The Ruthless Yeomen

Bridges Over Time #2

by Valerie Anand

Isabel of Northfield is a villein bound to a feudal lord, but family stories about yeomen in her bloodline fan the flames of dissatisfaction in her, causing her to dream about freedom. By the author of King of the Wood.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction

342 pages, Hardcover

First published June 6, 1991

About the author

Born in London, Valerie Anand knew at the age of six that she wanted to be an author. At the age of fifteen, she saw MGM’s film Ivanhoe. She walked into the cinema knowing that she wanted to be a novelist and walked out of it knowing that historical novels were the kind she most wanted to write.

Over the course of her long and distinguished writing career, Valerie has written many works of historical fiction and is well known for the Ursula Blanchard series of Elizabethan mysteries written under the pen name of Fiona Buckley.

Still living in London, Valerie Anand is a frequent visitor to Exmoor, the setting featured in The House of Lanyon.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical novel is set in 13th and 14th century England and continues the saga of the family from The Proud Villeins. For the first half of the book concerns Isabel of Northfield, whose longing to escape serfdom and have a better life come to disaster. The second half concerns Isabel's descendent Nicola, who also longs to escape serfdom, but is forced to marry Thomas, a temperamental man who scares her. Even so, Nicola does achieve the escape from bondage that so many of her forbears desired. When the Black Death decimates their village, Thomas and Nicola leave, taking over a freeholding distant from their home. There no one questions their free status and they are able to prosper. Eventually the Peasant' Revolt again changes the fortunes of the family, bringing both sorrows and the hope of a better future.
The Ruthless Yeomen is, like its predecessor, a bit unusual among historical novels covering the middle ages in its focus on peasants with the aristocracy only making fleeting appearances. I really appreciated this aspect, even if so many of the characters did not find much happiness in their lives, even when they achieved some of their goals. This highlights the fact that there are narrow limits to how happy a life can be without freedom or true agency. THe characters were vivid, if not always entirely sympathetic. Isabel was a bit of a frustrating character, as she is not always motivated by the better side of her nature and thus makes some really bad choices. Nicola was more sympathetic in that she tried hard to make the best of her limited choices. The characters seemed to get more sympathetic as the generations passed, as I found the two youngest characters, Nicola and Thomas' daughter Alison and her son John, the most likeable.

[Ktmholm · Rating 4 out of 5]

In some people, the desire for freedom burns brighter than everything else, and Isabel Plowman was one of those people. Thwarted at every turn, the best she could do was pass on that desire to a young relative, Nicola. Nicola’s husband, Thomas Woodcarver, did what was needed to gain them a semblance of freedom. But it was Nicola’s grandson John who joined the Peasants’ Revolt in an attempt to win lasting change.
Set in fourteenth century England, this engrossing family saga part of Anand’s Bridges over Time series, but reading the first volume is not needed to enjoy this second volume.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book well enough but I am going to shave a bit off the four stars...3.75. Only because the section on the “peasants revolt” was not that interesting to me.
I read it so quickly that I am not even sure who the ruthless yeoman was. I would read through it again but I am too anxious to start on the third book in the series.

[Misfit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anand continues the story of captured and sold into slavery Norman Knight Sir Ivon de Clairpont and his descendents that she began in The Proud Villeins. This book opens in 1271 as Isabel of Northfield can't accept her lot in life as a villein and forever tied to the land and the Lord who owns it and everyone on it. Fueled by old family legends of a freeborn ancestor, recently widowed and not wishing to marry the new husband chosen for her, she thinks she can improve her lot in life by joining the church - but evil Abbess Christiana only covets the land Isabel can bring her and very nearly ends in disaster. The next part of the story continues as a relative of Isabel's, Nicola, is married to the ill tempered Thomas Woodcarver and begins a tenuous marriage as both chafe at the bonds that tie them to the land and their overlord. When plague strikes most of the countryside they grab at their chance to escape bondage and bluff their way into taking over the tenancy Whitmead as the "distant relatives" of the previous tenants who also died of plague.

Thomas and Isabel are able to pull off their bluff, although one close call that ends in violence threatens to expose their true identity and return them to Redesmarch and serfdom. The final segment of the story tells that of their grandson John and his involvement in The Peasant's Revolt, and then finally culminates in 1399 as the newest and wholly free member of what is now called the Whitmead family is introduced and ready to begin the next chapter of the story in Women of Ashdon.

While this is not the fastest paced book and might not appeal to all readers, I did find it very enjoyable and a fascinating look at the other side of medieval life. Most of the historical novels we find set in medieval times typically deal with the kings, lords and ladies and not with the lower born classes, and this was a refreshing change to see what life was like on the other side of the coin and a completely different way of life from the ruling classes.

The series in order,

The Proud Villeins
The Ruthless Yeomen
Women of Ashdon
The Faithful Lovers
The Cherished Wives
The Dowerless Sisters

Some of these books a bit spendy on the used market, but I'm giving my library's ILL program a whirl and see how lucky I am (or how good they are). The first one came from a Benedictine Abbey outside of Salem Oregon, the second from the Eugene, OR public library, book #3 is the only one my library has - let's see how much my luck continues with the last three. 4/5 stars.

[Lisa Rathbun]

Though I was interested enough to keep reading, this isn't one I need to reread. Isabel struggles to improve her lot in the 1200s and passes on her dream to a distantly related child whose grandson is involved in the Peasants Revolt. The characters are realistic as are their circumstances; there are no easily won happy endings. I want to read Book 1, because I want to know the significance of the symbol on the necklace. (some S, V, L)

[Gilda Felt · Rating 5 out of 5]

As in the first book, you're introduced to a handful of family members that carry the story forward through time. Each member has their own engrossing story, added to by the history of England as a backdrop. In this book, it's the Peasant's Revolt which sets the stage, as the common man begins to demand his rights.

[Fatbaldguy60 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure if or when I read the first book in this series. OK sums it up.