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mjporterauthor's review against another edition
4.0
Goodness me, this book was a struggle.
William the Marshall is quite possibly my favourite historical fiction character. I have loved all of the previous books about William, but whether this book didn't work for me because it is about his death or because it recounts his journey to the Holy Land during the period of the Crusades (not my favourite time period), I have had to force myself to finish his story.
I can't deny the research that must have gone into this novel but for me, the first fifty per cent of the novel didn't quite work, although it was worth persevering for the ending.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my review copy. I am truly sorry it has taken me so long to read the book!
William the Marshall is quite possibly my favourite historical fiction character. I have loved all of the previous books about William, but whether this book didn't work for me because it is about his death or because it recounts his journey to the Holy Land during the period of the Crusades (not my favourite time period), I have had to force myself to finish his story.
I can't deny the research that must have gone into this novel but for me, the first fifty per cent of the novel didn't quite work, although it was worth persevering for the ending.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my review copy. I am truly sorry it has taken me so long to read the book!
michellemm85's review against another edition
5.0
5/6
Honestly, I cried throughout all of the 1219 chapters. I love him and it was so heartbreaking to see his slow death during those chapters.
I'm glad we got some closure about Ancel and Asmira even if it was only a few short lines, I was really rooting for them!
I know William spent like 3 years in Jerusalem, and we don't actually know what happened there with him, but I didn't really like that his involvement with the Patriarchess lasted for so long and he thought that she would marry him and run away from her life of luxury. That was a bit dumb of him to think that, but he loved her and was blinded by that love.
I really liked King Baldwin's character in this story. He was so strong even though he was suffering from leprocy, he truly kept the kingdom together, and I was sad that he died so young.
All in all, I /might/ read this one again, but I don't think I'd come back to it again and again like I do "The Greatest Knight". In fact, I'll be picking up that book from where this one's Jerusalem storyline ended!
Honestly, I cried throughout all of the 1219 chapters. I love him and it was so heartbreaking to see his slow death during those chapters.
I'm glad we got some closure about Ancel and Asmira even if it was only a few short lines, I was really rooting for them!
I know William spent like 3 years in Jerusalem, and we don't actually know what happened there with him, but I didn't really like that his involvement with the Patriarchess lasted for so long and he thought that she would marry him and run away from her life of luxury. That was a bit dumb of him to think that, but he loved her and was blinded by that love.
I really liked King Baldwin's character in this story. He was so strong even though he was suffering from leprocy, he truly kept the kingdom together, and I was sad that he died so young.
All in all, I /might/ read this one again, but I don't think I'd come back to it again and again like I do "The Greatest Knight". In fact, I'll be picking up that book from where this one's Jerusalem storyline ended!
sabregirl's review against another edition
5.0
God I love William Marshal stories. Seeing what 'happened' to him in Outreamer was great.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
4.0
On his deathbed, surrounded by his family, William Marshall looks back on a particular time in his life where everything changed. In the service of Harry, the Young King, William has been fighting against Henry II but as funds run low Young Henry decides to raid the shrine of Rocamadour in order to pay his mercenaries. Sticken by dysentery Henry believes this is God's punishment for his sins and his dying wish to ask William to take his cloak on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. As William dies he remembers the events of the year he spent on pilgrimage, his love and betrayal and his promise to join the order of the Knights Templar to atone for his sins.
Chadwick writes high quality historical fiction with a more romantic twist than most. This has gained her legions of fans and, although I sometimes find her prose a little too 'chocolate box', I cannot help but admire the research and passion in her works. Here Chadwick returns to the story of William Marshall which she began in 'The Greatest Knight' however this novel is a slight aside as it is mainly fiction. The fact that William Marshall went to the Holy Land in the early 1180s after the death of the Young King is not in dispute, his adventures there are not recorded and so Chadwick has made free with her imagination. She weaves known events in with fiction so the politics about the illness and death of King Baldwin of Jerusalem, which are copiously recorded, are used to place William. This is great storytelling and another excellent tale from Chadwick.
