IPhone 3G used's review (Continues to be A excellent potrayel of Guinevere) 『As the sesond book in a series, i thought this book would be rather weak. i was wrong. This series continues to delight me, as i have never come across such a human Guinevere before. In erver other book, shes either beeb a snivelling,annoying super christian, or a super Pagan. Here, she is just Gwen, a woman trying to be queen of her people. Trying to deal with her barrenness, and her love for Lancelot, which continues to grow.』
(Extraordinary retelling) 『This trilogy by Persia Woolley, which includes Child of the Northern Spring, Queen of the Summer Stars, and The Legend in Autumn, is well worth reading. Among the plethora of feminine centric Arthur retellings, I thought this trilogy was second only to The Mists of Avalon, which is the best Arthurian novel I've read, period. Neither a simpering bauble like Marion Zimmer Bradley's queen, nor a bitter shrew, as she is depicted in Rosalind Miles' trilogy, the High Queen in this series is a strong woman, bold, intelligent, compassionate, and well worth the love of two legendary heros. My only complaint with the character is this: Woolley saw fit to make her Guenevere homely, not the great beauty of legend, and Guenevere is supposed to be the fairest of the fair. Otherwise, this trilogy gets my highest recommendation. It is much better than the other Guenevere trilogies out there (by Miles and Newman). If you like this one, you might also enjoy Queen of Camelot by Nancy McKenzie.』
(The book I didn't plan on reading) 『My first attempt at reviewing this book never appeared on the page; I think it's because I called Morgause a nasty name. LOL. So, my reviews for this book and the following book, _Guinevere: The Legend in Autumn_, will be out of order.
I didn't plan on reading this book, since I was disappointed with its prequel, _Child of the Northern Spring_. But I was in an Arthurian mood, and saw the last two volumes at the library, and said "Hey, what the heck." And I was pleasantly surprised by books two and three; I'm glad I changed my mind and read them.
_Queen of the Summer Stars_ starts slowly; Guinevere seems more like a fly-on-the-wall narrator than a character for the first half of the book. She constantly regales us with all of the doings in Camelot--every banquet, affair, and border skirmish. But she doesn't talk much about what's going on in her own head. The result of this is that, whenever she suddenly acts with strong emotion, it comes out of left field. For example, at one point she lets two strangers talk her into trading a treasured family heirloom for a fertility potion from a Saxon witch. The scene was shocking because, while we knw Gwen is sad about her barrenness, we never knew she was *that* desperate. The emotional buildup wasn't there, so her actions were unexpected.
However, Guinevere comes out of her shell as a character when she begins to fall in love with Lancelot. They hadn't always been close. When Lance first came to Camelot, he was standoffish and rude to her. She disliked him even though he was a dead ringer for her childhood sweetheart. But they developed a friendship over the years, and then one fateful night, Lancelot rescues a delirious Guinevere from the tyrannical Maelgwn. She thinks he spoke words of love during their night ride--but was it just the delirium talking? A dream? Or long-denied truth? Now, Guinevere and Lancelot struggle to figure out a way to acknowledge their love without betraying Arthur. This book presents perhaps the classiest, most dignified portrait of that romance of any retelling I have ever read, and for that I commend the author highly.
Guinevere has the chance to run away with Lancelot and live happily ever after--but Arthur needs her, and so does her new adopted son, Mordred. Mordred is Arthur's son by the vulgar and vicious Morgause; after Morgause's death, Guinevere cares for him, though Arthur refuses to get close to the boy. Guinevere must make tough choices, and nothing will ever be the same again at Camelot.
So, although I didn't expect to like this book, I was proven wrong. I recommend it, especially for the touching portrayal of the Guinevere-Lancelot romance. See also the third book, _Guinevre: The Legend in Autumn_.』
(Best Arthurian Romance) 『I read this book for the first time about 10 years ago and I have re-read it many times since. You should start with the first book, "Child of the Northern Spring", then "Queen of the Summer Stars", then finally "Guinevere: A Legend in Autumn." Persia Woolley is actually the first author of an Arthurian romance to make me cry. I never wanted these books to end. They are so well written, and Guinevere is neither weak nor a feminist. She's absolutely wonderful. The way the affair with Lancelot is written is just some of the most beautiful that I've ever read. Not torrid and steamy, but soft and romantic. A very beautiful trilogy of books.』
(a woman's point of view) 『I first read this book when I was 13 years old, and I was immediately intrigued. But don't mistake me to mean it's full of juvenile content. Quite the contrary. This book is a beautiful story told from Guinevere's point of view as an elegantly spirited woman struggling to balance her instincts of freedom and love with her sense of regal duty as queen of Camelot and greater Britain. Not to mention her heart-wrenching dilemma between Arthur and Lancelot...I couldn't put it down! And I have read it again many times since. This is definitely not your average romance novel. It focuses on the enchanting story of a remarkable and inspiring woman's life instead of just graphic love scenes amidst a mediocre plot. I would imagine that many women today can relate to Guinevere's struggles. Ever since I first read this, I've been fascinated with the legend of Camelot, and I immediately searched for the prequel and sequel of this wonderful novel. I can't imagine why these books are out of print. Please let me know where I can find a reasonably priced edition of "Guinevere: The Legend in Autumn." Enjoy!』
Kakaku：339 saved$3.39
Jones Books
Usually ships in 9 to 12 days IPhone 3G used's review (Celebrating the people of Queens) 『Excellent book -- tons of great restaurants, classic ethnic recipes to make when you get home, indexes by ethnicitiy and locale make places easy to find, explanations and introductions are interesting and informative. If you live in or will visit Queens, this is a great book to have.』
(Eating Like Queens) 『Excellent book, beautifully printed, with fascinating information on the foods of many different countries. As Queens County (in New York) has over 150 different ethnicities (the most ethnically diverse county in the US), this is a very welcome addition, and quite obviously a labor of love. Even though it originally came out in 2005, it is still worth purchasing for the great food descriptions of various cultures and the recipes included at the back of each chapter.』
(Don't miss this book - It's a winner) 『In a city that offers thousand of possibilities for food lovers, one needs a very talented and focused Suzanne Parker to separate the wheat from the chafe. Ms. Parker did a great job in unveiling the cuisines of so many nationalities, and also included excellent recipes for those among us who dare to try.』
(Great guide to underrated Queens dining scene) 『Organized by ethnic cuisine, this book is a wonderful guide to the vast restaurant scene in Queens, which is underrepresented in both restaurant guides and the New York media. The author has included descriptions of the various cuisines and dishes, and also contact information and easy to follow directions for how to get to each restaurant. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves to eat and wants to get to know New York better.』
(Like Having A Map to Buried Treasure) 『This book is really quite something. It is jam packed with recipes, restaurant information, and unforgettable facts the likes of which I have never come across in any other cookbook or restaurant guide. This book fills a niche that has been empty far too long.』 『There's no place like Queens, New York, for exotic, exciting eating. With more than 100 nationalities represented, America's most multicultural county has a remarkable array of ethnic restaurants and food markets to explore. Taiwanese, Punjabi, Indonesian, Korean, Brazilian, Egyptian, Moroccan. These cuisines and many more make Queens a dining destination like no other. The book includes:
* Restaurant recommendations * Description and history of the cuisine * Food markets * Food related customs * Recipes』
Kakaku：638 saved$6.38
Dark Horse
Usually ships in 1 to 2 months IPhone 3G used's review (Bettie Page) 『Excellent book, with good pictures of Bettie. It has a good piece of Bettie's story, too!』
(a great fan of bettys......) 『 I love Betty Paige...and adored this book...I read many true stories and unusual or odd memoirs...I find them to be the most stimulating because they are not mainstream. This book was well worth reading....』
(Tawdry Rather Than Celebratory) 『The most unfortunate thing about Jim Silke's book is that he writes about Bettie Page (and very poorly, at that) as an object rather than as a person--his interest in Bettie doesn't seem to extend beyond his own masturbatory fantasies. It doesn't appear that the author spent much time researching his subject (beyond looking at her pictures). While there are a respectable number photographs and some nice artwork by Dave Stevens and Robert McGinnis, there are far too many pages devoted to Silke's own drawings of Bettie, many of which are based on old movie stills or Olivia paintings.』
