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malongorose's review
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
tooners's review
5.0
I have never read a lot about Edward the Confessor (c1003-1066), much less his wife, Edith, even though Medieval English history is one of my most favorite nerd loves. There! I’ve said it my dear blurbworms, and with that confession made I am free to review a most excellent book by Kelly Evans about the aforementioned King and his long overlooked wife of many talents and capabilities. To me, it is most exciting that so many books are being written about the long ago consorts of Britain’s famous kings as normally, all we would think of them is that they were marriages of “convenience”: to restrain aggression, maintain status, create heirs and territories. In this case, Edith, the lovely gal in question, is the daughter of the most powerful Earl Godwin of Wessex, whose aggressive sons are vying for the whole pie.
I did indeed, love this tale of Edith. Powerful and influential, without being overbearing or tyrannical (like her snippy mother-in-law, Emma). Intelligent, wise, and loving her family and King above all, her character is developed and presented in such a realistic way that I could feel I was there, and believe me, feeling I was in a cold castle room was preferable to being in my hot 100 degree hellish Texas. But to continue, the foods, clothing, daily rituals, entertainments of 11th century life was exciting for me to read. And on a larger scale, the political machinations, treachery amongst brothers and families and nations were eye-opening (hello, 21st Century!). Well heck, nothing much changes but the weather, right-ho? So to all you blurbwormians out there, who want to peer into those mists of Time, to read about the end of 600 years of Saxon Kings history in realistic detail, The Confessors Wife by Kelly Evans (btw, her other books look fantastic too) is a wonderful way to do so.
I did indeed, love this tale of Edith. Powerful and influential, without being overbearing or tyrannical (like her snippy mother-in-law, Emma). Intelligent, wise, and loving her family and King above all, her character is developed and presented in such a realistic way that I could feel I was there, and believe me, feeling I was in a cold castle room was preferable to being in my hot 100 degree hellish Texas. But to continue, the foods, clothing, daily rituals, entertainments of 11th century life was exciting for me to read. And on a larger scale, the political machinations, treachery amongst brothers and families and nations were eye-opening (hello, 21st Century!). Well heck, nothing much changes but the weather, right-ho? So to all you blurbwormians out there, who want to peer into those mists of Time, to read about the end of 600 years of Saxon Kings history in realistic detail, The Confessors Wife by Kelly Evans (btw, her other books look fantastic too) is a wonderful way to do so.
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