- Hardcover: 752 pages
- Publisher: Michael Joseph (5 Feb 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0718154657
- ISBN-13: 978-0718154653
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 16.2 x 5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 178,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Devil's Brood (Eleanor of Aquitaine Trilogy 3)
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Product Description
Review
'Bloody and violent deaths, tearful betrayals by close relatives, dizzying shifts of power... very convincing' The Times 'Told with such urgent drama... A flowing plot and impressive research fill Sharon Penman's historical novel with political intrigue and bloodshed' Sunday Express
Product Description
Devil's Brood has at its heart the implosion of a family, a story of devastating betrayal as King Henry II's three eldest sons and his wife Eleanor enter into a rebellion against him, aligning themselves with his most bitter enemy, Louis of France. But it is also the story of a great king whose brilliance forged an empire but whose blind spots led him to make the most serious misjudgement of his life.
Sharon Penman has created a novel of immense power and range, bringing Henry and Eleanor to life in a uniquely vivid way. As two strong-willed, passionate people clash, a family divides and a marriage ends in all but name, an unforgettable trilogy reaches its conclusion.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Sharon Penman has again managed to truly bring the pages of her novel to life. The trials and tribulations of Henry and Eleanor, the scheming of their children, and the brutality of medieval life, are all played out to tremendous effect. Whoever said that fact is more interesting than fiction would be blown away with Penman's novels. I can highly recommend them all. In fact do not start with this book, but with its predecessors, When Christ and His Saints Slept and the brilliant Time and Chance. All Penman novels are five star winners...
30 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Sharoan Kay Penman is an iconic writer and has a huge fan community. I am one of them ever since I read "The Sun in Splendour".
This is the long awaited third volume of Mrs. Penman's series on King Henry II and his Queen Elenor of Aquitaine. It is the last chapter when the family collapses and the family feud starts. Henry II and his consort Eleanor and their sons Young King Henry, Geoffrey of Brittany, Richard the Lion Heart and John Lackland are stuff for legends and endless books. On top the cousin of France poisons the atmosphere further. The struggle for power and crowns, greet, jealousy, hate and sexual lust are a powerful mixture which creates a most explosive atmosphere. It is a monumental struggle with large than life personalities.
Mrs. Penman again presents a masterful picture of the times and the personalities. She writes as if she was there. History and fiction are bound together in historcial novels might cause some upsets but not in a Penman novel. Her command of history is simply too good to cause resentment or commit mistakes. The fiction parts just help to accentuate the messages and the real events. She simply has an unique gift to portrait humans and their feeling that they seem to breath on the page. It is a remarkably detailed - at times maybe even too detailed - look on this long lost time. She opens with her vivid portrait the door to this world and one gets hooked. Pageantry and grandeur, war and peace, conflict and treachery, human fraity and loyalty are brought alive. This is historic novel writing at its finest.
This is the long awaited third volume of Mrs. Penman's series on King Henry II and his Queen Elenor of Aquitaine. It is the last chapter when the family collapses and the family feud starts. Henry II and his consort Eleanor and their sons Young King Henry, Geoffrey of Brittany, Richard the Lion Heart and John Lackland are stuff for legends and endless books. On top the cousin of France poisons the atmosphere further. The struggle for power and crowns, greet, jealousy, hate and sexual lust are a powerful mixture which creates a most explosive atmosphere. It is a monumental struggle with large than life personalities.
Mrs. Penman again presents a masterful picture of the times and the personalities. She writes as if she was there. History and fiction are bound together in historcial novels might cause some upsets but not in a Penman novel. Her command of history is simply too good to cause resentment or commit mistakes. The fiction parts just help to accentuate the messages and the real events. She simply has an unique gift to portrait humans and their feeling that they seem to breath on the page. It is a remarkably detailed - at times maybe even too detailed - look on this long lost time. She opens with her vivid portrait the door to this world and one gets hooked. Pageantry and grandeur, war and peace, conflict and treachery, human fraity and loyalty are brought alive. This is historic novel writing at its finest.
