Bettie's Books

bookshelves: published-1991, historical-fiction, france, medieval5c-16c, one-penny-wonder, dip-in-now-and-again, spring-2012, tbr-busting-2012, paper-read, epic-proportions, cover-love, families, war, art-forms

** spoiler alert **



Dedication: To Ailsa

Quote: 'From the Devil they came, and to the Devil they shall go.'
(St Bernard on the family of Henry Plantagenet)

The House of Gloriole
The Royal Houses of France
List of Characters

Opening: The whole course of the interminable medieval wars between France and England was radically changed by the appearance on the scene of a young mystic called Jeanne Darc. Her talk of victory put heart into the uncrowned French Dauphin and into his troops. In 1429, Jeanne's avowal to lift the siege of Orléans brought the French Army - its whores and its heroes - to the valley of the River Loire.

During the course of this novel Gloriole grows in much the same way as Gormenghast must have, extensions here, new wings there, new art and statuary under each new proprietor. All of these works carried out in anger or hate or to exact revenge.

Brilliant read this!
At the back of this it states Vainglory is her first historical saga and she is at present working on a prequel entitled Heart's Blood set among the crusaders and troubadours of the 12th century.

Must go and see if I can find that.
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It seems that her children's stories don't please this reader very much:

2* - The Stones are Hatching
1* - Smile!
2* - Forever X