book reviews , different studio guests each week. Join us every Thursday between 12 and 1pm on Radio Scilly 107.9fm or log on to radioscilly.com.

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Monday, 3 October 2011

Alison Weir - The Captive Queem

Review by Maggie Perkovic on show 1st Sept 2011
THE CAPTIVE QUEEN BY ALISON WEIR IS THE VERY EXCITING STORY OF THE LIFE OF ELEANOR OF
AQUITAINE.
THE AUTHOR IS A GOOD HISTORIAN, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK OF HERS I HAVE READ THAT
ACTUALLY PUTS FLESH ON THE BONES AND WORDS IN THEIR MOUTHS SO THAT YOU ARE DRAWN INTO
THE MACHINATIONS OF THE LIFE IN THE MIDDLE AGES FOR ROYALTY AND FOR THE COMMON MAN
ELEANOR WAS BEAUTIFUL, INTELLIGENT, AND INCLINED TO BE WILFUL.
HER FIRST MARRIAGE TO LOUIS VII OF FRANCE WAS FOLLOWED BY ONE TO HENRY II OF ENGLAND FROM WHICH SHE HAD RICHARD 1ST THE LIONHEART, PLUS MANY OTHER CHILDREN INCLUDING BAD KING JOHN!!!
THAT THEY LOVED EACH OTHER WAS OBVIOUS FROM THE START, BUT THE KING BELIEVED IN KEEPING HIS SONS IN THEIR PLACE WHICH CAUSED SUCH BAD FEELING AMONG THEM, THEIR MOTHER TOOK THEIR SIDE WHICH MADE HER HUSBAND TURN AGAINST HER AND IMPRISON HER FOR MANY YEARS. REMEMBER IN THOSE DAYS WIVES WERE SUBJECT TO THEIR HUSBANDS RULE WITHOUT QUESTION, ALL THEIR LANDS BECAME THEIR HUSBANDS & PROPERTY ON MARRIAGE. ELEANOR AS A FEISTY AND INDEPENDENT WOMAN RAILED AGAINST THESE RESTRICTIONS, BELIEVING SHE WAS
ABLE TO RULE AS WELL IF NOT BETTER IN MANY CASES.
THE STORY OF THE DEATH OF THOMAS BECKET IS EXPLAINED IN DETAIL HERE, AND ALSO THE LEGEND OF ROSAMOND THE FAIR, THE BELOVED OF HENRY II, WHICH MADE ELEANOR VERY BITTER,
AND RUMOUR HAS IT SHE HAD THE MAID POISONED, THE JURY IS STILL OUT ON THAT ONE.
THIS IS A RATTLING GOOD READ BUT MY ONE COMPLAINT IS THAT SHE SEEMS TO RUN OUT OF STEAM AND THE LAST FEW YEARS OF ELEANORS LIFE ARE GLOSSED OVER LEAVING LOTS OF ENDS UNTIL HER DEATH IN THE NUNNERY AT FONTEVRAULT.
I DO RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AS IT BRINGS AN EXCITING WOMAN TO THE FORE AND BREATHES LIFE INTO A THRILLING PART OF HISTORY.

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