The Fool's Tale

Summary (from the publisher): The Fool's Tale is a thoroughly enjoyable romp through medieval Wales, told from three primary points of view: that of Gwirion, court Fool; King Maelgwyn ap Cadwallon, known as Noble; and Isabel, Noble's newlywed queen and niece of his sworn English enemy. Gwirion has a tenuous position to uphold: He is both the court jester and the king's best friend. He alone may criticize Noble, provided he does so with wit, and he repeatedly takes public liberties that would mean immediate execution for any other royal subject.

Noble wishes to quell the deep animosity that exists between Gwirion and Isabel, who must each fight for their share of Noble's attention; but this pursuit is overshadowed by his need to protect his kingdom from both English invaders and other ambitious Welsh princes. As the king becomes consumed with maintaining power and strives to establish contested borders, other boundaries within his court are suffering breaches, and with much greater potential risk.

Though it is Gwirion's role to turn things at court upside down with his truth telling, it is also his role to stay forever a winsome and clever fool. Noble considers him irreplaceable but, with the threat of his loss, finds himself fighting inner battles that are much more challenging and infinitely more dangerous than the mere securing of borders.

Review: Isabel, an English lady, is being married to King Maelgwyn ap Cadwallon, known as Noble, a minor Welsh king, in an attempt to shore up an alliance between her English family and his Welsh one. Except Isabel learns early on that she will always be second place to Gwirion, Noble's court fool and best friend. What starts as a bitter rivalry between Isabel and Gwirion (predictably) turns into a love triangle that threatens their very lives.

This novel started off well enough. In fact, early on it reminded me of Here Be Dragons in many ways - similar premise, time period, and setting. However, I found this book to be disappointing both for its slow and implausible plot and its ludicrous historical inaccuracies. The three main characters gave this book a feeling that three teenagers were ruling this fictional kingdom. There's never a sense that any real authority, sense of dignity, or that these characters are part of a larger society. Although minor skirmishes are referenced, it seems disconnected to the story. In a sense, this novel was wholly farcical and melodramatic. Even servants don't behave as they should within the historical context. For example, early on a servant informs Isabel that she is "just an entertainment" to her husband (40). This would have been considered a gross misconduct and overstepping of boundaries.

In the author's note, the author herself admits that Gwirion is "not only fictional, but historically improbable, as the Welsh court had no known position corresponding to the concept of a European fool or jester" (523). That I can live with. However, the main characters consistently make choices that defy the culture and standards of the time. No self-respecting royal lady would have dared sleep with a man who was not her husband before producing an heir without risking her position and even her life. Similarly, I refuse to believe that Noble would have defiled his wife by exposing her chest in an attempt to 'punish' her inappropriate behavior with another man. It's unclear why anyone likes Noble or wants to be his friend - he kills women and puppies, tortures Gwirion, and blatantly sleeps with other women, sometimes in view of his wife.

It's ridiculous to think that the so-called Noble would kill his wife's favored servant and she would excuse it so easily. It's also ridiculous to think his wife could have welcomed a lover into her bed, separated by merely a curtain from various ladies in waiting. It's ridiculous to think her husband would know his wife was committing adultery for months but play along to see how far they would go. "I was curious to see what would happen - you cannot deny the inherent fascination of the situation for me. I was sure the whole thing would explode in your faces, and once it was safely behind us I could tease you about it" (503). No husband, particularly a royal one prone to violence in the twelfth century, would ever respond that way.

Despite being more than five hundred pages, the characters have little depth or history beyond the one childhood scene with Gwirion and Noble. Little is known about either of the three characters' parents or attachments beyond their current positions, which does little to add plausibility to this novel.

I could have forgiven the torturous numbers of historical inaccuracies in this novel had it proved entertaining. However, this novel's narrative is drawn-out, unsatisfying, and largely implausible. I disliked all of the characters and all of their actions and was particularly unimpressed with the conclusion of the novel.

Stars: 1