Scan barcode
rosietomyn's review against another edition
5.0
The Damask Rose by Carol McGrath is the second book in the she-wolf series that captures the lives of queens whose contemporaries labeled them contentious. Though the "she-wolf" label has been applied to many women in history, Eleanor of Castile is definitely a character that conjured up discomfort about female power, and how queens choose to wield it.
In this retelling, Eleanor is almost maddeningly queenly. Selfish, hyper focused on finances and land acquisition, and quick to rage at everyone from the King to her supportive, kind ladies. It is often uncomfortable, but that discomfort made me think more about why it's uncomfortable to read about a queen exhibiting such traits, while also solidly occupying a protagonist space in the novel.
After finishing, I thought about this and realized - queens are too often portrayed as either good or bad. Cruel or pious. The fact that I have fully enjoyed so many queens in novels....indicates a lack of depth in those novels, and highlights the depth in this one. Eleanor makes me uncomfortable, and yet, she is most likely a more accurate depiction of queenliness than others that offer pious, quiet and lovely queens. I really enjoyed this reflection, and upon finishing the book, enjoyed the journey with Eleanor.
I also really enjoyed Olwen's story line. Olwen, an herbalist who rises to become more prominent in the King and Queen's lives, follows them not only throughout the kingdom, but also on their journey to Acre. As she matures and builds her skills at not only healing, but horticulture, she offers a perfect contemporary window into Eleanor and Edward's court. Olwen learns much in life and love as she navigates the changing landscape of England during the Welsh and Barons wars.
Eleanor also grows throughout the novel -- and her self reflection at the end is beautiful. All ribbons are not tied into bows, but instead she comes to an acceptance of the things that were. And the traits she exhibited.
The final chapters that address Eleanor's illness and goodbyes are a poignant reminder that life is brief and beautiful. As she is remembered and grieved by Olwen, the reader is reminded that while life is short, memories live on. It is a beautiful "goodbye" to a beautifully dimensional queen.
In this retelling, Eleanor is almost maddeningly queenly. Selfish, hyper focused on finances and land acquisition, and quick to rage at everyone from the King to her supportive, kind ladies. It is often uncomfortable, but that discomfort made me think more about why it's uncomfortable to read about a queen exhibiting such traits, while also solidly occupying a protagonist space in the novel.
After finishing, I thought about this and realized - queens are too often portrayed as either good or bad. Cruel or pious. The fact that I have fully enjoyed so many queens in novels....indicates a lack of depth in those novels, and highlights the depth in this one. Eleanor makes me uncomfortable, and yet, she is most likely a more accurate depiction of queenliness than others that offer pious, quiet and lovely queens. I really enjoyed this reflection, and upon finishing the book, enjoyed the journey with Eleanor.
I also really enjoyed Olwen's story line. Olwen, an herbalist who rises to become more prominent in the King and Queen's lives, follows them not only throughout the kingdom, but also on their journey to Acre. As she matures and builds her skills at not only healing, but horticulture, she offers a perfect contemporary window into Eleanor and Edward's court. Olwen learns much in life and love as she navigates the changing landscape of England during the Welsh and Barons wars.
Eleanor also grows throughout the novel -- and her self reflection at the end is beautiful. All ribbons are not tied into bows, but instead she comes to an acceptance of the things that were. And the traits she exhibited.
The final chapters that address Eleanor's illness and goodbyes are a poignant reminder that life is brief and beautiful. As she is remembered and grieved by Olwen, the reader is reminded that while life is short, memories live on. It is a beautiful "goodbye" to a beautifully dimensional queen.
cathy_alice's review against another edition
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Antisemitism
jmatkinson1's review
4.0
After the death of her child whilst she is held prisoner by her father-in-law's enemies Eleanor of Castile is determined never to be in the same situation again. When her husband Edward ascends to the throne Eleanor becomes a power in the country but she struggles to conceive a male heir. Going on crusade with Edward Eleanor is exposed to danger but is strong enough to get through this and the wars for Wales until she finally has a strong son.
As ever with McGrath's writings this is a a detailed and well-researched piece of historical biography wrapped up in a gentle medieval romance. Eleanor was Edward I's well beloved wife and here her story is juxtaposed with the fictional character of Olwen to compare and contrast the lives of the royals and the gentlefolk. It's not a demanding book but is very enjoyable.
As ever with McGrath's writings this is a a detailed and well-researched piece of historical biography wrapped up in a gentle medieval romance. Eleanor was Edward I's well beloved wife and here her story is juxtaposed with the fictional character of Olwen to compare and contrast the lives of the royals and the gentlefolk. It's not a demanding book but is very enjoyable.
fourestxx's review
3.0
Damask Rose is the second book in Carol McGrath’s The Rose Trilogy – although it can be read as a standalone – and brings to life the story of a notable woman from history, Eleanor of Castile.
I have studied this time period at University but have never read historical fiction covering the events, so it was refreshing to have the story told from a female perspective.
It is full of betrayal, ambition, war, love and romance, and provides insight into the involvement of females in the major events of the period – passing message, holding castles and recruiting on behalf of their husbands.
The author has a wonderful way of bringing in detail and the descriptions of the herbs, gardens and clothing allow you to really imagine that you are there and part of the events. Unfortunately, the story does seem to move a little quickly through key events, glossing over rebellions, plots and the death of children with not much emotion or feeling from the characters.
Some of the writing can be repetitive in places – repeated emphasis that Eleanor is not maternal and an overuse of she-wolf in respect of Eleanor’s actions and personality. There are also randomly name-dropped characters from the time period who then play no part in the events of the story, almost like they are part of a storyline which was removed.
I did enjoy Olwen’s perspective, however, and she provided a gentler, more ordinary voice to contrast the Queen.
Overall, I thought Damask Rose was a very interesting read; however, not as much of a page-turner as my usual go-to Philippa Gregory stories.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have studied this time period at University but have never read historical fiction covering the events, so it was refreshing to have the story told from a female perspective.
It is full of betrayal, ambition, war, love and romance, and provides insight into the involvement of females in the major events of the period – passing message, holding castles and recruiting on behalf of their husbands.
The author has a wonderful way of bringing in detail and the descriptions of the herbs, gardens and clothing allow you to really imagine that you are there and part of the events. Unfortunately, the story does seem to move a little quickly through key events, glossing over rebellions, plots and the death of children with not much emotion or feeling from the characters.
Some of the writing can be repetitive in places – repeated emphasis that Eleanor is not maternal and an overuse of she-wolf in respect of Eleanor’s actions and personality. There are also randomly name-dropped characters from the time period who then play no part in the events of the story, almost like they are part of a storyline which was removed.
I did enjoy Olwen’s perspective, however, and she provided a gentler, more ordinary voice to contrast the Queen.
Overall, I thought Damask Rose was a very interesting read; however, not as much of a page-turner as my usual go-to Philippa Gregory stories.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
aimee94's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
goannelies's review
4.0
Eleanor of Castile is under house arrest together with her father-in-law king Henry III during the Baron’s War. She’s forced to live in poverty and her young daughter Katherine dies of a serious cold. She blames ‘Red’ Gilbert De Clare who switched sides and took her into his custody. Her husband prince Edward is locked up somewhere else but manages to escape. At the battle of Evesham, Simon The Monfort is killed and Gilbert once again declares his loyalties to Henry III. After the war, Eleanor decides to never be dependent on others again and starts to earn lands in her own name. She goes on a crusade to Acre as a princess, but she will return as queen of England.
The damask rose is the second part in McGrath’s she wolves trilogy about three medieval queens of England who weren’t popular with the people and the nobles. I did enjoy ‘The silken rose‘ about Alienor of Provence, so I couldn’t wait to learn more about the next queen called Eleanor. She was the wife and queen of Edward I. It was a love match but with a Baron’s War, a crusade and a lot of their children dying young, the couple did endure much together.
