The Marsh King's Daughter

by Elizabeth Chadwick

Unwanted and unloved, Miriel Weaver finds herself forced into a closed convent by her violent stepfather. Outside, the civil war of 1216 rages through the English countryside, throwing into jeopardy all that its people hold dear. As the turmoil outside reaches a peak, Miriel itches to break free from her life inside as a religious novice. She plots to escape but her plans screech to a halt when a soldier of fortune, a half-dead Nicholas de Caen appears at the convent door. Once held captive by royalist troops, he has managed to escape their clutches with part of the royal regalia, but his flight has sapped all life from him. Miriel nurses him with the vigor she has had suppressed in her imprisonment, and revives Nicholas, in whom she recognizes her own stubborn pride and independence. He is not only her kindred spirit, he is also her only way out. So upon his recovery and release, Miriel coerces her former patient into taking her with him. Never one for nostalgia, Miriel has only seen Nicholas as a means of escape, and once out of the convent, the two part on bad terms. From this point forward, misfortune will plague Miriel's life until she runs into a new Nicholas, this time a famous soldier and merchant. Can the two now see past their pride and into each other's souls, formerly one and the same? Or have the ravages of a bloody war clouded their sight? The critically-acclaimed author of The Love Knot and The Champion , Elizabeth Chadwick once again sheds light on the blood-stained Middle Ages by breathing life into legendary characters in The Marsh King's Daughter.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Medieval, Historical, Historical Romance, Romance, Fiction, British Literature

416 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1999

About the author

Best selling historical novelist Elizabeth Chadwick won a Betty Trask Award for her first novel The Wild Hunt. She has been shortlisted for the UK's mainstream Best Romantic Novel of the Year Award 4 times and longlisted twice. Her novel The Scarlet Lion about the great William Marshal and his wife Isabelle de Clare, has been selected by Richard Lee, founder of the Historical Novel Society as one of the landmark historical novels of the last ten years.
When not at her desk, she can be found taking long walks with the dog, baking cakes, reading books (of course!) exploring ruins, listening to various brands of rock and metal music, and occasionally slaving over a steaming cauldron with re-enactment society Regia Anglorum.

Reviews

[Misfit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born out of wedlock, Miriel Weaver adored her grandfather, a master weaver of fine wool. Her step-father takes over the weaving business upon her grandfather's death and Miriel rebels against him once to often and is packed off to a convent, although her rebellious nature continues and she doesn't exactly get along with life with the nuns either. Nicholas de Caen was a prisoner of King John until the baggage train is lost when the tide overtakes it as they are crossing the marsh. Nicholas reaches shore and finds quite a prize - a fortune in coin and the crown of the Empress Matilda. He is able to hide the treasure before he collapses from the ordeal and is eventually found by Miriel and another nun and nursed back to health.

Miriel follows Nicholas when he leaves and convinces him to escort her to safety in a new town, but when he falls asleep the lure of the crown and the silver is too much and believing she's entitled to some for saving his life she takes what she considers her fair share and soon sets herself up in the wool business. Unable to trace her, Nicholas cuts his loses and uses what is left of the treasure to purchase a ship or two and begins shipping goods. Miriel eventually marries twice, but neither marriage is for love and both are older men. Her second husband Robert is ambitious and controlling and will stop at nothing to achieve his ends, including murder. Of course fate ordains that Nicholas and Miriel's path will cross again - will it develop into love or hate for her betrayal? What will Robert do when he realizes the two have a past connection?

Well, you know I'm not telling - read it for yourself. This was another outstanding saga from Elizabeth Chadwick, I simply cannot get enough of her books, and every one of them sends me back to another world, another time. This was a bit different from the author's usual story; you won't find any lords, ladies or knights in this one. Just a fascinating look at the ins and outs of the wool trade, an interesting foot note in history on the disappearance into the quicksand of King John's treasure. I really enjoyed the pairing of Nicholas and Miriel and as for Robert, what a delightfully OTT baddie. Oh, and for the record I do enjoy a good well-rounded bad guy, I just dislike it when authors use cheap tricks like yellow teeth and stinky breath *telling* me how bad the baddie is instead of *showing* me. Hats off to Ms. Chadwick for knowing the difference. Five stars.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finishing Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell and dreadfully finding out that I didn't have his next book from the series yet (huhu), I kind of went on a reading slump and deliberately "strayed" with my subsequent book selection.

Then, I decided to read a Chadwick novel and immediately felt better. Yay! :-)

#cured

[Marialyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I did enjoy reading this novel and of course the few historical references in my mind make a book that much better. The one criticism I had however, was that this novel, supposedly written about people in the thirteenth century, had a lot of modern day language. I really do not know how one would fix it, although the author threw in a few "perchance" and "mayhaps" to catch the flavor of the times.

I did like most of the characters, the ones you were suppose to like, Miriel and Nicholas, Mother Hillary, and the Wudecocs, while the villains like the step father, Mother Eupemia (who I think taught me in fourth grade btw) and Robert were well represented. One can never fault a good love story and surely this one fit the bill. Miriel and Nicholas were destined to be with one another and the author makes sure their paths cross and their love is rekindled and nurtured.

I also liked reading about the wool trade and the making of various qualities of wool that was done in the times depicted. This was for me a nice satisfying story. I am probably tempted to pick up another of Ms Chadwick's novels.

[Kate Forsyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve wanted to read a book by Elizabeth Chadwick for a while – a lot of my Goodreads friends rave about her work – and so I finally bought one to read. I chose this book because of the title – it’s the name of a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale that I am actually thinking of rewriting one day. The title has little to do with the book, however, except that the heroine, Miriel, is the granddaughter of a rich weaver who lives near the marshes.

The book is set in 1216, one of my favourite periods of history (nasty King John ruled the land back then). Miriel is intelligent, high-spirited, and rebellious, and so is locked up in a convent by her violent and lustful step-father. She plans to escape but then helps rescue a half-drowned young man and stays so she can help nurse him back to health. The young man is Nicholas de Caen and he has a secret. He was present when King John’s treasure sank beneath the marshes (a true historical event), and he has hidden some of the treasure …

The two help each other escape, but their road of romance is rocky indeed. They have to deal with all sorts of misfortunes – including their own pigheadedness – before at last finding refuge in each other’s arms.

A big, brightly coloured romance, with lots of twists and turns, The Marsh King’s Daughter was a most enjoyable read and I’ll be picking up more books by Elizabeth Chadwick.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of Elizabeth Chadwick's novels that I've read, though I have another of hers already on my list. Her credentials as a historical novelist are recognized by the HISTORICAL NOVEL REVIEW and is borne out in this novel. I loved the detail as I read the story of Miriel Weaver, who is sent to a convent because of her willfulness. I must admit that there are terms and names of everyday living that I'm not sure of, but was able to figure them out from context. Miriel saves the life of a young man, Nicholas de Caen while in the nunnery, and she escapes and persuades Nicholas to accompany her for safety. Miriel doesn't trust that Nicholas can be trusted; so she steals part of the treasure he has salvaged from King John's supply train, where he was a prisoner. There are many twists and turns as these two continue on their own lives. But, inevitably, they meet again after each has become secure in life. I so enjoyed this exciting novel. The audio version is excellent. I will definitely read more of Chadwick's novels.

[Aneca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems with every new Elizabeth Chadwick book I read I become more of a fangirl of her work. Like in previous books what really draws me in are the characters she creates and their complexity. How they become real to us.

Unlike other books this story does not deal with the nobility. It deals with the common people, traders and particularly weavers, and I really enjoyed knowing something about that trade.

Elizabeth Chadwick beautifully combines history and fiction. In this case she starts out with a real event - the disappearence of the royal treasure during King John's reign - and she plays around with what might have happened to it. This however is not the main subject of the book but more of a pretext to start the action.

Miriel is a young girl, who has been confined to a convent by her family, when she meets Nicholas de Caen. He is brought to the convent after being found unconscious on the road and when he eventually leaves Miriel decides to follow.

Their fate will be closely connected to King John's lost treasure and if as young people they showed great promise when they meet again they are strong and ready to deal with the feelings that had been brewing since their first meeting. Things are not easy though as life has made them walk different paths and will lead them to difficult decisions. Nicholas and Miriel's story makes for a compelling read and I simply could not stop till I reached the last page.

