What do you think?
Rate this book
The Queen's Daughter
Joan's mother is Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, the most beautiful woman in the world. Her father is Henry II, the king of England and a renowned military leader. She loves them both, so what is she to do when she's forced to choose between them? As her parents' arguments grow ever more vicious, Joan begins to feel like a political pawn.
When her parents marry her off to the king of Sicily, Joan finds herself stuck with a man ten years her senior. She doesn't love her husband, and she can't quite forget her childhood crush, the handsome Lord Raymond.
As Joan grows up, she begins to understand that her parents' worldview is warped by their political ambitions, and hers, in turn, has been warped by theirs. Is it too late to figure out whom to trust? And, more importantly, whom to love?
The Queen's Daughter is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
When her parents marry her off to the king of Sicily, Joan finds herself stuck with a man ten years her senior. She doesn't love her husband, and she can't quite forget her childhood crush, the handsome Lord Raymond.
As Joan grows up, she begins to understand that her parents' worldview is warped by their political ambitions, and hers, in turn, has been warped by theirs. Is it too late to figure out whom to trust? And, more importantly, whom to love?
The Queen's Daughter is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
373 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2010
20 people are currently reading
5009 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
March 27, 2015
This book tells the story of Princess Joan, forgotten daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Henry II, sister to Richard the Lionhearted. Joan is a woman of legend made emotionally real and accessible in this charming fledgling effort. The hefty descriptions replete with historical detail can be a bit cumbersome but they are made engaging by inclusion of things young adults might find fascinating - clothing, food, and toys as well as politics and wars.
Not much action but still thoroughly enjoyable, especially for fans of "The Lion in Winter."
Not much action but still thoroughly enjoyable, especially for fans of "The Lion in Winter."
June 9, 2011
This is a 3 part story: 1st part is Joan's childhood as the princess of England under King Henry II, 2nd part is early womanhood and her marriage to the King of Sicily and the 3rd part is her mid-age life with her brother as the King and a new mate in life.
I was very interested in this story. It's not one I was familiar with, so I don't know how historically accurate it is. It gave some insight to how it might have felt to be a daughter in this era, being shipped off and expected to marry a stranger. However, I wish there could have been more feeling to it. It almost felt like reading a school history book. It could have been much more entertaining.
A huge bonus (in my opinion) is that it wasn't littered with sex scenes. It is touched on a couple of times when pertinent to the story. But, it's not vulgar. It is appropraite for the younger readers... maybe 12 and up???
My biggest complaint is the length.... It was a very slow read and a lot of the information could have either been omitted or drastically reduced. I wasn't looking for every fact surrounding the era... I wanted inside Joan's head and alas I am still left wanting.
3.5 stars
Recommend for Historical fiction readers, especially the Young Adult crowd.
I was very interested in this story. It's not one I was familiar with, so I don't know how historically accurate it is. It gave some insight to how it might have felt to be a daughter in this era, being shipped off and expected to marry a stranger. However, I wish there could have been more feeling to it. It almost felt like reading a school history book. It could have been much more entertaining.
A huge bonus (in my opinion) is that it wasn't littered with sex scenes. It is touched on a couple of times when pertinent to the story. But, it's not vulgar. It is appropraite for the younger readers... maybe 12 and up???
My biggest complaint is the length.... It was a very slow read and a lot of the information could have either been omitted or drastically reduced. I wasn't looking for every fact surrounding the era... I wanted inside Joan's head and alas I am still left wanting.
3.5 stars
Recommend for Historical fiction readers, especially the Young Adult crowd.
March 27, 2015
I was not blown away by this book, I think the problem was that I was so blown away by Anne O'Brien's Queen Defiant: A novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Joan's mother, that this couldn't help but be an inferior story of the family. I also have to say that this is yet another historical fiction novel based on royals that is 97% pure fiction, the author's note pretty much says that almost nothing is known about Eleanor and Henry II's daughter, so she just made up stuff. That didn't bother me when I first started my royal reading program for myself a couple months ago, but after many books down and more ahead it has become a downer. I like a lot of fact with my fiction.
In Queen Defiant, Eleanor was funny, sassy, and an entertaining fighter, though she lost a bit of steam when she married Henry II towards the end. She went from 15 to about 30 in that book. Henry II was highly intellectual and an upfront charmer, who went from about 14 to 19, marrying Eleanor when he was 19 and she 30.
In this book, the Queen's daughter, Eleanor and Henry II seem like completly different human beings. Gone is the humorus spark and witty personaility that Anne O'Brien gave Eleanor, gone is any charm what so ever from Henry II. Both seem mean, petty, and cold. Granted this book is about twenty years after Queen Defiant took place, but time really ruined their personailities. Of course, it could just be that Susan Coventry is not Anne O'Brien and wrote the family as she sees it. I kept wishing that Anne had written this book. Would she have written Henry II as being awful to his children and wife as though he hated them? Would Eleanor have been so lousy?
Some of the "facts" differ here too, much was made about Eleanor's red hair and how she didn't like to wear red clothing in Queen Defiant, in this book it says Eleanor has black hair. Confused.
In this book it says that Louis ended his marriage to Eleanor because she couldn't bear him a son and he was fed up. In Queen Defiant it is Eleanor who begs Louis into ending the marriage because he hardly sleeps with her, lives as a monk, and makes her sick to her guts.
Joan does not have an entertaining story in Susan's hands, and is a boring bore.
In Queen Defiant, Eleanor was funny, sassy, and an entertaining fighter, though she lost a bit of steam when she married Henry II towards the end. She went from 15 to about 30 in that book. Henry II was highly intellectual and an upfront charmer, who went from about 14 to 19, marrying Eleanor when he was 19 and she 30.
In this book, the Queen's daughter, Eleanor and Henry II seem like completly different human beings. Gone is the humorus spark and witty personaility that Anne O'Brien gave Eleanor, gone is any charm what so ever from Henry II. Both seem mean, petty, and cold. Granted this book is about twenty years after Queen Defiant took place, but time really ruined their personailities. Of course, it could just be that Susan Coventry is not Anne O'Brien and wrote the family as she sees it. I kept wishing that Anne had written this book. Would she have written Henry II as being awful to his children and wife as though he hated them? Would Eleanor have been so lousy?
Some of the "facts" differ here too, much was made about Eleanor's red hair and how she didn't like to wear red clothing in Queen Defiant, in this book it says Eleanor has black hair. Confused.
In this book it says that Louis ended his marriage to Eleanor because she couldn't bear him a son and he was fed up. In Queen Defiant it is Eleanor who begs Louis into ending the marriage because he hardly sleeps with her, lives as a monk, and makes her sick to her guts.
Joan does not have an entertaining story in Susan's hands, and is a boring bore.
November 18, 2010
I enjoyed this book. Even from the start as you realize Joan as a seven-year old, you can really learn the labors of being royalty. When you're a kid, you usually want to be a queen, king, etc. (I should know...I was one of them lol) but as the saying goes, "things are not always as they seem..." Joan's perspective provided the types of concepts that most definitely were not available amongst the elite, such as marrying for love. Near the end, Joan was forced to bow down and support her brother Richard, who did not forgive her because he did not appreciate her refusal to marry some random guy. I felt proud that Joan stood up against him because in such a century, there aren't many who can do so or would dare to. Life isn't that simple as her family members seemingly died off or at least came close to death. I was saddened to read in the author's note that Joan had died during her third childbirth without her husband. I was comforted that her mother was there, yet disappointed to see that after Joan's hard life, her mother could outlive her. This is a tragic thought, yet overall, Coventry displayed Joan's life very, very realistically.
March 9, 2011
The Queen’s Daughter is straight-up historical fiction. There is no time-travel of a modern girl to medieval times. There is no fantasy or paranormal element. What you get is the real deal – historical fiction based on true facts.
Susan Coventry includes all sorts of historical details about both the time and place. I like that she works in explanations of the political climate so that everything makes sense.
Joan lives a luxurious royal lifestyle as a young princess. Oh, but there is trouble behind the scenes. Joan’s parents (Queen Eleanor and King Henry II) and her brothers fight with each other all the time. They disagree on all sorts of things like who should own which castle and who should have control of England. Can you even imagine?
Joan’s story is told from her point of view from the age of 7 to around 30. I am shocked that Joan is forced to marry the king of Sicily when she is my age – eleven. My gosh, that is just crazy! I really feel bad for Joan because this marriage is arranged for purely political reasons. It’s just so wrong.
Despite her situation, Joan remains strong and resilient. She makes rational decisions that benefit both her and whoever is depending on her. Joan is the type of girl who takes a bad situation and turns it around as best she can.
Thankfully, the ending brings some happiness for Joan. After all of her struggles, it is nice to see that she had some joy in her life.
RATING
4 Liked
COVER COMMENTS
How pretty! I think they chose a nice time in Joan’s life for this cover. She is just beautiful – her face, her hair, her dress. Love this cover.
Susan Coventry includes all sorts of historical details about both the time and place. I like that she works in explanations of the political climate so that everything makes sense.
