The Captive Princess: Eleanor Fair Maid of Brittany
(Medieval Babes: Tales of Little-Known Ladies Book 3)
By J.P. Reedman
(Medieval Babes: Tales of Little-Known Ladies Book 3)
By J.P. Reedman
Publication Date: 30th May 2018
Publisher: Independently Published
Page Length: 241
Genre: Medieval Historical Fiction
Princess. Marriage Prize. Prisoner.
Eleanor of Brittany is sent to live in the household of her esteemed grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and brought up expecting to be the bride of a powerful prince. But when the marriage proposed for her as part of Richard Lionheart's ransom falls through and King Richard dies a few years later at Chalus, she is returned to her mother and her beloved younger brother Arthur in Brittany. John now sits on the throne of England, something Eleanor and Arthur both resent, for they are the children of his elder brother, Geoffrey, and many men say their claim to England supersedes John's. Arthur's desire for a crown leads the pair to ally with France and attack their aged grandmother in the castle of Mirabeau, a move that brings untold disaster to both. Beautiful Eleanor, the Pearl of Brittany, is held captive in England from that day forth, through the reign of two kings-never tried, charged with no offence, her only crime her royal Plantagenet blood.
I have to confess, I have never heard of Eleanor of Brittany. I have read about the dreadful thing King John did to her brother, but I have not heard anything about her. It is as if she was lost to history. Well, J.P. Reedman has put this right.
The story of Eleanor of Brittany is indeed a tragic one. Reedman has captured the very essence of not only the era but has made me think about the women of this era, how their lives have been so often overlooked by history, and how their stories are just as fascinating as the men, if not more so. Eleanor's story is one of strength and courage, and it is a story that certainly kept me engrossed, so much so that I stayed up until 2 am to finish it!
If you enjoy historical fiction, especially when told from a woman's perspective, then this is a book that is worth adding to your collection. I think this is a book that I will be reading again, as it is just such a captivating story.
This novel is available on Amazon
J.P. Reedman
J.P. Reedman was born in Canada but has lived in the U.K. for nearly 30 years.
Interests include folklore & anthropology, prehistoric archaeology (neolithic/bronze age Europe; ritual, burial & material culture), as well as The Wars of the Roses and the rest of the medieval era.
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