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hmalagisi's review
5.0
When one thinks about Medieval Europe and buildings, we tend to focus on the luxurious castles with their impenetrable walls. It is a rather glamorous image, but the problem is it is not accurate. Castles were used for defensive measures to protect the kingdom from attacks, either from outsiders or, in some cases, from within. Medieval warfare and castles go hand in hand, but one conflict where we tend to forget that castles play a significant role is in the civil war between the Yorks and the Lancasters, which we refer to today as The Wars of the Roses. Dr. Dan Spencer has scoured the resources that are available to find out the true role of these fortresses, both in England and in Wales, in this complex family drama that threw England into chaos. His research has been compiled in his latest book, “The Castle in the Wars of the Roses”.
I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. I enjoy studying the Wars of the Roses and when I heard that this book was coming out soon, I knew that I wanted to read it.
To understand this transition that castles and the roles they played during this tumultuous time undertook, Spencer takes us on a journey from the Norman Conquest to the 1450s. It was informative to see how castles transformed to fulfill different roles over distinct periods.
Spencer’s book shares some similarities with previous books that I have read about the Wars of the Roses in the fact that it does highlight the main battles and the main people who were vital in this conflict. However, Spencer’s book dives a bit deeper into the military aspects of the wars to show what makes this conflict so unique. What makes the Wars of the Roses so fascinating is that, compared to other famous medieval wars, castles were not the central focus for battles. Instead, castles during this period were used for garrisons, headquarters for military commanders, and as tools to show political favor for whoever was on the throne.
The true strength of this particular book is Spencer’s meticulous research and his scrupulous attention to detail. He was able to combine narrative, administrative, financial, military, and architectural records to create an illuminating manuscript that gives an extra layer of depth to the Wars of the Roses. It did take me a while to get used to all of the minor characters and the castles that I had never heard of before, but once I did, it was absorbing. We tend to focus on the major characters during the 15th century, but they would not be as legendary as they are today without the help of countless men who have been forgotten for centuries. The one problem that I did have with this book is a minor issue and that was when he said Henry VII married Elizabeth Woodville, not Elizabeth of York.
Overall, I found this book extremely enlightening. I thought that I knew quite a bit about the Wars of the Roses, but Spencer was able to surprise me with the amount of new information that he included in this tome. It opened a new aspect of this conflict that I never considered before. If you are someone who enjoys studying the Wars of the Roses and medieval castles, “The Castle in the Wars of the Roses” by Dan Spencer is a book that you should include in your collection.
I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. I enjoy studying the Wars of the Roses and when I heard that this book was coming out soon, I knew that I wanted to read it.
To understand this transition that castles and the roles they played during this tumultuous time undertook, Spencer takes us on a journey from the Norman Conquest to the 1450s. It was informative to see how castles transformed to fulfill different roles over distinct periods.
Spencer’s book shares some similarities with previous books that I have read about the Wars of the Roses in the fact that it does highlight the main battles and the main people who were vital in this conflict. However, Spencer’s book dives a bit deeper into the military aspects of the wars to show what makes this conflict so unique. What makes the Wars of the Roses so fascinating is that, compared to other famous medieval wars, castles were not the central focus for battles. Instead, castles during this period were used for garrisons, headquarters for military commanders, and as tools to show political favor for whoever was on the throne.
The true strength of this particular book is Spencer’s meticulous research and his scrupulous attention to detail. He was able to combine narrative, administrative, financial, military, and architectural records to create an illuminating manuscript that gives an extra layer of depth to the Wars of the Roses. It did take me a while to get used to all of the minor characters and the castles that I had never heard of before, but once I did, it was absorbing. We tend to focus on the major characters during the 15th century, but they would not be as legendary as they are today without the help of countless men who have been forgotten for centuries. The one problem that I did have with this book is a minor issue and that was when he said Henry VII married Elizabeth Woodville, not Elizabeth of York.
Overall, I found this book extremely enlightening. I thought that I knew quite a bit about the Wars of the Roses, but Spencer was able to surprise me with the amount of new information that he included in this tome. It opened a new aspect of this conflict that I never considered before. If you are someone who enjoys studying the Wars of the Roses and medieval castles, “The Castle in the Wars of the Roses” by Dan Spencer is a book that you should include in your collection.
arevikheboyan's review
4.0
First of all, allow me to appreciate authors, publishers, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review the eARC of the book.
Secondly, want to point out the impossible amount of research this book required, the impossible number of historical characters, the huge number of castles, and geographical locations discussed in this book. The number of characters and castles reviews is the strongest aspect of the book, and, unfortunately for me, also the weakest aspect. Allow me to elaborate. The author is undoubtedly is an expert in the field of medieval history and military history, however, due to the number of people discussed, it was very easy to lose the silver lining during reading. Certainly, the author knew what was being discussed, but it seems that the author and publisher expect the reader to have some level of advancement in medieval history and historical characters, to appropriately appreciate this wonderful work of non-fiction.
