The book follows the lives of multiple people as they move about England (and some of Norway): Emma, the Norse princess who is given to the English King, Aethelred, the English King who is haunted by his brother’s ghost, Athelstan, the eldest son of the King--and rightful heir to the throne (unless Emma bears the King a son), and Elvirga, an ambitious woman who will do anything for the crown on Emma’s head. The book follows Emma from when she is told her life has been negotiated for peace with the King of England through loss, trials, and growth in her young years.
She begins a strong, albeit naive, girl, but she quickly learns the way of court. And as her unwilling husband draws further and further away from her, she finds joy and love in other areas of her life--namely, the King’s son--who she falls deeply in love with. Throughout the course of the book, she grows immensely.. learning how to survive her husbands wrath, learning from the miscarriage of her first pregnancy, learning how to make friends from people who mistrust you, and learning how to be a Queen.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was an extremely light read--which I was not expecting. Honestly I think I’ve read too much George RR Martin recently.. the setup was incredibly similar (multiple points of view, court intrigue, wars, backstabbing, feasts, kings, and passion) and I kept unwillingly comparing it to GRRM, which is completely unfair.
Anyway, the inner struggle of her duty as a wife and queen vs. her own desires was very intriguing to me. I wish it had been explored a bit more, but I think it was still done really well. I admire her character for making mistakes, realizing her mistakes, and recovering from them. Most of all, I admire her for living up to her situation and making the best out of it. I am amazed at how strong she must have been to endure her husband--which, I imagine, is the case for most arranged marriages.
Insofar as love is concerned, this book had an interesting angle--Emma was able to find love in all of the places except the one she should have been able to--in her husband’s arms. And she learned an important lesson about love: love can triumph over the largest hurdles and it can make you the strongest person you’ll ever be.
I didn't know this when I started, but this book is the first in a trilogy. I am looking forward to reading the rest of them.
Rating on Goodreads: 3
She begins a strong, albeit naive, girl, but she quickly learns the way of court. And as her unwilling husband draws further and further away from her, she finds joy and love in other areas of her life--namely, the King’s son--who she falls deeply in love with. Throughout the course of the book, she grows immensely.. learning how to survive her husbands wrath, learning from the miscarriage of her first pregnancy, learning how to make friends from people who mistrust you, and learning how to be a Queen.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was an extremely light read--which I was not expecting. Honestly I think I’ve read too much George RR Martin recently.. the setup was incredibly similar (multiple points of view, court intrigue, wars, backstabbing, feasts, kings, and passion) and I kept unwillingly comparing it to GRRM, which is completely unfair.
Anyway, the inner struggle of her duty as a wife and queen vs. her own desires was very intriguing to me. I wish it had been explored a bit more, but I think it was still done really well. I admire her character for making mistakes, realizing her mistakes, and recovering from them. Most of all, I admire her for living up to her situation and making the best out of it. I am amazed at how strong she must have been to endure her husband--which, I imagine, is the case for most arranged marriages.
Insofar as love is concerned, this book had an interesting angle--Emma was able to find love in all of the places except the one she should have been able to--in her husband’s arms. And she learned an important lesson about love: love can triumph over the largest hurdles and it can make you the strongest person you’ll ever be.
I didn't know this when I started, but this book is the first in a trilogy. I am looking forward to reading the rest of them.
Rating on Goodreads: 3
What a great love story!
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