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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
Didn't finish. I couldn't get into it, wasn't interested, and so passed it along.
I was excited to receive an advanced reading copy of this book. I was not very familiar with Joan of Kent, like I am with other, much written about royal women, and I believe this is the first book I have come across about her life and struggles. Oh, the struggles of growing up into womanhood and not being free to make your own choices. I would hate to have been royal or more precisely used as a pawn for someone else’s benefit. Not knowing the history of this woman, I was fully ignorant of the events going on around her.
This book was certainly interesting and very smartly written. The detail was strong, better than most historical fiction. It's worth the time and effort to read. I loved the characterization of Thomas Holland most of all.
This book was certainly interesting and very smartly written. The detail was strong, better than most historical fiction. It's worth the time and effort to read. I loved the characterization of Thomas Holland most of all.
From an author who also writes a couple of series of medieval mysteries, this is a historical novel about Joan of Kent and her three marriages (Thomas Holland, William Montague, Edward the Black Prince), unfolded while the plague and the Hundred Years' War complicate politics and keep the pope barricaded behind incense at Avignon. As difficult as it is to measure the agency of a twelve year old girl in the 14th century, other novels about Joan have had her first two marriages just be the obstacles to her eventual union with Edward, but this one takes the opposite tack, making the prince a bully and an overbearing creeper from childhood, which jibes well with my general theme that being a ruthless sociopath was good qualification to be a medieval king (I'm looking at you Henry V).
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.
I’ve been trying to read A Triple Knot for about 2 months now, and I’ve finally accepted that it’s just not going to happen. Abandoning books is a new concept for me, and I still feel some kinda way when I do. But, I’ve learned that if you don’t like the book, then you shouldn’t force yourself to read it. It just wastes time that you could be using to read books you’ll actually enjoy. So, I’m giving it up with A Triple Knot and here’s why…
1. No matter how historically accurate it is, I just don’t care abut a 12 year old heroine. Speaking of…
2. This book struggled to find a balance between Joan being a whiny child and being the type of young lady capable enough to plot a secret marriage against her King’s wishes.
3. On the subject of balance… the choice of how much detail to use in particular scenes puzzled me. Scenes with Thomas, the intended bridegroom, were at times so short as to seem like throwaways, while others were long, dull, and drawn out for reasons that I just don’t get. Which leads to…
4. This book drags, and the simple truth is that I’ve lost interest and nothing I’ve read so far makes me want to continue.
But, for those that do want to give A Triple Knot a chance, here’s the Goodreads synopsis:
Joan of Kent, renowned beauty and cousin to King Edward III, is destined for a politically strategic marriage. As the king begins a long dynastic struggle to claim the crown of France, plunging England into the Hundred Years’ War, he negotiates her betrothal to a potential ally and heir of a powerful lordship.
But Joan, haunted by nightmares of her father’s execution at the hands of her treacherous royal kin, fears the king’s selection and is not resigned to her fate. She secretly pledges herself to one of the king’s own knights, one who has become a trusted friend and protector. Now she must defend her vow as the king—furious at Joan’s defiance—prepares to marry her off to another man.
I’ve been trying to read A Triple Knot for about 2 months now, and I’ve finally accepted that it’s just not going to happen. Abandoning books is a new concept for me, and I still feel some kinda way when I do. But, I’ve learned that if you don’t like the book, then you shouldn’t force yourself to read it. It just wastes time that you could be using to read books you’ll actually enjoy. So, I’m giving it up with A Triple Knot and here’s why…
1. No matter how historically accurate it is, I just don’t care abut a 12 year old heroine. Speaking of…
2. This book struggled to find a balance between Joan being a whiny child and being the type of young lady capable enough to plot a secret marriage against her King’s wishes.
3. On the subject of balance… the choice of how much detail to use in particular scenes puzzled me. Scenes with Thomas, the intended bridegroom, were at times so short as to seem like throwaways, while others were long, dull, and drawn out for reasons that I just don’t get. Which leads to…
4. This book drags, and the simple truth is that I’ve lost interest and nothing I’ve read so far makes me want to continue.
But, for those that do want to give A Triple Knot a chance, here’s the Goodreads synopsis:
Joan of Kent, renowned beauty and cousin to King Edward III, is destined for a politically strategic marriage. As the king begins a long dynastic struggle to claim the crown of France, plunging England into the Hundred Years’ War, he negotiates her betrothal to a potential ally and heir of a powerful lordship.
But Joan, haunted by nightmares of her father’s execution at the hands of her treacherous royal kin, fears the king’s selection and is not resigned to her fate. She secretly pledges herself to one of the king’s own knights, one who has become a trusted friend and protector. Now she must defend her vow as the king—furious at Joan’s defiance—prepares to marry her off to another man.
**Received a copy of this book from Read It Forward; I was not paid or coerced to provide an honest review**
I won't exactly say that this review contains "spoilers" per se, but I do talk about the ending, which isn't really a big surprise since it's historical fiction; I'll try to keep it vague, though.
First of all, the heroine was naïve and ridiculous when it came to her cousin, Ned. He was a horrible person, yet Joan kept trying to give him the benefit of the doubt; in this, I felt that she never grew up, and because of this naïveté, she ultimately caused her own unhappiness. There was really nothing to admire about her. She had a couple of funny thoughts, but other than that, her character fell flat.
I'm a modern woman so me reading about this medieval times, i.e., men marrying barely of-age girls put a sour taste in my mind, but I had to press on and put it into perspective of the time period. (Heaven forbid, we resort back to those outrageous times!) I enjoyed some of the women in the novel, but I understand why most of them were conniving: they had no choice since so much of their well-being depending on snaring a man.
Ned was trip. I'd consider him the best villain ever, if the main protagonist weren't so stupid. I need my characters and their enemies to be somewhat equally matched. Joan didn't stand a chance.
I did enjoy the story and learning some history, and the book was well written. Not sure I'd recommend it to just anyone either (my mother likes historical romances, but this one was a bit dry on the love scenes, so she's definitely not the right audience). I won't be re-reading it.
I won't exactly say that this review contains "spoilers" per se, but I do talk about the ending, which isn't really a big surprise since it's historical fiction; I'll try to keep it vague, though.
First of all, the heroine was naïve and ridiculous when it came to her cousin, Ned. He was a horrible person, yet Joan kept trying to give him the benefit of the doubt; in this, I felt that she never grew up, and because of this naïveté, she ultimately caused her own unhappiness. There was really nothing to admire about her. She had a couple of funny thoughts, but other than that, her character fell flat.
I'm a modern woman so me reading about this medieval times, i.e., men marrying barely of-age girls put a sour taste in my mind, but I had to press on and put it into perspective of the time period. (Heaven forbid, we resort back to those outrageous times!) I enjoyed some of the women in the novel, but I understand why most of them were conniving: they had no choice since so much of their well-being depending on snaring a man.
Ned was trip. I'd consider him the best villain ever, if the main protagonist weren't so stupid. I need my characters and their enemies to be somewhat equally matched. Joan didn't stand a chance.
I did enjoy the story and learning some history, and the book was well written. Not sure I'd recommend it to just anyone either (my mother likes historical romances, but this one was a bit dry on the love scenes, so she's definitely not the right audience). I won't be re-reading it.
For a woman in the royal family, Joan was written as incredibly naive and never matured from when the story began when she was 12. She would have been far more involved and have far more knowledge of what was happening around her. The second half was very rushed and doesn't go anywhere into her marriage to the Black Prince. She was the mother of Richard II and saw him crowned, but we don't get to that part of the story. Seems like a waste.
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A TRIPLE KNOT by Emma Campion tells the story of Joan of Kent (1327-1385) sometimes called the Fair Maid of Kent. She is a historical figure I knew little about before this book, though I did know that she was the wife of the Black Prince (1330-1376) and the mother of England’s King Richard II (1367-1400). Awarded three stars on Goodreads.
The book begins when Joan is a child and playmate to her attentive cousin Edward of Woodstock (Ned), later known as the Black Prince (1330-1376). It tells the story of Joan’s betrothals to assorted men, a pawn in the game of power because she has royal blood. That game involves King Edward III (1312-1377), his wife Philippa of Hainault, Joan’s mother Margaret Wake, Dowager Queen Isabella (1295-1358), the Pope, and various members of the nobility. Certainly Joan is typical of women in this era who had little autonomy over their lives and marriages, though Joan has more success in getting what she wants than many others
I enjoyed learning more about the history of this young woman, the impact of the plague, and the powerlessness of someone in the royal family. I did not, however, find it a particularly engaging novel. And there were times when I was frankly bored with the storyline and felt I was reading a mediocre romance novel.
While author Emma Campion has clearly done significant research, I found the inclusion of a lot of generic information from this time period not very enriching. Instead of details about meals, dress and social life I would have preferred to have more insight into the thinking of the characters and greater character development.
I did not care very much about any of the characters including Joan. However, I still recommend the book because I am sure that A TRIPLE KNOT will make an enjoyable read to any fan of historical fiction who is interested in this time period.
The book begins when Joan is a child and playmate to her attentive cousin Edward of Woodstock (Ned), later known as the Black Prince (1330-1376). It tells the story of Joan’s betrothals to assorted men, a pawn in the game of power because she has royal blood. That game involves King Edward III (1312-1377), his wife Philippa of Hainault, Joan’s mother Margaret Wake, Dowager Queen Isabella (1295-1358), the Pope, and various members of the nobility. Certainly Joan is typical of women in this era who had little autonomy over their lives and marriages, though Joan has more success in getting what she wants than many others
I enjoyed learning more about the history of this young woman, the impact of the plague, and the powerlessness of someone in the royal family. I did not, however, find it a particularly engaging novel. And there were times when I was frankly bored with the storyline and felt I was reading a mediocre romance novel.
While author Emma Campion has clearly done significant research, I found the inclusion of a lot of generic information from this time period not very enriching. Instead of details about meals, dress and social life I would have preferred to have more insight into the thinking of the characters and greater character development.
I did not care very much about any of the characters including Joan. However, I still recommend the book because I am sure that A TRIPLE KNOT will make an enjoyable read to any fan of historical fiction who is interested in this time period.
I really enjoyed this book. It was just what I needed to fulfill my craving for historical fiction. I thought that Emma Campion did a great job imagining, and bringing to life what it'd be like in the court of the 1300's. It had strong characters, and great imagery. I think that I'll seek out more of her books.
For the full review check out: http://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2014/06/book-review-triple-knot-by-emma-campion.html
For the full review check out: http://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2014/06/book-review-triple-knot-by-emma-campion.html
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
An epic historical fiction that doesn't center completely around the King or Queen, but instead a cousin of his who is under his guardianship as her father has been murdered. Joan the cousin of the King is caught between three men - some love her, some need her, but all have to have her for a place in court.
Quite the hunk of a book, but perfect to curl up with on a holiday weekend and just get swept into the past where the rules are very different. The characters were pulled from history and I loved looking up to find out where the truth met fiction and trying to guess what was completely true and what came from the author's imagination of the time and place. My favorite part of historical fiction is the basis of truth with an element of story added in.
An epic historical fiction that doesn't center completely around the King or Queen, but instead a cousin of his who is under his guardianship as her father has been murdered. Joan the cousin of the King is caught between three men - some love her, some need her, but all have to have her for a place in court.
Quite the hunk of a book, but perfect to curl up with on a holiday weekend and just get swept into the past where the rules are very different. The characters were pulled from history and I loved looking up to find out where the truth met fiction and trying to guess what was completely true and what came from the author's imagination of the time and place. My favorite part of historical fiction is the basis of truth with an element of story added in.