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The Tribute Bride
A flood ruins King Alle’s kingdom. His crops are destroyed and he does not have the necessary grain to pay his yearly tribute to neighbouring war-lord, Aethelfrid. Instead he offer’s him his daughter, Acha, who, aged 16, must become a peace-weaver bride to the most brutal and feared warrior in the land.
But will she be accepted? Can she produce an heir? What will happen to the lines of inheritance in both her father’s kingdom and her new husband’s?
Acha finds herself alone, distrusted, and constantly in danger, but even she could not have imagined the deadly consequences her father’s plan.
This is a story of resilience and survival, courage, love and loyalty in one of history’s bloodiest eras, and the founding of the vast Anglo-Saxon kingdom that came to be known as Northumbria.
But will she be accepted? Can she produce an heir? What will happen to the lines of inheritance in both her father’s kingdom and her new husband’s?
Acha finds herself alone, distrusted, and constantly in danger, but even she could not have imagined the deadly consequences her father’s plan.
This is a story of resilience and survival, courage, love and loyalty in one of history’s bloodiest eras, and the founding of the vast Anglo-Saxon kingdom that came to be known as Northumbria.
258 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2014
30 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
About the author
Theresa Tomlinson
43 books127 followersThough I was born in the South of England - my parents moved back to the North when I was one year old, and I have lived in Yorkshire ever since. I spent a few years as an infant teacher, but when my children were young I started making picture books for them and became hooked on writing. I love drawing and painting, but my main love is writing, often using the legends and history around me as inspiration.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 4, 2016
5 Words: History, love, power, family, royalty.
I'm sat here pretty speechless. Because this book is awesome. It's a hidden gem, a bright ray of well-researched, historical sunshine. It's amazing. It's breathtaking.
And everyone has to read it.
When it comes to this period in English history, it's called the Dark Ages for a reason. We're in the times before Bede, the father of English history, and even the great scholar and historian himself couldn't dig up much about the rulers of Bernicia. The Tribute Bride takes the pivotal characters of this period and weaves them into a delightful story full of twists and turns and dilemmas, with a central character who changes and grows dramatically between the pages.
The descriptions are insanely vivid. You can smell the woodsmoke, the damp, the horses, the perfume. You can taste the feasts. You can feel the cold wind and warm fires and encroaching flood waters. You can hear the waves crashing on rocks and sand, the rush of a tumultuous river, a crying child. It's amazingly written and as I read I was transported there.
I'm sat here pretty speechless. Because this book is awesome. It's a hidden gem, a bright ray of well-researched, historical sunshine. It's amazing. It's breathtaking.
And everyone has to read it.
When it comes to this period in English history, it's called the Dark Ages for a reason. We're in the times before Bede, the father of English history, and even the great scholar and historian himself couldn't dig up much about the rulers of Bernicia. The Tribute Bride takes the pivotal characters of this period and weaves them into a delightful story full of twists and turns and dilemmas, with a central character who changes and grows dramatically between the pages.
The descriptions are insanely vivid. You can smell the woodsmoke, the damp, the horses, the perfume. You can taste the feasts. You can feel the cold wind and warm fires and encroaching flood waters. You can hear the waves crashing on rocks and sand, the rush of a tumultuous river, a crying child. It's amazingly written and as I read I was transported there.
June 22, 2014
A story of the founding of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom now known as Northumbria told in an immediate and compelling way. Acha is the tribute bride of the title, offered as second wife to neighbouring war lord Aethelfrid for the price of peace. The relationship she forms with his first wife is both moving and unexpected. This is a world in which people are torn by conflicting loyalties, and a complex network of relationships is convincingly portrayed. It is a textured world, lovingly created with vivid, sensuous detail. This is not a period that is regularly written about, even though it is crucial to understanding our modern world and the development of our nation. I read it in the course of a single day, and hope to read many more books by this author.
December 3, 2015
A pleasant, positive read. I don't know much at all about Saxon history, but Tomlinson really seems to know her stuff, and her portrayal of Britain as a patchwork of different cultures, languages, and religions rang true. Acha’s growth from naïve teenage bride to assured woman was well done, and there were some touching moments throughout. I liked the portrayal of friendships between women who might otherwise have been rivals - very refreshing! Even the ruthless Athelfrid is portrayed with nuance.
The main flaw, for me, was that I had a feeling of being more often told the characters’ emotions and dilemmas, rather than shown them, so the emotional resonance and dramatic tension wasn’t always as strong as it might have been. And I felt the pacing of the second act was a bit rushed. These together kept me from getting fully immersed in what was otherwise a very compelling read.
The main flaw, for me, was that I had a feeling of being more often told the characters’ emotions and dilemmas, rather than shown them, so the emotional resonance and dramatic tension wasn’t always as strong as it might have been. And I felt the pacing of the second act was a bit rushed. These together kept me from getting fully immersed in what was otherwise a very compelling read.
June 5, 2017
This book for me was boring, the writing seemed tired and though it was aimed at a much younger audience it didn't have the same interest that other YA books have. I'm going to keep my review short because I don't want to bore people but I can't say I'd reccommend this book to anyone. The history of the book might have interested some but it wasn't such a serious plot point that it was hugely of interest to me.
