Bettie's Books

bookshelves: autumn-2013, e-book, britain-scotland, historical-fiction, medieval5c-16c, net-galley, published-2013, epistolatory-diary-blog, war, norway

ARC NetGalley: Troubador Publishing Ltd. Matador

From the description: As Scotland spirals into war, Robert’s sisters face the wrath of King Edward of England, whose vengeance wrought the brutal death of William Wallace. Kirsty is incarcerated alone in an English nunnery, whilst Mary endures years of misery within a cage hanging from the walls of Roxburgh Castle. Under Robert’s kingship, old wounds heal and Scotland’s fighting force achieves a resounding victory at the Battle of Bannockburn. Only then are the fragile, traumatised women released, through the ransoming of English nobles, to return home to rebuild their shattered lives… Sisters of The Bruce is a captivating work of fiction that weaves family history with a gripping narrative through the social and political landscape of medieval Scotland, Norway and Orkney. J. M. Harvey has been inspired by Sharon Penman, Elizabeth Chadwick and Sigrud Undset.

Dedication: For my mother & grandmother

Opening:

Scotland. July 1306.
A rider thundered along the track as if the very hounds of hell growled and slavered at his heels.

My last read, a historical mystery 'Covenant With Hell' by Patricia Royal, dealt with a 1277 visit by the Hammer of the Scots, Edward I, to the shrine of Walsingham to ask for God's Blessing for his invasion of Wales.

The events of this book carry on from there, just a few years in between. With this book too, I shall not furnish the story further mentioning that which is known historically, and the book description provides sufficient outline so as not to spoil the release. Suffice it to say that a large part of this history is told here through letters, and as such, could be seen as a gimmicky way to pretty-up info-dumping and facilitate telling not showing.

Artistic Impression of Turnberry Castle

Eirik Magnusson, (aka Priest Hater, Helsingør arsonist) Eric II, contemporary bust (1280's) in Stavanger Cathedral.

Dundonald Castle.

Writtle Estate, Essex

Lochmaben Castle - impression

Mary Bruce was captured by the English and imprisoned in a cage at Roxburgh Castle for around four years, and a supporter of The Great Cause, Isabella MacDuff, was similarly imprisoned in such a cage at Berwick Castle. Great spectator sport those cages. To gate-crash the English in Roxburg Castle 1313, the Scotsmen dressed up as cows then used ladders to up-and-over. As daring as the Birnam Wood ploy from The Scottish Play?

Reconstruction of Roxburgh.

This is a robust telling of tumultuous times and man's cruelty is shown at every turn. So whilst this is not a curl-up read, I do recommend that you pull up a straight-backed chair to the grey, late autumn daylight window, read on and thank your lucky stars that you were not born into those times.

3.5*