(a must have for amy bettie page fan) 『Let me just say if your a bettie page fan you,ll love all the pic,drawing and hard to find nude of Ms page. Its a short book but well layed out.』 『What a dish! What a doll! What a delinquent! Bettie Page sent the world for a cold shower when her first photo appeared in Flirt magazine in 1951. Bettie ignited a flame that burned through the art community, affecting forever the way women were portrayed by artists and photographers. In this 96-page coffee-table book, historian and artist Jim Silke explores Bettie's influence on popular culture, from dime-store novels to paperbacks, and from painting to advertising. Featured in this volume are fifty new images of Bettie, including never-before-published photographs by Bunny Yeager, as well as artists representations of Bettie. Glamour fans, art fans, and history buffs alike will clamor for Bettie Page: Queen of Hearts!』
Kakaku：848 saved$8.48
University of North Texas Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (A Significant Contribution to Confederate History) 『When I first learned a few months ago that a biography of Lucy Holcombe Pickens was going to be published I anxiously awaited its publication. I was not disappointed. This is a first class biography of a significant person in the history of the Confederacy that has been overlooked too long. Several years ago I wanted to learn more about this interesting lady; but I found the sources about her few and far between. She does not have her own separate entry in the Encyclopedia of the Confederacy. She is only passingly mentioned in John B. Edmonds, Jr.'s book "Francis W. Pickens and the Politics of Destruction" published in 1986 and this is only because she was Picken's third wife. I could not find much information about her life after Pickens death. He died in 1869 and Lucy lived until 1899. So what happended to Lucy from 1869-1899? This beautiful biography fills in the blanks and Elizabeth Wittenmyer Lewis deserves our thanks for writing it. It is carefully researched and well written. The photographs show Lucy in her later years as well as her younger years when she enjoyed the reputation as the most beautiful woman in the Confederacy. This book is a true treasure and one that I would put on the same level with Elizabeth Muhlenfeld's biography of Mary Boykin Chesnut first published in 1981. A superb work and a significant contribution to the history of Confederate women.』 『"Submissiveness is not my role, but certain platitudes on certain occasions are among the innocent deceits of the sex." A strong character with a fervent belief in woman's changing place, Lucy Holcombe Pickens (1832-1899) was not content to live the life of a typical nineteenth-century Southern belle. Wife of Francis Wilkinson Pickens, the secessionist governor of South Carolina on the eve of the Civil War, Lucy was determined to make her mark in the world. She married "the right man," feeling that "a woman with wealth or prestige garnered from her husband's position could attain great power." She urged Pickens to accept a diplomatic mission to the court of Tsar Alexander II of Russia, and in St. Petersburg Lucy captivated the tsar and his retinue with her beauty and charm. Upon returning to the states, she became first lady of South Carolina just in time to encourage a Confederate unit named in her honor (The Holcombe Legion) off to war.』
Kakaku：848 saved$8.48
University of Illinois Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Terrific memoir full of circus history) 『Tiny Kline spent her entire life doing stunts. From youth to middle age, she worked with the circus, her love for which is apparent throughout the pages of her memoir. She continued doing iron jaw stunts, descending inclines at ridiculous speeds suspended only by her teeth, into old age and performed as Tinker Bell at Disneyland when she was in her 70s. By all accounts, Tiny Kline had a fascinating life. She really wrote two memoirs in an attempt to share that life with us. One contained mainly personal anecdotes, related to her work on the circus. The second mainly contained circus history and was stripped of these more intimate details. The editor, Janet M. Davis, combined the two to produce a memoir that is still Tiny's but in a form readers will be more eager to consume.
This book was a very educational experience. Circus history, while an interesting topic, is not something that I've ever learned in school and there don't seem to be many accessible books written on it. There is the fiction bestseller, Water for Elephants, which I read and loved earlier this year, but that's about all I've seen on my book radar. When this popped up on LT Early Reviewers, I knew that I simply must read it. And good choice by me; this is a terrific memoir. The combination of memoirs is brilliantly done and I never noticed a gap between Tiny's two styles of writing. It's fascinating to see how the circus changed over time, the insider's view of circus politics, and just how some performers climbed the career ladder faster than others. Tiny's ambition was tremendous and it's easy to see why she advances so quickly.
The book does read precisely as someone's account of their life. Tiny was not the best writer and it's evident at times that she had little training, but it never hampers this book, just makes the author more real, if that is possible. It reads like a letter written by a friend; conversational, easy tone. There were some nice touches put in by the editor, such as including photographs with Tiny's descriptions of some of her fellow performers, all bringing the circus to life. Tiny admits one lapse in her introduction; she included some fictional romances to make the book more "exciting", even though she never had a romantic interlude after her husband died shortly after their wedding. The fictional parts are obvious and only in one part of the book; I don't count this against it, especially as she admits their existence before the book even begins.