Eleanor wasn’t the loving mother, which makes her a bit of a cold character sometimes, but I could understand why she was afraid to get too close to her children. She lost so many of them and just wasn’t the maternal type. However, I did like Eleanor’s character in this book. She was an engaged queen and trusted her guts to like or dislike the people around her. She starts building up an inheritance of lands, which might have made her unpopular. But I don’t think we can really call her a she-wolf.
The novel isn’t only told from Eleanor’s perspective. We also meet Olwen, a lady herbalist who treats the royal family. She travels with them to Acre to discover new plants and herbals and when she returns she starts to plant new herbal gardens at every royal domain. It was fascinating to read about Eleanor’s intentions to improve the royal residences and their gardens.
Olwen is a fictitious character but I liked her. She offers another insight into the royal court and the politics of the time. Her relationship with both Guillaume and Eugene felt real. Also, Alienor of Provence is still present in this novel. I liked to see how the relationship between the two Eleanor’s progressed. I also got to see another side of Edward I who is often depicted as a ruthless king. McGrath succeeds in building a believable and engaging historical story.
Now I’m definitely looking forward to the third book about Isabella of France, a queen I know much more about than the two Eleanors.
Dutch review:
Eleanor Van Castilië zit opgesloten met haar schoonvader koning Henry III tijdens de Baron's War waarin Simon De Monfort en zijn bondgenoot Gilbert De Clare de macht in handen proberen nemen. Wanneer haar man prins Edward kan ontsnappen weet hij ook een einde aan de oorlog te maken op het slagveld waarbij Montfort omkomt en De Clare van kamp verandert. Tijdens haar gevangenschap sterft echter haar dochter Katherine van de kou en onvoldoende zorgen. Eleanor neemt zich voor nooit meer afhankelijk te zijn van anderen en begint zelf heel wat land in eigen naam te beheren, wat haar de titel She Wolf oplevert. Ze hecht zich niet meer aan haar jonge kinderen die plots kunnen sterven en trekt samen met Edward op kruistocht.
The damask rose is het tweede deel in the she wolves trilogie die het leven van drie middeleeuwse Engelse koninginnen beschrijft. Deze keer is het de beurt aan Eleanor Of Castilië, de vrouw van Edward I. Ik kende niets van haar leven en vond het heel fascinerend om te lezen dat ze op kruistocht is geweest en zelf zo hard bezig was met het vergaren van land.
Eleanor is niet meteen het meest sympathieke hoofdpersonage. Ze ziet haar man doodgraag, maar is niet zo'n moedertype. Ze zal 16 kinderen baren, waarvan er velen jong sterven. Dus ik kan dat ergens wel begrijpen. Verder kan ik me eigenlijk wel in haar inleven. Ze is heel betrokken en gaat af op haar gevoel om mensen wel of niet te mogen.
Het verhaal wordt afwisselend vertelt vanuit Eleanor zelf en Olwen, een herbaliste die met Eleanor meereist naar Acre om nieuwe kruiden te ontdekken en later verschillende paleistuinen aanlegt in opdracht van haar koningin. Olwen is een fictief personage maar ze zorgt ervoor dat we Eleanor, Edward en politieke intriges van een ander standpunt kunnen beleven. Haar relatie met zowel Eugene als Guillaume wordt mooi uitgewerkt. Ik had Olwen wel graag.
Ook Alienor of Provence, de koningin van het vorige boek, is nog aanwezig en de onderlinge relatie tussen de twee naamgenoten is mooi om volgen. Ik vind dit een heel fijne serie die historisch sterk is uitgewerkt maar ook voldoende verhalend. Ik kijk uit naar boek drie over Isabella Of France, die ken ik al wat beter.
