I recently finished my NetGalley copy of Alison Weir's fabulous new novel JANE SEYMOUR: THE HAUNTED QUEEN. Wow, what a fantastic story. I've always thought of Jane Seymour as a mousy, quiet woman. A woman who was the antithesis of Anne Boleyn. The calm after the storm. Well, this book throws all my preconceived ideas out the window. I have no doubt she was the calm after the storm that was Anne Boleyn, but she was no shrinking violet, either. The Jane Seymour portrayed by Alison Weir (one of THE BEST historical novelist I've ever read), is a calm, but highly intelligent young woman. One who happened to catch the eye of Henry. The only woman who was able to give him the son and heir he required and craved. She was full of life and joy, but the title tells it all. She was haunted. There is an element of the supernatural in this book. She is haunted by a dark figure; she feels partly responsible for the death of ...
About Isabella: Braveheart of France
Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Cool Gus Publishing
Paperback; 218p
ISBN-10: 1621250911
She was taught to obey. Now she has learned to rebel.
Isabella is just twelve years old when she marries Edward II of England. For the young princess it is love at first sight - but Edward has a terrible secret that threatens to tear their marriage - and England apart.
Who is Piers Gaveston - and why is his presence in the king’s court about to plunge England into civil war?
The young queen believes in the love songs of the troubadours and her own exalted destiny - but she finds reality very different. As she grows to a woman in the deadly maelstrom of Edward’s court, she must decide between her husband, her children, even her life - and one breath-taking gamble that will change the course of history.
Does she submit to a lifetime of solitude and a spiritual death - or seize her destiny and take the throne of England for herself?
This is the story of Isabella, the only woman ever to invade England - and win.
my thoughts
Fabulous!!! Isabella is an amazing woman. We see her grow from a young child to womanhood. She becomes the wife of Edward to form an alliance between England and France. The title says it all, remember the movie Braveheart? Isabella was the young wife of Edward, daughter in law of Longshanks. Historically, the movie took several liberties with history. Young Edward was already king when he married 12 year old Isabella.
We watch her grown as a young girl, wife, woman and mother. The character development is fabulous. Not just with her, but with many of the other characters in this book. I literally could not put it down!
Colin Falconer has done a stellar job creating characters that appeal to the readers senses. We feel Edward's pain throughout this book. He is a sympathetic character, just not a good king.
I've read stories about the intrigue surrounding his death. This book does a great job of tackling that issue.
All in all, a great read. If you enjoy history, specifically British or French history, trust me, you will enjoy this book.
5/5 stars
Link to Tour Schedule: http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/isabellatour
Twitter Hashtag: #IsabellaTour
Watch the Official Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGBgmrsZLMA
Praise for Isabella: Braveheart of France
“What an intriguing story! … I'm enchanted indeed! Loved it!” - Montreal Times
“Author Colin Falconer has brought Isabelle's story to life … wonderful descriptive and succinct prose graces each page of this biographical novel.” - Great Historicals
“Isabella: Braveheart of France is a gripping read … this is phenomenal historical fiction that is highly recommended.” - Crystal Book Reviews
About the Author
Born in London, Colin first trialed as a professional football player in England, and was eventually brought to Australia. He went to Sydney and worked in TV and radio and freelanced for many of Australia’s leading newspapers and magazines. He has published over twenty novels and his work has so far been translated into 23 languages.
He travels regularly to research his novels and his quest for authenticity has led him to run with the bulls in Pamplona, pursue tornadoes across Oklahoma and black witches across Mexico, go cage shark diving in South Africa and get tear gassed in a riot in La Paz.
His most recent novels are Silk Road, set in the 13th century, and Stigmata, set against the backdrop of the Albigensian Crusade in Southern France in 1209. He currently lives in Barcelona.
For more information please visit Colin Falconer's blog. You can also find him on Facebook or follow on Twitter.
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