The Morlands' rise to power, as tenuous as it was unexpected, now faces its greatest threat. Elizabeth I is on the throne and Protestantism is sweeping the land, threatening the position of the Catholic Morlands and forcing them to seek new spheres of influence. John, the heir, rides north to the untamed Borderlands to wed the daughter of a Northumberland cattle lord. But he finds he must first prove himself and win her heart through blood and battle. John's gentle sister Lettice is given in marriage to a ruthless Scottish baron, and in the treacherous court of Mary, Queen of Scots, she learns the fierce lessons of survival. Through birth and death, love and hatred, triumph and heartbreak, the Morlands fight to hold on to their place among England's aristocracy.
(Terra's Thoughts) The Princeling by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles is as good as it's predecessor "Dark Rose" and takes off right from a few years down the line. I found this one to be a bit more rushed in the telling of the story of the different generations of Morland's but it is just as emotional and will grab you in it's vice like talons and not let go for even the most delectable of treats.
The storyline still center's around Aunt Nan, young Paul Morland and his wife Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary of Scotland along with so many others. This time we don't just get to see court life but life in the country as well as life on the Borderlands that are rift with dangers coming from all sides. Life is so complicated no matter what your station.
If any of you are like me, envisioning the difference between the older generation and the younger ones along with the abrupt changes both political and religious will most certainly pull at your heart strings. Evolution can do a number on the best of us and not always for the positive.
The Morland family went through so much change in the Dark Rose and will go through even more struggles here in the Princeling. I love the pace the author has set and her portrayal of sights, sounds, textures and emotions will leave you very much satisfied with the outcome of the book. We all know that nothing lasts forever and that change is a daily visitor that we might not welcome, but we are forever prevented from interfering in the fabric of life as God sees it. I'm sure Queen Mary of Scotland could attest to this fact with the utmost of reliability.
I can tell you that you will love the history of the story and you will giggle like a child, blush like a young maiden and weep without control until your tears are spent. This is a brilliant storyteller and I look forward to more of her work.
Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (October 5, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402240589
ISBN-13: 978-1402240584
1 comments:
This is one I will definitely have to look for. Thank you for the review.
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