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Plantagenet Queens #2
Isabella, Queen Without a Conscience
A historical novel about the enigmatic Isabella of Angoulême, queen of King John of England. In her day she was called a Jezebel, a sorceress, an adulteress. With her second husband, Hugh de Lusignan, she was accused of trying to assassinate the King of France. How much was true? In this novel, thanks to new research, you'll meet the real Isabella, prey to strong passions and ambitions, aware of the power of her beauty, willing to dare all in order to be and be seen as a queen. You'll relive the turbulent twelfth and thirteenth centuries when France and England were struggling for control of western France. And you'll become intimately acquainted with the fascinating and beauteous Isabella.
483 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
30 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Bard
17 books4 followersRachel Bard had written eight nonfiction books from cookbooks to travel guides to histories when she began her series of historical novels about medieval queens. Her first, Queen Without a Country, was about Berengaria, wife of King Richard the Lionheart. In Isabella, she examines the life of Isabella of Angoulme, who succeeded Berengaria on the English throne. Her next, A Reed in the Wind, stars Joanna, Queen of Sicily, sister of Richard. Research for her novels has taken the author to England, France, Cyprus, Sicily, Spain the whole panorama of medieval Europe.
Her careers include advertising, journalism education and travel writing. She currently lives on Vashon Island, near Seattle.
Her careers include advertising, journalism education and travel writing. She currently lives on Vashon Island, near Seattle.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 27, 2016
This is really excellent! Another uncommon subject and a real historian writing it. At no point did my howler sensors quiver, which means that even if Ms Bard made any, her writing was good enough to override them. I will be after her other books immediately and am uttering my usual glad cry to a favourite author (yes, favourite - on the basis of just one book): Please write faster!
December 28, 2015
$9.99
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find a good biography of King John or even a fictional account (more true than not) of his life, and so I have relied on a number of different books. When I read about the monarchy I also like to read about the major characters related to any given King, including the spouses. Until reading about the Plantagenets and finally getting to King John, I had never heard of Isabella of Angouleme, Countess in her own right after her father, Count Aymer died. She was betrothed to Hugh IX le Brun of Lusignan, but when John saw her, nothing was going to stop him even though she was only 12 or 14 years old. She was known for being a beauty and having a temper to match John’s. They married quickly and the first three quarters of this book is about her marriage to him. She gave birth to five children from him before he died, and saw her son Henry III become King of England. She wasn’t asked to be the Regent, and I’m not sure whether she chose to go back to Angouleme or was exiled. The result was the same.
When she returned to her lands, accompanied by her daughter, Joanna, who was betrothed to Hugh Lusignan X, the son of man she was supposed to marry. Since Hugh was only 3 years older than Isabella and needing heirs, they decided it would be politically advantageous and beneficial to them both to marry. Joanna was sent back to England, while Isabella and Hugh had 9 more children. She was ambitious but she was not the only woman who wanted more for herself. I don’t know why people didn’t like her although she was vain and probably got by on her looks more than most people. The people of England continued to hate her and often blamed her for the failings of King John. I don’t see that this is the right because women had so few rights in those days.
After trying to increase their holdings and going back and forth between supporting her son King Henry or King Louis VIII and later his son, in a way but not really, there were rumors of attempted murder, adultery, and betrayal. Were any of these true? None can be substantiated, and I can’t blame her for not having more contact with her children since women highborn often did not, just as Eleanor of Aquitaine never really saw her girls by Louis until perhaps they were grown. I don’t recall, but I am glad I found this book. I just wish there had been more instances or stories, especially in England, about why people hated her so much.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find a good biography of King John or even a fictional account (more true than not) of his life, and so I have relied on a number of different books. When I read about the monarchy I also like to read about the major characters related to any given King, including the spouses. Until reading about the Plantagenets and finally getting to King John, I had never heard of Isabella of Angouleme, Countess in her own right after her father, Count Aymer died. She was betrothed to Hugh IX le Brun of Lusignan, but when John saw her, nothing was going to stop him even though she was only 12 or 14 years old. She was known for being a beauty and having a temper to match John’s. They married quickly and the first three quarters of this book is about her marriage to him. She gave birth to five children from him before he died, and saw her son Henry III become King of England. She wasn’t asked to be the Regent, and I’m not sure whether she chose to go back to Angouleme or was exiled. The result was the same.
When she returned to her lands, accompanied by her daughter, Joanna, who was betrothed to Hugh Lusignan X, the son of man she was supposed to marry. Since Hugh was only 3 years older than Isabella and needing heirs, they decided it would be politically advantageous and beneficial to them both to marry. Joanna was sent back to England, while Isabella and Hugh had 9 more children. She was ambitious but she was not the only woman who wanted more for herself. I don’t know why people didn’t like her although she was vain and probably got by on her looks more than most people. The people of England continued to hate her and often blamed her for the failings of King John. I don’t see that this is the right because women had so few rights in those days.
After trying to increase their holdings and going back and forth between supporting her son King Henry or King Louis VIII and later his son, in a way but not really, there were rumors of attempted murder, adultery, and betrayal. Were any of these true? None can be substantiated, and I can’t blame her for not having more contact with her children since women highborn often did not, just as Eleanor of Aquitaine never really saw her girls by Louis until perhaps they were grown. I don’t recall, but I am glad I found this book. I just wish there had been more instances or stories, especially in England, about why people hated her so much.
January 7, 2015
A very fine book, well written and researched and I enjoyed it a lot. Isabella had a position that was always difficult for a woman of her times.
I am reminded of the song sung by Guinevere in Camelot, "Oh Genevieve, Saint Genevieve, where were you when my youth was sold? Dear Genevieve, sweet Genevieve, shan't I be young before I'm old?"
She was exiled from England after the death of John and what then was she to do?
I enjoyed this book a great deal and hope to read the other books by this author. Understanding all the females of the Plantagenet family is a fine literary move. Recommended to others who relish Medieval and Planatagenet historical novels.
I am reminded of the song sung by Guinevere in Camelot, "Oh Genevieve, Saint Genevieve, where were you when my youth was sold? Dear Genevieve, sweet Genevieve, shan't I be young before I'm old?"
She was exiled from England after the death of John and what then was she to do?
I enjoyed this book a great deal and hope to read the other books by this author. Understanding all the females of the Plantagenet family is a fine literary move. Recommended to others who relish Medieval and Planatagenet historical novels.
May 17, 2020
Once a queen always a queen
This was my favorite of all the books by this author. I liked the way it is told by several characters points of view. Characters are removed as they leave the story and characters are added in as they are introduced. Enjoyed this format a lot.
This was my favorite of all the books by this author. I liked the way it is told by several characters points of view. Characters are removed as they leave the story and characters are added in as they are introduced. Enjoyed this format a lot.
March 14, 2017
Book subject was very interesting but there were some format inconsistencies that made me a little nuts.
May 30, 2017
A fascinating woman in history. A great read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
April 26, 2017
Isabella of Angoulême is one of the lesser known English queens, and yet I am quite curious about her (possibly because I have a thing for historical women with bad reputations). Rachel Bard's novel had been on my radar for a while, and I am happy I finally got the to read it.
One of the things I liked the most about the novel is that it is told through the perspectives of different characters. This was a good choice because it gave a wider view of the story and the players. The book is also clearly well researched, and it has a lot of descriptions of places, clothes and such, which was fascinating.
Unfortunately, the plot was slow moving at times. I really enjoyed the first half and the ending, but in my opinion the middle dragged a little. For me, the story would have been more engaging if the book had been shorter.
As for Isabella, she was a little problematic for me. On one hand, I appreciated that Bard didn't paint her as a complete positive character: she was quite vain, selfish and proud. This portrayal made her a more interesting character. On the other hand, her defects were a little too much at times, so that, while I didn't exactly dislike her, I didn't feel too much for her misadventures.
Concluding, even if I didn't completely love it, this is a pretty solid novel about an intriguing but almost forgotten queen. If you want to learn more about her this is a good place to start.
One of the things I liked the most about the novel is that it is told through the perspectives of different characters. This was a good choice because it gave a wider view of the story and the players. The book is also clearly well researched, and it has a lot of descriptions of places, clothes and such, which was fascinating.
Unfortunately, the plot was slow moving at times. I really enjoyed the first half and the ending, but in my opinion the middle dragged a little. For me, the story would have been more engaging if the book had been shorter.
As for Isabella, she was a little problematic for me. On one hand, I appreciated that Bard didn't paint her as a complete positive character: she was quite vain, selfish and proud. This portrayal made her a more interesting character. On the other hand, her defects were a little too much at times, so that, while I didn't exactly dislike her, I didn't feel too much for her misadventures.
Concluding, even if I didn't completely love it, this is a pretty solid novel about an intriguing but almost forgotten queen. If you want to learn more about her this is a good place to start.
May 25, 2015
Isabella, Queen Without a Conscience by Rachel Bard
I love this book, the history about this woman is so spellbinding! The author brings the characters to life. Each chapter telling each characters point of view. It's like having several books in one story. So much has been written about the rest of this family, finally we get a book about Isabella! The history seems real from the point of view of this author, and she brings the characters to life. This is a hard book to read, it's worth it!
I love this book, the history about this woman is so spellbinding! The author brings the characters to life. Each chapter telling each characters point of view. It's like having several books in one story. So much has been written about the rest of this family, finally we get a book about Isabella! The history seems real from the point of view of this author, and she brings the characters to life. This is a hard book to read, it's worth it!
April 17, 2015
This could have been a great book but for t terrible editing.
I was really looking forward to reading this book. However it has fatal flaws. Just a little bit into the story, the words are cut off on the left margin. A little bit further there are words missing on the right margin. Do not waste your time or money on this book: it is unreadable. I didn't even try to finish it.
I was really looking forward to reading this book. However it has fatal flaws. Just a little bit into the story, the words are cut off on the left margin. A little bit further there are words missing on the right margin. Do not waste your time or money on this book: it is unreadable. I didn't even try to finish it.
April 18, 2015
Interesting
I enjoy Ms Bard's s style and conjecture. She has chosen some less renowned historical figures and brought them to life. There were some formatting issues in a few places but not enough to disrupt the story.
I enjoy Ms Bard's s style and conjecture. She has chosen some less renowned historical figures and brought them to life. There were some formatting issues in a few places but not enough to disrupt the story.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews