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Book Review
Jul. 31st, 2006 08:45 pmWhen Christ and All His Saints Slept
by Sharon Kay Penman
Penman writes some of the best historical novels I have ever read. So even though I thought that this one wasn't as good as some of her others, it was still an enjoyable, worthwhile read. The book telss the story of the civil war between Stephen and Maude as they battle over the English crown in the years after Henry I's death. There are plenty of good characters, and Penman does her usual excellent job of evoking the Middle Ages, but the narrative is just not as compelling. Stephen and Maude are so evenly matched in so many ways that their conflict is an all but endless tug-of-war. Resolution is only achieved when Stephen must name Maude's son Henry as his heir after Stephen's own son dies. Penman does her best with the plot, but history doesn't always provide a dramatic climax.
by Sharon Kay Penman
Penman writes some of the best historical novels I have ever read. So even though I thought that this one wasn't as good as some of her others, it was still an enjoyable, worthwhile read. The book telss the story of the civil war between Stephen and Maude as they battle over the English crown in the years after Henry I's death. There are plenty of good characters, and Penman does her usual excellent job of evoking the Middle Ages, but the narrative is just not as compelling. Stephen and Maude are so evenly matched in so many ways that their conflict is an all but endless tug-of-war. Resolution is only achieved when Stephen must name Maude's son Henry as his heir after Stephen's own son dies. Penman does her best with the plot, but history doesn't always provide a dramatic climax.