Joan lives a luxurious royal lifestyle as a young princess. Oh, but there is trouble behind the scenes. Joan’s parents (Queen Eleanor and King Henry II) and her brothers fight with each other all the time. They disagree on all sorts of things like who should own which castle and who should have control of England. Can you even imagine?
Joan’s story is told from her point of view from the age of 7 to around 30. I am shocked that Joan is forced to marry the king of Sicily when she is my age – eleven. My gosh, that is just crazy! I really feel bad for Joan because this marriage is arranged for purely political reasons. It’s just so wrong.
Despite her situation, Joan remains strong and resilient. She makes rational decisions that benefit both her and whoever is depending on her. Joan is the type of girl who takes a bad situation and turns it around as best she can.
Thankfully, the ending brings some happiness for Joan. After all of her struggles, it is nice to see that she had some joy in her life.
RATING
4 Liked
COVER COMMENTS
How pretty! I think they chose a nice time in Joan’s life for this cover. She is just beautiful – her face, her hair, her dress. Love this cover.
August 6, 2010
This is actually not my review, but Maria's review from Good Choice Reading. I am posting it here because she is not active on GoodReads and I thought it should be added.
Maria's Review: (http://goodchoicereading.blogspot.com...)
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars; mostly, because I loved the story line and I ADORE books with strong, female characters.
I have to admit - the beginning of this book (I’d even go so far as to say the entire first half) is VERY confusing. That’s the one downside. I suppose that because the author wanted to keep names/places true to history, she left them the same in the book, but there were so many Richards, Williams, Raymonds...I got lost multiple times.
But somewhere in the middle of the book, I found myself wanting to know what happens to Joan, our main character. At almost every point in her life, she finds herself having to choose between her family and her husband. I was interested to see whether she would follow what her heart told her, or what her “duty” compelled her to do. I was very satisfied with how it ended :)
Fair Warning: This novel is historical fiction. So if you don’t like history in any way, then this book might not be a good fit for you, lol. I wanted to read The Queen’s Daughter because I personally thought the cover looked amazing! I’ve passed by it a few times in bookstores, but never got around to reading it. I’m so glad I did!
GCR Maria
Maria's Review: (http://goodchoicereading.blogspot.com...)
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars; mostly, because I loved the story line and I ADORE books with strong, female characters.
I have to admit - the beginning of this book (I’d even go so far as to say the entire first half) is VERY confusing. That’s the one downside. I suppose that because the author wanted to keep names/places true to history, she left them the same in the book, but there were so many Richards, Williams, Raymonds...I got lost multiple times.
But somewhere in the middle of the book, I found myself wanting to know what happens to Joan, our main character. At almost every point in her life, she finds herself having to choose between her family and her husband. I was interested to see whether she would follow what her heart told her, or what her “duty” compelled her to do. I was very satisfied with how it ended :)
Fair Warning: This novel is historical fiction. So if you don’t like history in any way, then this book might not be a good fit for you, lol. I wanted to read The Queen’s Daughter because I personally thought the cover looked amazing! I’ve passed by it a few times in bookstores, but never got around to reading it. I’m so glad I did!
GCR Maria
June 14, 2010
After reading a few Eleanor of Aquitaine novels this year, I could not pass up the opportunity to read more about one of Eleanor's daughters, Princess Joan. In the upcoming Captive Queen by Alison Weir, Joan was depicted as being unceremoniously shipped off to Sicily to marry a King significantly older than her who had then kept Joan virtually imprisoned while the King cavorted with the heretic Saracens in his bed. I felt bad for Joan who was, as usual, a mere pawn in her family's need for political gains.
This story by Susan Coventry opens up to Joan when she is a seven year old daughter who was somewhat forgotten amongst the turmoils of her older brothers who never ceased to cause strife between their parents and their domains. The Young King Henry, Richard, Duke of Aquitaine, and Geoffrey of Brittany paid little heed to young Joan at age seven and her younger brother, John. Queen Eleanor and King Henry seemed to use Joan against each other and were not portrayed as very fond parents. Eleanor is definitely not portrayed in the best light, but the story is focused on Joan and how she viewed things from her point of view as she was torn between father and mother continually. I appreciated the fact that Joan realized her political duties and did not seem to falter when the heavy burden of moving to a different country came to pass.
Being betrothed to King William in Sicily could have been the start to a new life for the new Queen Joan, but here she was still simply a shadow of sorts as William was ten years older than Joan, and too impatient to deal with a child bride. Joan proves herself a strong young woman, and handles the other women in Sicily's court with ease, yet she was kept away from King William for much of the time as he entertained himself elsewhere. The getting of an heir was awkward and not entirely loving, yet not as much of a hardship as had been impressed upon in earlier reads. William was not portrayed as an ogre as expected, but actually as a husband who was resigned to the idea of having a younger wife. There were not fights of the heir issues after many years of being barren. Of course, this was geared towards a young adult audience and the author writes later that little is really know of what Queen Joan truly had endured.
The author did a magnificent job of bringing to life the story of the young Princess Joan who became Queen Joanna of Sicily and later married to the ever present Raymond of Toulouse. Interesting court relationships were weaved throughout Joan's story, and I was very intrigued from beginning to finish to read what events surrounded Joan throughout her life, such as the Crusades. I would be happy to read a part two to this story, as it seemed to end when there could have been more to tell. This was also my first "young adult" read in many years, yet I was not set back with the style of writing, therefore I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone interested in one of Eleanor's daughters who resembled the strong-willed Eleanor in many ways. As far as it being interesting for younger audiences, I would not be able to discern, as there are many characters and underlying political currents. I would think a prior knowledge of the time period would be extremely helpful to understand the events that are occurring and put them in better context for the reader. Although this is a work of fiction, I feel the author accomplished a lot with this debut novel while capturing the essence of Joan and characterizing her relationships with those around her, giving this forgotten queen a voice.
This story by Susan Coventry opens up to Joan when she is a seven year old daughter who was somewhat forgotten amongst the turmoils of her older brothers who never ceased to cause strife between their parents and their domains. The Young King Henry, Richard, Duke of Aquitaine, and Geoffrey of Brittany paid little heed to young Joan at age seven and her younger brother, John. Queen Eleanor and King Henry seemed to use Joan against each other and were not portrayed as very fond parents. Eleanor is definitely not portrayed in the best light, but the story is focused on Joan and how she viewed things from her point of view as she was torn between father and mother continually. I appreciated the fact that Joan realized her political duties and did not seem to falter when the heavy burden of moving to a different country came to pass.
Being betrothed to King William in Sicily could have been the start to a new life for the new Queen Joan, but here she was still simply a shadow of sorts as William was ten years older than Joan, and too impatient to deal with a child bride. Joan proves herself a strong young woman, and handles the other women in Sicily's court with ease, yet she was kept away from King William for much of the time as he entertained himself elsewhere. The getting of an heir was awkward and not entirely loving, yet not as much of a hardship as had been impressed upon in earlier reads. William was not portrayed as an ogre as expected, but actually as a husband who was resigned to the idea of having a younger wife. There were not fights of the heir issues after many years of being barren. Of course, this was geared towards a young adult audience and the author writes later that little is really know of what Queen Joan truly had endured.
The author did a magnificent job of bringing to life the story of the young Princess Joan who became Queen Joanna of Sicily and later married to the ever present Raymond of Toulouse. Interesting court relationships were weaved throughout Joan's story, and I was very intrigued from beginning to finish to read what events surrounded Joan throughout her life, such as the Crusades. I would be happy to read a part two to this story, as it seemed to end when there could have been more to tell. This was also my first "young adult" read in many years, yet I was not set back with the style of writing, therefore I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone interested in one of Eleanor's daughters who resembled the strong-willed Eleanor in many ways. As far as it being interesting for younger audiences, I would not be able to discern, as there are many characters and underlying political currents. I would think a prior knowledge of the time period would be extremely helpful to understand the events that are occurring and put them in better context for the reader. Although this is a work of fiction, I feel the author accomplished a lot with this debut novel while capturing the essence of Joan and characterizing her relationships with those around her, giving this forgotten queen a voice.
July 5, 2010
I really, really wanted to like this book more than I did. It was very well-written and about a time period I have high interest in. But it was just so confusing! I've read lots of historical fiction, some about the middle ages, and I've never been so confused. I couldn't understand why Richard and Henry were fighting with their father at the beginning of the story and it wasn't until I looked up information about Joan's family on the Internet that I was able to put the pieces together. Coventry should have explained the facts a bit better, giving us better insight into what was going on so that readers fully understand why Richard and Henry's fight was such a big deal. But instead she seemed to understand that the reader would get this and I really don't like that. I also think there should have been a map and a family tree or list of characters or something to give the reader a visual idea of where all the action was taking place and how all the many characters were connected. This just felt too much like a book for those already in the know, rather than just someone who loves historical fiction about royalty or the medieval period.
And therein lies the rub: I don't feel this is a book for young adults. Most teens don't learn much, if anything, about medieval history, so all the subtlety will most likely be lost. This doesn't mean that there aren't teenagers who won't know about the history or who will be able to follow the action, I just know that they will be in the minority. Why was this book published for young adults in the first place? Just because the main character is very young during part of the story, that doesn't mean it's meant for young adults. I think this would have been much better suited for adults, particularly those who are fans of Philippa Greggory and authors like her.