Chadwick writes high quality historical fiction with a more romantic twist than most. This has gained her legions of fans and, although I sometimes find her prose a little too 'chocolate box', I cannot help but admire the research and passion in her works. Here Chadwick returns to the story of William Marshall which she began in 'The Greatest Knight' however this novel is a slight aside as it is mainly fiction. The fact that William Marshall went to the Holy Land in the early 1180s after the death of the Young King is not in dispute, his adventures there are not recorded and so Chadwick has made free with her imagination. She weaves known events in with fiction so the politics about the illness and death of King Baldwin of Jerusalem, which are copiously recorded, are used to place William. This is great storytelling and another excellent tale from Chadwick.
kirkw1972's review against another edition
4.0
I recently read one of Chadwick's Autumn Throne and loved it and it was recommended that I pick up the William Marshal books to read. Before I had chance to do that this latest book showed up on netgalley so in typical style I'm reading everything back to front. However with this story it doesn't matter.
It's quite a self contained story that flits between Marshal's last days and memories of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. I really enjoyed the love story embedded within this both of William and the one of his brother Ancel. I enjoyed the relationships of William and his brother. All of it just really worked for me.
There's a lot of action; it was a turbulent time. It's very easy to immerse yourself into the time and place and imagine everything as was back then. The present day moments broke the story up really well.
Overall this is a great book and now I really do need to go back and read the rest
It's quite a self contained story that flits between Marshal's last days and memories of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. I really enjoyed the love story embedded within this both of William and the one of his brother Ancel. I enjoyed the relationships of William and his brother. All of it just really worked for me.
There's a lot of action; it was a turbulent time. It's very easy to immerse yourself into the time and place and imagine everything as was back then. The present day moments broke the story up really well.
Overall this is a great book and now I really do need to go back and read the rest
lianareadsblog's review against another edition
5.0
What a wonderful story!!
If you like a bit of history and the templars history especially, this book is definitely for you.
I admit it’s a very long book and it took me almost 3 weeks to read a few pages or chapters every day because I wanted to absorb everything, every little detail so wonderful written and described in this journal from France to Jerusalem. A journey full of dangerous situations, different languages,cultures and civilisations.
So many feelings and so much despair, jealousy, love affairs and murderous thought, so many memories about family and life difficulties.
I absolutely loved it.
#NetGalley #SourcebooksLandmark
If you like a bit of history and the templars history especially, this book is definitely for you.
I admit it’s a very long book and it took me almost 3 weeks to read a few pages or chapters every day because I wanted to absorb everything, every little detail so wonderful written and described in this journal from France to Jerusalem. A journey full of dangerous situations, different languages,cultures and civilisations.
So many feelings and so much despair, jealousy, love affairs and murderous thought, so many memories about family and life difficulties.
I absolutely loved it.
#NetGalley #SourcebooksLandmark
inkstainedthumb's review against another edition
3.0
The missing years of Willaim Marshal's travels to Israel on pilgrimage gives the reader the insight into the man and the myth. Willaim was a man like none other, and as you read his story, over the course of the previous books, this one is the final chapter.
I did struggle reading it, just wasn't as gripping as the other books in the series.
I did struggle reading it, just wasn't as gripping as the other books in the series.
annarella's review against another edition
4.0
I love Elizabeth Chadwick books and this was a good one.
I was fascinated by the story, the characters and the well researched historical background.
It was an engaging and entertaining read, a very good historical fiction.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I was fascinated by the story, the characters and the well researched historical background.
It was an engaging and entertaining read, a very good historical fiction.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘It is something I need to remember, but not something you need to know .’
In April 1219, at his Manor of Caversham near Reading in Berkshire, William Marshal’s life is nearing its end. Marshal, Regent of England and one of England’s greatest knights, served four English kings during his long and eventful life. Marshal has sent one of his knights to Striguil in Wales to collect the silks he brought home from his pilgrimage to Jerusalem. These are what he intends to be buried in. As he lies in his bed, shifting between consciousness and unconsciousness, between pain and relief, his thoughts turn to that pilgrimage. On his deathbed, Henry, the Young King, eldest son and heir of Henry II asked William Marshal to swear an oath to undertake a pilgrimage to Jerusalem on his behalf:
‘I want you to go to Jerusalem and lay my cloak on the tomb of Christ at the Holy Sepulchre .
