follows their journeys as graduate students. They choose to pair their life experiences with those of nuns like Saint Teresa, Maria de San Jose, Catherine of Siena, Veronica Giuliani, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. We get to see these nuns deal with everything from extreme diets, feats of levitation, relationships with other nuns, and entrepreneurship to keep their convents and their own legacies going. 

While I appreciate what they were attempting to do, I felt like the modern portions did take away from the stories of the nuns and were a tad distracting for me. I enjoyed learning about the different types of Catholic orders of nuns and fun facts about the nuns. I also enjoyed learning about the authors experiences as graduate students. When the separate elements were put together, it did not work as well as I had hoped in this book.

Overall, this was a decent book. A bit too modern for my taste when it comes to a historical nonfiction book, but that is just a personal preference. I do want to check out their podcast, Las hijas de Felipe, and I want to learn more about some of the nuns mentioned in this book. If you want a self-help book with advice from the past that has a modern twist, I recommend you read “Convent Wisdom: How Sixteenth-Century Nuns Could Save Your Twenty-First Century Life” by Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita.