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Morland Dynasty #3
The Princeling: The Morland Dynasty, Book 3
1558: Elizabeth I is on the throne, though still challenged by Mary, and her Protestant faith threatens the Catholic Morland family.
The reign of Elizabeth I means that the Morlands must seek new spheres of influence to restore their fortunes. John, heir to Morland Place, rides north to wed the daughter of Black Will Percy, the Borders cattle lord, and learns that the way to win her heart is through blood and battle.
His gentle sister, Lettice, has also travelled north to marry the ruthless Scottish baron, Lord Robert Hamilton, and in the treacherous court of Mary, Queen of Scots, she has to learn the bleak and bitter lessons of survival.
407 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1981
107 people are currently reading
479 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
169 books497 followersCynthia Harrod-Eagles (aka Emma Woodhouse, Elizabeth Bennett)
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles was born on 13 August 1948 in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, where was educated at Burlington School, a girls' charity school founded in 1699, and at the University of Edinburgh and University College London, where she studied English, history and philosophy.
She had a variety of jobs in the commercial world, starting as a junior cashier at Woolworth's and working her way down to Pensions Officer at the BBC.
She wrote her first novel while at university and in 1972 won the Young Writers' Award with The Waiting Game. The birth of the MORLAND DYNASTY series enabled Cynthia Harrod-Eagles to become a full-time writer in 1979. The series was originally intended to comprise twelve volumes, but it has proved so popular that it has now been extended to thirty-four.
In 1993 she won the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Novel of the Year Award with Emily, the third volume of her Kirov Saga, a trilogy set in nineteenth century Russia.
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles was born on 13 August 1948 in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, where was educated at Burlington School, a girls' charity school founded in 1699, and at the University of Edinburgh and University College London, where she studied English, history and philosophy.
She had a variety of jobs in the commercial world, starting as a junior cashier at Woolworth's and working her way down to Pensions Officer at the BBC.
She wrote her first novel while at university and in 1972 won the Young Writers' Award with The Waiting Game. The birth of the MORLAND DYNASTY series enabled Cynthia Harrod-Eagles to become a full-time writer in 1979. The series was originally intended to comprise twelve volumes, but it has proved so popular that it has now been extended to thirty-four.
In 1993 she won the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Novel of the Year Award with Emily, the third volume of her Kirov Saga, a trilogy set in nineteenth century Russia.
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July 22, 2018
4.5 stars
I have to say, I am enraptured by this series; I must be as I don't use the word enraptured very often. Actually, I think this is the first time I've ever used that word. Huh. Weird. Anyway, with these books I may not always agree with the historical viewpoint Harrod-Eagles presents (at least not initially, not until I do further research and some critical thinking and realize, duh, I should've come to these conclusions myself years ago, knowing what I know about how history is written. But I digress). What was I saying? Oh, yes, I might not always agree with her viewpoint, but she involves me in these characters' lives to the point where I feel the same sort of disappointment when the younger generations fall away from Morland traditions, when they move away, marry poorly, choose different destinies than what their parents and grandparents had in mind for them. I become so wrapped up in the story that I feel the same sense of loss when the world the previous generations knew falls away and becomes lost; these on-paper people become real to me so that I cry when they lose babies, feel happy when they fall in love, become angry when they make stupid decisions and hurt their loved ones. Which is exactly why I gobble each book up because I just can't get enough.
This book is set during the reign of Elizabeth I, with a lot of focus on her struggles with Mary of Scotland and the Catholic threat to her throne. As with the previous two books, though, the history is not the main focus – it's simply a ribbon floating through the plot, a line to which stories can be tied, even used to propel the action or as a setting, but which always remains firmly in the background. And that might seem strange to say when the storylines of certain characters, Nanette and William, mainly, actually focus on their time at Court serving Queen Elizabeth and includes conversations between, say, Nanette and the Queen. But those scenes are actually in service to the story of the Morlands, to the drama revolving around that family and the problems encountered by them at any particular time. And the Morlands at the center of this book are Nanette Morland, the young girl embroiled in the last book's romantic drama, now middle-aged and reminiscent of her ancestor, Eleanor Courteney; John Morland, the son and heir of Paul Morland III; and Jan Chapham, Nanette's adopted son whose connection to the Morland blood and name leads to friction later on. Of course, there are quite a lot of other assorted Morlands to the story, as well as Butts, the other family inextricably tied to the family, but those are the three main satellites around whom the other Morland tales revolve. I will admit, toward the end of the book, the many names can get a bit overwhelming especially of the younger - second and third - generaions, to the point where every few pages or so I was flipping back to the family tree printed at the front of the book, for which I was extremely grateful.
The only issue I take with the book is the subplot involving the younger son of Paul III, William Morland. As a young boy he's called an angel-child by his governess for his fair looks, his gentle, biddable nature, and his pure treble voice. It's that voice that initially propels his story, taking him to a life in the church and thence to Court, where his looks dazzle all. When we finally meet William properly, hear his thoughts and pick up the thread of his story, he's at Court and a troupe of actors has blown in; William, who has always felt something was missing from his life, is completely bewitched by these men, especially their leader, Jack Fallow. Suddenly something clicks and, close to a personal epiphany, William runs off with this acting troupe; after searching for him, his family decides he must be dead and so writes him off as such. Except for Nanette. She sends her personal servant out as a private investigator and he eventually tracks William down in a tavern, dressed, made up, and behaving as a woman. And quite obviously the lover of Jack Fallow. Eventually, disillusioned with Jack (who by now has a new lover) and the life of an actor, William gets a job in a tavern, marries the daughter of the owner, has children, remarries when his wife dies in childbirth, marries again when his second wife dies in childbirth, leaves the tavern and returns to the acting troupe, all in a mental fugue as he tries to understand what his life's purpose is. It's only when he returns home that he has that ultimate epiphany and achieves his goal. My issue with all of this is, what is William? Initially I thought him to be Harrod-Eagles first gay character; I mean, it only took three books to get one, which seems rather unreal even taking into account the lowered life expectancy, famine, disease, infant mortality, and other methods of weeding out the population in medieval England. But then William marries and has kids without ever acknowledging his earlier homosexual behavior with Jack. It just seems like something of a cop-out. There were many effeminate young men who played women's roles on the Elizabethan stage who were raging heterosexuals; there were many who were also homo- and bisexual. Was gay life during that era dangerous? You bet your sweet bippy! But keeping William gay all the way through would've felt more authentic than the wishy-washy, everything-and-the-kitchen-sink manner in which he was portrayed. And if it was simply about William's need to find his raison d'etre, couldn't that have been done without him dabbling as a gay man? I don't know, it just made me scratch my head.
Other than that one little blip with William, I ate this book up, to the point where I had to slow myself down until I could finish when I was able to afford the next couple of books in the series. Thank you, eBay!
I have to say, I am enraptured by this series; I must be as I don't use the word enraptured very often. Actually, I think this is the first time I've ever used that word. Huh. Weird. Anyway, with these books I may not always agree with the historical viewpoint Harrod-Eagles presents (at least not initially, not until I do further research and some critical thinking and realize, duh, I should've come to these conclusions myself years ago, knowing what I know about how history is written. But I digress). What was I saying? Oh, yes, I might not always agree with her viewpoint, but she involves me in these characters' lives to the point where I feel the same sort of disappointment when the younger generations fall away from Morland traditions, when they move away, marry poorly, choose different destinies than what their parents and grandparents had in mind for them. I become so wrapped up in the story that I feel the same sense of loss when the world the previous generations knew falls away and becomes lost; these on-paper people become real to me so that I cry when they lose babies, feel happy when they fall in love, become angry when they make stupid decisions and hurt their loved ones. Which is exactly why I gobble each book up because I just can't get enough.
This book is set during the reign of Elizabeth I, with a lot of focus on her struggles with Mary of Scotland and the Catholic threat to her throne. As with the previous two books, though, the history is not the main focus – it's simply a ribbon floating through the plot, a line to which stories can be tied, even used to propel the action or as a setting, but which always remains firmly in the background. And that might seem strange to say when the storylines of certain characters, Nanette and William, mainly, actually focus on their time at Court serving Queen Elizabeth and includes conversations between, say, Nanette and the Queen. But those scenes are actually in service to the story of the Morlands, to the drama revolving around that family and the problems encountered by them at any particular time. And the Morlands at the center of this book are Nanette Morland, the young girl embroiled in the last book's romantic drama, now middle-aged and reminiscent of her ancestor, Eleanor Courteney; John Morland, the son and heir of Paul Morland III; and Jan Chapham, Nanette's adopted son whose connection to the Morland blood and name leads to friction later on. Of course, there are quite a lot of other assorted Morlands to the story, as well as Butts, the other family inextricably tied to the family, but those are the three main satellites around whom the other Morland tales revolve. I will admit, toward the end of the book, the many names can get a bit overwhelming especially of the younger - second and third - generaions, to the point where every few pages or so I was flipping back to the family tree printed at the front of the book, for which I was extremely grateful.
The only issue I take with the book is the subplot involving the younger son of Paul III, William Morland. As a young boy he's called an angel-child by his governess for his fair looks, his gentle, biddable nature, and his pure treble voice. It's that voice that initially propels his story, taking him to a life in the church and thence to Court, where his looks dazzle all. When we finally meet William properly, hear his thoughts and pick up the thread of his story, he's at Court and a troupe of actors has blown in; William, who has always felt something was missing from his life, is completely bewitched by these men, especially their leader, Jack Fallow. Suddenly something clicks and, close to a personal epiphany, William runs off with this acting troupe; after searching for him, his family decides he must be dead and so writes him off as such. Except for Nanette. She sends her personal servant out as a private investigator and he eventually tracks William down in a tavern, dressed, made up, and behaving as a woman. And quite obviously the lover of Jack Fallow. Eventually, disillusioned with Jack (who by now has a new lover) and the life of an actor, William gets a job in a tavern, marries the daughter of the owner, has children, remarries when his wife dies in childbirth, marries again when his second wife dies in childbirth, leaves the tavern and returns to the acting troupe, all in a mental fugue as he tries to understand what his life's purpose is. It's only when he returns home that he has that ultimate epiphany and achieves his goal. My issue with all of this is, what is William? Initially I thought him to be Harrod-Eagles first gay character; I mean, it only took three books to get one, which seems rather unreal even taking into account the lowered life expectancy, famine, disease, infant mortality, and other methods of weeding out the population in medieval England. But then William marries and has kids without ever acknowledging his earlier homosexual behavior with Jack. It just seems like something of a cop-out. There were many effeminate young men who played women's roles on the Elizabethan stage who were raging heterosexuals; there were many who were also homo- and bisexual. Was gay life during that era dangerous? You bet your sweet bippy! But keeping William gay all the way through would've felt more authentic than the wishy-washy, everything-and-the-kitchen-sink manner in which he was portrayed. And if it was simply about William's need to find his raison d'etre, couldn't that have been done without him dabbling as a gay man? I don't know, it just made me scratch my head.
Other than that one little blip with William, I ate this book up, to the point where I had to slow myself down until I could finish when I was able to afford the next couple of books in the series. Thank you, eBay!
September 7, 2010
This is the third book in the Morland Dynasty series that I have read - and I have to admit that I am still smitten with both the series and with the writing style of Ms. Harrod-Eagles
You can find my reviews of the first two books in the series "The Founding" and "The Dark Rose" on my book blog at http://booksbythewillowtree.blogspot.com.
"The Princeling" takes place during the reign of Elizabeth I when the tensions between Protestants and Catholics (the Morland clan) are at their peak. The religious tension of the times does not escape the Morland family where some members have come to embrace the 'new' religion while other family members cling to the faith of their forbears.
Ms. Harrod-Eagles keeps the sub-plots intricately and adeptly woven and the fabric of the lives of the Morlands is revealed - replete with a real 'feel' for what life would have been like during this period of spiritual tumult. There are many characters in this book and their lives, through births and deaths, are strongly interwoven - but I did not find it all difficult to follow each family member as they moved through their lives and affected the lives of their family. Some chose to leave the family whilst others remained. One son, William, leaves to pursue a career as an actor in the seedier parts of London. Another son, John, who is the Morland heir, heads North to the Borderlands where he meets and marries Mary, the bold, challenging daughter of cattle lord 'Black' Will Percy. One of the Morland sisters, Lettice - the gentle one of the clan- is married to a pitiless Scots Baron, Lord Hamilton ,who life revolves around the treachery within the Court of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Each time I finish a book in this series I am ready to read the next one. In fact I think it would be best if I was, indeed, able to have the whole series on hand - ready to read one after the other. I don't believe that I would become bored with the reading and I know that I could maintain the relationship continuity more easily if I had multiple volumes ready to read on my bedside table. Sourcebooks has done a wonderful job in re-releasing this excellent series. Better covers, nice paper and a good font choice all make the reading even easier. You can see the entire series-to-be on Cynthia Harrod Eagle's website along with more information about the Morland lands and Yahoo discussion group.
I am, as you can tell, a real fan of this excellent series. Whilst the characters may be fictitious the history and the 'feel' of these books are based on real happenings, buildings and history, all of which Ms.Harrod-Eagles explains quite well on her website. She also has a handy page that places the volumes of the series in order. I am ready for the next couple of books "The Oak Apple" and "The Black Pearl". Obviously, I highly recommend this series. It's highly addictive!
You can find my reviews of the first two books in the series "The Founding" and "The Dark Rose" on my book blog at http://booksbythewillowtree.blogspot.com.
"The Princeling" takes place during the reign of Elizabeth I when the tensions between Protestants and Catholics (the Morland clan) are at their peak. The religious tension of the times does not escape the Morland family where some members have come to embrace the 'new' religion while other family members cling to the faith of their forbears.
Ms. Harrod-Eagles keeps the sub-plots intricately and adeptly woven and the fabric of the lives of the Morlands is revealed - replete with a real 'feel' for what life would have been like during this period of spiritual tumult. There are many characters in this book and their lives, through births and deaths, are strongly interwoven - but I did not find it all difficult to follow each family member as they moved through their lives and affected the lives of their family. Some chose to leave the family whilst others remained. One son, William, leaves to pursue a career as an actor in the seedier parts of London. Another son, John, who is the Morland heir, heads North to the Borderlands where he meets and marries Mary, the bold, challenging daughter of cattle lord 'Black' Will Percy. One of the Morland sisters, Lettice - the gentle one of the clan- is married to a pitiless Scots Baron, Lord Hamilton ,who life revolves around the treachery within the Court of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Each time I finish a book in this series I am ready to read the next one. In fact I think it would be best if I was, indeed, able to have the whole series on hand - ready to read one after the other. I don't believe that I would become bored with the reading and I know that I could maintain the relationship continuity more easily if I had multiple volumes ready to read on my bedside table. Sourcebooks has done a wonderful job in re-releasing this excellent series. Better covers, nice paper and a good font choice all make the reading even easier. You can see the entire series-to-be on Cynthia Harrod Eagle's website along with more information about the Morland lands and Yahoo discussion group.
I am, as you can tell, a real fan of this excellent series. Whilst the characters may be fictitious the history and the 'feel' of these books are based on real happenings, buildings and history, all of which Ms.Harrod-Eagles explains quite well on her website. She also has a handy page that places the volumes of the series in order. I am ready for the next couple of books "The Oak Apple" and "The Black Pearl". Obviously, I highly recommend this series. It's highly addictive!
October 21, 2010
In The Princeling, book three in the Morland Dynasty series, introduces readers to a new generation of Morlands. Paul’s grandson, also named Paul and his wife Elizabeth are now the owners of Morland Place and an aging, yet still feisty Nanette is holding strong as the family matriarch.
England is now ruled by the Protestant Elizabeth I and the hot button topics of the day are what the new Queen will do regarding the topic of religion, her choice of husband and how she is going to handle the antics of her cousin Mary Queen of Scots. Readers follow the Morlands’ adventures at the court of Elizabeth I, to Scotland and the court of Mary Queen of Scots, the wilds of Northumberland and of course, home at Morland Place. As the country’s religious discord heightens it creates an inner conflict of the Catholic and Protestant factions in the Morland family.
Having been really disappointed in book two, The Dark Rose, I believe the series redeemed itself with The Princeling. I really enjoyed this generation of Morlands and the book held my attention from start to finish. One thing about this series is to never get too attached to a member of the Morland family because Eagles has no qualms about killing them off!
Next up in the series is The Oak Apple, which takes place during the time of Charles I and the English Civil War. There is no release date yet for the Sourcebooks re-issue.
England is now ruled by the Protestant Elizabeth I and the hot button topics of the day are what the new Queen will do regarding the topic of religion, her choice of husband and how she is going to handle the antics of her cousin Mary Queen of Scots. Readers follow the Morlands’ adventures at the court of Elizabeth I, to Scotland and the court of Mary Queen of Scots, the wilds of Northumberland and of course, home at Morland Place. As the country’s religious discord heightens it creates an inner conflict of the Catholic and Protestant factions in the Morland family.
Having been really disappointed in book two, The Dark Rose, I believe the series redeemed itself with The Princeling. I really enjoyed this generation of Morlands and the book held my attention from start to finish. One thing about this series is to never get too attached to a member of the Morland family because Eagles has no qualms about killing them off!
Next up in the series is The Oak Apple, which takes place during the time of Charles I and the English Civil War. There is no release date yet for the Sourcebooks re-issue.
July 22, 2016
I really like this sprawling family epic and it's wonderful historical fiction that blends in just the right amount of real-life people and events. The one thing I HATED about this book though was that a character fell in love with her rapist. I know it's hard with historical novels not to put our modern views on them and it was not uncommon for a woman to have to marry her rapist. Then she's forced to make the best of it. But in this story the character really seemed to fall in love and forgive him pretty easily, even when she thinks he may have killed his first two wives. This was a minor story within the whole and I might have given up if it had been one of the main characters. He is an awful person and the reader clearly isn't supposed to like him, so that also helped some. I've read a few romance novels that use this scenario and then the reader is supposed to root for the couple or think he's redeemed himself and this is not that. But it was still troubling. I did like seeing Nanette again and having a lot of the book from her perspective and seeing how the actions of the previous generation impacted the generation that grows up in this book. I already have the next three books so I will continue on for now but am a little worried these will start to get formulaic like with the story of the prodigal son returning with his family.
June 25, 2022
I will also do a video review here at my channel: http://www.youtube.com/magicofbooks
"The Princeling" is book 3 in the "Morland Dynasty" series by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles following the Morland family through the religious conflicts between the Protestants and Catholics during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
As of right now, book 3 is the last of the series that I own and I will most likely stop here. As much as I am enjoying the books, I just don't know if I want to invest all that time and money into finishing up the remaining 30+ books. I don't know...maybe I'll have a change of heart at a later point.
Book 3 sees the Morland clan facing the religious conflicts between the Catholics and Protestants during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The Morlands and the extended family are all on various sides of the conflict, despite the fact that they are all related in some way, but don't approve of what religion the other practices. This definitely posed some great drama in the family who, for the most part, have been pretty tight-knit in the previous two books. Though I did enjoy this book, I found myself growing rather frustrated by all the death. Can't anyone be happy in this series? Everyone tends to die rather horrible deaths. Whether that be through battle or childbirth or accident or some other random thing. The problem with a series like this that is focusing on a family is the fact that there are way too many characters, many of whom you never get to properly know before they are suddenly rendered dead in the narrative. Every character has children...then they have children...and so on. Thus, way too many characters, and Cynthia Harrod-Eagles can only focus her time and energy on a select important few while killing off everyone else in horrible ways that leave you frustrated beyond belief. Nannette, our heroine from the previous book, is not an elderly woman, a grandmother. This may be a spoiler, but I need to establish my point, but Nannette does die of old age by the end of this book, but unfortunately, it felt like Cynthia Harrod-Eagles no longer cared about everyone else and flies through the remaining 50 pages or so killing off every damn unimportant person willy-nilly to end the final chapter with the two characters who we have spent the majority of the time with, Jan and John. There's a part of me that wants to continue with this series, but then there's a part of me that has already seen the formula in these books that I fear I will only grow more and more frustrated with the series if I were to continue. Cynthia Harrod-Eagles introduces you to the dozens of Morlands that populate the world. She starts marrying them off. Some have happy marriages, but if they do, someone usually dies. Some have unhappy marriages, and someone usually dies rather tragically. If anyone manages to successfully have children, the process repeats again...and again...and again. And I'm honestly not sure how I feel with the formula.
Despite some of my issues, I still appreciate Cynthia Harrod-Eagles research. It's all so incredibly well done in each book and I always feel engaged in the world and the issues of the era and it's interesting and fun to see how the Morlands grow and adapt to a changing world. Unlike the previous books, there's not too much interaction with real historical figures in this installment. Thee are several chapters with Queen Elizabeth, but not as many as I was picturing. And I think I recall Mary, Queen of Scots making an appearance, but once again, I was expecting way more. The plot is really mostly focused on the religious conflicts of the era and how the Morlands are dealing with that---who is willing to adapt and who isn't. With this book you can start to see how the Morlands are going to start spreading out and that it may not stay so contained at the Morland estate or even England. One Morland goes to Scotland while other resides around the border somewhere. Another Morland grows interested in traveling the seas for adventure. If I were to continue this series, I would wager the Morlands would start moving around Europe, eventually possibly showing up in America at some point further down the road. It's all of that alone that has me curious to continue the series to see where the family goes and what obstacles and historical events they face.
Overall, the three books of this series that I read I did highly enjoy. It's just a personal decision of mine that I don't know if I have the energy to spend reading a 30+ book series. It makes me overwhelmed just thinking about it. But I do recommend this series to other historical fiction lovers and if you are far more bold than I to tackle this gigantic series.
"The Princeling" is book 3 in the "Morland Dynasty" series by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles following the Morland family through the religious conflicts between the Protestants and Catholics during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
As of right now, book 3 is the last of the series that I own and I will most likely stop here. As much as I am enjoying the books, I just don't know if I want to invest all that time and money into finishing up the remaining 30+ books. I don't know...maybe I'll have a change of heart at a later point.
Book 3 sees the Morland clan facing the religious conflicts between the Catholics and Protestants during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The Morlands and the extended family are all on various sides of the conflict, despite the fact that they are all related in some way, but don't approve of what religion the other practices. This definitely posed some great drama in the family who, for the most part, have been pretty tight-knit in the previous two books. Though I did enjoy this book, I found myself growing rather frustrated by all the death. Can't anyone be happy in this series? Everyone tends to die rather horrible deaths. Whether that be through battle or childbirth or accident or some other random thing. The problem with a series like this that is focusing on a family is the fact that there are way too many characters, many of whom you never get to properly know before they are suddenly rendered dead in the narrative. Every character has children...then they have children...and so on. Thus, way too many characters, and Cynthia Harrod-Eagles can only focus her time and energy on a select important few while killing off everyone else in horrible ways that leave you frustrated beyond belief. Nannette, our heroine from the previous book, is not an elderly woman, a grandmother. This may be a spoiler, but I need to establish my point, but Nannette does die of old age by the end of this book, but unfortunately, it felt like Cynthia Harrod-Eagles no longer cared about everyone else and flies through the remaining 50 pages or so killing off every damn unimportant person willy-nilly to end the final chapter with the two characters who we have spent the majority of the time with, Jan and John. There's a part of me that wants to continue with this series, but then there's a part of me that has already seen the formula in these books that I fear I will only grow more and more frustrated with the series if I were to continue. Cynthia Harrod-Eagles introduces you to the dozens of Morlands that populate the world. She starts marrying them off. Some have happy marriages, but if they do, someone usually dies. Some have unhappy marriages, and someone usually dies rather tragically. If anyone manages to successfully have children, the process repeats again...and again...and again. And I'm honestly not sure how I feel with the formula.
Despite some of my issues, I still appreciate Cynthia Harrod-Eagles research. It's all so incredibly well done in each book and I always feel engaged in the world and the issues of the era and it's interesting and fun to see how the Morlands grow and adapt to a changing world. Unlike the previous books, there's not too much interaction with real historical figures in this installment. Thee are several chapters with Queen Elizabeth, but not as many as I was picturing. And I think I recall Mary, Queen of Scots making an appearance, but once again, I was expecting way more. The plot is really mostly focused on the religious conflicts of the era and how the Morlands are dealing with that---who is willing to adapt and who isn't. With this book you can start to see how the Morlands are going to start spreading out and that it may not stay so contained at the Morland estate or even England. One Morland goes to Scotland while other resides around the border somewhere. Another Morland grows interested in traveling the seas for adventure. If I were to continue this series, I would wager the Morlands would start moving around Europe, eventually possibly showing up in America at some point further down the road. It's all of that alone that has me curious to continue the series to see where the family goes and what obstacles and historical events they face.
Overall, the three books of this series that I read I did highly enjoy. It's just a personal decision of mine that I don't know if I have the energy to spend reading a 30+ book series. It makes me overwhelmed just thinking about it. But I do recommend this series to other historical fiction lovers and if you are far more bold than I to tackle this gigantic series.
June 14, 2020
It feels like this is the book where the series really starts to hit it's stride. Though there's mentions of the wider political and religious climate and Queen Elizabeth DOES make an appearance this book is much more focused on the family themselves than the previous book. Nanette's extraordinary life carries on well into this book as outlives almost everyone she knew. The family become more scattered and the pressure of managing the estate and the expectations that come with that seems to start to bear more heavily on those who it will fall to. Paul starts with 10 children and sees each one leave - to marry in Scotland, to vanish into the wilderness, to disappear into a life as an artist - so that it looks like the Morland story is almost over already. But then a well placed marriage here, a fateful decision there and it all starts to come together again by the end. I was sad that Elizabeth and Paul's marriage wasn't a happy one. They had seemed to have really fallen in love and be ready to make a good life together out of the ashes of the previous book. It was disappointing to see how that worked out. And that Nanette didn't exactly get her happy ending either. Poor Jan was a little bit cheated too - he wasn't in the wrong for wanting to know where he came from or for offering his own children to lead the family when everyone else was abandoning the house and the Morland name. His solution would have helped everyone but instead he is seen as ambitious and grasping and he and Mary are insulted for their efforts. Especially as by that point it is explicitly stated that Jan is running the family business cos there's no one else to do it. I don't disagree with how things turned out but I do think Nanette and the others should have been kinder to Jan who was giving up at least as much as he was getting. I wish we had spent more time with Charity - she was a disabled woman in a book set during Elizabethan times and that's not some one we see a lot of in fiction. Her relationship with young Paul was so intriguing - why did he have such a passion for her that he was determined to marry her? Or that he reacted so violently when he was refused permission? How was Charity's life after that? How DID he win back her trust after the bridge collapse? What did they talk about? She's indicated as being uncomfortable around him but we're never told why or in what way. The only example is in his proposal and we don't even experience that along with the participants - only along with the observers who can't hear what's being said. It was such a complicated relationship I wish we had gotten more of it. Instead we only get a couple of pages of it and then they both die separately with little fanfare a few years apart. Poor Leslie as well! She finally marries someone who loves her only to die so quickly and cruelly afterwards! Lettice's fate seems almost unnecessarily cruel too - though her entire life after leaving Morland Place seems to be pretty horrifying.
No one ever really seems to get a happy ending in the Morland Dynasty.
No one ever really seems to get a happy ending in the Morland Dynasty.
July 21, 2017
When Queen Mary Tudor dies and Elizabeth comes to the throne, much of the country rejoices. Except for the die-hard "Pope-Catholics" who worry about the effect this will have on their religion. Elizabeth returns to her father's English version of Catholicism, but as time passes more and more protestant reforms are made. Naturally this affects the Morland family of Yorkshire; while most of the family are Catholics of one kind or the other, one branch is becoming more and more protestant. As the story continues, the reader experiences how the various major events of Elizabeth's long reign affect the Morland family. As the new generation grows up, the family becomes scattered for a time. But, like the phoenix of legend, the family eventually experiences a rebirth. This is a fascinating tale, set during a very critical time in history. The characterizations and the plotting are believable, and the reader really cares what happens to the entire family. Highly recommended.
November 14, 2017
The Princeling is the third book in this series by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. This book continues to follow the Morlands in the era of Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. As each book delves further into the Morland dynasty, It also follows the real lives of the aristocracy in the 1500s. There is love, death, lust and hatred aplenty and that is just between members of the family. This story has a lot of characters from the previous book, and introduces new characters within the family and in history. In the background there is still controversy between the Protestants and Catholics that tears families and England and Scotland apart. There is plenty of political intrigue between the factions of Queen Mary and Elizabeth I. I am thoroughly enjoying the series and can't wait to continue with it.
December 27, 2021
4,5✨/5✨
Takže opět jsem tuhle knihu dočetla asi před dvěmi týdny 😂 nevadí....
Třetí díl dynastie Morlandů jsem čekala jako zlomový, přecijen dva díly nekonečné série se ještě napsat dají, ale třetí jsem čekala o něco slabší. A on nebyl...
Zvlášťnější bylo že jsme na příběh navazovali přesně tam kde jsme skončili, Nannette je stále naživu. Kniha pojednává o vládě Elizabeth I. a období po její smrti. Začátek mě upřímně úplně nezaujal, a nějak jsem se přes něj nedokázala dostat, ale zbytek byl skvělý. Kromě Yorkshiru jsme se podívali i do Skotska a někam jinam do Anglie (už si nepamatuju kam), to mě moc bavilo, a opestřilo to děj. Pořád si šetřím tu půl hvězdičku kdyby naaaaahodou přišel lepší díl, na čtvrtý se moc těším.
Takže opět jsem tuhle knihu dočetla asi před dvěmi týdny 😂 nevadí....
Třetí díl dynastie Morlandů jsem čekala jako zlomový, přecijen dva díly nekonečné série se ještě napsat dají, ale třetí jsem čekala o něco slabší. A on nebyl...
Zvlášťnější bylo že jsme na příběh navazovali přesně tam kde jsme skončili, Nannette je stále naživu. Kniha pojednává o vládě Elizabeth I. a období po její smrti. Začátek mě upřímně úplně nezaujal, a nějak jsem se přes něj nedokázala dostat, ale zbytek byl skvělý. Kromě Yorkshiru jsme se podívali i do Skotska a někam jinam do Anglie (už si nepamatuju kam), to mě moc bavilo, a opestřilo to děj. Pořád si šetřím tu půl hvězdičku kdyby naaaaahodou přišel lepší díl, na čtvrtý se moc těším.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2025
Stále více si uvědomuji jak moc se mi líbí dlouhé rodinné ságy, díky nimž jsem vtažena do historie a života ve staletích. Třetí pokračování mě zavedlo do druhé poloviny 16. století, doby kdy Anglii vládla královna Alžběta a také Marie Stuartovna, doby kdy se čím dál více dostává do středu pozornosti boj mezi protestantismem a katolicismem.
Já ovšem také celou knihu přemýšlela kdo je vlastně oním divokým princem :) a ke konci knihy se začala ztrácet ve vedlejších postavách. Najednou na mě těch dětí, sňatků a úmrtí bylo nějak moc.
Jízda pokračuje!
Já ovšem také celou knihu přemýšlela kdo je vlastně oním divokým princem :) a ke konci knihy se začala ztrácet ve vedlejších postavách. Najednou na mě těch dětí, sňatků a úmrtí bylo nějak moc.
Jízda pokračuje!
September 24, 2018
John, the Morland's gentle oldest son, journeys north to marry a war lord's daughter. The arranged marriage turns out to be a love match. The book is the description of John's adventure - by traveling north from modern 16th Century England he journeys back into the dark ages. The description of the hardships and beauty of ancient borderlands and the wild princess/soldier he marries are wonderful. I wish I could read other books describing such a place.
March 3, 2022
My first problem—I read this book on my Kindle—and out of order with the series. I liked the books on either side of it better. I really missed being able to flip back to the family tree.
This has been my least favorite book by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. It would not work well as a stand alone. However, if you are interested in the series, I recommend you continue. The next book I found to be much better.
This has been my least favorite book by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. It would not work well as a stand alone. However, if you are interested in the series, I recommend you continue. The next book I found to be much better.
July 24, 2022
Absorbing story; poor editing
Harrod-Eagles continues the story of the Morland dynasty with imaginative, engaging multiple story lines following the adventures and misfortunes of family members. However, the kindle version contains so many mistakes of grammar, spelling, and punctuation that I was forced to reread sentences on every page. I hope the subsequent books in the series are more carefully edited.
Harrod-Eagles continues the story of the Morland dynasty with imaginative, engaging multiple story lines following the adventures and misfortunes of family members. However, the kindle version contains so many mistakes of grammar, spelling, and punctuation that I was forced to reread sentences on every page. I hope the subsequent books in the series are more carefully edited.
March 10, 2025
Brilliant third instalment picking up not too long after book two. It was lovely to have Nanette as such a major character again in this one and to follow the fortunes of the Morlands through the second half of the sixteenth century. This era was less turbulent politically than in the previous two books but the reign of Elizabeth I still had its ups and downs. A fantastic book and a gripping series. Onto book four now.
July 9, 2024
Super book! Made me laugh, cry and at times roll my eyes. Thank goodness for the Family Tree at the beginning since I had to keep referring to it. This book had many stories going on at the same time with many tragedies and triumphs. I do recommend this book but not as a stand alone novel. Thankfully I had read the first two of the series and am now looking forward to reading the fourth.
March 23, 2018
Rushing out to find the rest of this series!
June 14, 2021
Another great story. If you think people in the US are divided now, you should see what it was like then! Great job Cynthia!!
September 15, 2022
The book was fine but the kindle edition was littered with spelling mistakes which spoiled the enjoyment and was very irritating
Want to read
February 17, 2023Wonderful story line
February 18, 2023
Great story dreadful proof reading. Unnecessarily typos liberally littered throughout spoiled the Kindle reading experience. Seriously needs sorting!
July 15, 2025
Actually 2 & 1/2 stars
Read July 2025
Read July 2025
March 5, 2017
Love the Morland Dynasty series but found this so emotionally draining that I've taken a two year hiatus. Think I'm ready to dive back in now.
Read
April 19, 2016So, I was wrong on the identity of "The Princeling". Instead of the Queen, it's John Morland's intended.
There seems to have been a definite improvement in the character of Morland heirs. At least for the moment.
On looking at the next book in the series (The Oak Apple), I found that it had skipped James I and VI entirely, and I found this to be quite a shock. But in thinking about it, there's a reasonable gap between The Dark Rose and The Princeling as well. Long enough, at least, for Nanette to spirit Mary Seymour away in really interesting use of the ambiguity of history.
The Princeling opens with Nanette and James Chapham at home with Jan, their own boy Alexander, and Mary Seymour. One probably has to be a devotee of Tudor history, and particularly of Henry VIII's final wife, Katherine Parr, to realise what a shock that was for me to read. 'But Mary Seymour died!' I said to myself - and dashed off to do some cursory internet research.
Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr and Thomas Seymour, almost certainly did die, probably around age two. But the point is, there's no absolute proof of her death, just her disappearance from the historical record at about age two. Her mother died giving birth to her, and her father died - executed for treason against Edward VI - less than a year later.
By breaking the narrative for ten years between the end of The Dark Rose and the beginning of The Princeling Harrod-Eagles forgoes what might have been an interesting tale of bringing Mary Seymour to the Mill House and Morland, but she also avoids the tangle of explaining exactly how that happened. By the time The Princeling opens, Mary is well past the age where there is no more mention of her in the historical record, and so she is able to fall in love with John Morland, marry Jan Chapham, and go entirely un-merrily through the rest of her life. (I do wish she had been a bit pleasanter a character, but her resentment regarding the loss of her fortune rang entirely reasonable to me.)
Also on the topic of the ambiguity of history - I was worried for a time that Will was going to turn out to be the "real author" of Shakespeare's plays. My timeframe may have been a little wonky there, but I'm VERY glad that Harrod-Eagles didn't go in that direction.
But still, a ten year break in narrative is not that much. Nanette got a book and a half, after all (for which I'm pleased, even crochetty and old, I still loved Nanette.) Going into The Oak Apple (arrived on hold at the library today) we're about to skip an entire reign and thirty years, going straight to Charles I. I realise that the series began with the intention of covering "great moments" in British history rather than the whole of it, but why do so few writers of historical fiction cover the succession of James I? (Plaidy skipped the accession of James I as well, focusing instead on the story of Robert Carr and Frances Howard.)
There seems to have been a definite improvement in the character of Morland heirs. At least for the moment.
On looking at the next book in the series (The Oak Apple), I found that it had skipped James I and VI entirely, and I found this to be quite a shock. But in thinking about it, there's a reasonable gap between The Dark Rose and The Princeling as well. Long enough, at least, for Nanette to spirit Mary Seymour away in really interesting use of the ambiguity of history.
The Princeling opens with Nanette and James Chapham at home with Jan, their own boy Alexander, and Mary Seymour. One probably has to be a devotee of Tudor history, and particularly of Henry VIII's final wife, Katherine Parr, to realise what a shock that was for me to read. 'But Mary Seymour died!' I said to myself - and dashed off to do some cursory internet research.
Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr and Thomas Seymour, almost certainly did die, probably around age two. But the point is, there's no absolute proof of her death, just her disappearance from the historical record at about age two. Her mother died giving birth to her, and her father died - executed for treason against Edward VI - less than a year later.
By breaking the narrative for ten years between the end of The Dark Rose and the beginning of The Princeling Harrod-Eagles forgoes what might have been an interesting tale of bringing Mary Seymour to the Mill House and Morland, but she also avoids the tangle of explaining exactly how that happened. By the time The Princeling opens, Mary is well past the age where there is no more mention of her in the historical record, and so she is able to fall in love with John Morland, marry Jan Chapham, and go entirely un-merrily through the rest of her life. (I do wish she had been a bit pleasanter a character, but her resentment regarding the loss of her fortune rang entirely reasonable to me.)
Also on the topic of the ambiguity of history - I was worried for a time that Will was going to turn out to be the "real author" of Shakespeare's plays. My timeframe may have been a little wonky there, but I'm VERY glad that Harrod-Eagles didn't go in that direction.
But still, a ten year break in narrative is not that much. Nanette got a book and a half, after all (for which I'm pleased, even crochetty and old, I still loved Nanette.) Going into The Oak Apple (arrived on hold at the library today) we're about to skip an entire reign and thirty years, going straight to Charles I. I realise that the series began with the intention of covering "great moments" in British history rather than the whole of it, but why do so few writers of historical fiction cover the succession of James I? (Plaidy skipped the accession of James I as well, focusing instead on the story of Robert Carr and Frances Howard.)
November 17, 2017
Mit der Thronbesteigung Elizabeths I. bricht für England eine neue Ära an. Eine schwierige Zeit für Katholiken wie die Morlands, denn die neue Königin ist der neuen, protestantischen Glaubensrichtung zugetan und lässt dies die Katholiken im Land unmissverständlich spüren.
Während die ältere Generation der Morlands wie etwa Nanette, die einst als Hofdame von Anne Boleyn die kleine Prinzessin Elizabeth auf dem Arm hatte, sich strikt weigern, von ihrer religiösen Überzeugung abzuweichen, sehen die Jüngeren das Ganze lockerer, zumal die Repressalien gegen Katholiken immer heftiger werden. So ist nicht nur das Land in zwei Lager gespalten, sondern auch Konfliktpotential innerhalb der Familie vorhanden.
John, der Erbe der Morlands, soll in diesen Zeiten eine politisch kluge Ehe mit der Tochter eines Adeligen an der schottischen Grenze eingehen und stellt fest, dass es sich bei Mary Percy um eine sehr ungewöhnliche junge Frau handelt und dass dort im Norden Englands nicht nur buchstäblich ein rauherer Wind weht, als er das von zu Hause gewohnt ist.
Seine Schwester Lettice wird derweil mit einem schottischen Baron vermählt, Lord Robert Hamilton, um den sich wüste Gerüchte ranken. Nicht nur die Ehe verläuft stürmisch, sondern auch die Geschehnisse am Hof der Stuarts in Schottland nehmen einen dramatischen Verlauf, als der Streit um die Rechtmäßigkeit Elizabeths als Thronfolgerin eskaliert.
Die Endlosserie um die Morlands ist anschaulicher Geschichtsunterricht vom Feinsten. Anhand der weit verzweigten Großfamilie bringt Cynthia Harrod-Eagles ihrer Leserschaft hier die Geschehnisse unter der legendären Elizabeth I. nahe und webt gleichzeitig aus vielen verschiedenen Fäden ein anschauliches Bild vom Leben in jener Zeit, im Herrenhaus der Morlands, am englischen und am schottischen Hofe, im rauhen Northumberland und in den Schenken Londons.
Charaktere gibt es in Hülle und Fülle, und sie sind genau das - Charakterköpfe mit deutlichen Stärken und Schwächen, knapp und treffend geschildert, an deren Schicksalen man gespannt und interessiert teilhat, ob man sie nun mag oder nicht. Schön auch, dass man einige alte Bekannte aus dem Vorgängerband wiedertrifft und ihren Weg ein Stück weiter verfolgen darf.
Die politischen Zusammenhänge und die Intrigen und Machtkämpfe am Hof werden nahtlos in die Handlung eingebunden und mit gerade so viel Detail versehen, dass verständlich wird, was warum passiert und der Hintergrund der Entwicklungen, die unsere Protagonisten betreffen, deutlich wird.
Zum Ende hin wirkt die Erzählung etwas gerafft, da hätte die Autorin ihren Figuren gerne noch etwas mehr Raum geben können. Davon abgesehen ist dieser historische Roman, prallvoll mit Ereignissen und lebensechten Figuren, wieder eine Geschichtsstunde der sehr gelungenen Art, die ich sehr gerne weiterempfehle (und mal wieder bedaure, dass die Serie nie ins Deutsche übersetzt wurde).
Während die ältere Generation der Morlands wie etwa Nanette, die einst als Hofdame von Anne Boleyn die kleine Prinzessin Elizabeth auf dem Arm hatte, sich strikt weigern, von ihrer religiösen Überzeugung abzuweichen, sehen die Jüngeren das Ganze lockerer, zumal die Repressalien gegen Katholiken immer heftiger werden. So ist nicht nur das Land in zwei Lager gespalten, sondern auch Konfliktpotential innerhalb der Familie vorhanden.
John, der Erbe der Morlands, soll in diesen Zeiten eine politisch kluge Ehe mit der Tochter eines Adeligen an der schottischen Grenze eingehen und stellt fest, dass es sich bei Mary Percy um eine sehr ungewöhnliche junge Frau handelt und dass dort im Norden Englands nicht nur buchstäblich ein rauherer Wind weht, als er das von zu Hause gewohnt ist.
Seine Schwester Lettice wird derweil mit einem schottischen Baron vermählt, Lord Robert Hamilton, um den sich wüste Gerüchte ranken. Nicht nur die Ehe verläuft stürmisch, sondern auch die Geschehnisse am Hof der Stuarts in Schottland nehmen einen dramatischen Verlauf, als der Streit um die Rechtmäßigkeit Elizabeths als Thronfolgerin eskaliert.
Die Endlosserie um die Morlands ist anschaulicher Geschichtsunterricht vom Feinsten. Anhand der weit verzweigten Großfamilie bringt Cynthia Harrod-Eagles ihrer Leserschaft hier die Geschehnisse unter der legendären Elizabeth I. nahe und webt gleichzeitig aus vielen verschiedenen Fäden ein anschauliches Bild vom Leben in jener Zeit, im Herrenhaus der Morlands, am englischen und am schottischen Hofe, im rauhen Northumberland und in den Schenken Londons.
Charaktere gibt es in Hülle und Fülle, und sie sind genau das - Charakterköpfe mit deutlichen Stärken und Schwächen, knapp und treffend geschildert, an deren Schicksalen man gespannt und interessiert teilhat, ob man sie nun mag oder nicht. Schön auch, dass man einige alte Bekannte aus dem Vorgängerband wiedertrifft und ihren Weg ein Stück weiter verfolgen darf.
Die politischen Zusammenhänge und die Intrigen und Machtkämpfe am Hof werden nahtlos in die Handlung eingebunden und mit gerade so viel Detail versehen, dass verständlich wird, was warum passiert und der Hintergrund der Entwicklungen, die unsere Protagonisten betreffen, deutlich wird.
Zum Ende hin wirkt die Erzählung etwas gerafft, da hätte die Autorin ihren Figuren gerne noch etwas mehr Raum geben können. Davon abgesehen ist dieser historische Roman, prallvoll mit Ereignissen und lebensechten Figuren, wieder eine Geschichtsstunde der sehr gelungenen Art, die ich sehr gerne weiterempfehle (und mal wieder bedaure, dass die Serie nie ins Deutsche übersetzt wurde).
March 6, 2017
Cynthia Harrod Eagles wrote "The Princeling" which was first published in 1981. The book is volume 3 in Eagles' 31 volume Morland Dynasty series. This historic fiction chronicles the relationships among the Catholic side of King Henry 8th's lineage in the middle to late 16th century. I enjoyed reading about the inner workings of the Elizabethan era and the unrelenting forces of nature, religious thought, and economics that occurred a century before the English Enlightenment period.
July 28, 2010
The third book in the Morland saga brings back Nanette, Paul and their respective families. Their children are now adults and marriages have to be arranged to consolidate their wealth and power during Queen Elizabeth's reign. Although Nanette and Paul still yield considerable power in the Morland house hold, despite Nanette being mostly away at court, this is the time that sees the generation of Jan, John, Lettice and their siblings and cousins reach adulthood and while some obey the patriarch´s wishes, others decide to follow their own path. The breach between the generations goes further as the older still follow the old religion and the young ones adopts the new one.
The historical background brings forth Queen Elizabeth's most important political events, the reign and fall of Queen Mary of Scotland and the problems in the border. While I did not feel that this time the characters were in the middle of the political intrigue, they are used to tell us those realities. Jan, Nanette's adoptive son, finally finds the truth about his parentage and that seems to widen the gulf between him and his mother. I have to say that I thought it interesting that Harrod-Eagles should have included in her story Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr, that here becomes Jan's wife, and of which nothing is known after her second birthday.
While Jan and his wife want to fight to become masters of Morland Place, John is sent away to marry Mary Percy. I quite liked this Mary, totally unlike the other female Morlands, she is a warrior and a leader that fascinates John who feels he must woo her carefully and quite differently from what he was used to. Through Lettice we see the events in the Scottish court, a dangerous place where the lords had to change allegiance each time someone controlled the queen. I can't say I much liked Lettice's husband, he seemed the consummate political courtier who sacrificed everything for his political goal. Through others of the young generation we get to know the theater world or Sir Francis Drake's expedition.
While I did enjoy the historical background I think it was the characters that stood out for me in this story. There are moments of doubt, fear, pain but also happiness. Some feelings are timeless and it is easy to feel with these characters. It did strike me, reading this story, that nowadays we almost take for granted that we will have long lives or at least good health care. For these Morlands death was something that came often and fast taking away their loved ones.
Grade: 4/5
The historical background brings forth Queen Elizabeth's most important political events, the reign and fall of Queen Mary of Scotland and the problems in the border. While I did not feel that this time the characters were in the middle of the political intrigue, they are used to tell us those realities. Jan, Nanette's adoptive son, finally finds the truth about his parentage and that seems to widen the gulf between him and his mother. I have to say that I thought it interesting that Harrod-Eagles should have included in her story Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr, that here becomes Jan's wife, and of which nothing is known after her second birthday.
While Jan and his wife want to fight to become masters of Morland Place, John is sent away to marry Mary Percy. I quite liked this Mary, totally unlike the other female Morlands, she is a warrior and a leader that fascinates John who feels he must woo her carefully and quite differently from what he was used to. Through Lettice we see the events in the Scottish court, a dangerous place where the lords had to change allegiance each time someone controlled the queen. I can't say I much liked Lettice's husband, he seemed the consummate political courtier who sacrificed everything for his political goal. Through others of the young generation we get to know the theater world or Sir Francis Drake's expedition.
While I did enjoy the historical background I think it was the characters that stood out for me in this story. There are moments of doubt, fear, pain but also happiness. Some feelings are timeless and it is easy to feel with these characters. It did strike me, reading this story, that nowadays we almost take for granted that we will have long lives or at least good health care. For these Morlands death was something that came often and fast taking away their loved ones.
Grade: 4/5
November 5, 2010
Ah, the continuing saga of the Morland family, where the women rule the men and the family is most successful for it. In this installment, we revisit Nan from Book 2, The Dark Rose. Back then, Nan was a Lady in Waiting to her dear friend Anne Boleyn. Now, Nan serves the woman she once held as a baby, Queen Elizabeth I. We only get small glimpses of the Tudor court, and equally small exchanges between the Queen and Nan. What is important, is hoe dear to the Queen Nan is. Elizabeth didn't have many close friends, and Nan is one of lucky few. The Queen adores Nan, therefore when Morlands adhere to their old Catholic faith, albeit secretly, the Queen looks the other way. As long as the Morlands are not openly brazen in their faith, they will escape sanctions. This is a testament to Nan, and truly marks her as the matriarch for the Morland dynasty during this period.