29 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine thought they had it all - the greatest empire since Charlemagne, healthy children including the heir and several to spare - so how did it all go so wrong? The Devil's Brood takes up the story where Time and Chance left off with the murder of Thomas Becket, as Henry returns from his self imposed exile to Ireland. Henry's three eldest sons are chafing at the bit to have lands and power of their own and egged on by Louis of France they join with their mother Eleanor in rebellion against their father. In time Henry quells the rebellion and forgives his sons, but he cannot forgive his wife and queen and he imprisons her. Even though Henry forgave his sons, they are still not happy with his generosity and it eventually leads to more power struggles and back-biting amongst the brothers, particularly young Hal, who suffers the ultimate punishment for his reckless deeds.
This was a fascinating story of a brilliant, powerful king whose blind love and trust in his sons lead him to making mistakes in judgment that eventually lead to his downfall. I also loved seeing a different side of the haughty, queenly Eleanor we saw in Time and Chance, as unlike her sons she does come to recognize the wrongness (well sometimes) of her actions and the cataclysmic effects those actions had on her family. Some readers may find the first part of this book a bit slow paced as Penman does spend time setting up the back history of Henry, Eleanor and the Becket murder, but hang in there as about half way through when the boys start turning on each other the pages literally started flying. Penman's dialogue was exceptional, although I couldn't decide who got the best lines, Henry or Richard - they just smoked off the page!
One of Penman's great strengths is to take the most complex political situations and put them into a story that not only entertains the reader but educates at the same time. Five stars and it appears from the author's notes and a recent blog interview that this will not be a trilogy, she will continue the story of Eleanor, Richard and John in one more book. Hurray!
For those of you coming away from this book wanting to know about William Marshal, I highly recommend Elizabeth Chadwick's The Greatest Knight: The Story of William Marshal and The Scarlet Lion.
This was a fascinating story of a brilliant, powerful king whose blind love and trust in his sons lead him to making mistakes in judgment that eventually lead to his downfall. I also loved seeing a different side of the haughty, queenly Eleanor we saw in Time and Chance, as unlike her sons she does come to recognize the wrongness (well sometimes) of her actions and the cataclysmic effects those actions had on her family. Some readers may find the first part of this book a bit slow paced as Penman does spend time setting up the back history of Henry, Eleanor and the Becket murder, but hang in there as about half way through when the boys start turning on each other the pages literally started flying. Penman's dialogue was exceptional, although I couldn't decide who got the best lines, Henry or Richard - they just smoked off the page!
One of Penman's great strengths is to take the most complex political situations and put them into a story that not only entertains the reader but educates at the same time. Five stars and it appears from the author's notes and a recent blog interview that this will not be a trilogy, she will continue the story of Eleanor, Richard and John in one more book. Hurray!
For those of you coming away from this book wanting to know about William Marshal, I highly recommend Elizabeth Chadwick's The Greatest Knight: The Story of William Marshal and The Scarlet Lion.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
long and lucious
Sharon Penman is one of my favouite authors. This was another of her great novels - long but detailed and well developed. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Jo C
Did she forget she was writing a novel?
I can't bring myself to give anything by Sharon Penman less than four stars, but this one just scraped through for me. Read more
Published 19 days ago by Bookwoman
Too expensive for an e-book
Would love to read this - but not for £11.99 for the kindle version - unless anyone can convince me otherwise??
Published 2 months ago by rochdalelass
my review
excellent book giving a fresh viewpoint on this period in history, makes the characters come alive. Can't wait for new book about Richard II.
Published 6 months ago by J. Griffiths
Beautifuly written rollercoaster of a tale
Devil's Brood is an absolute rollercoaster of a novel. Now in my mind, there are two types of "rollercoaster novels". Read more
Published 9 months ago by Isis
Fantastic
This is a wonderfully rich, complex, meaty book. Sharon Penman delivers another fantastic read. Even if you are new to the topic this is an amazing read. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mrs. S. East
Real history brought to exciting, and moving life,
Based on thee latter years of Henry II of England, and his trials at the disloyalty of his sons, Henry (Hal), Geoffrey and Richard. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Gary Selikow
Superb
As usual, brilliantly written. It is always a pleasure for me to read her books.
Published 19 months ago by P. J. Archer
Something elusive missing
I love Sharon Penman's books but have been slightly disappointed with both this and the previous Time and Chance. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Roman Clodia
Great stuff
Very good as ever from this author. There are some very emotional episodes, in particular the death of Henry the Young King, though overall I don't think this book has quite the... Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2009 by John Hopper
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