Joan herself was a very interesting character and she obviously led a very interesting life. I would have liked more in the author's note about her first husband. What did he die of exactly? And more background information about her mother and why she was viewed so negatively would have helped as well. There was such a rich opportunity here for great literature with such fascinating, wonderful characters, and I think Coventry didn't full rise to the occasion.
I will read her other books. And I am glad I read this one because it taught me a little about Eleanor of Aquitane's family. I just wish it would have been clearer with the history.
And therein lies the rub: I don't feel this is a book for young adults. Most teens don't learn much, if anything, about medieval history, so all the subtlety will most likely be lost. This doesn't mean that there aren't teenagers who won't know about the history or who will be able to follow the action, I just know that they will be in the minority. Why was this book published for young adults in the first place? Just because the main character is very young during part of the story, that doesn't mean it's meant for young adults. I think this would have been much better suited for adults, particularly those who are fans of Philippa Greggory and authors like her.
Joan herself was a very interesting character and she obviously led a very interesting life. I would have liked more in the author's note about her first husband. What did he die of exactly? And more background information about her mother and why she was viewed so negatively would have helped as well. There was such a rich opportunity here for great literature with such fascinating, wonderful characters, and I think Coventry didn't full rise to the occasion.
I will read her other books. And I am glad I read this one because it taught me a little about Eleanor of Aquitane's family. I just wish it would have been clearer with the history.
December 18, 2010
The Queen's Daughter was a fantastic and eye opening debut novel that reminded me once again about how much I love historical fiction.
To begin with, The Queen’s Daughter included a ton of historical details. Names, dates, and places were presented in an intriguing way and it made me want to keep reading, to find out more about what was happening. All of the characters were well developed and believable, especially Joan. Readers got to experience things with Princess Joan from the time she was six years old all the way into her thirties. Joan was a great character, and she was truly strong and brave during hard times. It’s hard to imagine that girls were married off so young in the Middle Ages and my heart went out to young Joan when she was sent off to marry King William, a man almost twice her age.
It was especially interesting to connect the young characters to famous historical figures. Like Joan’s brothers: John (in Robin Hood) and Richard (The Lionhearted). Susan Coventry really put a face to history and made me connect a lot of details I knew about the time period and people. This was a fabulous debut and proved that Susan really did her research.
The Queen’s Daughter didn’t hold back on details and really stayed true to how people acting during the time. I can’t wait to read more about Joan. She is a figure in history I didn’t know much about and reading her story was a great experience.
Overall, this was a well written and extremely developed debut. I’m sure fans of historical fiction will devour it and even if you haven’t liked the genre before this will definitely appeal to you. I highly recommend picking it up!
Overall: 4.75 out of 5 stars
To begin with, The Queen’s Daughter included a ton of historical details. Names, dates, and places were presented in an intriguing way and it made me want to keep reading, to find out more about what was happening. All of the characters were well developed and believable, especially Joan. Readers got to experience things with Princess Joan from the time she was six years old all the way into her thirties. Joan was a great character, and she was truly strong and brave during hard times. It’s hard to imagine that girls were married off so young in the Middle Ages and my heart went out to young Joan when she was sent off to marry King William, a man almost twice her age.
It was especially interesting to connect the young characters to famous historical figures. Like Joan’s brothers: John (in Robin Hood) and Richard (The Lionhearted). Susan Coventry really put a face to history and made me connect a lot of details I knew about the time period and people. This was a fabulous debut and proved that Susan really did her research.
The Queen’s Daughter didn’t hold back on details and really stayed true to how people acting during the time. I can’t wait to read more about Joan. She is a figure in history I didn’t know much about and reading her story was a great experience.
Overall, this was a well written and extremely developed debut. I’m sure fans of historical fiction will devour it and even if you haven’t liked the genre before this will definitely appeal to you. I highly recommend picking it up!
Overall: 4.75 out of 5 stars
December 8, 2009
This fictionalized biography of Joan, daughter of Henry II of England, has a tendency at times to transform itself into a history of the time period, with precise dates and mention of great events happening in the background, but wisely moves quickly back to the story about Joan. While little is known of the details of her life in comparison to other members of her famous family, she is presented here as a spunky girl-child and later woman (it follows her life from age 7 to around 28 or 30), but one whose spunk is in the context of the 12th century, not - as it sometimes feels in medieval historical fiction - a 21st-century heroine transplanted into the past.
This is Coventry's first novel but feels more solid than many books I've read by more seasoned writers. (My favorite first novel of recent vintage, though, remains Suzanne LaFleur's *Love, Aubrey*.) It is peopled by some of the most fascinating figures of the Middle Ages: her father and mother, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, her brothers, Richard (aka Richard the Lion-Hearted)and John (Prince John of the Robin Hood stories, here seen a bit more sympathetically through his sister's eyes). And others whose names are less familiar but equally interesting. Joan gets around, being married as a child to the King of Sicily, then following her brother Richard to the Crusades before finally discovering that, despite her mother's admonition, it is possible to be kind but strong, to love and be loved by a powerful man. She may be the queen's daughter, but she is her own woman.
This is Coventry's first novel but feels more solid than many books I've read by more seasoned writers. (My favorite first novel of recent vintage, though, remains Suzanne LaFleur's *Love, Aubrey*.) It is peopled by some of the most fascinating figures of the Middle Ages: her father and mother, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, her brothers, Richard (aka Richard the Lion-Hearted)and John (Prince John of the Robin Hood stories, here seen a bit more sympathetically through his sister's eyes). And others whose names are less familiar but equally interesting. Joan gets around, being married as a child to the King of Sicily, then following her brother Richard to the Crusades before finally discovering that, despite her mother's admonition, it is possible to be kind but strong, to love and be loved by a powerful man. She may be the queen's daughter, but she is her own woman.
April 17, 2011
I am a total Eleanor of Aquitaine fangirl, and this is the story of her daughter. I read it in one sitting, transfixed, and now I can't begin to imagine starting a new book tonight because I just want to think about this. It was slow to start for me - I couldn't picture a seven or eight year old acting like Joan did, but it got me so sucked in. It was rather horrifying to see Eleanor discussing her 10 year old's upcoming wedding (Oh, he'll wait for your menses to start in a few years. And if he doesn't, it won't be a sin, don't worry. Gah!) but it was fascinating to see Joan navigating the new court and her new husband. (There was a twist with him that I'd idly wondered at and discounted, but came true. Except the author's note said it was fiction, and I'm just...geez, really, you invent THAT for King William the Good?) All of the war and the intrigue and not knowing who to trust - it was stressful for me because I was so attached to Joan and wanted so badly for things to work out for her. A depressing look at the royalty of the times, where no one was good at all, really, but it really was fantastic.
Of course, the author's note, with the story of the rest of Joan's life, was pretty depressing. But I love that Eleanor's daughter rose up an army to defend her territory while pregnant, when her husband was fighting a war elsewhere.
There's so very little on Joan's life, sadly, but now I want to go pull out my Eleanor bios. (Even I'm currently grouchy at her on Joan's behalf!)
Of course, the author's note, with the story of the rest of Joan's life, was pretty depressing. But I love that Eleanor's daughter rose up an army to defend her territory while pregnant, when her husband was fighting a war elsewhere.
There's so very little on Joan's life, sadly, but now I want to go pull out my Eleanor bios. (Even I'm currently grouchy at her on Joan's behalf!)
November 2, 2010
Princess Joan is often overshadowed by her larger-than-life family members. Her mother, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, and her father, King Henry II, often seem to be set against each other. And her brothers are all too happy to fight with their father and with each other. Even though Joan tries to remain loyal to both her parents, it’s inevitable that they use her to further their schemes.
When Joan is betrothed to the King of Sicily, she travels away from her family and the court that she knows for a whole new world where she has to learn new rules of survival.
From castles in France and England to the Sicilian countryside to the fields of the Holy Land, The Queen’s Daughter by Susan Coventry takes the reader on an adventure during the Middle Ages. Through Joan’s eyes we get a fresh perspective on the ongoing power struggle between Queen Eleanor and King Henry. It’s an uncommon view also of future kings of England Richard and John, and the times they grew up in.
Coventry captures the extravagances of court and the games of strategy played by all the kings of the time in their bid for control of land and people. I recommend The Queen’s Daughter for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 14 and up.
When Joan is betrothed to the King of Sicily, she travels away from her family and the court that she knows for a whole new world where she has to learn new rules of survival.
From castles in France and England to the Sicilian countryside to the fields of the Holy Land, The Queen’s Daughter by Susan Coventry takes the reader on an adventure during the Middle Ages. Through Joan’s eyes we get a fresh perspective on the ongoing power struggle between Queen Eleanor and King Henry. It’s an uncommon view also of future kings of England Richard and John, and the times they grew up in.
Coventry captures the extravagances of court and the games of strategy played by all the kings of the time in their bid for control of land and people. I recommend The Queen’s Daughter for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 14 and up.
December 10, 2017
Originally posted on Small Review
I don't know why I should feel such a deep sense of satisfaction for finally reading a book that has been sitting on my shelves unread for over 3 years and my TBR for almost 7 years, but I do. I don't even know if it helps or matters that I enjoyed the book, but I did enjoy it.
It's also funny how reading another book can enhance the current reading experience. That also happened here. My previous experience with Thomas B. Costain's hilarious, insightful, and well-plotted non-fiction account of Henry II and Richard the Lionheart's adventures helped deepen my enjoyment of The Queen's Daughter by providing a richer backstory and context with which to place Joan's experiences here.
The Queen's Daughter is divided up into three sections and follows Joan's life from early childhood, through her time with her first husband in Italy, on crusade with Richard, and then back home again. There's a lot of stuff happening, and most of it is either true or makes sense given what we know about history. There's one bit that has no historical basis though and felt unnecessarily sensational. But, it's not a deal-breaker for me.
I'm usually a little eye-rolly about the whole The Somebody's Somebody trend in naming historical fiction books. A quick glance at my shelves show a whole lot of queen's something or king's somebody and it all seems very uninspired. In this case though, I think it actually works well. Joan is a whole lot less known than her dynamic mother (Eleanor of Aquitaine) and much of her life was impacted by her mother's influence, both directly in the sense of "marry this person, partake in this political scheme, suffer the fallout of Eleanor's political scheme" and internally in the sense that you don't have a mom like Eleanor without it affecting your psychological development.
The latter part especially added an extra layer to the book that I appreciated, and also wish had been developed even further. I wonder if this lack of development is because of the YA format, which, side note, this book also made me again question the line between YA and adult when it comes to historical fiction (all the "adult" situations and the way age doesn't line up with modern YA/adult milestones). The romantic ending also feels like it fits better in adult fiction and reminded me a lot of Anne O'Brien's style. This could have easily been classified as an adult book, and I think it might have been a better fit there and would have reached more readers.
Back to Joan, it felt like Susan Coventry had more to say and explore with Joan's thoughts and emotions, but held back, again, possibly because of the YA format. I would have loved a hundred or so more pages to really dig deeper into Joan's thoughts and relationships with the dynamic people in her life (her father Henry II, Richard, and the other men in her life). As it is, it felt toe-dippy, and just as things are getting good, we pull back and jump to the next event. Still, I appreciate what I did get.
Joan is, basically, mentally scarred by her mother's messed up way of dealing with people and much of this book follows Joan as she comes to terms with this and develops into her own person. Eleanor taught Joan not to trust people, not to fall in love, and to use people to get what you want. While this is all totally conjecture (and the author states that in her historical notes), I can buy it given what we do know about Eleanor, the people in Joan's life, and the historical mark (or lack of mark) Joan made herself.
Bottom line
I didn't realize I had so much to say about The Queen's Daughter. Clearly, it made an impact on me. Joan was an interesting, sympathetic person to follow and her perspective provided further depth to the more forceful players of the time (Henry II, Eleanor, Richard). I wish Susan Coventry would write more, as I'd definitely read another historical offering from her. Recommended for fans of Anne O'Brien.
Originally posted on Small Review
I don't know why I should feel such a deep sense of satisfaction for finally reading a book that has been sitting on my shelves unread for over 3 years and my TBR for almost 7 years, but I do. I don't even know if it helps or matters that I enjoyed the book, but I did enjoy it.
It's also funny how reading another book can enhance the current reading experience. That also happened here. My previous experience with Thomas B. Costain's hilarious, insightful, and well-plotted non-fiction account of Henry II and Richard the Lionheart's adventures helped deepen my enjoyment of The Queen's Daughter by providing a richer backstory and context with which to place Joan's experiences here.
The Queen's Daughter is divided up into three sections and follows Joan's life from early childhood, through her time with her first husband in Italy, on crusade with Richard, and then back home again. There's a lot of stuff happening, and most of it is either true or makes sense given what we know about history. There's one bit that has no historical basis though and felt unnecessarily sensational. But, it's not a deal-breaker for me.
I'm usually a little eye-rolly about the whole The Somebody's Somebody trend in naming historical fiction books. A quick glance at my shelves show a whole lot of queen's something or king's somebody and it all seems very uninspired. In this case though, I think it actually works well. Joan is a whole lot less known than her dynamic mother (Eleanor of Aquitaine) and much of her life was impacted by her mother's influence, both directly in the sense of "marry this person, partake in this political scheme, suffer the fallout of Eleanor's political scheme" and internally in the sense that you don't have a mom like Eleanor without it affecting your psychological development.
The latter part especially added an extra layer to the book that I appreciated, and also wish had been developed even further. I wonder if this lack of development is because of the YA format, which, side note, this book also made me again question the line between YA and adult when it comes to historical fiction (all the "adult" situations and the way age doesn't line up with modern YA/adult milestones). The romantic ending also feels like it fits better in adult fiction and reminded me a lot of Anne O'Brien's style. This could have easily been classified as an adult book, and I think it might have been a better fit there and would have reached more readers.
Back to Joan, it felt like Susan Coventry had more to say and explore with Joan's thoughts and emotions, but held back, again, possibly because of the YA format. I would have loved a hundred or so more pages to really dig deeper into Joan's thoughts and relationships with the dynamic people in her life (her father Henry II, Richard, and the other men in her life). As it is, it felt toe-dippy, and just as things are getting good, we pull back and jump to the next event. Still, I appreciate what I did get.
Joan is, basically, mentally scarred by her mother's messed up way of dealing with people and much of this book follows Joan as she comes to terms with this and develops into her own person. Eleanor taught Joan not to trust people, not to fall in love, and to use people to get what you want. While this is all totally conjecture (and the author states that in her historical notes), I can buy it given what we do know about Eleanor, the people in Joan's life, and the historical mark (or lack of mark) Joan made herself.
Bottom line
I didn't realize I had so much to say about The Queen's Daughter. Clearly, it made an impact on me. Joan was an interesting, sympathetic person to follow and her perspective provided further depth to the more forceful players of the time (Henry II, Eleanor, Richard). I wish Susan Coventry would write more, as I'd definitely read another historical offering from her. Recommended for fans of Anne O'Brien.
Originally posted on Small Review
June 30, 2014
My favorite part of this book was the sheer fascinating world the of dysfunctional Angevins as told through the eyes of one of their most vulnerable, daughter Joan. What the inter-familial politics of this family did to Joan's personality was just mind-boggling. She has all the power of her family: the courage, the intelligence, the strength of will, and the brilliant stubborn pluck of a Plantagenet.
Yet, being caught up in the upheaval between father, mother, and brothers has also given Joan an aloof approach to life (to protect her heart I'm guessing) and a very strong problem with trust, especially when it comes to men. She has a warped sense of what counts as a strength and a weakness in men. She sees any kindness as a weakness. Yet I can see her, time and time again, yearning for that kindness with all the strength that she spends on seeing it as weakness. The author has taken the time to present her as a very three-dimensional character with all the strength and fallacies that being a Plantagenet entails.
The period detail that the author has incorporated is also something to marvel at. She has done a fantastic job at describing the various locales she includes in the book: semi-Christian/semi-Islamic medieval Sicily, Middle Eastern Antioch, and the deceptively peaceful world of southern France. And yet she doesn't overburden her writers with endless facts and figures. The historical details are hidden throughout the narrative like little nuggets of pure gold that just brings the setting to life.
I'm actually sort of surprised that this novel is considered YA. It in no way reads as such. The historical details and the very intimate way in which the author gets in Joan's head makes for some very high-level reading in my opinion. I enjoyed this novel to the hilt and hope the author intends to write more. She's got the talent for more novels, that's for sure!
Yet, being caught up in the upheaval between father, mother, and brothers has also given Joan an aloof approach to life (to protect her heart I'm guessing) and a very strong problem with trust, especially when it comes to men. She has a warped sense of what counts as a strength and a weakness in men. She sees any kindness as a weakness. Yet I can see her, time and time again, yearning for that kindness with all the strength that she spends on seeing it as weakness. The author has taken the time to present her as a very three-dimensional character with all the strength and fallacies that being a Plantagenet entails.
The period detail that the author has incorporated is also something to marvel at. She has done a fantastic job at describing the various locales she includes in the book: semi-Christian/semi-Islamic medieval Sicily, Middle Eastern Antioch, and the deceptively peaceful world of southern France. And yet she doesn't overburden her writers with endless facts and figures. The historical details are hidden throughout the narrative like little nuggets of pure gold that just brings the setting to life.
I'm actually sort of surprised that this novel is considered YA. It in no way reads as such. The historical details and the very intimate way in which the author gets in Joan's head makes for some very high-level reading in my opinion. I enjoyed this novel to the hilt and hope the author intends to write more. She's got the talent for more novels, that's for sure!
December 25, 2012
Joan is the daughter of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. The story starts when Joan is 7 years old and sees her brothers and father fight over the kingdom. Her mother is held hostage during their conflict and Joan is conflicted on who to support. She loves her father and her brothers equally especially her brother Richard. As most women of that time Joan is a pawn in the conflict. She is given to William of Sicily as his bride when she is eleven. There's is not a happy marriage and produces no children. After 15 years William dies leaving Joan a widow and childless. She goes on crusade with her brother Richard as companion to his wife. On Crusade she realizes how selfish and barbaric her brother is. After returning to France she again marries, this time for love.
I am intrigued by historical fiction based on true events and this time period is a fascinating one. However the book was boring and read more like a history text then a novel. The book was a lot of exposition on the battles and the conflicts of the time. Not a lot of time was spent on character development which was disappointing because the characters were fascinating. All of the characters came off as petty and war like. All they did was fight amongst themselves. I wish more time would have been spent on making this book interesting then making sure all the history was present.
I am intrigued by historical fiction based on true events and this time period is a fascinating one. However the book was boring and read more like a history text then a novel. The book was a lot of exposition on the battles and the conflicts of the time. Not a lot of time was spent on character development which was disappointing because the characters were fascinating. All of the characters came off as petty and war like. All they did was fight amongst themselves. I wish more time would have been spent on making this book interesting then making sure all the history was present.
June 11, 2013
This book was quite interesting. I hardly knew anything about Joan, the daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine. One thing I feel it's missing though was the mentioning of her brother John's (John Lackland) betrayal against their father, Henry II of England. Susan Coventry kind of hinted in the book that John was Henry's favorite son . . . So I think the fact that John ended up siding against him should've been in the book.
It's known that John publicly sided with Richard (Richard the Lionheart) in 1189, during their family feud. Henry was shocked. He was heartbroken and died shortly after.
Also, Joan may in fact have had a son with William II in 1182, though he died in infancy. I can see why Susan Coventry may have left that out of the story, seeing as how Joan's "barrenness" pretty much had a key role in this book.
Another thing was that Joan's second husband, Raymond VI of Toulouse, wasn't all lovey dovey as the book depicted. Joan actually came to fear Raymond and his knights.
I can tell a lot of research went into this book. It was a wonderful debut novel and I'd be willing to read more from this author.
It's known that John publicly sided with Richard (Richard the Lionheart) in 1189, during their family feud. Henry was shocked. He was heartbroken and died shortly after.
Also, Joan may in fact have had a son with William II in 1182, though he died in infancy. I can see why Susan Coventry may have left that out of the story, seeing as how Joan's "barrenness" pretty much had a key role in this book.
Another thing was that Joan's second husband, Raymond VI of Toulouse, wasn't all lovey dovey as the book depicted. Joan actually came to fear Raymond and his knights.
I can tell a lot of research went into this book. It was a wonderful debut novel and I'd be willing to read more from this author.
September 13, 2010
Below is an excerpt from my full and original review which you can find here: http://thebookpixie.blogspot.com/2010...
Excerpt
"I will admit, I've only read a few historical fiction books before. However, as I really enjoyed the ones that I have read, I thought that I was going to love The Queen's Daughter, with it's intriguing premise. Unfortunately I can not say I loved this book, though I guess I liked it well enough........
All in all, The Queen's Daughter was a bit of a let down but I did still like it and find it worthwhile. It had it's flaws but it had it's redeeming qualities as well. This isn't a book that I think would be everyone's cup of tea. I would probably recommend it to those who really enjoy historical fiction. I think I probably will eventually re-read this book and I get the feeling I may actually enjoy it more the second time around."
Excerpt
"I will admit, I've only read a few historical fiction books before. However, as I really enjoyed the ones that I have read, I thought that I was going to love The Queen's Daughter, with it's intriguing premise. Unfortunately I can not say I loved this book, though I guess I liked it well enough........
All in all, The Queen's Daughter was a bit of a let down but I did still like it and find it worthwhile. It had it's flaws but it had it's redeeming qualities as well. This isn't a book that I think would be everyone's cup of tea. I would probably recommend it to those who really enjoy historical fiction. I think I probably will eventually re-read this book and I get the feeling I may actually enjoy it more the second time around."
August 10, 2010
'The Queen's Daughter' tells of a young woman in history who kept extraordinary company, yet who is not well known herself. Daughter of Eleanor of Acquitane and sister of King Richard and Prince John (of Robin Hood legend fame), this book's heroine Joan lived a remarkable life. As the pawn to many powerful historical figures, Joan struggles to find happiness; yet through it all, she possesses a powerful spirit. Though this work of historical fiction is heavy on the fiction, since little is known about Joan, the author brings her main character to life with incredible clarity. I found this book to be interesting and inspiring. This is a historical figure I had never really heard of - probably due to the fact that there is not many historical documents about her. However, this is exactly what I look for in good historical fiction - a book that brings my attention to someone who lived long ago, and brings her to life.
May 18, 2016
When I first got this book from the dollar store I didn't know it was YA. It was only when I looked on the information page did I see that it was.
I have a bit of a soft spot in my heart for the Plantagents. For a while I was married to one of their descendants. So I have a bit of a bias towards this family.
Susan Coventry wrote the main character, Joan, as a very likable person who you wanted to keep hoping for. Hoping that Joan got her somewhat happy ending.
This book was more historically accurate than other novels that I have read about the Plantagents so far. And, I plan on reading more history books about my ex-family.
This book is also a good introduction to historical fiction about Eleanor of Aquitaine and her descendants.
I have a bit of a soft spot in my heart for the Plantagents. For a while I was married to one of their descendants. So I have a bit of a bias towards this family.
Susan Coventry wrote the main character, Joan, as a very likable person who you wanted to keep hoping for. Hoping that Joan got her somewhat happy ending.
This book was more historically accurate than other novels that I have read about the Plantagents so far. And, I plan on reading more history books about my ex-family.
This book is also a good introduction to historical fiction about Eleanor of Aquitaine and her descendants.
September 8, 2010
I have to say, this is one of the better historical fiction novels I have had the pleasure of encountering lately. Especially of the medieval times.
Eleanor of Aquitaine always intrigued me, so reading about her daughter, although the story was fictitious, was amazingly well written, and I was transported into the past in a refreshing new way.
Although, I have to say that the whole thing about romance and the controversy about who Joan was happier with - William or Raymond - was just a tad bit dampening on the whole thing. But for a non-fantasy medieval novel, I must say I had fun reading it.
But rereadable? Probably not.
Eleanor of Aquitaine always intrigued me, so reading about her daughter, although the story was fictitious, was amazingly well written, and I was transported into the past in a refreshing new way.
Although, I have to say that the whole thing about romance and the controversy about who Joan was happier with - William or Raymond - was just a tad bit dampening on the whole thing. But for a non-fantasy medieval novel, I must say I had fun reading it.
But rereadable? Probably not.
January 21, 2011
It was an amazing book that kept me up most of the night reading. It's surprising because at first Joan has this perfect family and everything and then everything changes, she gets married at the age of 12. She gets cheated on and has the hardest time of going back to her first crush.
April 29, 2011
The Queen's Daughter
Susan Coventry
Reading level: Young Adult (Grade 9 and up)
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (June 8, 2010)
Language: English
Kindle Edition File Size: 513 KB
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1 edition (June 8, 2010)
Sold by: Macmillan
Purchased on recommendation of author via Twitter
I don't usually review purely historical fiction although I used to read a lot of it. But "talking" to Susan on Twitter convinced me to buy this because it was about Joan, the youngest daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine. So there was the hook. Eleanor's courts were the birthplace of chivalric traditions and the bardic songs and stories that traveled to and from her kingdom in Aquitaine and which make up a great deal of what has become the legend of King Arthur which is the source of so much fantasy writing. It is, if my memory of coursework in Arthurian legend is correct, where Arthur went from a Chieftain who began uniting England into a kingdom to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, The Holy Grail.
So, the story of her youngest child, Joan was interesting. The story is well-written and meticulously researched. I found that there was a bit of sexuality in the context of what life was like at the time. But what was of real interest was the treatment of the life of women and in particular the life of women of nobility which was even less free than that of the peasant class. Joan was traded and treated as property, sometimes strategically and others spitefully. Unlike the two daughters Eleanor left with her ex-husband the King of France who she never saw again, she and Joan were reunited several times. Eleanor and Henry II taught Joan the ways of court life but she was always a pawn between Eleanor and Henry. It's hard to say whether either really loved her. In this book, Eleanor comes of as a steely and cold queen first and mother second. Henry came off as a more loving parent but who expected absolute obediance and loyalty. When your parents were as contentious as Eleanor and Henry the poor child must have felt a terrible lack of closeness with no idea what to expect from marriage.
Also of interest was how Joan is treated as more astute than her first husband, William of Sicily. Her parents had given her a great strategic education. Also the relationships between her and her husband, in-laws and other relatives and friends is fascinating. She never knew who to trust and often felt like a captive.
Unless the ninth grader receiving this book is prepped with information about Crusade politics and the Holy Roman Empire they might feel a bit lost. So it's a good book to discuss with a child. At one point Joan's first husband squeezes her breast , and in another she finds satisfaction with her second without discussing how it was obtained. But that is there and something I feel that parents should know. I also think a ninth grader sees or reads many more instances of a more sexual nature than this.
One paranormal aspect was someone from whom Eleanor supposedly descended, Melusine, a fairy. People thought that Eleanor was able to bewitch men so a fae ancestor made sense (then):
The fairy, Melusine, was the daughter of the fairy Pressyne and King Elynas of Albany. She became the fairy Queen of the forest of Colombiers in the French region of Poitou. One day, she and two of her subjects were guarding their sacred fountain when a young man, Raymond of Poitiers, burst out of the forest. Melusine spent the night talking with Raymond, and by dawn, they were betrothed, but with one condition. Melusine requested that Raymond promise that he would never see her on a Saturday. He agreed, and they were married. Melusine brought her husband great wealth and prosperity. She built the fortress of Lusignan so quickly that it appeared to be made by magic. Over time, Melusine built many castles, fortresses, churches, towers and towns, each in a single night, throughout the region. She and Raymond had ten children, but each child was flawed. The eldest had one red eye and one blue eye, the next had an ear larger than the other, another had a lion’s foot growing from his cheek, and another had but one eye. The sixth son was known as Geoffrey-with-the-great tooth, as he had a very large tooth. In spite of the deformities, the children were strong, talented and loved throughout the land.
One day, Raymond’s brother visited him and made Raymond very suspicious about the Saturday activities of his wife. So the next Saturday, Raymond sought his wife, finding her in her bath where he spied on her through a crack in the door. He was horrified to see that she had the body and tail of a serpent from her waist down. He said nothing until the day that their son, Geoffrey-with-the-great tooth, attacked a monastery and killed one hundred monks, including one of his brothers. Raymond accused Melusine of contaminating his line with her serpent nature, thus revealing that he had broken his promise to her.
As a result, Melusine turned into a fifteen-foot serpent, circled the castle three times, wailing piteously, and then flew away. She would return at night to visit her children, then vanish. Raymond was never happy again. Melusine appeared at the castle, wailing, whenever a count of Lusignan was about to die or a new one to be born. It was said that the noble line which originated with Melusine will reign until the end of the world. Her children included the King of Cyprus, the King of Armenia, the King of Bohemia, the Duke of Luxembourg, and the Lord of Lusignan. http://www.pantheon.org/areas/folklor...
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the life of women in the middle ages or Eleanor and Henry II.
Susan Coventry
Reading level: Young Adult (Grade 9 and up)
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (June 8, 2010)
Language: English
Kindle Edition File Size: 513 KB
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1 edition (June 8, 2010)
Sold by: Macmillan
Purchased on recommendation of author via Twitter
The story of Joan of England, the youngest daughter of the notorious twelfth century queen Eleanor of Aquitaine and the powerful King Henry II of England. The Queen's Daughter chronicles Joan's complicated interactions with her warring parents and with her favorite brother Richard the Lionheart, the trials she faces as the child-bride of the King of Sicily, and her tempestuous relationship with the maddeningly charming Raymond VI, Count of Toulouse.
Joan's mother, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, is the most beautiful woman in the world. Her father is Henry II, the king of England and a renowned military leader. Joan loves them both—so what is she to do when she's forced to choose between them? As her parents' arguments grow ever more vicious, Joan begins to feel like a political pawn.
When her parents marry her off to the king of Sicily, Joan finds herself stuck with a man ten years her senior. She doesn't love her husband, and she can't quite forget her childhood crush, the handsome Lord Raymond.
As Joan grows up, she begins to understand that her parents' worldview is warped by their political ambitions, and hers, in turn, has been warped by theirs. Is it too late to figure out whom to trust? And, more important, whom to love? (http://www.susancoventry.com/)
I don't usually review purely historical fiction although I used to read a lot of it. But "talking" to Susan on Twitter convinced me to buy this because it was about Joan, the youngest daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine. So there was the hook. Eleanor's courts were the birthplace of chivalric traditions and the bardic songs and stories that traveled to and from her kingdom in Aquitaine and which make up a great deal of what has become the legend of King Arthur which is the source of so much fantasy writing. It is, if my memory of coursework in Arthurian legend is correct, where Arthur went from a Chieftain who began uniting England into a kingdom to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, The Holy Grail.
So, the story of her youngest child, Joan was interesting. The story is well-written and meticulously researched. I found that there was a bit of sexuality in the context of what life was like at the time. But what was of real interest was the treatment of the life of women and in particular the life of women of nobility which was even less free than that of the peasant class. Joan was traded and treated as property, sometimes strategically and others spitefully. Unlike the two daughters Eleanor left with her ex-husband the King of France who she never saw again, she and Joan were reunited several times. Eleanor and Henry II taught Joan the ways of court life but she was always a pawn between Eleanor and Henry. It's hard to say whether either really loved her. In this book, Eleanor comes of as a steely and cold queen first and mother second. Henry came off as a more loving parent but who expected absolute obediance and loyalty. When your parents were as contentious as Eleanor and Henry the poor child must have felt a terrible lack of closeness with no idea what to expect from marriage.
Also of interest was how Joan is treated as more astute than her first husband, William of Sicily. Her parents had given her a great strategic education. Also the relationships between her and her husband, in-laws and other relatives and friends is fascinating. She never knew who to trust and often felt like a captive.
Unless the ninth grader receiving this book is prepped with information about Crusade politics and the Holy Roman Empire they might feel a bit lost. So it's a good book to discuss with a child. At one point Joan's first husband squeezes her breast , and in another she finds satisfaction with her second without discussing how it was obtained. But that is there and something I feel that parents should know. I also think a ninth grader sees or reads many more instances of a more sexual nature than this.
One paranormal aspect was someone from whom Eleanor supposedly descended, Melusine, a fairy. People thought that Eleanor was able to bewitch men so a fae ancestor made sense (then):
The fairy, Melusine, was the daughter of the fairy Pressyne and King Elynas of Albany. She became the fairy Queen of the forest of Colombiers in the French region of Poitou. One day, she and two of her subjects were guarding their sacred fountain when a young man, Raymond of Poitiers, burst out of the forest. Melusine spent the night talking with Raymond, and by dawn, they were betrothed, but with one condition. Melusine requested that Raymond promise that he would never see her on a Saturday. He agreed, and they were married. Melusine brought her husband great wealth and prosperity. She built the fortress of Lusignan so quickly that it appeared to be made by magic. Over time, Melusine built many castles, fortresses, churches, towers and towns, each in a single night, throughout the region. She and Raymond had ten children, but each child was flawed. The eldest had one red eye and one blue eye, the next had an ear larger than the other, another had a lion’s foot growing from his cheek, and another had but one eye. The sixth son was known as Geoffrey-with-the-great tooth, as he had a very large tooth. In spite of the deformities, the children were strong, talented and loved throughout the land.
One day, Raymond’s brother visited him and made Raymond very suspicious about the Saturday activities of his wife. So the next Saturday, Raymond sought his wife, finding her in her bath where he spied on her through a crack in the door. He was horrified to see that she had the body and tail of a serpent from her waist down. He said nothing until the day that their son, Geoffrey-with-the-great tooth, attacked a monastery and killed one hundred monks, including one of his brothers. Raymond accused Melusine of contaminating his line with her serpent nature, thus revealing that he had broken his promise to her.
As a result, Melusine turned into a fifteen-foot serpent, circled the castle three times, wailing piteously, and then flew away. She would return at night to visit her children, then vanish. Raymond was never happy again. Melusine appeared at the castle, wailing, whenever a count of Lusignan was about to die or a new one to be born. It was said that the noble line which originated with Melusine will reign until the end of the world. Her children included the King of Cyprus, the King of Armenia, the King of Bohemia, the Duke of Luxembourg, and the Lord of Lusignan. http://www.pantheon.org/areas/folklor...
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the life of women in the middle ages or Eleanor and Henry II.
January 13, 2016
Eleanor of Aquitaine is the only woman in history to have been queen of both France and England—and not at the same time. She had power, and she wielded it to the fullest. When defeated, she bided her time and waited for the next opportunity to arise. Her politics are better left in the Middle Ages, but this was one hell of a strong-willed woman.
This book is not about Eleanor of Aquitaine.
It's about Joan, the youngest of Eleanor's daughters. Joan does not have Eleanor's wealth, power, independence. She is a pawn—in fact, almost every woman in this book is a pawn. They are married off for diplomatic reasons or status or money; they are banished to convents when they disobey or if they don't have children fast enough or if it's convenient for the men controlling their lives; they are held in waiting, not allowed to be married until the line of succession is cleared up—because a woman's worth changes, depending upon where in that line she falls.
Joan is no different, and it's hard not to sympathise with her for it. Without Aquitaine, which Eleanor held in her own right, Eleanor would not have had nearly as much power or independence—and Joan does not have Aquitaine. She has, instead, the whims of her parents (whose marriage, by the beginning of the book, has tumbled straight downhill) and older brothers; eventually she has her husband and mother-in-law to obey. For all that she is a queen for much of the book—she married William II of Sicily—that means very little in terms of making her own decisions. Eleanor could not be cast off (her dowry was too valuable), but Joan has no such protection; moreover, when she first marries, she is still a child.