The damask rose is the second part in McGrath’s she wolves trilogy about three medieval queens of England who weren’t popular with the people and the nobles. I did enjoy ‘The silken rose‘ about Alienor of Provence, so I couldn’t wait to learn more about the next queen called Eleanor. She was the wife and queen of Edward I. It was a love match but with a Baron’s War, a crusade and a lot of their children dying young, the couple did endure much together.
Eleanor wasn’t the loving mother, which makes her a bit of a cold character sometimes, but I could understand why she was afraid to get too close to her children. She lost so many of them and just wasn’t the maternal type. However, I did like Eleanor’s character in this book. She was an engaged queen and trusted her guts to like or dislike the people around her. She starts building up an inheritance of lands, which might have made her unpopular. But I don’t think we can really call her a she-wolf.
The novel isn’t only told from Eleanor’s perspective. We also meet Olwen, a lady herbalist who treats the royal family. She travels with them to Acre to discover new plants and herbals and when she returns she starts to plant new herbal gardens at every royal domain. It was fascinating to read about Eleanor’s intentions to improve the royal residences and their gardens.
Olwen is a fictitious character but I liked her. She offers another insight into the royal court and the politics of the time. Her relationship with both Guillaume and Eugene felt real. Also, Alienor of Provence is still present in this novel. I liked to see how the relationship between the two Eleanor’s progressed. I also got to see another side of Edward I who is often depicted as a ruthless king. McGrath succeeds in building a believable and engaging historical story.
Now I’m definitely looking forward to the third book about Isabella of France, a queen I know much more about than the two Eleanors.
Dutch review:
Eleanor Van Castilië zit opgesloten met haar schoonvader koning Henry III tijdens de Baron's War waarin Simon De Monfort en zijn bondgenoot Gilbert De Clare de macht in handen proberen nemen. Wanneer haar man prins Edward kan ontsnappen weet hij ook een einde aan de oorlog te maken op het slagveld waarbij Montfort omkomt en De Clare van kamp verandert. Tijdens haar gevangenschap sterft echter haar dochter Katherine van de kou en onvoldoende zorgen. Eleanor neemt zich voor nooit meer afhankelijk te zijn van anderen en begint zelf heel wat land in eigen naam te beheren, wat haar de titel She Wolf oplevert. Ze hecht zich niet meer aan haar jonge kinderen die plots kunnen sterven en trekt samen met Edward op kruistocht.
The damask rose is het tweede deel in the she wolves trilogie die het leven van drie middeleeuwse Engelse koninginnen beschrijft. Deze keer is het de beurt aan Eleanor Of Castilië, de vrouw van Edward I. Ik kende niets van haar leven en vond het heel fascinerend om te lezen dat ze op kruistocht is geweest en zelf zo hard bezig was met het vergaren van land.
Eleanor is niet meteen het meest sympathieke hoofdpersonage. Ze ziet haar man doodgraag, maar is niet zo'n moedertype. Ze zal 16 kinderen baren, waarvan er velen jong sterven. Dus ik kan dat ergens wel begrijpen. Verder kan ik me eigenlijk wel in haar inleven. Ze is heel betrokken en gaat af op haar gevoel om mensen wel of niet te mogen.
Het verhaal wordt afwisselend vertelt vanuit Eleanor zelf en Olwen, een herbaliste die met Eleanor meereist naar Acre om nieuwe kruiden te ontdekken en later verschillende paleistuinen aanlegt in opdracht van haar koningin. Olwen is een fictief personage maar ze zorgt ervoor dat we Eleanor, Edward en politieke intriges van een ander standpunt kunnen beleven. Haar relatie met zowel Eugene als Guillaume wordt mooi uitgewerkt. Ik had Olwen wel graag.
Ook Alienor of Provence, de koningin van het vorige boek, is nog aanwezig en de onderlinge relatie tussen de twee naamgenoten is mooi om volgen. Ik vind dit een heel fijne serie die historisch sterk is uitgewerkt maar ook voldoende verhalend. Ik kijk uit naar boek drie over Isabella Of France, die ken ik al wat beter.
More...