I really wanted to savor this novel. Knowing that when I finished, there were no more Justin de Quincy books, was kind of a bummer. I didn't want to rush through only to be sad at the end. You know what they say about the best laid plans.........

 

I couldn't take this book slowly. I was hooked from the beginning. The pairing of Justin and Durand was brilliant. I know they have worked "together" in previous novels but never really have they had to make it obvious they are on the same side. If that doesn't make sense, read the books. I promise you won't be disappointed. Anyway, I loved the Justin and Durand pairing. It was medieval good cop/bad cop. I would love to read more books featuring that dynamic.

 

It's unfortunate Penman has never had the opportunity to really wrap this series up. The end certainly left an opening for future books. However, Penman has said on several occasions that her publisher won't release any more de Quincy books. *Sigh* I guess I will just have to settle for the other Penman novels I have not yet read. 

The Proud Sinner - Priscilla Royal

I was pleasantly surprised to discover this series was still going. I had heard book #12 was suppose to have been the last. Not only was a thirteenth novel released last year but book #14 is due to be published at some point this year.

 

I wasn't feeling as excited for book #14 by the time I reached the end of 13. Like so many series, I think this one is starting to run dry. This book took a step backwards from what made the previous novels so good. Normally these books are four star reads for me. The lack of focus on the primary characters took this book from four starts to three. 

 

The story surrounding the visiting abbots just didn't work for me. I can only read about how evil women are so many times before I start to get annoyed. I understand that this was the attitude at the time (and even still to some extent) but I don't need to be beat over the head with it. I get it. Women are the reason we were all expelled from Eden. They are all whores who only exist to attempt to drive all men to the Devil. I don't need to be reminded of this every other page.

 

Prioress Eleanor has always had to deal with adversity, whether it be due to her age (at the beginning of the series) or her gender. The manner in which she deals with such adversity is part of what makes these books such good reads. There was none of this Eleanor present in this book. Instead we are presented with a Prioress Eleanor who borders on whiny. 

 

I missed the quick-witted, sassy Sister Anne. While Sister Anne is never really a "primary" character, she is always a welcome addition to any story. She provides a fresh breath and comic relief to a time and setting that can be rather bleak. This Sister Anne was non-existent. 

 

I still appreciated this book for what the previous novels have been, a quick and enjoyable journey into medieval England. I am going to continue on with the series in hopes that the next novel is capable of capturing some of the enchantment of the previous novels. 

3.5 stars. A little more gore than I usually care for but the rest of the story was well written. I appreciated the author's characterizations of Harold and William. It's nice to see an author who doesn't take sides even if his Harold was a little extreme.

A great book for a history nut like me. I love the details and how Ian Mortimer illustrated the medieval times. I felt that I was on some kind of a guided tour, only that people couldn't see me. I was an invisible bystander with an audio guide. Fascinating times in history, but naturally, only so since I didn't have to put up with all the medieval crxp about treating women as propoerties.

Nonetheless, I love reading about the past.

The Story of Medieval England from King ... This was the first one of these that I've tried, and I really enjoyed it for a brief history of Medieval England.If you like historical fiction, but don't have the patience to read a history on a given time, this would be perfect for you. It gives you the important players for the different periods, and what they are best known for. There are some breaks to cover significant themes, like chivalry. A nice little reference work. If I had a complaint, its there are seperate supporting materials you get if you get it through Great Courses that you don't get with the Audible version, but if you are big on the period, you probably know where to find some of them.