The Queen's Daughter does some things really well. Joan's life, for all that she is (at various times) a princess and a queen and a countess, is not portrayed as particularly romantic. It's full, though—she's influenced by, and interested in, world events far more than the average person of her time. Sometimes this is to the detriment of the story, which covers a significant span of time and skims over major events because there is so much that happened to influence Joan's life.
Now, as to the relationships...well, not surprisingly, they are not what interested me the most here. Joan was married twice in real life and is married twice here, but I am also rather sceptical of how those relationships are portrayed. Raymond (#2) is her childhood crush, gallant and thoughtful; William (#1) is the husband she is forced to take, distant and unfaithful. There doesn't seem to be much historical information on Joan (I'm relying mostly on Wikipedia for more background to the book), so the particulars of her relationship with William are probably anyone's guess (within the boundaries of, you know, the ten-year age difference and power imbalance and so on), but it seems like a very typically YA thing to do to make the first relationship so wildly unsatisfying and the second relationship the One True Love...especially when what little I can gather from Wikipedia suggests that . (Also, possibly she and William did have a son who died in infancy? Which would make all the concerns about barrenness rather weaker.)
Joan's older sisters are neatly excised from the story, an omission that I will forgive because the author addressed it in the note at the back. Joan's entanglements, though—and I don't mean the romantic ones—are fascinating, or rather it is fascinating to see her struggle to maintain some semblance of autonomy in a world determined to allow her none. Now I'm curious about the lives of Eleanor's other daughters...
This book is not about Eleanor of Aquitaine.
It's about Joan, the youngest of Eleanor's daughters. Joan does not have Eleanor's wealth, power, independence. She is a pawn—in fact, almost every woman in this book is a pawn. They are married off for diplomatic reasons or status or money; they are banished to convents when they disobey or if they don't have children fast enough or if it's convenient for the men controlling their lives; they are held in waiting, not allowed to be married until the line of succession is cleared up—because a woman's worth changes, depending upon where in that line she falls.
Joan is no different, and it's hard not to sympathise with her for it. Without Aquitaine, which Eleanor held in her own right, Eleanor would not have had nearly as much power or independence—and Joan does not have Aquitaine. She has, instead, the whims of her parents (whose marriage, by the beginning of the book, has tumbled straight downhill) and older brothers; eventually she has her husband and mother-in-law to obey. For all that she is a queen for much of the book—she married William II of Sicily—that means very little in terms of making her own decisions. Eleanor could not be cast off (her dowry was too valuable), but Joan has no such protection; moreover, when she first marries, she is still a child.
The Queen's Daughter does some things really well. Joan's life, for all that she is (at various times) a princess and a queen and a countess, is not portrayed as particularly romantic. It's full, though—she's influenced by, and interested in, world events far more than the average person of her time. Sometimes this is to the detriment of the story, which covers a significant span of time and skims over major events because there is so much that happened to influence Joan's life.
Now, as to the relationships...well, not surprisingly, they are not what interested me the most here. Joan was married twice in real life and is married twice here, but I am also rather sceptical of how those relationships are portrayed. Raymond (#2) is her childhood crush, gallant and thoughtful; William (#1) is the husband she is forced to take, distant and unfaithful. There doesn't seem to be much historical information on Joan (I'm relying mostly on Wikipedia for more background to the book), so the particulars of her relationship with William are probably anyone's guess (within the boundaries of, you know, the ten-year age difference and power imbalance and so on), but it seems like a very typically YA thing to do to make the first relationship so wildly unsatisfying and the second relationship the One True Love...especially when what little I can gather from Wikipedia suggests that . (Also, possibly she and William did have a son who died in infancy? Which would make all the concerns about barrenness rather weaker.)
Joan's older sisters are neatly excised from the story, an omission that I will forgive because the author addressed it in the note at the back. Joan's entanglements, though—and I don't mean the romantic ones—are fascinating, or rather it is fascinating to see her struggle to maintain some semblance of autonomy in a world determined to allow her none. Now I'm curious about the lives of Eleanor's other daughters...
April 12, 2011
A stunningly vivid tale of a young queen’s struggle with duty versus love is beautifully crafted by an a first-time writer but a long-time reader. Filled with historical detail and true period events, The Queen’s Daughter follows the life and times of Joan, a young royal who knew some of the most powerful and thrilling figures of her time. Being the daughter of King Henry III, however, meant that you would be just another pawn in a giant game of chess. Highlighting a time when kingdoms were won not only by sword and arrow but by marriage, Joan sets out “to do her duty”. Excepting the long road of unhappiness ahead of her, Joan heeds her imprisoned mother’s advice and stumbles through her life without love; but what if the queen is wrong?
Writing history, no matter how creatively fictitious it may be requires lots of research. I was amazed at how detailed and well-rounded the story turned out to be especially–according to the author’s note–if there is not much recorded about our heroine Joan and the span of years Coventry followed. Instead of a story simply about a young royal’s life in the 12th century, Coventry wrote about the meaning and pursuit of happiness in a time when very few were allowed to love. Sometimes, despite the authors best intentions, true historical figures placed on the pages of novels can become lost in the many events that they lived in; however, Coventry plucked Joan out of the chaos and placed her in a spotlight that can be enjoyed by both teens and adults alike. I believe Joan would be truly grateful to have her voice imagined.
Bringing to light the sad, and gritty unhappy lives of the queens and princesses of the dark ages, The Queen’s Daughter holds somewhat of a pessimistic tone. Because of her circumstances, Joan is forced to endure the unimaginable and is often hesitant to receive any kind of true affection which can sometimes turn off reader-character connection. There is a positive side however where readers will be left with nicely written story....and the thankfulness that they do not live in the 12th century! Most of the book flowed evenly along but I did get the feeling that the ending was a bit rushed; I would have also liked to see a little more development between Joan and Count Raymond. Overall, I thought it was a great debut novel and nicely written historical fiction.
Read the rest of the review at booksandliteratureforteens.blogspot.com
Writing history, no matter how creatively fictitious it may be requires lots of research. I was amazed at how detailed and well-rounded the story turned out to be especially–according to the author’s note–if there is not much recorded about our heroine Joan and the span of years Coventry followed. Instead of a story simply about a young royal’s life in the 12th century, Coventry wrote about the meaning and pursuit of happiness in a time when very few were allowed to love. Sometimes, despite the authors best intentions, true historical figures placed on the pages of novels can become lost in the many events that they lived in; however, Coventry plucked Joan out of the chaos and placed her in a spotlight that can be enjoyed by both teens and adults alike. I believe Joan would be truly grateful to have her voice imagined.
Bringing to light the sad, and gritty unhappy lives of the queens and princesses of the dark ages, The Queen’s Daughter holds somewhat of a pessimistic tone. Because of her circumstances, Joan is forced to endure the unimaginable and is often hesitant to receive any kind of true affection which can sometimes turn off reader-character connection. There is a positive side however where readers will be left with nicely written story....and the thankfulness that they do not live in the 12th century! Most of the book flowed evenly along but I did get the feeling that the ending was a bit rushed; I would have also liked to see a little more development between Joan and Count Raymond. Overall, I thought it was a great debut novel and nicely written historical fiction.
Read the rest of the review at booksandliteratureforteens.blogspot.com
January 22, 2011
I've had a thing for historical fiction lately and this one seemed right up my alley. Especially since I know next to nothing about the children of Queen Eleanor and King Henry II. I enjoyed it a lot.
I find Joan particularly fascinating. What a world to grow up in and surrounded by some of the most talked about rulers in history. I think she was a little naive in her relationship with her parents, but what child would honestly think they would use her in such away against one another. I especially enjoyed her world travels. In a time were I don't think many people got to see much more than the area surrounding them, Joan got to see a lot. She live in France, England, and Sicily. Plus she travelled with her brother King Richard during the crusades. She saw much more the women of her time period would ever dream about seeing. I also enjoyed her whit. She spoke openly and sometimes without thought. While, it got her into trouble, I also think it showed her true spirit.
I was expecting some sort of romance, but was not prepared for it to happen towards the end of the book. I was beginning to think she was going to be miserable in Sicily forever. I'm use to reading about women being married off in their teens and being expected to perform their "wifely" duties. But, sometimes it still comes as quite a shock to read about it. It's always interesting to read about the way women were used in political schemes.
The book is marketed to young adults, which I'm afraid might be the wrong genre. It doesn't have a lot of romance and action that I think a lot of teens are looking for. I think teens who already enjoy historical fiction might enjoy this though. I also think a lot of adults would like this.
I find Joan particularly fascinating. What a world to grow up in and surrounded by some of the most talked about rulers in history. I think she was a little naive in her relationship with her parents, but what child would honestly think they would use her in such away against one another. I especially enjoyed her world travels. In a time were I don't think many people got to see much more than the area surrounding them, Joan got to see a lot. She live in France, England, and Sicily. Plus she travelled with her brother King Richard during the crusades. She saw much more the women of her time period would ever dream about seeing. I also enjoyed her whit. She spoke openly and sometimes without thought. While, it got her into trouble, I also think it showed her true spirit.
I was expecting some sort of romance, but was not prepared for it to happen towards the end of the book. I was beginning to think she was going to be miserable in Sicily forever. I'm use to reading about women being married off in their teens and being expected to perform their "wifely" duties. But, sometimes it still comes as quite a shock to read about it. It's always interesting to read about the way women were used in political schemes.
