Welcome to the Historical Fiction Online forums: a friendly place to discuss, review and discover historical fiction.
If this is your first visit, please be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You will have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing posts, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

The Marsh King's Daughter by Elizabeth Chadwick

User avatar
EC2
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3661
Joined: August 2008
Location: Nottingham UK
Contact:

Post by EC2 » Sun March 29th, 2009, 10:43 am

KaysK9s - Robert was all my own invention :p But I guess authors have to know the type and all sorts of types if they're going to populate the books! Glad you enjoyed the novel.
Annis - I would indeed think there's a lot of mileage to be made out of the story of that treasure - also as a modern day thriller or adventure story, or a timeslip. It could be the start of a great film script too. The possibilities are endless. Strange that no one has ever really explored such a goldmine for fiction.
If the treasure did go down, then Empress Matilda's crown is definitely in with it. It disappeared at about that time. Of course the more mundane answer is that a lot of it survived the Wellstream disaster only to be looted at John's death, or to be used to pay his mercenaries, but it would take someone very hardened and not superstitious to deconstruct a crown, and it's hardly something you can sell on without questions being asked.... so perhaps somewhere, under all that silt and mud, it's still waiting....
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

annis
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4585
Joined: August 2008

Post by annis » Sun March 29th, 2009, 6:17 pm

Posted by EC
it would take someone very hardened and not superstitious to deconstruct a crown
I'm sure that I've read somewhere that a golden crown was rumored to have been discovered at the Sutton Hoo site in Elizabethan times and melted down for the gold. The Elizabethans were a pragmatic lot when it came to loot, but it would be tragic if a true story.

User avatar
zsigandr
Avid Reader
Posts: 444
Joined: April 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada

Post by zsigandr » Sun May 17th, 2009, 12:42 pm

I too enjoyed this book immensely and am looking forward to reading other novels by EC.

I was wondering about the title myself - thanks EC for explaining and it does reflect Miriel's unfortunate (and probably many other women's) situation in life during this era.

User avatar
Lady Macbeth
Scribbler
Posts: 47
Joined: July 2009
Location: Deepest Darkest Lincolnshire

Post by Lady Macbeth » Fri July 17th, 2009, 3:10 pm

This was my first EC novel. A colleague and fellow history buff told me she'd bought a few of her novels a couple of weekends ago and was wildly enthusiastic and I saw this in the library and picked it up not really knowing what to expect. I adored it of course - how has it taken me so long to discover these novels?

It pretty much takes place in the area I currently live in - the site of St Catherine's priory is literally just down the hill from me although I'm not sure if this is the one thought of in the novel? Thanks for the explanation about the title - I did wonder if there would be some revelation about Miriel's father to explain it but am glad to know now.

I loved Nicholas - who wouldn't? In my mind's eye, he was played by the delectable Henry Cavill. ;)

User avatar
Tanzanite
Bibliophile
Posts: 1963
Joined: August 2008
Location: Northern Virginia
Contact:

Post by Tanzanite » Mon February 15th, 2010, 9:28 pm

I finished this earlier today and enjoyed it very much. I really liked Miriel and admired her strength and character. And Nicholas - sigh.... (although EC's William Marshall is still at the top of the list)!

User avatar
Madeleine
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 5860
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: "Mania" by L J Ross
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Re: The Marsh King's Daughter by Elizabeth Chadwick

Post by Madeleine » Thu April 21st, 2016, 2:31 pm

About halfway through this book and really enjoying it, I'm rooting for Miriel and have a crush on Nicholas - who wouldn't? In my mind I can see him as Daario from Game of Thrones, and I'm enjoying picturing all the different ships (must look up a "nef", haven't heard of that one before).

I agree that Matilda's crown would have been very distinctive and almost impossible to sell on, and yes it would make a fabulous story. I'm off to Hunstanton for the weekend so who knows, I might do some digging! ;)
Currently reading "Mania" by L J Ross

Post Reply

Return to “By Author's Last Name A-F”