The writing wasn't particularly very good either, as it felt as though the text was talking down to its readers.
This book was a read that I did for a bookclub and I can honestly say we were pretty unanimous in our thoughts on this book.
I'm sorry for this scathing review 1 star.
The writing wasn't particularly very good either, as it felt as though the text was talking down to its readers.
This book was a read that I did for a bookclub and I can honestly say we were pretty unanimous in our thoughts on this book.
I'm sorry for this scathing review 1 star.
December 16, 2014
We are proud to announce that THE TRIBUTE BRIDE by Theresa Tomlinson is a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!
February 20, 2017
One of the unanticipated pleasures of finishing The Northumbrian Thrones trilogy is the freedom that has brought in its wake to read other books set in 7th-century Northumbria. While writing Edwin, Oswald and Oswiu, I read one other novel set in that time and place, Jill Dalladay's The Abbess of Whitby, and while I enjoyed the story, reading 'my' characters filtered through another writer's perception of them produced a strange disorientation: it was like looking at a scene where everything is doubled. What was worse, that disorientation carried over for a while to my own writing. So I had to resolve to leave aside reading any other books set in 7th-century Northumbria until I had finished writing my own.
Now they're done, I've been released. I've read, with great enjoyment, two of Matthew Harffy's Beobrand novels (and am looking forward to reading the third as soon as time allows), with his own takes on the characters of Edwin, Oswald and Oswiu, and now I've finished Theresa Tomlinson's The Tribute Bride. The heroine of the book, Acha, figures large in Oswald and Oswiu, as mother to kings, but in The Tribute Bride we see her as a girl and young woman, entering into her fateful marriage with Aethelfrith. So the vast majority of the events of the book occur before the start of Edwin, and I thoroughly enjoyed Tomlinson's ingenious solution to the historical question of how Acha came to marry Aethelfrith and why her husband killed her father and sent her brother into exile. Because of the paucity of our sources, we can never know for sure exactly what happened in this bloody family saga, Tomlinson's version rings with the verity of dramatic truth - if it didn't happen like this, it should have!
So, for an engaging and engrossing journey into the deep roots of the struggle for mastery in 7th-century Northumbria, I commend this book to anyone who has enjoyed Edwin, Oswald and Oswiu.
Now they're done, I've been released. I've read, with great enjoyment, two of Matthew Harffy's Beobrand novels (and am looking forward to reading the third as soon as time allows), with his own takes on the characters of Edwin, Oswald and Oswiu, and now I've finished Theresa Tomlinson's The Tribute Bride. The heroine of the book, Acha, figures large in Oswald and Oswiu, as mother to kings, but in The Tribute Bride we see her as a girl and young woman, entering into her fateful marriage with Aethelfrith. So the vast majority of the events of the book occur before the start of Edwin, and I thoroughly enjoyed Tomlinson's ingenious solution to the historical question of how Acha came to marry Aethelfrith and why her husband killed her father and sent her brother into exile. Because of the paucity of our sources, we can never know for sure exactly what happened in this bloody family saga, Tomlinson's version rings with the verity of dramatic truth - if it didn't happen like this, it should have!
So, for an engaging and engrossing journey into the deep roots of the struggle for mastery in 7th-century Northumbria, I commend this book to anyone who has enjoyed Edwin, Oswald and Oswiu.
December 28, 2017
Great characters & great writing.
Areas that were strange, yet familiar.
Vivid descriptions of costumes & places brought this leaping off the page.
Areas that were strange, yet familiar.
Vivid descriptions of costumes & places brought this leaping off the page.
Read
September 10, 2014When a severe flood ruins the harvest and her father cannot pay the grain tribute demanded by his overlord, the fearsome Athelfrid of Bernicia, young Princess Acha is sent north as a tribute instead. Athelfrid already has a queen, the beautiful and commanding Bebba, but they have no living child, so Athelfrid accepts Acha as a secondary wife. But Athelfrid is as cunning as he is ruthless. Does he want more from Acha than an heir? And how will the queen, Bebba, react to this potential rival?
Gentle tale of kindness and friendships found in unexpected places, set against the background of early seventh-century Northumbria.
Review: http://www.carlanayland.org/reviews/t...
Gentle tale of kindness and friendships found in unexpected places, set against the background of early seventh-century Northumbria.
Review: http://www.carlanayland.org/reviews/t...
October 19, 2020
I truthfully don't know how to rate this book. I picked a rating just from my interest in the time period and the story, but all I really know, after reading it, is I am glad I'm not living in the dark ages, or specifically the 7th century of this book.
This book. I feel I need to make a new shelf on Goodreads called "the summary lied" because, well, it did, kind of. Although, I'm not entirely devastated by that, strangely. This book was just not what I was expecting. See, after reading the summary, I was expecting a story similar to the Arthurian legends--a tale of chivalric romance, of two people uniting their kingdoms and, in the process, coming to care for each other as well. Here. Read the summary yourself to see what I mean:
"A flood ruins King Alle’s kingdom. His crops are destroyed and he does not have the necessary grain to pay his yearly tribute to neighbouring war-lord, Aethelfrid. Instead, he offers him his daughter, Acha, who, aged 16, must become a peace-weaver bride to the most brutal and feared warrior in the land.
But will she be accepted? Can she produce an heir? What will happen to the lines of inheritance in both her father’s kingdom and her new husband’s?
Acha finds herself alone, distrusted, and constantly in danger, but even she could not have imagined the deadly consequences of her father’s plan.
This is a story of resilience and survival, courage, love, and loyalty in one of history’s bloodiest eras, and the founding of the vast Anglo-Saxon kingdom that came to be known as Northumbria.
See what I mean? The summary is reminiscent of castles, knights, horses, battles, love, and all the good, legendary things.
But the real story was so much more complex. See, the summary cunningly avoids telling the KEY BIT that Acha's new husband, Aethelfrid, already has a wife. But since his first wife has yet to bring a living child to term, Aethelfrid takes on Acha as a secondary wife in order to ensure his bloodline. (Side thought: gross!) When I found that out, I swear my eyebrows went up to my hairline. It definitely threw my expectation of a chivalrous and romantic tale of two out the window.
The crazy thing is, I wanted to like Aethelfrid all the same, and I really held out hope for the story I expected to materialize. I told myself Aethelfrid is a product of his time, and, yeah, he had no qualms about taking two wives, but surely he can't be all that bad. And while he treated Acha right and seemed to cherish her, this worked for me, even if Aethelfrid's alternating visits to his wives and the phrase "our husband" still weirded me out from time to time.
But my feelings about Aethelfrid definitely soured as the story went on. He is a lethal trickster to the core, and I really came to despise much of his character. It's weird how well Tomlinson did this--she made it possible for me to still be hooked in her story even as I came to really dislike Aethelfrid. (And his POV definitely showed up fewer and fewer times toward the end of the book.) So, yes, he's still a product of his time, but I really couldn't stand how he'd use people (or kill them) to get his way. He's this brutal warlord who always seems to have a dastardly plan in the works, a plan that he pursues at all costs and without fearing the consequences because who can stand up to him? He embodies the dark ages for sure in my mind now: grim, coarse, lethal, and not above taking exactly what he wants.
And I especially disliked how he tried to play his wives, Acha and Bebba, against each other. A quick summary: Aethelfrid offends Bebba by marrying Acha. Bebba then leaves, since she knows what happens next. But then, when war looms, Aethelfrid sends Acha to the castle where Bebba's staying, commanding her to shelter this second wife when they are BOTH carrying his children. It's little wonder Bebba viewed Acha harshly at first, in such a yucky situation. Aethelfrid is just content to use them (and other women, too) any way he likes and then leaves them to deal with the fallout.
So I was really glad to see things slowly thaw between them as they tried to help each other in their strange and uncomfortable situation. They slowly realize just how much Aethelfrid seeks to pull all the strings and control them, and they choose not to let that stop their budding friendship. It was great to see them eventually become like sisters despite the uncomfortable bits and Aethelfrid's efforts to distance them from each other. And no wonder he wanted Acha and Bebba separate--these two together are a force to be reckoned with. I imagine the only thing more unpleasant to him than his two wives bickering would be them teaming up against him, and, by golly, they'd have more than enough reason to!
Anyway, despite the story not matching the summary or my expectations at first, I did find myself drawn into this strange, eye-opening tale. It reads like a tale of yore and is full to the brim with bits of British history. It's very atmospheric, really. Tomlinson made the struggles and worries of this dark time come to life through Acha and the other characters, and she definitely didn't shy away from the more "pagan" ways of the early Angles who populate this story. On the whole, I'm glad I read it, but it really made me appreciate the more sensitive male characters in our more modern lit!
P.S. One last thing before I go: I think the copy I got of this book was printed especially for me. The date "20 September 2020" is printed on the last page of the book. I thought that was pretty cool!
This book. I feel I need to make a new shelf on Goodreads called "the summary lied" because, well, it did, kind of. Although, I'm not entirely devastated by that, strangely. This book was just not what I was expecting. See, after reading the summary, I was expecting a story similar to the Arthurian legends--a tale of chivalric romance, of two people uniting their kingdoms and, in the process, coming to care for each other as well. Here. Read the summary yourself to see what I mean:
"A flood ruins King Alle’s kingdom. His crops are destroyed and he does not have the necessary grain to pay his yearly tribute to neighbouring war-lord, Aethelfrid. Instead, he offers him his daughter, Acha, who, aged 16, must become a peace-weaver bride to the most brutal and feared warrior in the land.
But will she be accepted? Can she produce an heir? What will happen to the lines of inheritance in both her father’s kingdom and her new husband’s?
Acha finds herself alone, distrusted, and constantly in danger, but even she could not have imagined the deadly consequences of her father’s plan.
This is a story of resilience and survival, courage, love, and loyalty in one of history’s bloodiest eras, and the founding of the vast Anglo-Saxon kingdom that came to be known as Northumbria.
See what I mean? The summary is reminiscent of castles, knights, horses, battles, love, and all the good, legendary things.
But the real story was so much more complex. See, the summary cunningly avoids telling the KEY BIT that Acha's new husband, Aethelfrid, already has a wife. But since his first wife has yet to bring a living child to term, Aethelfrid takes on Acha as a secondary wife in order to ensure his bloodline. (Side thought: gross!) When I found that out, I swear my eyebrows went up to my hairline. It definitely threw my expectation of a chivalrous and romantic tale of two out the window.
The crazy thing is, I wanted to like Aethelfrid all the same, and I really held out hope for the story I expected to materialize. I told myself Aethelfrid is a product of his time, and, yeah, he had no qualms about taking two wives, but surely he can't be all that bad. And while he treated Acha right and seemed to cherish her, this worked for me, even if Aethelfrid's alternating visits to his wives and the phrase "our husband" still weirded me out from time to time.
But my feelings about Aethelfrid definitely soured as the story went on. He is a lethal trickster to the core, and I really came to despise much of his character. It's weird how well Tomlinson did this--she made it possible for me to still be hooked in her story even as I came to really dislike Aethelfrid. (And his POV definitely showed up fewer and fewer times toward the end of the book.) So, yes, he's still a product of his time, but I really couldn't stand how he'd use people (or kill them) to get his way. He's this brutal warlord who always seems to have a dastardly plan in the works, a plan that he pursues at all costs and without fearing the consequences because who can stand up to him? He embodies the dark ages for sure in my mind now: grim, coarse, lethal, and not above taking exactly what he wants.
And I especially disliked how he tried to play his wives, Acha and Bebba, against each other. A quick summary: Aethelfrid offends Bebba by marrying Acha. Bebba then leaves, since she knows what happens next. But then, when war looms, Aethelfrid sends Acha to the castle where Bebba's staying, commanding her to shelter this second wife when they are BOTH carrying his children. It's little wonder Bebba viewed Acha harshly at first, in such a yucky situation. Aethelfrid is just content to use them (and other women, too) any way he likes and then leaves them to deal with the fallout.
So I was really glad to see things slowly thaw between them as they tried to help each other in their strange and uncomfortable situation. They slowly realize just how much Aethelfrid seeks to pull all the strings and control them, and they choose not to let that stop their budding friendship. It was great to see them eventually become like sisters despite the uncomfortable bits and Aethelfrid's efforts to distance them from each other. And no wonder he wanted Acha and Bebba separate--these two together are a force to be reckoned with. I imagine the only thing more unpleasant to him than his two wives bickering would be them teaming up against him, and, by golly, they'd have more than enough reason to!
Anyway, despite the story not matching the summary or my expectations at first, I did find myself drawn into this strange, eye-opening tale. It reads like a tale of yore and is full to the brim with bits of British history. It's very atmospheric, really. Tomlinson made the struggles and worries of this dark time come to life through Acha and the other characters, and she definitely didn't shy away from the more "pagan" ways of the early Angles who populate this story. On the whole, I'm glad I read it, but it really made me appreciate the more sensitive male characters in our more modern lit!
P.S. One last thing before I go: I think the copy I got of this book was printed especially for me. The date "20 September 2020" is printed on the last page of the book. I thought that was pretty cool!
April 1, 2017
This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
" Ms Tomlinson’s tale creates a plausible re-telling of the period, with believable characters and the known facts skilfully interwoven with the imagined fiction. "
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
" Ms Tomlinson’s tale creates a plausible re-telling of the period, with believable characters and the known facts skilfully interwoven with the imagined fiction. "
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
July 8, 2025
The Tribute Bride
Theresa Tomlinson
Acorn Digital Press 2014
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In this fascinating tale, Tomlinson brings to life Acha of Deira, the real-life Princess of Deira (in the 7th century this was the southern realm of Northumbria).
Tomlinson has crafted a convincing and multi layered narrative for her heroine that brings many moments of high drama. The early flooding scene was dramatic and grabbed my attention from the start.
I found the writing style a pleasure to read throughout, the style reminded me of one of my favourite authors, Rosemary Sutcliff, who Tomlinson merits as an inspiration in her Author’s Note. Like Sutcliff, Tomlinson narrates the story in third person past tense with careful attention paid to historical detail and with fully drawn characters who are easy to connect with.
The role of a queen, a second wife, and a concubine are all considered sensitively within the story and the women are complex and strong characters in their own right, living within the restraints of the time period and their status.
The King is power hungry and ruthless, and his portrayal feels accurate to the time period.
I would love to listen to this novel as an audio book, there was something about the writing that made me want to read it aloud and share it with others.
I have learnt a lot about the time period from Tomlinson’s research, for example the use of heated smoothing stones for ironing clothes, and I found the writing around horses to be of excellent quality.
The references to Woden, Freya and a ‘Goat headed Freya’ are intriguing, we also meet Donal Brecc, a Prince of Dalriata who is a Christian. I enjoyed the references to ‘Freya’s midnight cats,’ and ‘Woden’s ravens.’
I found the front matter quote Tomlinson shares with us from an Anglo-Saxon verse ‘The Wife’s Lament’ to be extremely moving, and I would like to share it with you too:
‘I make this song for myself, deeply sorrowing,
Through my own life’s journey I am able to tell
All the hardships I’ve suffered since I grew up,
But new or old, never worse than now –
I suffer the torment of my exile.’
I really enjoyed reading ‘The Tribute Bride’ and I would recommend this book to everyone, definitely to Young Adults, and especially to fans of historical fiction and women’s lit.
This book was my favourite read of the year so far (2025).