Grade: 5/5

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of my favorite Elizabeth Chadwick books! I felt that I had to really dig deep to continue reading. It's never a good sign when a reader must force themselves to finish a book.

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Chadwick novel and I am impressed enough that I am going to read more. Whereas it is not the best book I have ever read, I thoroughly enjoyed it and its heroine, Miriel. In the novel's beginning, Miriel is a young girl whose stepfather is determined to be rid of her. After almost burning down the house, she is sent to a convent. While Miriel is rebelling against the nuns, a man named Nicholas is escaping the current King John's baggage train in which he was being held prisoner. Due to a major catastrophe, Nicholas manages to save not only his life (tho barely), but also the king's treasure. He requires some nursing back to health and Miriel and the nuns aide him in that matter, but scandal soon ensues as Miriel runs away with him. They part on rather negative terms and go their separate ways.

Miriel starts her own wool business with money she stole from Nicholas and marries a few times, the second unknowingly to a man with a very dark personality. Her and Nicholas reunite and make their peace regarding the split treasure and begin a romance behind her cruel husband's back. Lies, secrets, intrigue, and murder ensue. Will Miriel and Nicholas overcome the many obstacles and people standing in the way of their love?

The only thing holding me back from giving this 5 stars is what I call "bed hopping." Miriel goes from her husband's bed to Nicholas's bed and in turn Nicholas is jumping from Miriel's arms into a prostitutes'. The sex scenes were just a tad silly sometimes..."suddenly all the gemstones gathered in the small pleasure core of her loins splintered into thousands of tiny gleaming shards.."

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not entirely sure what my feelings are about this book......did I enjoy it, didn't I enjoy it?? It's a tough one for me to review. I may have to say that, yeah, I kinda did enjoy it, in places, though in other places, nahh, I kinda didn't really enjoy it.
A true mixed review it would seem.
Let me expound.
It was very well described and it was written nicely, but the female character was boring (a flaw I find in Chadwick books that I have outlined many times in my other Chadwick reviews).
By all appearances the author wants us to beleive that Miriel Weaver is a go-getter, but in actuality she only started out that way. Her character was a bit of a spitfire, very interesting and always up to mischief, and then she went stagnant. (similar to The Falcons of Montabard in truth). Just like Chadwick's, The Falcons of Montabard, the main male charcter was fun to read about. What the Marsh King's Daughter, however, has over The Falcons of Montabard, is the fact that the story is not forced on for far too long in order to follow real timelines and events to precision. This is why I can probably say, that yeah, I did kinda enjoy it despite the female character and the rather up and down storyline.

[Amy Bruno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done! Another sensational book from Elizabeth Chadwick!! Like another reviewer of this book, I too had to stay up way past my bedtime to finish this – too hard to put down!

In my last review for The French Revolution series by Jean Plaidy I mentioned that I just didn’t feel the emotional connection with the characters, but not so with The Marsh King’s Daughter! The heroine, Miriel, is a woman after my own heart. She is a strong, intelligent and passionate woman who fights for what she wants in life. The more people try to beat her down the more she will fight back.

The love story between Nicholas and Miriel is deliciously sweet and the love scenes will leave you needing a cigarette after reading!

I love the way a good novel brings you right into the action and into the feelings and emotions of the characters. I felt a wide range of emotions during my reading experience…from pity to love to wanting to jump through the pages and rip a guy’s head off! That’s the beauty of Elizabeth Chadwick! Thanks EC!

Overall: 5/5

Won’t Back Down by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

[Monica Hills · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful historical fiction novel. Sometimes the best historical fiction books are the ones that are not based on real people as the main characters. The problem with those is that you know what is going to happen. This one was based on Miriel, the granddaughter of a wealthy wool merchant. After his death she is forced to go to a convent. While at the convent she ends up saving the life of a traitor who was caught up in the baggage train of King Henry. Based on the true story of how King Henry's baggage train was lost in the marsh unfolds the story of Nicolas and Miriel. I absolutely adored this story! Historical fiction at its best.

[Mela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicholas turned the goblet in his hand, swirling the surface of the wine. 'You are saying that you have always been abandoned by those who should have cared for you,' he said thoughtfully.

Yes, it was a solid historical fiction. There was (so beloved by me) Chadwick's style of storytelling. There was no way to not feel the marshes and to not understand (at least a bit) the weaving business/the wool trade and transport by ships (in those times).

And what is truth, since it changes according to each individual's perception?

It was also (like always) an interesting human study. The characters weren't as exciting as e.g. in The Winter Mantle or Lords Of The White Castle but more interesting than in e.g. The Love Knot.

Sometimes love strikes like lightning, and its power is as blinding. Other times it comes gently, creeps up on you unawares and covers you like a blanket.

The love story was nice. Again, not the best one (considering Chadwick's books) but not the worst.

The most thrilling and new was that there were scarcely knights, kings, wars etc. This novel was about merchants.

There were moments when an action, the drama was a bit too long/intense, comparing with other Chadwick's stories, but the historical accuracy and other strong points of her novels deserve 5 stars.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice "fluff" read, though sometimes in danger of being little more than romance novel masquerading as historical fiction. There's an awful lot of sex involved, especially in the first half of the book. This is all well and good, but much of it is less-than-pleasant. And the romantic love at the core of the story suffers somewhat from the all-too-common lack of substance that leaves the reader wondering what, other than lust, it is really based on. What is somewhat odd is that there are several allusions to the dangers of putting too much faith in romantic love stories for this very reason within the book itself.

That said, the plot is intricate enough to remain interesting, even if somewhat predictable. The characters are reasonably well realized, and the protagonist is likable.

So, not great literature, but a pleasant read.

p.s. There is apparently a Hans Christian Andersen story of the same title. Being unfamiliar with the story, I'm not sure if there is any other connection between the two works.

[Susana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another page turner by Elizabeth Chadwick. A heart wrenching story of love, hope and despair. A brave, intelligent, witty woman Miriel and a fearing, sharp soldier Nicholas de Caen.

[Cecilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. I was sucked in like quicksand. I cried in a few places and laughed. I would have given 5 stars, but it sometimes was extremely violent in places and I thought it was just a bit much. I loved it anyway.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, I'm too liberal with stars. A book has to be pretty crap to get two stars or less. I mean, if I can finish it and not cry over the waste of my life, then it gets at least three.

BUT I think this book is a true three. My Plan II/English/Phi Betta Kappa-self is not ashamed of my love of the most poorly-written, over-hyped series (Twilight, Sookie Stackhouse) nor will I deny my love of the historical fiction which flirts with that section 8 housing of literature known as "romance."

Books set in the time of King John are quickly replacing my love for the Tudor period. The first book I read by Chadwick was fair-to-middling. The historical bits were good but the story of (the true historical figure) Fulke Fitzwarin dragged and just had too much sex. Seriously, when your married, characters are getting it on two and three times in a row with the help sniggering whilst sweeping the floor rushes. . .come on. I like a little reality with my history. You forget that in the middle ages personal hygiene was at an all time low. I'm only going to want to lift that loin cloth aside on special occasions, forget anytime he comes riding in from a raid smelling fresh of horse sweat.

So anyway, the Marsh King's Daughter was better than the aforementioned Lords of the White Castle. Nice twists but the end wrapped up a bit too nicely (Did the whore have to die? And did she really need to be named Magdalene? Really?) But, if you're going to read something while you wait for the Lunesta take, you could do worse.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Elizabeth Chadwick read - and rest assured it certainly won't be my last.

I sat down to enjoy a hopefully enthralling historical romance and that's exactly what I got - once the first third of the book was out of the way. The early passages took me a while to get into, and I found the central characters to be rather selfish and unlikeable in their actions.

Then comes the introduction of a central villain and the story really takes off, never running out of speed until the fitting climax. This villain - a truly well-rounded and despicable chap - makes you love and care about the central twosome and hope their love will eventually win through.

Chadwick takes a departure from her usual stories about nobility and brings the real people of the era to life - from wool traders to thieves, pirates and cut-throats. The sights and smells of Nottingham and elsewhere are present and there's plenty of incident in the narrative, along with many sex scenes, some pleasant, some distinctly unpleasant. The eerie Cambridgeshire/Norfolk marshes are brought readily to life here.

Miriel is a wilful and appealing heroine whose actions never feel outside of the era. Nicolas makes for a fine hero and the character of Robert Willoughby gripped me. Go in expecting lots of sex, plenty of authenticity, some violent acts and a story that never outstays its welcome and you'll have a ball.

[Charlotte]

What's not to love? Perfect time period 1216. Characters are so real you feel like you know them all your life. You really want to see Robert Willoughby go down. You love Nicholas because he is pure of heart and reason. Miriel brings you on a roller coaster ride. You feel her sense of wanting to be free from her stepfather and her mother and the convent where she does not belong. You understand her decisions to marry a much older man. Who wouldn't make such a move given her circumstances? What I am saying here is that you read, you feel and you RELATE. Elizabeth Chadwick brings the Middle Ages to life for you. You can't lose with those book. It's not a mushy love story but it is a historical romance.

[Deborah Pickstone · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unremittingly dreadful. Poor characterisation, unbelievable characters, stereotyping of King John in a way that defied belief - kids, what she said he did is a big fat lie; no-one know what happened to Arthur and no-one EVER suggested John was literally raving mad apart from a few bad writers. Also writes 'forsoothly'.

I am sorry to write this as EC is much more capable than appears here, despite my last review. But then I notice this was first published in 1999 when she'd been writing 8 or 9 years. I take that back; it's awful. Bodice-ripping tosh.

[Mary23nm · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

[Jenny Langley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟

[Matt Cote · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is slightly difficult to categorize, since it's not a traditional Romance (with capital R) novel, since while there is a relationship at the center of it, there are a lot of other things going on, and the steamy parts are very much not the point. There is also a refreshing lack of those romance tropes (No parts where there is a contrived falling out known only to the lovers, for example). But no, this was a very interesting look into the wool trade in 13th century England, with various colorful, charismatic and sometimes very dark characters making the story sing, and a romance that tied the thread of the story together, but it's not PRIMARILY about the romance.

I very much love the main characters, and the story of how they battle the world and eventually (after many trials) come together, is well worth reading. It's also interesting since there is very little sword fighting, or when things come to violence, it's as a last resort, and distasteful to boot.

The denouement is quite delightful, and the happily ever after is tinged with sorrow, but that struck me as very much true to it's time, since from all I've heard, it was a pretty brutal time to be alive.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible version narrated by Amy Scanlon
Rated 3.5 rounded up

I enjoyed this simple, easy (probably predictable) story set in 13th-century England. The title, The Marsh King's Daughter, may have left me confused since no Marsh King is ever mentioned in the book, and I may have found some of our heroine's thoughts and actions too modern for the time period, but neither issue kept me from enjoying the overall story. I was interested and engaged throughout and will probably explore other Elizabeth Chadwick novels.

[DarkStar's Book Cavern · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was alright, very entertaining but strange for the main characters to spend most of the book apart from each other and going through events alone. I liked Miriel but she was annoying at times, like how many times are you going to get married before you confess your feelings to the one you actually want? Nicholas was infuriating, he wants Miriel above all others but drags Magdalene into this toxic relationship to her detriment.

It was interesting to include the loss of King John’s baggage train, which to this day has not been found.

[Beatrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, Chadwick and I are friends again. I picked this one up on sale while I was sick, and it has kept me great company. The characters have depth and are believable, with their own backstories and quirks. The novel has an amazing sense of time of place so it's incredibly immersive, and the plot is satisfying. A brilliant read!

[Babylon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, light read with some historical accuracies but main characters who were fictional. It all kicks off with the loss of King John’s Treasure in the Wash, the escape of a rebel soldier, and the forced incarceration of a young woman in a nunnery. Wool merchants, ship owners, weavers, it brings the 13th Century Anglo-Norman realm to life. A romance, nasty bad guy, it was fun.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good story about strength, independence, and resilience. The first half of the book didn’t capture my attention but the last half brought it home and it was really good. Muriel’s treachery was a little hard to understand at first when it seemed unnecessary, and she made her path the her ultimate destination harder than it needed to be, but it was a good story overall.

[Dick R. McCart · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite

I love Elizabeth Chadwick's writing and have read 6 of her books. And I am just getting started. But this book, while good, is not my favorite. While her books are not gentle, this one was too stressful.

[Donna Hayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant loved it

[Sahara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, not once did I get bored at any stage.