The book is marketed to young adults, which I'm afraid might be the wrong genre. It doesn't have a lot of romance and action that I think a lot of teens are looking for. I think teens who already enjoy historical fiction might enjoy this though. I also think a lot of adults would like this.
November 8, 2010
I will start off by telling you that it is hard for me to get into a historical fiction novel. I have been looking for one for a long time and haven't been able to find one. It may just be that the genre isn't one for me, but I have insisted on finding one that I love. I now have to look no farther.
I've recently been fascinated with the history of the English monarchy and was excited to find out about this book. Although it does not center around one of England's more influential or noted royalty, it sounded good. Especially since it hinted at a romance.
Joan was a wonderfully written character. I found her not necessarily relate-able (I am no princess), but still interesting to read about. I was able to feel the Joan's confusion, pain, anger, and just Joan. It was odd to see how grown up she was at such a young age though. I was surprised to when it said she was only 8 or 9 at some points. I realized from the book that she had to grow up fast though because of the world she lived in.
Susan Coventry did a great job of putting Joan's life into a novel. Although many do not know Joan very well and she is not mentioned too much in history, I love Susan's take on her and her life. Susan also notes that her take on Joan's relationships are speculated as to whether they were happy or unhappy, but the way she wrote them was perfect (in my opinion).
Overall this has become one of my favorite historical novels. If you aren't necessarily a fan of historical fiction and find it a bit dry, I recommend reading this book. It has changed my views of historical fiction and I hope Susan will write more soon!
I've recently been fascinated with the history of the English monarchy and was excited to find out about this book. Although it does not center around one of England's more influential or noted royalty, it sounded good. Especially since it hinted at a romance.
Joan was a wonderfully written character. I found her not necessarily relate-able (I am no princess), but still interesting to read about. I was able to feel the Joan's confusion, pain, anger, and just Joan. It was odd to see how grown up she was at such a young age though. I was surprised to when it said she was only 8 or 9 at some points. I realized from the book that she had to grow up fast though because of the world she lived in.
Susan Coventry did a great job of putting Joan's life into a novel. Although many do not know Joan very well and she is not mentioned too much in history, I love Susan's take on her and her life. Susan also notes that her take on Joan's relationships are speculated as to whether they were happy or unhappy, but the way she wrote them was perfect (in my opinion).
Overall this has become one of my favorite historical novels. If you aren't necessarily a fan of historical fiction and find it a bit dry, I recommend reading this book. It has changed my views of historical fiction and I hope Susan will write more soon!
May 25, 2012
This book receives 4 stars because, I really, really liked it...
That said - not everyone will...But, I love historical fiction that is real, not completely romanticized, not wonderful and lovely and lyrical unless it really fits the story being told. History is quite ugly in places. And no, not every princess ends up with her "happily ever after." Not every King/Duke/Count is an upstanding and respectable citizen - Sometimes they are the opposite.
This book chooses a real period in history and populates the story with real people that were living and ruling during that time. We are in the thick of the wars between England and France during the latter 1100s. King Henry II and King Louis and their children tore up this region of the world with battle after battle. The story is told from the point of view of Joan, daughter of King Henry and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine. Eleanor was formerly married to King Louis, but he cast her off after 15 years for producing no male heirs. King Henry II then wed her and produced many children; this story tells about the life of their youngest daughter, but it is fiction.
Just like any princess throughout much of history, Joan's life was to be used as a tool for her father and her brothers. Her marriage was to be one of political arrangement - certainly not love. This follows her life as she tries to follow her own path while still respecting her role in her family and bending to the will of her brothers and her mother.
In places the book will be too detailed for some readers. It can be confusing to keep all of the names straight, even for me, and I've spent time studying this period of time...
That said - not everyone will...But, I love historical fiction that is real, not completely romanticized, not wonderful and lovely and lyrical unless it really fits the story being told. History is quite ugly in places. And no, not every princess ends up with her "happily ever after." Not every King/Duke/Count is an upstanding and respectable citizen - Sometimes they are the opposite.
This book chooses a real period in history and populates the story with real people that were living and ruling during that time. We are in the thick of the wars between England and France during the latter 1100s. King Henry II and King Louis and their children tore up this region of the world with battle after battle. The story is told from the point of view of Joan, daughter of King Henry and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine. Eleanor was formerly married to King Louis, but he cast her off after 15 years for producing no male heirs. King Henry II then wed her and produced many children; this story tells about the life of their youngest daughter, but it is fiction.
Just like any princess throughout much of history, Joan's life was to be used as a tool for her father and her brothers. Her marriage was to be one of political arrangement - certainly not love. This follows her life as she tries to follow her own path while still respecting her role in her family and bending to the will of her brothers and her mother.
In places the book will be too detailed for some readers. It can be confusing to keep all of the names straight, even for me, and I've spent time studying this period of time...
September 28, 2010
This sounds dire, but either it'll be dire in the expected, wildly anachronistic heroine way, which is useful for our project, or possibly will be more nuanced than that, which will also be useful for our project. So will give it a try.
Okay, so I'll leave the prediction above, although I was quite wrong about the book, which was not at all as predicted. It felt far more like the kind of adult historical I used to read (Norah Lofts, maybe? It was a long time ago!) than like any recent YA historicals I've come across. For one thing, Joan is so young for most of the book, and her relationship with her husband is -- odd. Extremely odd! (And again, the oddity stemmed from something I could never have predicted. It's a big spoiler, so I won't say more, but I'm still rather unsure what I think about this invention about the virtually undocumented relationship between Joan and William II of Sicily.)
Basically, the inside jacket description does *nothing* to give a feeling for what this book is like, making it sound like a romance with a costume historical setting, and it's anything but. Not always easy reading, as Joan occasionally comes out with appropriately blood-thirsty remarks concerning the crusade her brother (Richard the Lionheart, who's pretty awful in this version) and King Philip led, or compares her husband unfavourably to her father, who knew how to take military action when necessary - but very readable nonetheless.
Okay, so I'll leave the prediction above, although I was quite wrong about the book, which was not at all as predicted. It felt far more like the kind of adult historical I used to read (Norah Lofts, maybe? It was a long time ago!) than like any recent YA historicals I've come across. For one thing, Joan is so young for most of the book, and her relationship with her husband is -- odd. Extremely odd! (And again, the oddity stemmed from something I could never have predicted. It's a big spoiler, so I won't say more, but I'm still rather unsure what I think about this invention about the virtually undocumented relationship between Joan and William II of Sicily.)
Basically, the inside jacket description does *nothing* to give a feeling for what this book is like, making it sound like a romance with a costume historical setting, and it's anything but. Not always easy reading, as Joan occasionally comes out with appropriately blood-thirsty remarks concerning the crusade her brother (Richard the Lionheart, who's pretty awful in this version) and King Philip led, or compares her husband unfavourably to her father, who knew how to take military action when necessary - but very readable nonetheless.
August 4, 2015
DNF at 18% (skimmed rest of book)
Assuming this is mostly factual, it was "too" detailed for me. The characters disgusted me. The sexual abuse and the manipulation of Joan repulsed me. I just couldn't get into a story where I connected to no one and felt ill at the treatment of the MC. And the ending wasn't really "happy" to make the sludge the MC trudged through(and the reader) worthwhile. She marries someone(okay so it's historical fiction and she has to marry him) who seems just as disgusting as everyone else. No matter how much perfume you put on a pig, it's still a pig. Someone should've kidnapped that poor girl and ran off with her to the country to have her raised as a normal peasant girl. Her life would've been better.
Assuming this is mostly factual, it was "too" detailed for me. The characters disgusted me. The sexual abuse and the manipulation of Joan repulsed me. I just couldn't get into a story where I connected to no one and felt ill at the treatment of the MC. And the ending wasn't really "happy" to make the sludge the MC trudged through(and the reader) worthwhile. She marries someone(okay so it's historical fiction and she has to marry him) who seems just as disgusting as everyone else. No matter how much perfume you put on a pig, it's still a pig. Someone should've kidnapped that poor girl and ran off with her to the country to have her raised as a normal peasant girl. Her life would've been better.
January 3, 2011
Okay, since I am an Eleanor of Aquitaine fan wasn't so thrilled how she was portrayed
although I did enjoy the novel well enough. Joan, Eleanor’s daughter by Henry II of England, is neglected in literature because there isn’t much of a historical record on her. Coventry does a good job placing Joan in the historical context, developing true historical figures and generating some interest in the outcome of the characters. Being relatively well-versed in the time period, it is easy to pick apart the portrayals of some of the leading characters because they are a bit stretched, but hey, that is what fiction is all about.
although I did enjoy the novel well enough. Joan, Eleanor’s daughter by Henry II of England, is neglected in literature because there isn’t much of a historical record on her. Coventry does a good job placing Joan in the historical context, developing true historical figures and generating some interest in the outcome of the characters. Being relatively well-versed in the time period, it is easy to pick apart the portrayals of some of the leading characters because they are a bit stretched, but hey, that is what fiction is all about.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews