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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
70 of 71 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Anyone who enjoys historical novels should definitely read this compilation of the Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet. If you are not familiar with the history of thirteenth century Wales prepare yourselves for family rivalry, battles, politics, and tragedy and send you mind back to the past. Written from the viewpoint of an observer closely associated with the royal house of Gwynedd the reader will not only learn from the accurate factual side of the book, but also experience a fantastically good story. I ended up being 100% on the side of the Welsh as you chart their battle to keep their kingdom in tact against the relentless force of the English, but also fight against factions that divide the family itself and the conflict between the major characters. Wales also has what I feel is one of the most tragic love stories as part of its history, and which this book reveals, that between Llywellyn the last prince of Wales and Eleanor of Montfort. Betrothed for many years, she gave up hope of marrying her Welsh prince once her father had been killed, but many years later he summoned her. She set sail from France but was captured by her cousin Edward I who kept her confined and used her as a bargaining tool to get further gains from the Welsh. Finally she was allowed to marry Llywellyn, only to tragically die in childbirth a year or so later. Soon after the Welsh royal family was forced into capitulation by Edward I - so much tragedy!
Please read this book!!!!
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you like historical fiction with a well developed plot and very well developed characters then you'll love this book. It is the story of the sunset of Welsh self rule, Kings and Princes battles over empire, determination, betrayal, love, and just life in the late 13th century in general. After reading the book I did a little research on the author and history of the Welsh in that time period and was pleasantly surprised at how accurate the details are. And of course Edith Pargeter is a well respected Midlands writer and was born near to where the stories take place.
My only small complaint would be that it sometimes got bogged down in to much detail, but that's easy to skip over.
All and all a very wonderful read, the story will weave a spell around your life for awhile. A book to get lost in!
My only small complaint would be that it sometimes got bogged down in to much detail, but that's easy to skip over.
All and all a very wonderful read, the story will weave a spell around your life for awhile. A book to get lost in!
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Part of the problem with this book is that the story has been told much better by Sharon Penman in her Welsh trilogy. Pargeter is usually a better writer technically (especially in the sublime Heaven Tree trilogy) but her style is all out of kilter here. By choosing to make this a first-person narrative by the boy Samsun, the tale is told by someone who is inevitably excluded from much of what happens. Too much of the story is therefore in the 'A told B that C was planning and then D did...'. In short we're told everything through the view of Samsun rather than having the story enacted or dramatised in front of us.
Other reviewers clearly didn't mind this, but for me this was a major drawback, especially is such a large quartet. In the end it was just too distancing, especially when the same story has been told so much better, in my opinion, by another author.
Other reviewers clearly didn't mind this, but for me this was a major drawback, especially is such a large quartet. In the end it was just too distancing, especially when the same story has been told so much better, in my opinion, by another author.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Captures the age
The narrator style is postive and helpful as it gives us in the 21st century a window into the 13th century that otherwise we could not reach. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Patrick Mchugh
to be savored like a fine wine
Edith Pargeter's novel, The Brothers of Gwynedd is comprised of four stories: Sunrise in the West, The Dragon at Noonday, The Hounds of Sunset and Afterglow and Nightfall. Read more
Published on 18 May 2010 by Amy M. Bruno
Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet
The condition that this book was sent and received in was disgusting. If I had known this before hand I would not have even paid the postage. Read more
Published on 25 Nov 2009 by J. Butler
Well written and well researched but .......
I just couldn't get into this book. I was familiar with the story of Llewellyn the last and his Eleanor from reading Sharon Kay Penman's Welsh trilogy (LOVED IT!!). Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2007 by Misfit
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