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smithrachaelynn's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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? Yes
4.75
Things I liked:
- Somehow even with the things I didn’t like about this book, I was giddy with excitement about what came next. It was so compelling despite things that I didn’t love.
- Aislinn’s character, I liked that she had pride and a temper but was also loving and kind to people. She was a wonderful mixture of characteristics that were believable.
Things I didn’t like:
- Wolfgar was a huge asshole. He had his moments but he wasn’t pretty consistently an ass until the end 😂
- Graphic, there’s a lot in here was was intense from the very beginning like
rape scenes, abuse, verbal abuse, some torture, and war scenes. Most of them weren’t necessary to that extreme of a degree. - Pace & length, this book went on FOREVER. As much as I enjoyed it there was so much about things I didn’t care about and I really wish we got more of the ending instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Slavery, Death, Bullying, Rape, Gore, Blood, Classism, Sexual content, Violence, War, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty
nightowlreview's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Animal death, Rape, Sexual content, and War
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
reading_historical_romance's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
300 pages too long, slow, and silly. The romance genre was going thru it in 1974!
For those who really do love Kathleen Woodiwiss like I do... here is your tl;dr 😂
SPOILERS!
[The year 1066, Britain, Darkenwald keep]
Ragnor: I’m a big buff Norman here to pillage, plunder and r*pe, you filthy Saxons!
Lord Erland: Over my dead body!
Ragnor: Done!
Lord Erland: [dies]
Aislinn Erland: You killed my father! Prepare to—
Ragnor: [topples Aislinn to the bed]
Aislinn: [disassociates]
Maida Erland: My husband is dead, and now my daughter is worse than dead because she is no longer a virgin!
Wulfgar: I am an even bigger, buffer Norman and I am also very sexy. I wield a heavy sword.
Aislinn: All you Normans are bastards! You killed my father!
Ragnor: Ok but that guy is literally a bastard. Doesn’t know who his father is.
Wulfgar: Now it’s my turn to bed the pretty wench!
Aislinn: I will never become your wife!
Wulfgar: I’m not going to marry you. I’m going to bed you. I distrust all women because my mother abandoned me.
Aislinn: All men are pigs!
Wulfgar: [kisses Aislinn deeply]
Aislinn: Don’t awaken me to the depths of my womanness!
Wulfgar: [beds her]
Aislinn: [womanness awoken] Damn it!
Kerwick: Wait a minute, Aislinn is my betrothed!
Wulfgar: Is this true?
Aislinn: Yes.
Wulfgar: [beds her] [whips Kerwick and chains him up with the hounds]
Gwyneth: I’m Wulfgar’s half-sister come to stay because dad lost all our lands to you sleazy Norman bastards. I hate everyone.
Aislinn: Thank God, another woman is here!
Gwyneth: I’m in charge of this keep from now on. Give me all your possessions except the ragged dress you’ve got on.
Wulfgar: Here Aislinn, spend my fortune on buying jewels and pretty dresses for yourself. [beds her]
Aislinn: Are you ever going to marry me?
Wulfgar: Here is a new horse instead. [beds her]
Ragnor: I’ll marry you!
Wulfgar: What? You’ll have to fight me for her.
Ragnor: [loses fight]
Aislinn: You won! Marry me!
Wulfgar: I did think about it during the fight, but it’s still no. [beds her]
Gwyneth: Who’s that guy?
Aislinn: His name is Ragnor, and he’s a r*pist.
Gwyneth: [makes eyes at Ragnor]
Ragnor: [beds Gwyneth]
William the Conqueror: Wulfgar, I gift you the lands you pillaged, and that comely wench Aislinn. Ragnor is also my loyal vassal but he gets bupkis.
Aislinn: I’m pregnant.
Wulfgar and Ragnor: [look at each other]
Kerwick: I’ll marry you! I don’t care that you’re a whore and don’t have a clue who the father is!
Maida: The obvious solution is to run away to Scotland because every man except my dead husband is a colossal d*ck.
Aislinn and Maida: [run away]
[in the wilds of Scotland]
Wulfgar: [sees campfire] Seriously ladies? I found you in less than an hour.
[Meanwhile back at the keep]
Gwyneth: I hate Wulfgar, I hate Aislinn even more for reasons I will never explain. Will you help me plot their deaths?
Ragnor: Ok, why not.
[Wulfgar, Aislinn and Maida arrive]
Wulfgar: I’ve decided to do the right thing and marry you Aislinn. [beds her]
Aislinn and Wulfgar: [get married] [bed each other]
Aislinn: [has a son who doesn’t look like any of the Normans]
Ragnor: [kidnaps Aislinn and baby, rides off with them and Gwyneth]
Wulfgar: That guy is really starting to piss me off. [rides out]
[Stonehenge]
Ragnor: Here is a good place for us to make camp. Which comfy slab of stone can I use to bed Aislinn again, which is all I’ve really wanted to do all along.
Gwyneth: What?
Ragnor: Get thee hence, b*tch.
Gwyneth: You Norman bastard!
Aislinn: Told you so.
Wulfgar: I’m here to kill you once and for all.
Aislinn: I will pay this author to end this book.
Wulfgar: [sword fight]
Ragnor: [starts to die]
Gwyneth: [throws dagger at Ragnor and connects]
Ragnor: [finishing dying]
Gwyneth: [hits head somehow]
Wulfgar: We have absolutely no access to medical care.
Gwyneth: My last words are that you weren’t born a bastard, I was. Your life up to now has all been a lie. [dies]
Wulfgar: 550 pages and this is the big reveal?
Aislinn: Let’s head back to the house, I’m cold.
[the keep]
Aislinn: Mom, Ragnor is dead!
Maida: Fun fact, I knocked you both out with sleeping potions, he didn't r*pe you. I just pretended he did!