What I enjoyed the most about this book, besides the mostly strong female characters, was how the story checks in on each of the Morland family members. We may never get extensive character development, but to see how each person weathers their circumstances, and what happens to them in the end, is enough for me. There are way too many members of this family to have extensive character development, and I think the story threads that CHE writes about each member gives the reader e good glimpse of the people these Morlands turn out to be. It is difficult at times to keep names and relationships straight in one's head, but by checking the family tree, and going with the flow allowed me to enjoy the story.
I also enjoyed the various story threads with this generation: the branching out of the Morland dynasty's relations to the Borderlands, hence the title The Princeling; the adventurous travels of one member who joined Francis Drake on his travels (wonder if this comes up again in later books); the marriages of the later generations and such. I fancy this ongoing story about the Morland dynasty, because it is more about the family and their journeys through life, with the actual historical events in the background, not as the main focus. Overall this book was an enjoyable read and much better than the last one. I look forward to the next chapter in the Morland family history.
What I enjoyed the most about this book, besides the mostly strong female characters, was how the story checks in on each of the Morland family members. We may never get extensive character development, but to see how each person weathers their circumstances, and what happens to them in the end, is enough for me. There are way too many members of this family to have extensive character development, and I think the story threads that CHE writes about each member gives the reader e good glimpse of the people these Morlands turn out to be. It is difficult at times to keep names and relationships straight in one's head, but by checking the family tree, and going with the flow allowed me to enjoy the story.
I also enjoyed the various story threads with this generation: the branching out of the Morland dynasty's relations to the Borderlands, hence the title The Princeling; the adventurous travels of one member who joined Francis Drake on his travels (wonder if this comes up again in later books); the marriages of the later generations and such. I fancy this ongoing story about the Morland dynasty, because it is more about the family and their journeys through life, with the actual historical events in the background, not as the main focus. Overall this book was an enjoyable read and much better than the last one. I look forward to the next chapter in the Morland family history.
July 20, 2016
It feels a little like each book in this series so far has been a different genre; the first was a stereotypical family saga reminiscent of Susan Howatch, the second a well-done historical novel using the Morland characters to see into the Tudor court, and this one is more about faith and grace, although unfortunately in a facile way rather than an interesting one. As for the meat of the book itself:
September 3, 2010
The Princeling by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles is as good as it's predecessor "Dark Rose" and takes off right from a few years down the line. I found this one to be a bit more rushed in the telling of the story of the different generations of Morland's but it is just as emotional and will grab you in it's vice like talons and not let go for even the most delectable of treats.
The storyline still center's around Aunt Nan, young Paul Morland and his wife Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary of Scotland along with so many others. This time we don't just get to see court life but life in the country as well as life on the Borderlands that are rift with dangers coming from all sides. Life is so complicated no matter what your station.
If any of you are like me, envisioning the difference between the older generation and the younger ones along with the abrupt changes both political and religious will most certainly pull at your heart strings. Evolution can do a number on the best of us and not always for the positive.
The Morland family went through so much change in the Dark Rose and will go through even more struggles here in the Princeling. I love the pace the author has set and her portrayal of sights, sounds, textures and emotions will leave you very much satisfied with the outcome of the book. We all know that nothing lasts forever and that change is a daily visitor that we might not welcome, but we are forever prevented from interfering in the fabric of life as God sees it. I'm sure Queen Mary of Scotland could attest to this fact with the utmost of reliability.
I can tell you that you will love the history of the story and you will giggle like a child, blush like a young maiden and weep without control until your tears are spent. This is a brilliant storyteller and I look forward to more of her work.
The storyline still center's around Aunt Nan, young Paul Morland and his wife Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary of Scotland along with so many others. This time we don't just get to see court life but life in the country as well as life on the Borderlands that are rift with dangers coming from all sides. Life is so complicated no matter what your station.
If any of you are like me, envisioning the difference between the older generation and the younger ones along with the abrupt changes both political and religious will most certainly pull at your heart strings. Evolution can do a number on the best of us and not always for the positive.
The Morland family went through so much change in the Dark Rose and will go through even more struggles here in the Princeling. I love the pace the author has set and her portrayal of sights, sounds, textures and emotions will leave you very much satisfied with the outcome of the book. We all know that nothing lasts forever and that change is a daily visitor that we might not welcome, but we are forever prevented from interfering in the fabric of life as God sees it. I'm sure Queen Mary of Scotland could attest to this fact with the utmost of reliability.
I can tell you that you will love the history of the story and you will giggle like a child, blush like a young maiden and weep without control until your tears are spent. This is a brilliant storyteller and I look forward to more of her work.
October 7, 2010
The Princeling is the third novel in the Morland Dynasty Series and is set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in northern England. The Princeling continues the story of Nanette, a fantastic character from The Dark Rose, but also introduces a riveting new cast of characters in the ever dynamic Morland family.
Paul and Elizabeth Morland have a large family and each child takes a very different path in life. The eldest son John, moves to the northern Borderlands in order to woe and marry the heiress, Mary Percy, also known as the Princeling. John changes in this fierce land and cannot fight his attraction for the beautiful, but strong Mary. Mary has grown up as the only heir, fights like a man, and dresses like one too.
Paul and Elizabeth’s second daughter Lettice, is attached to Elizabeth I’s court, but soon moves to Scotland as part of Lord Darnley’s retinue to woe Queen Mary. In Scotland, Lettice meets up with the dangerously attractive Lord Rob Hamilton and the two have a fiery attraction that doesn’t seem to diminish with the years.
Overall, I loved The Princeling. I think it is my favorite book of the saga so far. It focused on the Morland family and their personal stories, tragedies, and triumphs. Their personal stories were riveting, but how they were placed in time and the historical aspects were also compelling. It is a wonderful family saga and great historical fiction.
For complete review see: http://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2010/...
Paul and Elizabeth Morland have a large family and each child takes a very different path in life. The eldest son John, moves to the northern Borderlands in order to woe and marry the heiress, Mary Percy, also known as the Princeling. John changes in this fierce land and cannot fight his attraction for the beautiful, but strong Mary. Mary has grown up as the only heir, fights like a man, and dresses like one too.
Paul and Elizabeth’s second daughter Lettice, is attached to Elizabeth I’s court, but soon moves to Scotland as part of Lord Darnley’s retinue to woe Queen Mary. In Scotland, Lettice meets up with the dangerously attractive Lord Rob Hamilton and the two have a fiery attraction that doesn’t seem to diminish with the years.
Overall, I loved The Princeling. I think it is my favorite book of the saga so far. It focused on the Morland family and their personal stories, tragedies, and triumphs. Their personal stories were riveting, but how they were placed in time and the historical aspects were also compelling. It is a wonderful family saga and great historical fiction.
For complete review see: http://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2010/...
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