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October 2008: The Devil's Brood by Sharon Kay Penman

A monthly discussion on varying themes guided by our members. (Book of the Month discussions through December 2011 can be found in this section too.)
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Susan
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Post by Susan » Sun October 12th, 2008, 2:55 pm

[quote=""Ash""]Oh good - I couldn't imagine the man I so admired in the previous books to be one and the same with this cold cruel man.[/quote]

The elder Simon de Monfort was a character in EC's book Daughters of the Grail. He was a leader of the Albigensian Crusade that eliminated the Cathars.
Last edited by Susan on Sun October 12th, 2008, 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
~Susan~
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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Sun October 12th, 2008, 4:43 pm

[quote=""Susan""]The elder Simon de Monfort was a character in EC's book Daughters of the Grail. He was a leader of the Albigensian Crusade that eliminated the Cathars.[/quote]

Beat me to it, although I recall EC mentioning that the younger Simon from Falls the Shadow was very much like his father.

Interesting interview with SKP, and looking forward to more on this family. Maybe Penman can be the author to make Richard's time in the crusades and his marriage to Beregeria interesting.

Got to sign off now and finish the book 100 or so pages left. You're going to love it when the brothers start sniping at each other, although Richard does get the best lines :D

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Susan
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Post by Susan » Sun October 12th, 2008, 4:59 pm

[quote=""Misfit""]Got to sign off now and finish the book 100 or so pages left. You're going to love it when the brothers start sniping at each other, although Richard does get the best lines :D [/quote]

I can hardly wait! I love it when the family snips at each other in Lion in Winter. I make sure I watch that film once a year.
~Susan~
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LCW
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Post by LCW » Sun October 12th, 2008, 6:17 pm

[quote=""Misfit""] Interesting interview with SKP, and looking forward to more on this family. Maybe Penman can be the author to make Richard's time in the crusades and his marriage to Beregeria interesting.

[/quote]

Interesting that you say that! I'm sort of on the same page as in all the books I've read I've found Richards time in the crusades to be pretty boring. You'd think that would be an exciting topic but so far I haven't been impressed with the way most novels have dealt with the crusades.
Books to the ceiling,
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My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them. --Arnold Lobel

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LCW
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Post by LCW » Sun October 12th, 2008, 6:31 pm

I just read the interview in the link! I'm thrilled with the focus of her next book. I love the way SKP portray's Eleanor so will be happy to read more about her. And I too think Richard gets the best line so will be on pins and needles waiting for the next one! Also, is it just me or did she just tell us at the end of the interview that Lionheart will be the title of her next novel?
Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them. --Arnold Lobel

Kelly Hewitt
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Post by Kelly Hewitt » Sun October 12th, 2008, 6:38 pm

Thank you for posting the link to my interview with Sharon Kay Penman! I had to set down my laptop and dance for joy when Sharon first mentioned to me the fact that she was already at work on another Plantagenet book and that it would still involve Eleanor! I am glad to see that others share my enthusiasm.

Kelly Hewitt
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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Sun October 12th, 2008, 8:41 pm

[quote=""1lila1""]Interesting that you say that! I'm sort of on the same page as in all the books I've read I've found Richards time in the crusades to be pretty boring. You'd think that would be an exciting topic but so far I haven't been impressed with the way most novels have dealt with the crusades.[/quote]

I think a big part of it for me is that Beregeria is bordering on the TSTL category, at least in any books on her I've come across. Perhaps Penman can get past that challenge.

Just finished the book and now comes the hard part -- trying to write a review. I was seriously leaning towards titling it "Can we all just get along here", but I thought that might be a bit tacky :p

Kelly, we're glad you joined us and I'm glad to have read the interview with SKP.

Ash
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Post by Ash » Sun October 12th, 2008, 9:22 pm

[quote=""Misfit""]I think a big part of it for me is that Beregeria is bordering on the TSTL category, at least in any books on her I've come across.

Just finished the book and now comes the hard part -- trying to write a review. I was seriously leaning towards titling it "Can we all just get along here", but I thought that might be a bit tacky :p .[/quote]


TSTL?

If you don't use that for your title, consider Eleanor's line from Lion in Winter "all families have their little ups and downs".

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Sun October 12th, 2008, 9:32 pm

Ahhh! I just posted the review but I'm tempted now to go back and use it, with your permission of course.

TSTL = too stupid to live. Clearly you don't read much romance do you? :p :)

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Telynor
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Post by Telynor » Sun October 12th, 2008, 10:34 pm

[quote=""Misfit""]Ahhh! I just posted the review but I'm tempted now to go back and use it, with your permission of course.

TSTL = too stupid to live. Clearly you don't read much romance do you? :p :) [/quote]

Poor Berengaria! I loved that line out of Here Be Dragons where John thinks that if anyone cut her, she'd bleed pure sugar. And I love the fact that there are hints that there will be more about Joanna, the youngest of Henry and Eleanor's daughters, to come. She and Berengaria had quite a few adventures on their way to the Holy Land -- being shipwrecked, Joanna possibly being married off to Saladin's brother. And it seems that Berengaria did quite a bit of travelling after she was widowed.

For a very good account of the third crusade, I really do recommend Zoe Oldenbourg's work in The Crusades, which has a lot of details that most historians and novelists skip over.

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