Wulfgar: I'm the only man you've ever known! And I’m never going to pillage or plunder again. [beds Aislinn]
Lord Bolsgar of Callenham: I’m Wulfgar’s dad and I’ve just found a birthmark on the baby that proves I’m his grandpa.
Wulfgar: I’m the father!
Aislinn: This book has literally been all about you.
Wulfgar: It’s a good thing I’m a total hottie who has learned you in the ways of your womanness. [beds her]
Aislinn: Damn it!
For those who really do love Kathleen Woodiwiss like I do... here is your tl;dr 😂
SPOILERS!
[The year 1066, Britain, Darkenwald keep]
Ragnor: I’m a big buff Norman here to pillage, plunder and r*pe, you filthy Saxons!
Lord Erland: Over my dead body!
Ragnor: Done!
Lord Erland: [dies]
Aislinn Erland: You killed my father! Prepare to—
Ragnor: [topples Aislinn to the bed]
Aislinn: [disassociates]
Maida Erland: My husband is dead, and now my daughter is worse than dead because she is no longer a virgin!
Wulfgar: I am an even bigger, buffer Norman and I am also very sexy. I wield a heavy sword.
Aislinn: All you Normans are bastards! You killed my father!
Ragnor: Ok but that guy is literally a bastard. Doesn’t know who his father is.
Wulfgar: Now it’s my turn to bed the pretty wench!
Aislinn: I will never become your wife!
Wulfgar: I’m not going to marry you. I’m going to bed you. I distrust all women because my mother abandoned me.
Aislinn: All men are pigs!
Wulfgar: [kisses Aislinn deeply]
Aislinn: Don’t awaken me to the depths of my womanness!
Wulfgar: [beds her]
Aislinn: [womanness awoken] Damn it!
Kerwick: Wait a minute, Aislinn is my betrothed!
Wulfgar: Is this true?
Aislinn: Yes.
Wulfgar: [beds her] [whips Kerwick and chains him up with the hounds]
Gwyneth: I’m Wulfgar’s half-sister come to stay because dad lost all our lands to you sleazy Norman bastards. I hate everyone.
Aislinn: Thank God, another woman is here!
Gwyneth: I’m in charge of this keep from now on. Give me all your possessions except the ragged dress you’ve got on.
Wulfgar: Here Aislinn, spend my fortune on buying jewels and pretty dresses for yourself. [beds her]
Aislinn: Are you ever going to marry me?
Wulfgar: Here is a new horse instead. [beds her]
Ragnor: I’ll marry you!
Wulfgar: What? You’ll have to fight me for her.
Ragnor: [loses fight]
Aislinn: You won! Marry me!
Wulfgar: I did think about it during the fight, but it’s still no. [beds her]
Gwyneth: Who’s that guy?
Aislinn: His name is Ragnor, and he’s a r*pist.
Gwyneth: [makes eyes at Ragnor]
Ragnor: [beds Gwyneth]
William the Conqueror: Wulfgar, I gift you the lands you pillaged, and that comely wench Aislinn. Ragnor is also my loyal vassal but he gets bupkis.
Aislinn: I’m pregnant.
Wulfgar and Ragnor: [look at each other]
Kerwick: I’ll marry you! I don’t care that you’re a whore and don’t have a clue who the father is!
Maida: The obvious solution is to run away to Scotland because every man except my dead husband is a colossal d*ck.
Aislinn and Maida: [run away]
[in the wilds of Scotland]
Wulfgar: [sees campfire] Seriously ladies? I found you in less than an hour.
[Meanwhile back at the keep]
Gwyneth: I hate Wulfgar, I hate Aislinn even more for reasons I will never explain. Will you help me plot their deaths?
Ragnor: Ok, why not.
[Wulfgar, Aislinn and Maida arrive]
Wulfgar: I’ve decided to do the right thing and marry you Aislinn. [beds her]
Aislinn and Wulfgar: [get married] [bed each other]
Aislinn: [has a son who doesn’t look like any of the Normans]
Ragnor: [kidnaps Aislinn and baby, rides off with them and Gwyneth]
Wulfgar: That guy is really starting to piss me off. [rides out]
[Stonehenge]
Ragnor: Here is a good place for us to make camp. Which comfy slab of stone can I use to bed Aislinn again, which is all I’ve really wanted to do all along.
Gwyneth: What?
Ragnor: Get thee hence, b*tch.
Gwyneth: You Norman bastard!
Aislinn: Told you so.
Wulfgar: I’m here to kill you once and for all.
Aislinn: I will pay this author to end this book.
Wulfgar: [sword fight]
Ragnor: [starts to die]
Gwyneth: [throws dagger at Ragnor and connects]
Ragnor: [finishing dying]
Gwyneth: [hits head somehow]
Wulfgar: We have absolutely no access to medical care.
Gwyneth: My last words are that you weren’t born a bastard, I was. Your life up to now has all been a lie. [dies]
Wulfgar: 550 pages and this is the big reveal?
Aislinn: Let’s head back to the house, I’m cold.
[the keep]
Aislinn: Mom, Ragnor is dead!
Maida: Fun fact, I knocked you both out with sleeping potions, he didn't r*pe you. I just pretended he did!
Wulfgar: I'm the only man you've ever known! And I’m never going to pillage or plunder again. [beds Aislinn]
Lord Bolsgar of Callenham: I’m Wulfgar’s dad and I’ve just found a birthmark on the baby that proves I’m his grandpa.
Wulfgar: I’m the father!
Aislinn: This book has literally been all about you.
Wulfgar: It’s a good thing I’m a total hottie who has learned you in the ways of your womanness. [beds her]
Aislinn: Damn it!
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Rape, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Violence
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