Here Be Dragons
Summary (from the publisher): Thirteenth-century Wales is a divided country, ever at the mercy of England's ruthless, power-hungry King John. Then Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, secures an uneasy truce with England by marrying the English king's beloved, illegitimate daughter, Joanna. Reluctant to wed her father's bitter enemy, Joanna slowly grows to love her charismatic and courageous husband who dreams of uniting Wales. But as John's attentions turn again and again to subduing Wales--and Llewelyn--Joanna must decide to which of these powerful men she owes her loyalty and love.
A sweeping novel of power and passion, loyalty and lives, this is the book that began the trilogy that includes Falls the Shadow and The Reckoning, Here Be Dragons brings thirteenth-century England, Frances, and Wales to tangled, tempestuous life.
Review: I love ridiculously thick works of historical fiction that are based on factual events, and I looked forward to reading this one for a while because of its many excellent reviews. Penman's novel seems to have stood the test of time so far, having been published in 1993 and still being read. Here Be Dragons, the first of a trilogy, is about Joanna, the illegitimate daughter of John, King of England. John marries his daughter to Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, to secure a truce between England and Wales (since, conveniently, illegitimacy is not viewed negatively in Welsh society). Against the odds, Joanna and Llewelyn fall in love, but their marriage is put to the test when John and Llewelyn go to war, and Joanna is caught between the love for her father and her husband.
John, Joanna's father, is the son of Eleanor of Aquitaine. I've read both fiction and non-fiction about Eleanor, but never anything about the period that came after her lifetime. Therefore, I was intrigued to read a novel about Eleanor's granddaughter. However, on the flip side, since I am largely unfamiliar with this time period, I can't comment on the historical accuracy of this novel. I did enjoy learning about Welsh culture through this novel, including an elementary overview of Welsh pronunciations through hints embedded in the narrative. For example, the name Tangwystl is pronounced "Tang-oo-is-til" (136) and Dolwyddelan Castle is pronounced "Dole-with-ellan (133). I do think a pronunciation guide for the Welsh vocabulary included would have been helpful for the novice Welsh reader.
Penman does an excellent job of portraying complex, true to life characters. John is both cruel to his enemies, but extraordinarily kind to his children. Llewelyn's oldest son Gruffydd is both to be pitied and loathed by the reader. The complicated relationship John has with his mother is repeated in a very complicated relationship with his beloved daughter. I also thought Penman did an excellent job of portraying the clash between two cultures, as Welsh and English lifestyles and values repeatedly collide in this novel. Penman skillfully sets up various plotlines for the next two installments of this trilogy, and leaving this reader wanting more, even after over 700 pages.
Review: 4
A sweeping novel of power and passion, loyalty and lives, this is the book that began the trilogy that includes Falls the Shadow and The Reckoning, Here Be Dragons brings thirteenth-century England, Frances, and Wales to tangled, tempestuous life.
Review: I love ridiculously thick works of historical fiction that are based on factual events, and I looked forward to reading this one for a while because of its many excellent reviews. Penman's novel seems to have stood the test of time so far, having been published in 1993 and still being read. Here Be Dragons, the first of a trilogy, is about Joanna, the illegitimate daughter of John, King of England. John marries his daughter to Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, to secure a truce between England and Wales (since, conveniently, illegitimacy is not viewed negatively in Welsh society). Against the odds, Joanna and Llewelyn fall in love, but their marriage is put to the test when John and Llewelyn go to war, and Joanna is caught between the love for her father and her husband.
John, Joanna's father, is the son of Eleanor of Aquitaine. I've read both fiction and non-fiction about Eleanor, but never anything about the period that came after her lifetime. Therefore, I was intrigued to read a novel about Eleanor's granddaughter. However, on the flip side, since I am largely unfamiliar with this time period, I can't comment on the historical accuracy of this novel. I did enjoy learning about Welsh culture through this novel, including an elementary overview of Welsh pronunciations through hints embedded in the narrative. For example, the name Tangwystl is pronounced "Tang-oo-is-til" (136) and Dolwyddelan Castle is pronounced "Dole-with-ellan (133). I do think a pronunciation guide for the Welsh vocabulary included would have been helpful for the novice Welsh reader.
Penman does an excellent job of portraying complex, true to life characters. John is both cruel to his enemies, but extraordinarily kind to his children. Llewelyn's oldest son Gruffydd is both to be pitied and loathed by the reader. The complicated relationship John has with his mother is repeated in a very complicated relationship with his beloved daughter. I also thought Penman did an excellent job of portraying the clash between two cultures, as Welsh and English lifestyles and values repeatedly collide in this novel. Penman skillfully sets up various plotlines for the next two installments of this trilogy, and leaving this reader wanting more, even after over 700 pages.
Review: 4
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