I'd definitely be recommending this book and if you're interested in circus history, you shouldn't miss it. I'm glad that I didn't!』
(The life of Tiny Kline) 『These memoirs, brilliantly edited by Janet M. Davis, Ph.D are a wonderful seldom seen view of circus life, and the important roll that circus played in the 19th and 20th centuries in providing entertainment to the masses. I remember my dad talking about Tiny Kline when she made history in 1932 by crossing Times Square on a strung wire from the Edison Hotel (still there) to the roof of the Palace Theater, suspended by a fine wire with a bite plate attached. Such was her "Iron Jaw" act that she performed up to her 70's. For such a tiny little girl and woman, she proved to be a brave and wonderful athelete as she did so many other things in the circus. This book whetted my appetite and I subsequently ordered Dr. Davis's book, The Circus Age. Wonderful and interesting reading.
Norman L. Rosenberg』
(great book) 『This is a really fascinating book..with great detail..on the circus life..gets below the surface.and takes you into the corners of this amazing underworld..Simply written..it rings with truth..』 『
This engaging memoir follows the life and career of circus performer Tiny Kline (1891-1964) from the burlesque house to the circus tent, and on to Disneyland and the silver screen. While working for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum&Bailey Circus, Kline became well known for her signature "slide for life" stunt, an "iron jaw" act in which she slid to the ground while dangling from trapeze rigging by her teeth. Kline renewed her spectacular acrobatics at the age of seventy when she played Tinker Bell in the "Fantasy in the Sky" fireworks show at Disneyland. In that same year, she also began writing her life story.
Extensively annotated by Janet M. Davis, this memoir documents twentieth-century changes in popular amusements, while providing fresh insight into circus personalities such as John Ringling, acrobat Lillian Leitzel, and big cat trainer Mabel Stark, as well as mainstream entertainers like Florenz Ziegfeld, John Philip Sousa, and others. Kline also provides intimate details about the daily machinations at the circus, including fascinating accounts of its sexual politics, racial dynamics, risky nature, and labor relations.
IPhone 3G used's review (A brisk read, filling in some backstory) 『"Declassified": This three-issue miniseries is the first volume of Greg Rucka's "Queen And Country" to delve into the backstory of the Special Operations division, telling the story of Operation Landslide, a botched mission that was alluded to in an earlier graphic novel ("Operation Stormfront")
The story is brisk and action-packed, and it's fun to learn more of the Special Ops leader Paul Crocker's history. However, I was a little disappointed in the plot -- the present-day Crocker's heavy emotional investment in what had happened during this 1986 escapade wasn't entirely borne out in this brief story arc. I mean, it was a good read, but it didn't entirely blow me away. Maybe Crocker's character just wasn't fleshed out that well: author Greg Rucka does tend to minimize his men of action when they are young and physically daring; it's when they are older and battle-weary that the interesting bits come out.
Anyway, this was a fun comic, but other Q&C stories have been better.』
(Crockett Rock) 『I have been warming up to the Q&C series, but this one made me a fan. I loved the first collection, went lukewarm on Morningstar, hated the art in Crystal Ball (liked the story though), and really liked Blackwall (the first collection to give the reader a real sense of Tara Chace's dedication to the job and friends and what it takes to protect both). Declassified features the return of Brian Hurtt from the Morningstar arc. The inking is less heavy-handed here than that storyline and the story, already a very tense thriller, sparkles because of it. I won't divulge what happens as Crockett travels to communist Europe as a Minder, but a lot happens! A very well-defined page turning story with great artwork - what more can one ask for from a great book? Buy it!』
(My Favorite Queen and Country TPB yet.) 『After hearing about how great Queen and Country is for so long I eventually bought Broken Ground and thought it was okay. I bought Morningstar and started to warm up to it. I bought Declassified and I loved it. The story has all the right mixes of emotion, politics and action that one would expect from a good spy story. In addition the art is wonderful, plus it has covers by Scott Morse.』
(Echoes of Le Carre) 『Queen&Country: Declassified harkens back to a simpler age. There were proper villians with uniforms and armies, and a wall to seperate our world from theirs. This story pays homage to the great titans of the realist spy fiction genre: John Le Carre, Len Deighton and the like. Rucka's writing reaches and surpasses the high mark set by the regular Queen&Country series. The tension of the chase scenes is masterfully constructed. Brian Hurtt's artwork in this collection is less heavily inked than in his contribution to the regular series, "Operation: Morningstar", and this creates cleaner lines and better showcases his artistic detail. An exciting, emotional story that hits all the right notes, this collection is a must-have for spy fiction fans of any medium.』 『The first spin-off from the award-winning Queen&Country graphic novel series takes readers back in time to the mid-'80s.