In 1183, William Marshal was still a landless knight. Unattached, unmarried and dependent upon the patronage of others, there was no barrier to his undertaking the pilgrimage. And now, over thirty years later, he remembers the journey, the adventures, the people he met.
‘I was dreaming’, he said. ‘I was not in this time and place .’
William Marshal spent three years on this pilgrimage, but little is known about this period of his life. This lack of detail has enabled Ms Chadwick (who has written several novels about William Marshal and his family) to imagine how that time was spent. In this novel, William Marshal’s trip to Jerusalem took him via Constantinople, to the court of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (the Leper King), febrile with internal intrigue and threatened by Saladin. We meet the Patriarch of Jerusalem and his mistress, Paschia de Riveri. And amongst these historical figures, Ms Chadwick weaves a romance for William Marshal, and a possible explanation for decisions he makes.
I’ve fallen in love with the William Marshal of Ms Chadwick’s novels, and I enjoyed this novel as well. We know that William Marshal survived the pilgrimage, but I had to remind myself of this a couple of times.
For those who enjoyed Ms Chadwick’s novels about William Marshal as much as I did, this is a terrific read. As the novel alternates between William Marshal’s deathbed and the experiences of his pilgrimage, past and present move together.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
In April 1219, at his Manor of Caversham near Reading in Berkshire, William Marshal’s life is nearing its end. Marshal, Regent of England and one of England’s greatest knights, served four English kings during his long and eventful life. Marshal has sent one of his knights to Striguil in Wales to collect the silks he brought home from his pilgrimage to Jerusalem. These are what he intends to be buried in. As he lies in his bed, shifting between consciousness and unconsciousness, between pain and relief, his thoughts turn to that pilgrimage. On his deathbed, Henry, the Young King, eldest son and heir of Henry II asked William Marshal to swear an oath to undertake a pilgrimage to Jerusalem on his behalf:
‘I want you to go to Jerusalem and lay my cloak on the tomb of Christ at the Holy Sepulchre .
In 1183, William Marshal was still a landless knight. Unattached, unmarried and dependent upon the patronage of others, there was no barrier to his undertaking the pilgrimage. And now, over thirty years later, he remembers the journey, the adventures, the people he met.
‘I was dreaming’, he said. ‘I was not in this time and place .’
William Marshal spent three years on this pilgrimage, but little is known about this period of his life. This lack of detail has enabled Ms Chadwick (who has written several novels about William Marshal and his family) to imagine how that time was spent. In this novel, William Marshal’s trip to Jerusalem took him via Constantinople, to the court of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (the Leper King), febrile with internal intrigue and threatened by Saladin. We meet the Patriarch of Jerusalem and his mistress, Paschia de Riveri. And amongst these historical figures, Ms Chadwick weaves a romance for William Marshal, and a possible explanation for decisions he makes.
I’ve fallen in love with the William Marshal of Ms Chadwick’s novels, and I enjoyed this novel as well. We know that William Marshal survived the pilgrimage, but I had to remind myself of this a couple of times.
For those who enjoyed Ms Chadwick’s novels about William Marshal as much as I did, this is a terrific read. As the novel alternates between William Marshal’s deathbed and the experiences of his pilgrimage, past and present move together.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
katejeminhizer's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is one meant to be savored. It is a story of reflection and appreciation for the paths life leads one to. I haven't read any other books in this series and I didn't feel lost at all while reading this book. I rarely take so long to read a book but this one caused me to pause. It isn't a fast paced read but smooth and somewhat melodious. Chadwick crafted a wonderful tale that allows the reader to both reflect on what they are reading about Marshal and also to reflect on their own life. Marshal is an interesting character and I am looking forward to reading some of the other books in the series.
This book is one meant to be savored. It is a story of reflection and appreciation for the paths life leads one to. I haven't read any other books in this series and I didn't feel lost at all while reading this book. I rarely take so long to read a book but this one caused me to pause. It isn't a fast paced read but smooth and somewhat melodious. Chadwick crafted a wonderful tale that allows the reader to both reflect on what they are reading about Marshal and also to reflect on their own life. Marshal is an interesting character and I am looking forward to reading some of the other books in the series.