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The Handfasted Wife by Carol McGrath

Posted: Thu March 3rd, 2016, 8:57 pm
by Rowan
The Handfasted Wife is the story of the Norman Conquest from the perspective of Edith (Elditha) Swanneck, Harold's common-law wife. She is set aside for a political marriage when Harold becomes king in 1066. Determined to protect her children's destinies and control her economic future, she is taken to William's camp when her estate is sacked on the eve of the Battle of Hastings. She later identifies Harold's body on the battlefield and her youngest son becomes a Norman hostage. Elditha avoids an arranged marriage with a Breton knight by which her son might or might not be given into his care. She makes her own choice and sets out through strife-torn England to seek help from her sons in Dublin. However, events again overtake her. Harold's mother, Gytha, holds up in her city of Exeter with other aristocratic women, including Elditha's eldest daughter. The girl is at risk, drawing Elditha back to Exeter and resistance. Initially supported by Exeter's burghers the women withstand William's siege. However, after three horrific weeks they negotiate exile and the removal of their treasure. Elditha takes sanctuary in a convent where eventually she is reunited with her hostage son. This is an adventure story of love, loss, survival and reconciliation.

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The story unfolds at a steady pace and shows how stubborn Gytha (Harold's mother) was and how resourceful Edith herself was in staying beyond the reach of the Count Alain of Brittany, whom William intended her to marry. While this book is the first of a series, I do not intend to read the others as I am more interested in what happened in England after the death of William and the subsequent history there. I'm not interested in following the story of the Godwins to Flanders and beyond. 3/5 stars

Re: The Handfasted Wife by Carol McGrath

Posted: Thu March 3rd, 2016, 9:09 pm
by MLE (Emily Cotton)
Thanks for the review. I had this recommended to me by Amazon, but it isn't my era.

Re: The Handfasted Wife by Carol McGrath

Posted: Thu March 3rd, 2016, 10:12 pm
by Rowan
I'm not really sure if computer generated recommendations are worthwhile. Hell I think it's hit or miss no matter what. Something I might love, others could hate, (and vice versa) even if we both generally enjoy reading about the same time period. I think you just have to find a book that sounds like something you'd enjoy and go for it. The two books I tried reading before this one were duds. Nothing compelling in the first few pages to make me want to read further.

Re: The Handfasted Wife by Carol McGrath

Posted: Fri March 4th, 2016, 4:56 pm
by Madeleine
Not really my era either, but there's an Essex connection to Edith as Harold may or may not have been buried at Waltham Abbey, which isn't too far from where I live, so thanks for the hint as not much seems to have been written about this period outside of the Battle of Hastings.