Before Paul Crocker was head of Special Section, he was an agent in the field. A run of bad luck is dogging him across Europe. His attempt to extract one political refugee from Berlin met with failure, and when he is immediately sent to perform a similar assignment in Prague, he is determined to succeed at all costs. Leaving his new wife and the quiet home life they dream of behind, Crocker commits himself to the double-edged world of espionage once and for all.』
Kakaku：699 saved$6.99
HarperCollins
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Classic) 『Reviewed by Cayden Aures (age 4) and Mom for Reader Views (12/08)
"Queen of Hearts" is the story of Ann Estelle and her preparations for her favorite holiday, Valentine's Day. She works very hard transforming a plain shoebox into the best valentine box ever for her classmates to put her valentines into. She focuses so much on the box that she forgets to make something else that is very important, valentines for her friends.
Cayden: "The box that she made looked really nice. I like making projects with glue and scissors too. I liked looking at the pictures. The book was kind of boring though. It was just about the things she put on her box. The cookies in the book look like they tasted good though."
Parent's comments:
I enjoyed the classic Mary Engelbreit illustrations in "Queen of Hearts." I especially liked the Valentine themed borders along the bottom. The storyline was okay but it really wasn't all that engaging. Both my son and I started to lose interest in it about halfway through the book as Ann Estelle kept decorating her box, and then decorating it some more, and then more and more.
』
(Cute story - illustrations are blah/outdated looking) 『Story is ok, nothing wow - about a girl who spends all her time decorating her box to keep her valentines from friends - but forgets to make her valentines for her friends -- nothing too warm and fuzzy about the story.』
(Heartfelt) 『If you are a fan of Mary Engelbreit, you will be a fan of this book. Once again, the real Queen, Ann Estelle, enters the Valentine's Day festivities with one idea in mind and changes her mind when she realizes the real spirit of this heartfelt holiday. A bonus is included in the back pocket--an Ann Estelle paperdoll. Mary keeps getting better and better!』 『
Making the best valentine box ever for her favorite holiday is Ann Estelle's newest school project.
It will have glitter, lace, feathers, and even wheels! There's just one thing that Ann Estelle has forgotten -- what could that be?
Valentine's Day will be your favorite holiday, too, when you enjoy this delightful tale with Ann Estelle and her friends as lovingly imagined by best-selling artist Mary Engelbreit.
IPhone 3G used's review (Great book, but leaves out one major aspect...) 『I first started listening to Queen back around 1987, having a copy of "The Game" that a cousin gave me. But it wasn't until 1992 that I became a fan, and I bought this book to learn about the band. It's got a lot of good information and pictures, and I recommend it to any Queen fan.
There is one aspect of the band that isn't touched on in the book, and that is their debauchery! Even though I've been a fan for almost 15 years, only recently did I learn that these guys were real hellraisers! I'd read a magazine article after "Innuendo" came out that mentioned the wild release party they held for it, but I had no idea how hard these guys partied. Sick and twisted!
But anyway, that one, minor, misgiving aside, I recommend this book. I wish there were more books available on Queen.』
(Must Have!!) 『I bought this book back in 1992 when I first became a Queen fanatic. There are some great pictures and quotes, along with kind of an abbreviated history of the band. It concludes with a list of all of Queen's music releases up until 1992. It is a beautiful book that is well worth the money. You will look at it again and again.』
(Absolutely fab!!) 『This Queen book is absolutely fabulous! It is perfect in nearly every way. It is basically a visual timeline of the band, from its subtle beginnings to its flashy end (or is it?). The pictures alone are worth the price, but the ingenius quotes from band members simply makes this one of the best Queen books available. Look for Freddie in his Superman shirt!』
(A Rock n' Roll extravaganza for the masses.) 『This book brings you right along side the band and their legendary music. If you like queen, this is a must have for your library!』
Kakaku：210 saved$2.10
NAL Trade
In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. IPhone 3G used's review (Just like the cover this book is beige (and clearly no research was done on the subject)) 『This book sat in my to read stack for two years or so (ever since it was published) and I never got around to reading it. To admit a completely stupid emotion I even felt guilty for having it sit around for so long getting no attention from me. But regardless when I did pick it up and read it I was a little...stunned. Not because this was some fantastic novel that redefined my life or because it was the worst piece of trash ie ever read that left me attempting to scrub my brain with soap to get the bad words out of my head. Not I was stunned because a more mediocre novel I have never read.
