G365 Book Review of A Triple Knot by Emma Campion
Author: Emma Campion
ISBN: 978-0-307-58929-3
Publisher: Broadway Books
Type of book: Medieval Ages, Joan the Fair Maiden of Kent, ambition, Plantagenet, types of marriages, love, steadfastness, 1338-1361, Edward the Black Prince, knights, wars, England, France,Crusade, Black Death, 100 Years War
Year it was published: 2014
Summary:
The critically acclaimed author of The King's Mistress brings another fascinating woman from history to life in an enthralling story of political intrigue, personal tragedy, and illicit love.
Joan of Kent, renowned beauty and cousin to King Edward III, is destined for a politically strategic marriage. As the king begins a long dynastic struggle to claim the crown of France, plunging England into the Hundred Years’ War, he negotiates her betrothal to a potential ally and heir of a powerful lordship.
But Joan, haunted by nightmares of her father’s execution at the hands of her treacherous royal kin, fears the king’s selection and is not resigned to her fate. She secretly pledges herself to one of the king’s own knights, one who has become a trusted friend and protector. Now she must defend her vow as the king—furious at Joan’s defiance—prepares to marry her off to another man.
In A Triple Knot, Emma Campion brings Joan, the “Fair Maid of Kent” to glorious life, deftly weaving details of King Edward III’s extravagant court into a rich and emotionally resonant tale of intrigue, love, and betrayal.
Characters:
A lot of important characters aren't even listed in beginning, unfortunately, and there are a number of times I had a hard time keeping track of who's who. The main character is Joan, who is a Plantagenet and cousin of a king. She's very stubborn, loyal, resourceful as well as beautiful. Many people control her. While she obeys outwardly, inwardly she's disobedient. Another character is Edward (Ned) who is destined to be King of England. He is four years younger than Joan and is very ambitious and determined to make Joan his. Thomas Holland is a knight that's attempting to reconcile family honor with following his heart, while William Montagu is supposedly attracted more to men than women. There are many other characters, and should I re-read this book again, I'll make a longer list.
Theme:
Keep fighting and don't give up
Plot:
The book is written in third person narrative from Joan's and sometimes Thomas's points of view, although the queens and few others also had their points of view written. I feel that the pacing tended to be uneven, although I liked being shown the consequences of being the wife of a knight and what it was like for Joan and her family. Almost 85 percent of the book focused on Joan achieving a goal, while the other 15 percent was too quick for my taste, and I couldn't really understand Joan's motivation in being with someone when that particular person makes her feel uncomfortable. But still, should I read Chronicles by Froissart, I'll see what might be said or written about Joan in that book.
Author Information:
(from TLC)
About Emma Campion
Emma Campion is the author of The King’s Mistressand, writing as Candace Robb, author of the internationally acclaimed Owen Archer crime series. She lives in Seattle. Visit her blog HERE.
Opinion:
I love medieval history, thus I did enjoy reading this book and to get more insight into 1300s as well as to Joan of Kent, who I only know as Richard II's mother. I did feel that the book was a bit rushed and is more action rather than character focused. Despite the research, I sensed very little of daily life of the people. But still, the characters are memorable, and its best to read it in a few sittings as possible. One tiny gripe I have with the book is the character sheet: yes, the author did provide a short character sheet, but considering that we have tons of characters that appear and that aren't listed in the character sheet, then a longer list would have been more helpful.
This is for TLC Book Tour
Emma Campion’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, June 30th: Broken Teepee
Wednesday, July 2nd: Daily Mayo
Monday, July 7th: Fiction Addict
Tuesday, July 8th: Kritter’s Ramblings
Wednesday, July 9th: Peeking Between the Pages
Thursday, July 10th: A Bookish Affair
Friday, July 11th: Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Monday, July 14th: Book Addict Katie
Tuesday, July 15th: From L.A. to LA
Wednesday, July 16th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Thursday, July 17th: Unabridged Chick
Friday, July 18th: The Most Happy Reader
Monday, July 21st: Bibliophilia, Please
Tuesday, July 22nd: Time 2 Read
Wednesday, July 23rd: Ageless Pages Reviews
Thursday, July 24th: Historical Fiction Notebook
Monday, July 28th: Literally Jen
Wednesday, July 30th: 100 Pages a Day…. Stephanie’s Book Reviews
TBD: Passages to the Past - author interview
3 out of 5(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
Thanks for being a part of the tour!
ReplyDelete