A Discovered Diamond
Shortlisted for Book of the Month
"I am thoroughly looking forward to the next instalment"
"I am thoroughly looking forward to the next instalment"
Biographical Fiction
14th Century
England
Richard
II has been rather overlooked as a monarch – most people only really know that
he quelled the Peasants' Revolt when he was about fourteen, that he was usurped by
Henry Bolinbroke and that he (probably)
starved to death ignominiously in Pontefract Castle.
In
the first of this new trilogy, Mercedes Rochelle looks at the early part of his
life starting with Wat Tyler's insurgence. Thanks to the author's research and
writing, gone are the visions of this child bravely riding out, speaking to
Tyler and everyone goes home happy! The violence (nothing too graphic) is
brought home to the reader with so many impromptu executions and general
destruction in London.
But
more than this comes from the author's pen. Although the event dominates the
bulk of this book, there is so much more. One really feels sorry for Richard:
he is young, dominated by his uncles and is haunted by his inability to match
his illustrious forbears. In other words, he is no warrior and he knows it.
Added to that is that the country is broke due to failed campaigns against the
French and the taxes on the poor - hence
the riots. Richard is frustrated; the lords simply will not listen to him and
they attempt to separate him from the few people he can trust – most notably
Robert de Vere, after he was raised to be Duke of Ireland. The one happy thing
in his life is his marriage to Anne of Bohemia.
I
have to highlight the fact that my copy had a few errors, but I must also add
that this copy was a pre-publication ARC version and that I believe that some, if not all, of
those errors have been addressed.
However,
these in no way detract from the overall delight I had in reading this story
and I am thoroughly looking forward to the next instalment.
© Richard
Tearle
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