The book perfectly represents all the functions castles were playing from the 11th to 16th centuries, the transition of functions with the transition of a political and social atmosphere, and the lifestyle of royals. aristocrats and military elite, from being a symbol of wealth to the representation of architectural taste to military operations headquarters to jail...
And most importantly, the military elite and royals using castles as operational and strategic tools, ways of representing powers, and keeping allies close.
The work is an amazing overview of medieval military history and as the name suggests, mainly the important role of castles, from symbolic to strategical roles and functions of castles during the War of Roses.
We were discussing so many characters at the same time, on the same page, we may see up to 10 different people discussed and it was very easy to completely confuse what we were discussing and who are we discussing at last.
We were jumping so much from person to person. I wish by the names we would have identifiers to which party a person belonged to, as (Y) for York to Lancaster(L). Knowing medieval England history, I am not export by any means, and it was very hard yo keep up with all the people discussed in the book.
Also, I wish we had more images ( considering this was an eARC and the final version may have better visualization), just to understand what exactly are we talking about.
Overall, the writing vas accessible, my personal issue was information amount and organization.
Considering the amount went into this work, I really feel bad for rating as a 4-star read, but I was really lost during the reading.
Secondly, want to point out the impossible amount of research this book required, the impossible number of historical characters, the huge number of castles, and geographical locations discussed in this book. The number of characters and castles reviews is the strongest aspect of the book, and, unfortunately for me, also the weakest aspect. Allow me to elaborate. The author is undoubtedly is an expert in the field of medieval history and military history, however, due to the number of people discussed, it was very easy to lose the silver lining during reading. Certainly, the author knew what was being discussed, but it seems that the author and publisher expect the reader to have some level of advancement in medieval history and historical characters, to appropriately appreciate this wonderful work of non-fiction.
The book perfectly represents all the functions castles were playing from the 11th to 16th centuries, the transition of functions with the transition of a political and social atmosphere, and the lifestyle of royals. aristocrats and military elite, from being a symbol of wealth to the representation of architectural taste to military operations headquarters to jail...
And most importantly, the military elite and royals using castles as operational and strategic tools, ways of representing powers, and keeping allies close.
The work is an amazing overview of medieval military history and as the name suggests, mainly the important role of castles, from symbolic to strategical roles and functions of castles during the War of Roses.
We were discussing so many characters at the same time, on the same page, we may see up to 10 different people discussed and it was very easy to completely confuse what we were discussing and who are we discussing at last.
We were jumping so much from person to person. I wish by the names we would have identifiers to which party a person belonged to, as (Y) for York to Lancaster(L). Knowing medieval England history, I am not export by any means, and it was very hard yo keep up with all the people discussed in the book.
Also, I wish we had more images ( considering this was an eARC and the final version may have better visualization), just to understand what exactly are we talking about.
Overall, the writing vas accessible, my personal issue was information amount and organization.
Considering the amount went into this work, I really feel bad for rating as a 4-star read, but I was really lost during the reading.
christinecc's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.0
If you're looking for an excuse to learn something new while also refreshing your memory about the Wars of the Roses, look no further. But beginners beware: this book will not hold your hands throughout the Wars. You'll have to either bring your own expertise or find a companion book so you can tell all the Nevilles and Edwards and Richards apart.
What the author does provide, however, is a great overview of castles' architecture and purposes from the Norman conquest onward. Once we reach the actual Wars of the Roses, the book flows chronologically (which is a huge help) and, every few sections, we get a basic blueprint of the castles at issue. In a perfect world, these would be accompanied by a little more background information on each location and the relevant historical figures. Maybe even a map or two? But in the age of the internet, it's easy to find this kind of supplementary information somewhere.
Recommended if you want to learn about the practical aspects of castle warfare and strategy along with some interesting background on the Wars of the Roses.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for granting me a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What the author does provide, however, is a great overview of castles' architecture and purposes from the Norman conquest onward. Once we reach the actual Wars of the Roses, the book flows chronologically (which is a huge help) and, every few sections, we get a basic blueprint of the castles at issue. In a perfect world, these would be accompanied by a little more background information on each location and the relevant historical figures. Maybe even a map or two? But in the age of the internet, it's easy to find this kind of supplementary information somewhere.
Recommended if you want to learn about the practical aspects of castle warfare and strategy along with some interesting background on the Wars of the Roses.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for granting me a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
caidyn's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.5
I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This is a good overview of the way castles were used in the Wars of the Roses. It looks at it from the start of the conflict through to the end with the rise of the Tudors. I found it a little dry at times to read, but it is a good overview of how it changed over those years.
This is a good overview of the way castles were used in the Wars of the Roses. It looks at it from the start of the conflict through to the end with the rise of the Tudors. I found it a little dry at times to read, but it is a good overview of how it changed over those years.
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