I guess it's a good thing that the cover was beige because this whole novel was just.....bla. While apparently the plot is like, edge of your seat, biting your fingernails, peeing in your pants exciting, in reality it's dull. It doesn't even have the imagination to be confusing, it's just boring.
So Gwenith (in reality this should be called a book of Queen Isabella and Gwenith the random royal Welsh girl) had her whole family destroyed by Edward Longshanks during his campaign to get ride of the Welsh princes of Wales and had vowed to her dead grandmother to everything she can to get ride of the present Edward, Longshanks son. Being a lady of waiting to Queen Isabella she gets a chance when a Welsh knight pleads his master's case to her and asks that the queen might meet with his master, Mortimer.
Doesn't sound bad-well it is. On top of all of the historical inaccuracies (and there are soooo many-either this author did no research and went off of what she learned from movies like "Braveheart" or there was no editing at all or both. I mean fiction is fiction, but in historical fiction you need to get the facts strait-you can pay with character emotions, things that are disputed by the historical communities...but not strait out facts!) The plot inches along at a snails pace. Even the action parts of the book are boring. There are only two interesting things in the whole book in fact, one is Isabella and Edwards fights which are really something and the other is the intimation that Edward III is not the son of Edward II, but his real father is never named.
Anyway, this book is a great way to put yourself to sleep. I managed to finish it, but unless you like sleeping all the time or being in a catatonic state, I wouldn't recommend it.
One star. 』
(Queen of Shadows by Edith Felber) 『This lady Edith Felber should write more historical novels. Tres bien!!! She definitely rates among the top authors of historical novels. If it didn't have two sex explicit scenes I would want it to be placed in all school libraries. The girl students nowadays love this kind of literature but this book wouldn't pass the approval of our school board.』
(Waste of time and money!) 『I realize a historical fiction is fiction but usually the author does research and builds the fiction around the facts. I am not an expert and even I picked up on the inaccuracies (not just the dates, places and events but the customs, speech, dress, etc.) I gave this book one star because of the historical figures she started with and the only good parts in this book are Isabella's interactions with Despenser. I can't say this would even be a good book if you like romance because the love scenes were not fantastic. Over all this book is poorly written and I am not sure it's the writers fault or the editor. There's so many mistakes it's hard to read through it. The characters are weak, the plot is weak, details of the period are not that discriptive or all wrong. It's so unbelievable, it's comical. As I was reading this book, I thought if it became a movie it would be a cartoon. If your looking for a good historical fiction, look for Sharon Kay Penman or Anya Seton or even Philippa Gregory.』
(Good Story but Full of Inaccuracies) 『First of all, the term "Majesty" was not used until Henry VIII styled himself as such a couple of centuries later. There are many other details which are inaccurate and for the avid reader of Historical Novels, (NOT historical romances) it was sometimes difficult to get past them to enjoy the story. This author was not as thorough on her research as she should have been. Two authors who ARE who I love and I have read nearly everything they've written are Margaret George and Sharon Kay Penman. As a descendant of Edward I, Edward II and Edward III, I am particularly interested in historical fiction from this time period. The author should be aware that unlike historical romances, the readers of historical novels DO know their history.』
(Terrific historical novel) 『Queen of Shadows is a marvelous book. I liked it so much I wrote a blurb for it. I have written myself about dark ages and medieval Britain, and Edith Felber captures so well the color, the sights, the sounds, the smells of a medieval English court. Isabella (whom I had always thought to be a villainess) comes across as a strong woman who has the guts to take her destiny (and that of her country) into her own capable hands. This is the first review I have ever written for Amazon, but I didn't want potential readers to miss out on this wonderful book because of a highly dyspectic previous review. Joan Wolf』 『In fourteenth-century England, beautiful Queen Isabella-humiliated by her weak, unfaithful husband-is emerging from the shadows to take her revenge. But her newly arrived, twenty-oneyear-old Welsh handmaiden, Gwenith de Percy, also seeks vengeance-against the English invaders who crushed her beloved Wales. Isabella's once-golden marriage is now her penance. Due to his rumored relations with men, Parliament forced Edward to share his throne-a demeaning arrangement that torments Isabella.
With the help of her secret, noble lover, Roger Mortimer-an enemy of her husband, imprisoned in the Tower of London-the queen plots to take control. Thrilled by this turn of events, Gwenith realizes that a king cannot afford to be weak-especially when his formidable, discontented queen seeks his power as her due.』