Theresa Tomlinson
Acorn Digital Press 2014
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In this fascinating tale, Tomlinson brings to life Acha of Deira, the real-life Princess of Deira (in the 7th century this was the southern realm of Northumbria).
Tomlinson has crafted a convincing and multi layered narrative for her heroine that brings many moments of high drama. The early flooding scene was dramatic and grabbed my attention from the start.
I found the writing style a pleasure to read throughout, the style reminded me of one of my favourite authors, Rosemary Sutcliff, who Tomlinson merits as an inspiration in her Author’s Note. Like Sutcliff, Tomlinson narrates the story in third person past tense with careful attention paid to historical detail and with fully drawn characters who are easy to connect with.
The role of a queen, a second wife, and a concubine are all considered sensitively within the story and the women are complex and strong characters in their own right, living within the restraints of the time period and their status.
The King is power hungry and ruthless, and his portrayal feels accurate to the time period.
I would love to listen to this novel as an audio book, there was something about the writing that made me want to read it aloud and share it with others.
I have learnt a lot about the time period from Tomlinson’s research, for example the use of heated smoothing stones for ironing clothes, and I found the writing around horses to be of excellent quality.
The references to Woden, Freya and a ‘Goat headed Freya’ are intriguing, we also meet Donal Brecc, a Prince of Dalriata who is a Christian. I enjoyed the references to ‘Freya’s midnight cats,’ and ‘Woden’s ravens.’
I found the front matter quote Tomlinson shares with us from an Anglo-Saxon verse ‘The Wife’s Lament’ to be extremely moving, and I would like to share it with you too:
‘I make this song for myself, deeply sorrowing,
Through my own life’s journey I am able to tell
All the hardships I’ve suffered since I grew up,
But new or old, never worse than now –
I suffer the torment of my exile.’
I really enjoyed reading ‘The Tribute Bride’ and I would recommend this book to everyone, definitely to Young Adults, and especially to fans of historical fiction and women’s lit.
This book was my favourite read of the year so far (2025).
May 29, 2016
Review originally posted on Nightjar's Jar of Books.
SUMMARY
When his lands are flooded and the year's crops destroyed, Acha's father, the ageing king of Deira, is left unable to pay the tribute demanded by Athelfrid, the powerful ruler of the neighbouring kingdom of Bernicia. To avert war, he decides to send away his daughter as a peace-weaver bride. Athelfrid already has a queen, but she has given him no heirs, so Acha's role is that of a secondary wife, struggling to find a balance between her own desires, and her need to keep both Bernicia's king and queen content.
The Tribute Bride is a standalone novel, and was published in April 2014.
STORY [3/5]
Historical fiction set in a time period I've never read about? A strong heroine making the best of a really tough situation? A look at obscure ancient cultures? Yes, please, to all of the above! The story follows a princess of Deira during the lead-up to the founding of Northumbria (which was once comprised of the kingdoms of Deira and Bernicia), and takes place over the course of about twelve years; a pretty long time, where a great deal happened.
The book is actually quite short, though (around 250 pages), which was the cause of my only real issue with it: The pacing is all over the place. In some places, there were a lot of long, drawn-out sections where nothing much was going on; but in others, the plot felt incredibly rushed (particularly near the end of the book, where there were time-skips galore).
CHARACTERS [3/5]
The main character of the book is Princess Acha - a real woman, though apparently only mentioned in one historical source, and then only in passing - and most of the story is told from her very interesting perspective, as both wife and captive to Athelfrid. She's a very strong character, and the challenges she's faced with, and how she chooses to real with them make her both relatable, and very likeable.
Other important characters include: Athelfrid himself, who is a delightful mix of charming and tyrannical; Bebba, who made a great antagonist in the very early parts of the book, and was wonderfully fleshed-out as it continued; Megan, Acha's elderly nursemaid; Donal and Finn, two fellow hostages in Bernicia with whom Acha becomes friends; and her brother Edwin, who became very significant towards the end of the story.
In terms of characterisation, my main problem was that - again, probably because the book was so short - many of the characters felt under-developed, and only had very fleeting parts in the story. For instance, a lot of time was dedicated to fleshing out Bree and Megan, but Clover and Emma, Acha's other two companions, were almost entirely silent characters - often present, but never saying much, or given anything resembling personalities. Similarly, Edwin was a great character at the beginning of the book (and, like I said earlier, at the end) but in the middle section he seemed almost entirely forgotten. He and Acha even made an oath to one another before she was sent away, symbolised by locks of their hair plaited together, and promised to carry it with them always, but while Acha seemed to draw great comfort from it at the beginning of her journey, by the time they met again I had almost completely forgotten its existence.
RELATIONSHIPS [4/5]
Acha is able to form a lot of different bonds during her time in Athelfrid's court, but most of them do not have any significant impact either on the story, or on Acha as a character. There are a few exceptions, however, and the most important of these - to my thinking, at least - was her relationship with Bebba, Athelfrid's first wife, which starts off quite antagonistically (as you might expect), but develops beautifully as the story goes on.
Her relationship with Athelfrid is also quite a prominent part of the story, but it's not really a romance; there's physical attraction between them, but nothing like love, or even friendship - and certainly not trust. The balance of power between them is also skewed tremendously in Athelfrid's favour, and it's interesting that although Acha is aware of her own importance in Bernicia after her marriage, she always thinks of herself as a hostage.
Lastly, Acha has wonderful relationships with both her brother (who, though he's not often physically present, is often in her thoughts) and her children (for whom she's willing to give up anything), which were really well developed, and wonderful to read about.
WORLD-BUILDING [4/5]
This book was incredibly well-researched. I'm not a historian, and I know almost nothing about the Anglo-Saxon period, but she managed to pain an incredibly intricate scene of Acha's world and the challenges that she faced, and particularly of the importance of the gods in her society - it's the carlin (the High Priestess of "Goat-Headed Freya") who has the final say on whether Athelfrid may marry Acha... She also included a list of her sources, which was a very nice addition for people like me, who like to know exactly how much of their historical fiction is purely fictional.
WRITING [3/5]
For the most part, the writing was quite good; both engaging and easy to follow, even with all the (inevitable) unfamiliar words. There were, however, a couple of things that really bothered me: Firstly, Tomlinson didn't seem to be able to decide how to spell many of the names of her characters, and while I know that there are often lots of different interpretations of the names of historical figures (particularly those from societies with very different writing systems), I would have expected her to just pick a spelling that she liked and stick with it, if just for the sake of consistency.
The other, thing that annoyed, me was that, there were a huge, number, of, unnecessary, commas. Not as bad as in that last sentence, of course, but my point stands. This isn't something that would necessarily bug everyone, but poor punctuation is a pet peeve of mine.
OVERALL IMPRESSION [3/5]
A solid, and throughly-researched historical novel, which looks at a rather obscure period of history through the eyes of an unconventional heroine. Overall, it was a very interesting read, with a few great relationships, but an unfortunate number of the characters were quite difficult to connect with, and the writing was not the greatest I've ever come across...
RECOMMENDED FOR…
Fans of Rosemary Sutcliffe's Eagle of the Ninth trilogy (and probably her other work as well; these are just the only ones I've read), Marcus Sedgwick's The Dark Horse, or Joanne Harris' The Gospel of Loki.
May 5, 2017
"A flood ruins King Alle’s kingdom. His crops are destroyed and he does not have the necessary grain to pay his yearly tribute to neighbouring war-lord, Aethelfrid. Instead he offers him his daughter, Acha, who, aged 16, must become a peace-weaver bride to the most brutal and feared warrior in the land. "~
What a terrific book this was! I found it while starting to reread "A Swarming of Bees" which I loved.. I may have even loved this book more but will know when I finish my reread ( which is the same group of people more or less)
These people from Anglo Saxon Chronicle "A.D. 617. This year was Ethelfrith, king of the Northumbrians,slain by Redwald, king of the East-Angles; and Edwin, the son of Ella, having succeeded to the kingdom, subdued all Britain,except the men of Kent alone, and drove out the Ethelings, the sons of Ethelfrith, namely, Enfrid. Oswald, Oswy, Oslac, Oswood. Oslaf, and Offa"
Mentioning here that Oswald, Oswy and Oslac were his nephews from his sister Acha, these nephews did not go away so this book and "A Swarming of Bees" are must reads!! I just loved the characterization and the historical details were superb.
What a terrific book this was! I found it while starting to reread "A Swarming of Bees" which I loved.. I may have even loved this book more but will know when I finish my reread ( which is the same group of people more or less)
These people from Anglo Saxon Chronicle "A.D. 617. This year was Ethelfrith, king of the Northumbrians,slain by Redwald, king of the East-Angles; and Edwin, the son of Ella, having succeeded to the kingdom, subdued all Britain,except the men of Kent alone, and drove out the Ethelings, the sons of Ethelfrith, namely, Enfrid. Oswald, Oswy, Oslac, Oswood. Oslaf, and Offa"
Mentioning here that Oswald, Oswy and Oslac were his nephews from his sister Acha, these nephews did not go away so this book and "A Swarming of Bees" are must reads!! I just loved the characterization and the historical details were superb.
February 8, 2024
What am I missing? This book has a really high average rating and yet I found it dull as dishwater! I really wanted to love a book set so close to where I live, but perhaps my expectations were too high as the blurb mentions it being one 'history's bloodiest eras' and yet there wasn't a hint of any excitement until around page 180!!
Another reason for marking it so lowly, is that I've never read a book with more errors. There were spelling mistakes, typos, grammatical issues and incorrect uses of punctuation on almost every page. It really could have done with a good editor! Every book has some mistakes but it was constant in this one to the point of having to reread certain passages as they didn't make sense.
The most interesting aspects were passages about the culture of the time, but I already knew all this from watching Vikings. Had I not seen that programme, I might have found this book more gripping.
It's not the worst book I've ever read, sure, but I found it a massive chore.
Another reason for marking it so lowly, is that I've never read a book with more errors. There were spelling mistakes, typos, grammatical issues and incorrect uses of punctuation on almost every page. It really could have done with a good editor! Every book has some mistakes but it was constant in this one to the point of having to reread certain passages as they didn't make sense.
The most interesting aspects were passages about the culture of the time, but I already knew all this from watching Vikings. Had I not seen that programme, I might have found this book more gripping.
It's not the worst book I've ever read, sure, but I found it a massive chore.
December 20, 2021
Acha is an amazing young woman and her courage is not about going into a war but being a woman and sold to a man who is kind of a maniac. Athelfrid is obnoxious despite winning battles and I feel bad for all the women he has in his life. Acha is a secondary wife - something allowed in pagan Britain at the time and everything in her life hangs on the idea of her having sons for Athelfrid. This was a difficult era as its constantly full of war and injustice. England is all broken into smaller kingdoms ruled by warlords, many are poor and rely on local crops for food. Acha's homeland is destroyed by floods making them without funds to pay Athelfrid for peace. So her father offers her up to him instead. She had no say in the matter and I feel this is an act of true bravery just as a warrior queen would ride into a battle. Her story is worth knowing.
December 24, 2020
Very very good. Based on what little actual history exists of this period, Theresa Tomlinson has crafted a very plausible, as well as entertaining, scenario with well developed characters (and especially in the main character Acha by letting her be headstrong & intelligent without giving her 21st century mannerisms, etc. like so many other historical fiction heroines) and events.
I found myself skipping through places where the narrative got over lengthy but all in all a very satisfying read.
I found myself skipping through places where the narrative got over lengthy but all in all a very satisfying read.
December 6, 2023
As a fan of the Viking programmes on TV, I loved this book. Set in ancient times when the UK was split into kingdoms, this is the story of Acha, who is sent as a tribute bride aged just 16. Some history of this time was barbaric and cruel especially for women. The life she lives and experiences she goes through are overwhelming at times. Learning more about the culture, rivalry and religions was very interesting.
December 19, 2018
Read first few chapters, would finish. Paganism, moves quickly, a bit bleak
January 22, 2019
Very engaging, and very enjoyable novel set in the Anglo Saxon period.
June 8, 2020
Just discovered this author, well written and researched.
April 11, 2021
An interesting story of Anglo-Saxon England with an admirable heroine and characters and plot based on real events.
May 17, 2017
Reading group choice. An interesting read especially as I live in North East England and know very little about this period of history. It really kept my interest and is well written.
May 21, 2014
I have previously read and reviewed "A Swarming of Bees" by Theresa Tomlinson. so I was thrilled to be given a copy of her latest book.
The Tribute Bride is set a little earlier in time, almost entirely within the two kingdoms of Deira and Bernicia, which together made up the old kingdom of Northumbria – basically the area from modern Hull up to Edinburgh, so a rather larger region than modern Northumberland. The book traces the fortunes of Acha, a princess of Deira (the southern half) from her marriage as a secondary wife to Aethelfrith, king of Bernicia. The marriage is a political necessity for Deira, and an opportunity for male heirs for Bernicia. Acha is caught in the middle of the royal male political games being played out north of the Humber. However, she proves herself well able to manage the situation, forging alliances and friendships with key women – including Aethelfrith’s principal wife Bebba – and men – including senior priests of Woden and Christ. It is a difficult path to tread, and Acha faces considerable suffering and disappointment over the years before finally achieving a form of resolution.
The period Theresa has chosen to write about here is one that I find fascinating, and as synchronicity would have it I have had a lot to do with key locations in the book this year. Northumberland is a county I have loved for many years, and I have recently returned from visiting there. In the time that Theresa writes about, however, the old names such as Metcalfe (Medcaut) and Dun Guardi were being used rather than Lindisfarne or Bamburgh. At that time already, Lindisfarne was recognised as a sacred, liminal space, alternately joined to and separated from the mainland. Earlier in the year, I saw Radwald’s former home at Sutton Hoo, as well as the associated exhibits at the British Museum. Radwald makes a brief but significant appearance towards the end of The Tribute Bride.
Theresa successfully blends detailed characterisation of the main characters with a credible retelling of the social and political context they move in. An additional ingredient in the mix is the vivid flow of religious activity as the newcomer Christianity starts to displace the older religions. Aethelfrith himself is memorable, along with both of his official wives as well as the bed partner he takes campaigning. The remnant of the royal house of Deira is present, and the cast is rounded off with a fair number of supporting characters up and down the land. That list sounds as though the book could be confusing, but in fact the near-consistency of focus through Acha’s eyes resolves the world into a comprehensible – if painful – whole.
The documentary sources recounting this era are few, and typically, because of the interests of the chroniclers, scanty on details other than battles and the rise of Christianity. Theresa is clearly familiar with these sources, as well as the growing store of archaeological material which is slowly filling out a more rounded picture of the age.
A few minor comments which do not detract from the quality of the book as a whole. As mentioned, most of the book is from Acha’s viewpoint. However, there are occasional interjections where we jump to another viewpoint – for example we suddenly switch at one point to Aethelfrith musing on his future cunning plans – and for me these were rather intrusive into the main flow. On occasion, these also served to defuse narrative tension by giving away too much information about a coming crisis.
These, however, are very minor points, and I have no hesitation in seeing this as a five-star book. The technical production of the soft-back book is good, the storyline and the people that populate it are credible and fascinating, and for a time you can feel yourself thoroughly immersed in northern England around the start of the seventh century. HIghly recommended if you like this setting.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
The Tribute Bride is set a little earlier in time, almost entirely within the two kingdoms of Deira and Bernicia, which together made up the old kingdom of Northumbria – basically the area from modern Hull up to Edinburgh, so a rather larger region than modern Northumberland. The book traces the fortunes of Acha, a princess of Deira (the southern half) from her marriage as a secondary wife to Aethelfrith, king of Bernicia. The marriage is a political necessity for Deira, and an opportunity for male heirs for Bernicia. Acha is caught in the middle of the royal male political games being played out north of the Humber. However, she proves herself well able to manage the situation, forging alliances and friendships with key women – including Aethelfrith’s principal wife Bebba – and men – including senior priests of Woden and Christ. It is a difficult path to tread, and Acha faces considerable suffering and disappointment over the years before finally achieving a form of resolution.
The period Theresa has chosen to write about here is one that I find fascinating, and as synchronicity would have it I have had a lot to do with key locations in the book this year. Northumberland is a county I have loved for many years, and I have recently returned from visiting there. In the time that Theresa writes about, however, the old names such as Metcalfe (Medcaut) and Dun Guardi were being used rather than Lindisfarne or Bamburgh. At that time already, Lindisfarne was recognised as a sacred, liminal space, alternately joined to and separated from the mainland. Earlier in the year, I saw Radwald’s former home at Sutton Hoo, as well as the associated exhibits at the British Museum. Radwald makes a brief but significant appearance towards the end of The Tribute Bride.
Theresa successfully blends detailed characterisation of the main characters with a credible retelling of the social and political context they move in. An additional ingredient in the mix is the vivid flow of religious activity as the newcomer Christianity starts to displace the older religions. Aethelfrith himself is memorable, along with both of his official wives as well as the bed partner he takes campaigning. The remnant of the royal house of Deira is present, and the cast is rounded off with a fair number of supporting characters up and down the land. That list sounds as though the book could be confusing, but in fact the near-consistency of focus through Acha’s eyes resolves the world into a comprehensible – if painful – whole.
The documentary sources recounting this era are few, and typically, because of the interests of the chroniclers, scanty on details other than battles and the rise of Christianity. Theresa is clearly familiar with these sources, as well as the growing store of archaeological material which is slowly filling out a more rounded picture of the age.
A few minor comments which do not detract from the quality of the book as a whole. As mentioned, most of the book is from Acha’s viewpoint. However, there are occasional interjections where we jump to another viewpoint – for example we suddenly switch at one point to Aethelfrith musing on his future cunning plans – and for me these were rather intrusive into the main flow. On occasion, these also served to defuse narrative tension by giving away too much information about a coming crisis.
These, however, are very minor points, and I have no hesitation in seeing this as a five-star book. The technical production of the soft-back book is good, the storyline and the people that populate it are credible and fascinating, and for a time you can feel yourself thoroughly immersed in northern England around the start of the seventh century. HIghly recommended if you like this setting.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
June 24, 2014
***RECEIVED FROM FIRST READS GIVEAWAY***
Acha is strong main character, sent as a peace weaving bride by her father to king athelfrid, she accepts her place with courage. Until her husband does something in his ambition for more land to throw off the balance. I couldn't put this book down. The story telling is wonderful, although I felt the second half of the story was rushed slightly, but nonetheless a compelling read. A definite for the historical fiction fans out there.
Acha is strong main character, sent as a peace weaving bride by her father to king athelfrid, she accepts her place with courage. Until her husband does something in his ambition for more land to throw off the balance. I couldn't put this book down. The story telling is wonderful, although I felt the second half of the story was rushed slightly, but nonetheless a compelling read. A definite for the historical fiction fans out there.
November 3, 2023
I have been a fan of Theresa Tomlinson's writing since I found a copy of The Forest Wife in a shuttered seminary and her 2014 work, The Tribute Bride, does not disappoint. The Tribute Bride is written with such passion, detail, and informed imagination that the reader is effortlessly swept up into the lives of the book's tragic characters. What a bittersweet ending.
July 14, 2014
Where do I start! this book was a wonderful read had me gripped from the start & I had trouble putting it down. great storyline a real genuine piece of Anglo-Saxon historical fiction. I cannot wait to read the other Theresa Tomilinson books.
September 17, 2015
The tribute Bride by Theresa Tomlinson
A breathtaking and exciting tale set in the formative days of the northern kingdoms of England. The feisty heroine faces threats and fear and loneliness. Only her own courage and the talents of her remarkable friends and brother see her through.
A breathtaking and exciting tale set in the formative days of the northern kingdoms of England. The feisty heroine faces threats and fear and loneliness. Only her own courage and the talents of her remarkable friends and brother see her through.
November 9, 2015
Loved it... really liking this author and an era about which I know very little. But now I know why the 'hero' of the Last Kingdom on TV at the mo is Utred of Bebbanburgh!!
Must visit the relics which were part of the inspiration for the story - only a few miles away.
Must visit the relics which were part of the inspiration for the story - only a few miles away.
Read
January 5, 2015great read
March 18, 2015
'The Tribute Bride' by Theresa Tomlinson. Tells the shadowy story of Acha of Deira, mother to King Oswald and King Oswy, the woman at the heart of the founding of the ancient kingdom of Northumbria.
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