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Book Review
Feb. 13th, 2024 02:16 pmThe Ruthless Yeomen
by Valerie Anand
This historical novel is set in 13th and 14th century England and continues the saga of the family from The Proud Villeins. For the first half of the book concerns Isabel of Northfield, whose longing to escape serfdom and have a better life come to disaster. The second half concerns Isabel's descendent Nicola, who also longs to escape serfdom, but is forced to marry Thomas, a temperamental man who scares her. Even so, Nicola does achieve the escape from bondage that so many of her forbears desired. When the Black Death decimates their village, Thomas and Nicola leave, taking over a freeholding distant from their home. There no one questions their free status and they are able to prosper. Eventually the Peasant' Revolt again changes the fortunes of the family, bringing both sorrows and the hope of a better future.
The Ruthless Yeomen is, like its predecessor, a bit unusual among historical novels covering the middle ages in its focus on peasants with the aristocracy only making fleeting appearances. I really appreciated this aspect, even if so many of the characters did not find much happiness in their lives, even when they achieved some of their goals. This highlights the fact that there are narrow limits to how happy a life can be without freedom or true agency. THe characters were vivid, if not always entirely sympathetic. Isabel was a bit of a frustrating character, as she is not always motivated by the better side of her nature and thus makes some really bad choices. Nicola was more sympathetic in that she tried hard to make the best of her limited choices. The characters seemed to get more sympathetic as the generations passed, as I found the two youngest characters, Nicola and Thomas' daughter Alison and her son John, the most likeable.
by Valerie Anand
This historical novel is set in 13th and 14th century England and continues the saga of the family from The Proud Villeins. For the first half of the book concerns Isabel of Northfield, whose longing to escape serfdom and have a better life come to disaster. The second half concerns Isabel's descendent Nicola, who also longs to escape serfdom, but is forced to marry Thomas, a temperamental man who scares her. Even so, Nicola does achieve the escape from bondage that so many of her forbears desired. When the Black Death decimates their village, Thomas and Nicola leave, taking over a freeholding distant from their home. There no one questions their free status and they are able to prosper. Eventually the Peasant' Revolt again changes the fortunes of the family, bringing both sorrows and the hope of a better future.
The Ruthless Yeomen is, like its predecessor, a bit unusual among historical novels covering the middle ages in its focus on peasants with the aristocracy only making fleeting appearances. I really appreciated this aspect, even if so many of the characters did not find much happiness in their lives, even when they achieved some of their goals. This highlights the fact that there are narrow limits to how happy a life can be without freedom or true agency. THe characters were vivid, if not always entirely sympathetic. Isabel was a bit of a frustrating character, as she is not always motivated by the better side of her nature and thus makes some really bad choices. Nicola was more sympathetic in that she tried hard to make the best of her limited choices. The characters seemed to get more sympathetic as the generations passed, as I found the two youngest characters, Nicola and Thomas' daughter Alison and her son John, the most likeable.
