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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
reflective
slow-paced
A very informative account of the 88 years from William the Conquerer to the dawn of the Plantagenet empire. I think Weir did an excellent job of not only telling the stories in a novelesque way, but also doing it in a proper timeline so that it was easy to follow.
A lot of details but not a lot of storytelling or analysis. The details themselves are insignificant and general, and not structured in a coherent way. Needs a stronger editor imo... the cover is really pretty though!
In anticipation of visiting the site of the Battle of Hastings later this year, I decided to read this book. Also, I have seen Alison Weir recommended by many others. The book seems well-researched and written. It nicely fleshed out my knowledge of English history of the period, especially what William and Matilda of Flanders had to do to "seal the deal" after the Battle. I also liked the in depth exploration of the civil war between the forces of Maud and Stephen. Usually, only a couple of sentences are available on it before launching into the reign of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. So, if you would like a more thorough understanding of the period, read this book.
Though it ended up feeling like quite a slog by the time I finished it, and I didn't organically mesh with the structure in which Weir related these historical events/biographies, I first picked up this book to learn something. To educate myself in a time period where my preexisting knowledge was practically non-existent. And this book did do just that.
The family trees that preceded the table of contents were intimidating before I started my reading. After finishing the book, I'm familiar enough with lines of parentage and marriage that I don't even have to look at them. Weir lets events play out largely in the form of long excerpts of historical letters and contemporary accounts, as well as a hefty amount of educated speculation. Given the time period, that isn't something that can be completely avoided, still, it just didn't sit well with me, and a reader of historical nonfiction/biography should always be wary of the personal biases of the author and sources of their research.
The family trees that preceded the table of contents were intimidating before I started my reading. After finishing the book, I'm familiar enough with lines of parentage and marriage that I don't even have to look at them. Weir lets events play out largely in the form of long excerpts of historical letters and contemporary accounts, as well as a hefty amount of educated speculation. Given the time period, that isn't something that can be completely avoided, still, it just didn't sit well with me, and a reader of historical nonfiction/biography should always be wary of the personal biases of the author and sources of their research.
fascinating...active, powerful and formidable these women...If you love the Norman Conquest, you'll find it very interesting
A very interesting look at some of England's early queens. I didn't know much before about Edith-Matilda of Scotland or Adeliza of Louvain or the Empress Maud beforehand, so reading this was quite informative. Weir is thorough in her writing and research, as always. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
informative
slow-paced
challenging
informative
slow-paced