JUNE 2023 READING LIST
FALLS THE SHADOW BY SHARON KAY PENMAN
The second in Sharon Kay Penman’s Welsh Trilogy, Falls The Shadow focuses intently on Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester a French Norman, and a member of the English peerage who led the barons against Henry III. After a short-lived victory, he became de facto ruler of England and helped develop a constitution that influences the government today.
Amongst the story of de Montfort who married Eleanor, the sister of King Henry III, is the childhood, adolescence and rise to power of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, grandson to Llywelyn the Great. The story is an epic tale of conflict, betrayal, enduring love and honor.
Penman is a wonderful writer when it comes to historical inspiration. She brings the thirteenth century vibrantly to life. Her quick pacing is easy to follow with dates at the head of each chapter and keeps the story moving and not floundering too much in the slower periods. She even supplies historical factoids of monumental moments at the end of certain narrations to back up her fictional account.
I call books like Falls The Shadow a dense read in that the book is deep and long, but not slow or dry. Penman’s writing is richly descriptive and yet potent, like her description of death:
“An intimate enemy, death, capricious and cruel, ultimately invincible.”
After I finished reading the book, I would review facts and discover how in-depth her historical research had been. Penman brings to life so many details and aspects of a world from hundreds of years ago and yet, I feel as though an independent Wales is only recently lost. Another wonderful attribute of Penman’s writing is her use of several different narrations, without confusing the reader, and having each voice add to the entire story.
The one area that was a struggle to read through was the more intimate portions and the discussions of cycles, possible pregnancies and some of the attempts toward wording around coupling. Nothing pornographic, but a little awkward.
I read at the end that although the real timeline of Simon de Montfort and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd overlap quite a bit Penman wanted to focus the storylines of the reaming books on each ruler and in doing so devoted Falls The Shadow to the story of Simon de Montfort and the final book, The Reckoning to the story of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and how he became Llywelyn the Last. This made it easier to focus on the story of de Montfort, his formidable wife and the many exploits of their children therefore building a foundation of their characters for the third and final book.
AMONG THE MAD BY JACQUELINE WINSPEAR
On the way to visit a client, Maisie encounters a man who commits suicide. She then finds out that the Prime Minister is being threatened and there could be a potential for massive loss of life. The writer of the threats mentions Maisie by name and what follows is a journey through the mind of a man broken by the First World War and leads Maisie into the dark wards filled with shell-shocked men. Meanwhile, Maisie’s assistant is struggling with the melancholy of his wife has still not recovered from the death of their daughter.
Among The Mad delves into the complexity of the mind and how some people who have harrowing experiences still have hope of recovery while others continue down the road of darkness into an abyss. The hardships of poverty and the aftermath of a war that took so many and destroyed many others make the period seem rather bleak.
What was different about this sixth installment in the Maisie Dobbs series was several entries are from the point of view of the madman which gives a better understanding as to why the perpetrator is doing what he is doing. Insight into the madman’s way of thinking was enlightening and provided a broader context to the story.
I must admit, however, that this was probably my least favorite of the series, so far. The plot felt a bit shaky and even with the point of view of the madman, I was not completely sold on the story. I also did not understand why Maisie decided to attempt to confront the madman alone, even with backup close at hand.
FOOTNOTE: I read in an author interview that Winspear had originally meant the first Maisie Dobbs book to be the one book, but when asked about continuing into a series she looked back over her notes and found that she had enough research and ideas where she could develop six more books. I am interested to see how Winspear adapts and evolves the Maisie Dobbs series once she has surpassed her initial research notes.
Other books read this month:
JESUS AND THE DISINHERITED
