Devil's Brood

Plantagenets #3

by Sharon Kay Penman

The long-awaited and highly anticipated final volume in Penman's trilogy of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine—a tumultuous conclusion to this timeless story of love, power, ambition, and betrayal.

Where the second novel in the trilogy, Time And Chance, dealt with the extraordinary politics of the twelfth century, climaxing with the murder of Thomas Becket and Henry's confrontation with the Church and self-imposed exile to Ireland, Devil's Brood centers on the implosion of a family. And because it is a royal family whose domains span the English Channel and whose alliances encompass the Christian world, that collapse will have dire consequences. This is a story of betrayal as Henry's three eldest sons and his wife enter into a rebellion against him, aligning themselves with his bitterest enemy, King Louis of France. But it is also the story of a great king whose brilliance forged an empire but whose personal blind spots led him into the most serious mistake of his life.

Sharon Kay Penman has created a novel of tremendous power, as two strong-willed, passionate people clash, a family divides, and a marriage ends in all but name. Curiously, it is a novel without villains—only flawed human beings caught up in misperceptions and bad judgment calls. Most devastating to Henry was not his sons' rebellion but his wife's betrayal in joining them. How could it happen that two people whose love for each other was all consuming end up as bitter adversaries? That is the heart of Penman's tale in Devil's Brood.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Medieval, British Literature, 12th Century, Plantagenet

752 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2008

About the author

Penman received her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin, she majored in history, and also received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Rutgers University School of Law, and later worked as a tax lawyer.

The Sunne in Splendour, a novel about Richard III of England is one of the most popular books on the Historical Novel Society's list of best historical novels. In 1996, following the success of When Christ and His Saints Slept (which dealt with the Anarchy and the early career of King Henry II of England), Penman ventured into the historical whodunnit with four mysteries set in the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine during the reign of Richard I. The mysteries did not enjoy the same success as her "straight" historical novels, to which she returned in 2002, with Time and Chance, again covering the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II. In 2008, she published Devil's Brood, which was to be the final book in her trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. She soon realized that there was still more of the Angevins' story to tell and the result was Lionheart , followed by The King's Ransom. Henry and Eleanor's celebrated and controversial son, Richard the Lionheart is the major character in both books, although Eleanor, John, and Richard's favorite sister, Joanna, also get to spend time on center stage. She has just finished The Land Beyond the Sea, set in the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the late 12th century. It will be published in the U.S. by G.P. Putnam's and in the U.K. and Down Under by Macmillan and co; the publication date is early March, 2020.

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was zipping along merrily through this book, enjoying the journey but still feeling that neither Time & Chance nor Devil's Brood were quite as gripping as Maude's story in When Christ and His Saints Slept, when suddenly I realised - and I'm not sure when it happened - that I had become very deeply invested in Henry's story.

Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II were a delightful couple to read about. "Delightful" in the sense that their fiery personalities, lust for one another and for power, their stubbornness and their ambitions, all made for a very tumultuous marriage. It was as full of heartache as it was full of passion.

Eleanor was especially interesting, and I found myself more on her side than Henry's during the previous book and earlier chapters of this one. I could feel her fury and frustration when her beloved Aquitaine came under her husband's control and she was given little say in its future. I am very interested in stories about strong women fighting back against the constraints placed upon them, which is also why I enjoyed reading about Empress Maude so much. But as this book sped along, I found my heart hurting so much for Henry.

The final chapters of this book were devastating, even though I knew it had to happen because it already had happened— almost a thousand years ago. For all his faults, Henry really did deserve better.

Now let's see if I can ever forgive Richard by reading Lionheart.

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[Cindy Rollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a large book coming in at over 700 pages and it took me quite a while to read but it was incredibly interesting and quite a page turner. I admire Penman so much, as she tries to stay close to the facts while fleshing out the story. I will definitely read the next volume Lionheart.

[Iset · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devil’s Brood is an absolute rollercoaster of a novel. Now in my mind, there are two types of "rollercoaster novels". One kind swings wildly from one extreme of emotion to another, melodramatically creating mountains out of molehills, its plot twists coming out of nowhere, the kind of rollercoaster that leaves you feeling queasy and desperately wanting to get off. The other kind of rollercoaster novel sweeps you up and off you go, the highs and lows built up ahead of time, creating anticipation, but, when they come, even more thrilling and exciting than you thought, every moment sheer breathtaking enjoyment, and when you get off you immediately want to join the queue and ride it again. Needless to say, Devil’s Brood is firmly in the second category. I was swept up in the story from the first page to the very last, so thoroughly immersed that I must confess I don’t remember too much of events over the past seven days, outside of what happened in this book!

I will never tire of marvelling at how thoroughly realistic are Sharon’s characters and how authentic the environments they move through. In my mind’s eye they completely come to life, jumping off the page, so fully realised that the room around me melts away and I’m instead right there with Sharon’s characters, seeing what they see, experiencing what they experience. Engrossing doesn’t cover it by half. I can actually believe that these characters are Henry Fitz Empress, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Will Marshal and Richard Lionheart, or at least a 99.9% match. Over the years I’ve enjoyed many historical fiction novels, and some which I haven’t enjoyed so much, but it is truly a once-in-a-blue-moon event to encounter characters that I can believe in so thoroughly. Even amongst novels I’ve enjoyed a lot it’s a rarity for me – sometimes I’ve liked the characters but felt like they’re nothing like their historical counterparts, sometimes I agree with certain aspects of the portrayal but not others, and there’s nothing wrong with that, I’ve certainly never marked books down for that... but how much better when well-developed, organic, complex characterisations are combined with such historicity and thorough research! How sublime the siren song seems then! How divine to sup from such a feast for the mind then!

It may seem like such a small detail to some, but often the details are the difference between a very good novel and the perfect read, and the gulf might be the width of the Grand Canyon or the breadth of a hair. Books are escapism, but we can choose from a wide variety of genres and the possibilities are endless. Why then choose the historical fiction genre? I can only speak for myself, but as a child I loved stories. Imagine my excitement to learn that the most thrilling, engaging stories were those that were true, that had really happened in history. As Sharon likes to say, you can’t make this stuff up, it’s so strange and weird and wonderful. Most of all, it’s our story, it’s the story of us – I can’t think of anything more exciting. So when I pick up a book from the historical fiction genre, I am looking for escapism, but I am looking to escape into a realistic, authentic world that I can believe in, a world well-written but also well-researched. I want to get swept away in the true story; if I was looking for a purely fictional tale, I wouldn’t have chosen that genre. Exaggeration and embellishment seem so unnecessary when I want to be told the true story, to gain an insight into the fascinating real people of history and understand what it meant to be living through what they lived through. I don’t want something clinical and sanitised, nor do I want my story to be juiced up into salacious, tawdry scandal – that defeats the very reason that I choose historical fiction to read in the first place – for me the thrill comes from reading a good book and knowing that this stuff really happened, or as close as possible. Sharon’s books are also demonstrable proof that it is possible to stick very closely to the historical record, and still deliver a well-written, vibrant, engaging story.

Devil’s Brood is beautifully written. Its construction shows all the finesse and erudition of a master of both the written word and the craft of story-telling. Its plot is sophisticated, refined, and richly detailed. There are admittedly far fewer zeniths to soar than there are nadirs to plunge, but the depths are tremendously moving and poignant without overwhelming the book. I found Devil’s Brood just as thrilling and exhilarating as the likes of When Christ and His Saints Slept, Here Be Dragons and The Sunne in Splendour, and perhaps even more vivid and vibrant than those latterly mentioned. I loved every character, from the infuriating yet well-meaning Hal, the savvy Joanna, steadfast Will Marshal, right through to the inscrutable Geoffrey, effervescent Eleanor, and the unfathomable Henry Fitz Empress himself. And truth be told, reading about Richard before the Lionheart was utterly fascinating, and I must admit myself rather partial to his character, though like everyone else his vices as well as his virtues are made all too plain! In addition to being eminently believable and well-researched, Devil’s Brood is at once an immersive experience and jumps off the page at you. Sharon’s style of writing brings the subject to life, no matter what it may be, and to that end I’d like to provide some of my favourite quotes from Devil’s Brood:

The great hall was shimmering in light, sun streaming from the open windows, and ablaze with colour, the walls decorated with embroidered hangings in rich shades of gold and crimson. New rushes had been strewn about, fragrant with lavender, sweet woodruff, and balm... the air was... perfumed with honeysuckle and violet, their seductive scents luring in from the gardens butterflies as blue as the summer sky.

The day’s heat had faded and the sky was a deep twilight turquoise, stars glimmering like scattered shards of crystal. It was a beautiful evening but Henry seemed oblivious to his surroundings. Even after they’d entered the gardens, he paid no heed to the fragrant roses, the scent of honeysuckle and thyme, or the soft bubbling of the fountain.

But then he looked back, and what he saw caused him to catch his breath as if he'd taken a blow, for, thinking himself alone, Henry had leaned forward and buried his face in his hands.

Twilight was laying claim to the cité, and the sky was a deepening shade of lavender, spangled with stars and fleecy clouds the colour of plums.

This was the moment he most loved about tourneying, that first glorious sortie with banners streaming, trumpets blaring, and the earth atremble with pounding hooves as hundreds of knights came together in a spectacular clash of sound and fury.

Dawn was streaking the sky in delicate shades of pink and pearl, the last of the night stars flickering out like quenched candles.

It’s not just that Sharon researches her books so carefully and accurately, but the fact that when she brings the facts to the page she writes so imaginatively and creatively, taking the raw data and dry evidence and drawing out the vivacious, funny, flawed people from the artefacts and documents and telling their human stories – and all this achieved with no or very little alteration or embellishment of the facts. Some of Sharon’s descriptions are worthy of the great historical bards, and from what fount of inspiration she plucks her words from I am often left mystified, albeit bewitched, for I am sure it never would have occurred to me to write of a "clash of sound and fury" or describe the sky as variously "turquoise" or "pearl" with clouds the colour of "plums". That is simply marvellous to me, marvellous and magical. I don’t know how Sharon Penman does it!

I normally write much longer reviews than this, and I’ve noticed that my reviews of Sharon’s books have been a lot shorter. What a pleasure it is to write a line saying "this is perfection" rather than pages deconstructing why a bad book didn’t work.

Forget the pretenders to the throne – Sharon Penman deserves the accolade of queen of historical fiction, and a title richly-deserved it is too.

10 out of 10. I honestly don’t know how Sharon can top this, but with Lionheart coming out soon, I’m eager to see if she’s up to the challenge. My money’s on yes.

[Orsolya · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Eleanor of Aquitaine’s marriage to King Henry II wasn’t passionate and tumultuous enough; it gets even more spiced up when their sons rebel against their father with Eleanor’s aid resulting in her captivity/house arrest. Sharon Kay Penman leaves the drama of the murder of Thomas Becket behind in “Time and Chance” and follows the family breakdown with the third book revolving around Henry and Eleanor in, “Devil’s Brood”.

“Devil’s Brood” follows familiar ground with the subject of Eleanor and Henry but Penman breaks some ground with her style. “Devil’s Brood” is noticeably the ‘strongest’ after the first two books both in writing and story. Instead of a slow beginning in usual Penman fashion in which she spends too much time setting the scene, establishing characters, and recalling past events; Penman finally jumps right into the story and keeps a steady pace which heightens the emotional accessibility of the story.

“Devil’s Brood” still features a lot of discussing of events versus living them but the share of this is heavily diminished and lessened in comparison to the first two books. Penman’s writing/story is more alive and charged making it a much better read. The characters are also stronger and each stand out on their own feet, especially Eleanor and Henry’s sons who really capture the reader’s attention.

As per usual with Penman, her writing in “Devil’s Brood” often sweeps the literary language landscape and is rich with imagery. However, she truly steps it up with “Devil’s Brood” with some emotionally-packed moments that the reader will genuinely feel in all of its essence and will be left in awe. This carries the story and teaches the history aspect by leaving a strong impact. The great thing is that Penman doesn’t force this and it all flows naturally.

One of the standout features of “Devil’s Brood” is the depiction of the family breakdown and rebellion that takes place. Oftentimes with this subject in both history and historical fiction pieces; Henry is simply washed as the “bad guy”, Eleanor and her sons as the victims, and everything else is black and white. Penman brings the grey matter to light, voices the psychological causes/effects of these events, and doesn’t exaggerate each character’s roles therefore eschewing stereotypes and making “Devil’s Brood” real and relatable.

“Devil’s Brood” does eventually fall into some discord only in the sense that there is so much intrigue and drama between the sons and Henry; that the story becomes slightly muddied and even somewhat tedious and overwhelming. Yet, the angles that Penman spins are fresh and invigorating such as continuing to show Eleanor as a cunning woman not suffering in imprisonment but still helpless to her surrounding situations.

The portrayal of the “Young King” Hal’s death is extremely moving, vivid, and rife with emotion making it a monumental and memorable part of “Devil’s Brood” despite a reader’s personal opinion of Hal. Penman’s writing here is unarguably splendid and top-notch.

The final quarter of “Devil’s Brood” regresses in strength and the story and Penman herself seems to lose some fire. The text feels compressed and tired meanwhile Penman tries too hard to tie loose strings, inform the reader of real historical conclusions, and set up events for the next book. Basically, too much is thrown into little space and thus, it is spread thin. This results in some debasing of “Devil’s Brood” but luckily this doesn’t take away too much from the overall value of the novel.

The final ending, however, is strong emotionally; wrapping up with Eleanor’s point of view and truly bringing her emotion to the reader, therefore leaving a well-enough, memorable note.

Penman supplements “Devil’s Brood” with an ‘Author’s Note’ debunking some classic myths regarding some of the figures in the novel and also explaining some of the minor historical liberties she has taken within her composition.

Despite some flaws and a weak final quarter; “Devil’s Brood” is a nuanced historical fiction piece that stands out against Penman’s first two books on Henry and Eleanor. “Devil’s Brood” is definitely not recommended to be read as a standalone novel but is absolutely riveting in the series. “Devil’s Brood” is a lovely fire lit by Penman.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.5 stars

I read historical fiction for two reasons: to learn and to be entertained.

There’s no doubt that Penman’s research is impeccable. As a new reader to this era, I now feel I know the story of Henry II, his sons, their rebellions and their contemporaries very well. The information given is interesting and thorough - I couldn’t have asked for a fuller, more complete picture.

The entertainment side was less successful for me. In her quest to tell the whole story, Penman felt she had to include everything. This started out well, and I enjoyed the family squabbles, feeling Henry’s exasperations as his sons constantly pushed for more and more, and rebelled with war against him (and each other) every time he stalled over their demands. And who could blame him for being so reluctant, those boys could not be trusted! Not knowing the story of Henry and Thomas Becket, I also enjoyed the recap of the build-up and aftermath of Becket’s murder, incorporating Henry’s complex feelings towards that whole situation.

However, around page 500 (of 700+), my enjoyment started to wane. It’s obviously not Penman's fault that the bickering brothers and their rebellions dragged on for years, but they became tiresome and repetitive and sapped my strength.

I also thought there was too much of everything. It’s a double-edged sword: I want the complete story, warts n’ all, but I also want it to be fresh and riveting – and how do you do that when the real-life historical facts went round in circles for more than a decade? Perhaps by showing more and telling less? Perhaps by not having the same characters hold the same conversations over and over. Perhaps, in a real cast of hundreds, don’t add in a couple of fairly predominant but pointless fictional characters. Perhaps by not imparting all your research, by keeping your lesser facts back to give the more important ones greater impact. This wasn’t a book that included everything but the kitchen sink – the kitchen sink was perched up on the dais.

Thanks to my friend Jemidar for this buddy-read – I loved your insightful (and silly!) thoughts as we ploughed through it all :-)

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is several hundred pages of epic dissension between brothers, sons and father, and husband and wife—cheered on by those wanting to shatter the empire said to rival that of Charlemagne’s, and supported by their expedient sycophants. I would jump off to their time if I only could and give each of Henry’s four sons a smack in the head for being so self-serving and power-hungry, for still wanting more of the pie when they were already given their share, for brewing deception and discord and distrust among themselves, and for wounding Henry as a father most of all (as I’ve truly come to sympathize with him since Time and Chance). But then I would often hear of present-day news about siblings fighting over their parents’ inheritance, or influential families that were torn apart because of materialism, and lament that nothing has truly changed much about the deadly sin that is greed even after some 850 years. Only, this particular Plantagenet brood makes family/sibling rivalries of today look simply mundane and uncomplicated! Sigh.

[Misfit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine thought they had it all - the greatest empire since Charlemagne, healthy children including the heir and several to spare - so how did it all go so wrong? The Devil's Brood takes up the story where Time and Chance left off with the murder of Thomas Becket, as Henry returns from his self imposed exile to Ireland. Henry's three eldest sons are chafing at the bit to have lands and power of their own and egged on by Louis of France they join with their mother Eleanor in rebellion against their father. In time Henry quells the rebellion and forgives his sons, but he cannot forgive his wife and queen and he imprisons her. Even though Henry forgave his sons, they are still not happy with his generosity and it eventually leads to more power struggles and back-biting amongst the brothers, particularly young Hal, who suffers the ultimate punishment for his reckless deeds.

This was a fascinating story of a brilliant, powerful king whose blind love and trust in his sons lead him to making mistakes in judgment that eventually lead to his downfall. I also loved seeing a different side of the haughty, queenly Eleanor we saw in Time and Chance, as unlike her sons she does come to recognize the wrongness (well sometimes) of her actions and the cataclysmic effects those actions had on her family. Some readers may find the first part of this book a bit slow paced as Penman does spend time setting up the back history of Henry, Eleanor and the Becket murder, but hang in there as about half way through when the boys start turning on each other the pages literally started flying. Penman's dialogue was exceptional, although I couldn't decide who got the best lines, Henry or Richard – they just smoked off the page!

One of Penman’s great strengths is to take the most complex political situations and put them into a story that not only entertains the reader but educates at the same time. Five stars and it appears from the author’s notes and a recent blog interview that this will not be a trilogy, she will continue the story of Eleanor, Richard and John in one more book. Hurray!

For those of you coming away from this book wanting to know about William Marshal, I highly recommend Elizabeth Chadwick’s The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion. They are hard to find in the US, but readily available in the UK and Canada.

[Jemidar · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is one thing you can't fault Penman for and that's her research. It's thorough, copious and usually factual, almost OCD in places. But what I do fault her for is her need to include every single word of it in her novels. This one was so bloated by research that it floated belly up--slowing the narrative, distancing characters from the reader and was downright tedious & distracting in places. And as fascinating as most of the information was (although I could well have lived without knowing how 12th century Welshmen cleaned their teeth or that Henry had a painful abscess in is groin near the end of his life) a lot of it really had no place in the story which led to ridiculous amounts of exposition and dialogue between characters discussing stuff they would have already known. And there was 700+ pages of it to wade through!

Surprisingly, for an author of Penman's reputation I also found her guilty of another historical fiction sin--imbuing some of her 12th century characters with 21st century sensibilities, and although it wasn't as bad as in some novels by lesser authors I've read, it was there. I also found several other niggles in that the religion expressed felt very Protestant to me (maybe it was all that scripture quoting) and the physicians seemed to have anachronistic medical knowledge. Fair enough, nobody's perfect.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book. I did. Because when Penman was able to concentrate on the story and not her research it was great stuff. Unfortunately, I would estimate the parts where the story, characters and history came together in harmony was only about a quarter of the book.

I do feel sad that I'm not in raptures over this book like everyone else. I really wanted to love it. No, more than that, I expected to love it and am disappointed that I didn't. However, I did learn lots but think next time I would much rather read NF than research saturated fiction.

My special thanks to Anna and Karla who supported me through the 700+ pages and listened to my gripes. Best of all they made me laugh and helped make it a more enjoyable experience :-).

Buddy read with Anna.

[Deborah Pickstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is much less in the way of historical error in this book. Ms Penman's research has tightened up and become outstanding, by fiction standards and actually by historical standards - I have read less convincing historians.

This very comprehensively tells the story of the dysfunctional family dynamics that tore the family of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine apart, the tragedy of the death of two sons and the heartrending end of Henry himself. Along the way, we also get the story of William Marshal, which is a dramatic bravura performance in it's own right!

There is not a single major character in this novel who is not well drawn and interesting. Henry II was - in my own view - one of the most interesting of the English kings. He was also, arguably, one of the most successful, despite the dire family dynamics. And, despite history's ordure throwing, John was the son most like him as King. The politics of the reign remain fascinating.

Ms Penman is a favourite HF author of mine because even her early work is characterised by honest research and willingness to accept her own mistakes. This novel is one of her best three, in my view - the other two are the two Lionheart novels.

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third part of the brilliant Plantagenet series and as always with Sharon's books it was absolutely brilliant! Meticulously researched, with the historical facts this is a fascinating story of a strong and powerful king whose weakness was his unfortunate love for his sons which in the end finished him. Sharon's immaculate descriptions of Henry himself, his relationship with Eleanor his Queen, and his mistakes made with his sons are very powerful. The tragic tale of the murder of Becket indirectly due to Henry's rages is also blended magnificently within the novel. Wonderfully crafted as are all the books written by this superbly talented historical novelist.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed Ms. Penman's writing for many years. She seems to be able to accurately craft characters and scenes that are true to life within the context of their age. She is one of the few medieval writers that can describe strong female characters, and yet does not pander to an audience, or seem to cross the line in modernizing them. At least that is how it seems to me. Her Eleanor of Aquitaine is amazing in this book. She is the most three dimensional and conflicted of all of the major characters presented.
The only thing I would like to see more often in Ms. Penman's books are stories seen through the eyes of the peasantry. The poor souls who fight, work and die so that all these nobles can play their high-stakes political games. Her books focuses solely on the upper aristocracy of the middle ages.
As I read this book I was continually struck by the reasons a peasant with would fight and die for nothing but feudal loyalty. I do not seem to be a pacifist, but if it is a wasted life to fight and die for economic, philosophical or government systems, or even religious differences, how much more is it a waste to die for whether this brother claims inheritance in this duchy or another brother claims it. Under either lord their lives would not change nor are the the peasants even promised improvement in their lives. There were no promises of freedom or "Make Aquitaine Great Again" or even God is on our side. What was their motivation? It baffles me unlike the later wars of the Crusades or the ages of Nationalism where at least there was propaganda presented ensuring possible improvement or eternal salvation. The feudal and dynastic clashes were indeed strange.
This is a great book and I plan to continue to read more from this author.

[Ellen Ekstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm seeing Richard I of England in whole new light and it's as dim as a gutting candle . . . but I digress. Richard is a product of his time and that time was dark and disturbing.

Ms. Penman once again makes medieval life and history as palpable as what we see on the news today, the persons as real, whole and flawed as ourselves - separated by a thousand years. "Devil's Brood" concludes the story of Henry II of England and his queen Eleanor Duchess of Aquitaine and concentrates on the ill-fated rebellions of Henry and Eleanor's sons, The young king Hal, crowned during his father's lifetime as a surety of succession, Richard, Geoffrey and John. The rebellion is sanctioned by Eleanor who is tired of being seen as merely Henry's queen and not as a duchess in her own right with power and intellect in a man's world. A few of the mythic causes of that rebellion are swept away in Ms. Penman's meticulously researched book, leaning on fact.

Henry is arguably one of England's greatest rulers but he failed miserably as a father to his children, especially his boys - four spoiled, willful and vengeful brats in my opinion, Geoffrey being the most sympathetic. Hal, the eldest, is a 'celebutante' of his day - handsome, popular, free with favor and money, but weak as a commander and ruler, easily swayed by hangers-on. Geoffrey is the son in the middle: overlooked, underappreciated but cold and calculating and turning when the wind blows in his favor. John is a boy learning from his older brothers and gets a lesson in mistrust and treachery. Richard is just downright scary. Sorry if you, dear Reader, hold the historical legend that he was a champion of the weak, poor, downtrodden - nope, that was Robin Hood. Richard is portrayed here as cold, calculating, mean, bloodless while suffering bloodlust as he hacks and stabs his way through Normandy, Poitou, Anjou, Maine and Aquitaine. All of the sons have plenty considering the times, it's just that they want their father's trust and attention and more lands and castles, but everyone goes after that trust and attention all the wrong ways. If you're expecting the witty banter and political savvy of that outstanding play, "The Lion in Winter," you're in for a surprise. This is real, gritty, poignant and outstanding. As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is a medieval reality show, Plotting with the Plantagenets - a family that put the capital 'D' in Dysfunctional.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this much more than Time and Chance, thankfully; I think it's easily the best of this sequence so far. Penman gives her characters lots more opportunity to speak for themselves, and their confrontations and relations are much more tense and compelling as a result. I especially liked her characterization of Geoffrey, who might have been Henry II's most intelligent and able son. I was pleased to find at the end of the author's note that she'll be continuing the story after Henry's death.

[Sud666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharon Kay Penman's excellent series about the Plantagenets continues. This finishes the story of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. The year is 1172 and Henry has been married for decades and has four grown sons: Henry the Young King, Richard the Lionheart, Geoffrey II and John Lackland.

A finer brood of quarrelsome wolves has rarely been birthed. The fault lines start to appear when Henry's affair with Rosamund Clifford has left Eleanor far angrier than Henry assumes. This conflict, coupled with his long years spent at war, where he was never able to develop a relationship with his sons.

The consequences for those two actions are sharp-the sons trust Henry, neither as a father nor as a King. One by one, sometimes helped by Eleanor, the sons rebel against their father or fight each other. While natural deaths for Hal and Geoffery end up meaning on Richard and John are left, still does not put an end to the conflict.

Finally the end result is confinement for Eleanor and the deterioration of Henry's health and well being. In fact, after Richard's death, Henry's "Angevin Empire" is in bad hands with King John and eventually crumbles.

The interesting thing about this story is that Henry does love his sons, but he loves the idea of his Empire far more. This eventual conflict is indeed devastating and shows how little trust there is within this family with each of its members. A brilliant story that is a must read for any fan of well researched and superbly written historical fiction.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book by SKP, where the struggle for the power between Richard´s sons prevails over most of his kingdom. The strong character of Eleanor shows already her fight for women rights on state decisions even in a medieval era. The dialogues between the main characters are very well written within an historical context based on a very careful historical research performed by SKP.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a great history lesson and what a story. Sharon Kay Penman really knows how to make history come alive. I can't wait to read more of her books!

[Sotiris Karaiskos · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the third book of this interesting series, the king's perfect family happiness is completely destroyed as his beloved sons, encouraged by his beloved wife, rise up against him claiming a piece of his empire. With his experience, he manages to defeat them and restore order, but the rift that is created in the family cannot be closed and so he spends the rest of his life trying to tame his sons and solve their differences which as expected then were transferred always on the battlefield. This path from happiness to disappointment and fall is described by the author in a very good way, placing great emphasis on the political games of the time, the selfishness and excessive ambition that guided the powerful, the alliances that were created in the great castles and marital beds. But above all, she continues to do a very good job of bringing these historical characters to life in front of us, giving us her own interpretation of their motivations and psychology, always based on historical references. So once again he offers the reader an excellent combination of an emotionally intense story and deep historical research.

Στο τρίτο βιβλίο αυτής της ενδιαφέρουσας σειράς η τέλεια οικογενειακή ευτυχία του βασιλιά καταστρέφεται ολοκληρωτικά καθώς οι αγαπημένη του γιοι, με την ενθάρρυνση της αγαπημένης του συζύγου, ξεσηκώνονται εναντίον του διεκδικώντας ένα κομμάτι της αυτοκρατορίας του. Με την εμπειρία του καταφέρνει να τους νικήσει και να αποκαταστήσει την τάξη, το ρήγμα που δημιουργείται στην οικογένεια όμως δεν μπορεί να κλείσει και έτσι περνάει την υπόλοιπη ζωή του προσπαθώντας να τιθασεύσει τους γιους του και να λύσει τις διαφορές τους που όπως ήταν αναμενόμενο τότε μεταφέρονταν πάντοτε στο πεδίο της μάχης. Αυτήν την πορεία από την ευτυχία στην απογοήτευση και την πτώση περιγράφει η συγγραφέας με έναν πολύ καλό τρόπο, δίνοντας μεγάλη έμφαση στα πολιτικά παιχνίδια της εποχής, τον εγωισμό και την υπέρμετρη φιλοδοξία που καθοδηγούσε τους ισχυρούς, τις συμμαχίες που δημιουργούνταν μέσα στα μεγάλα κάστρα και στα συζυγικά κρεβάτια. Πάνω από όλα όμως συνεχίζει να κάνει πολύ καλή δουλειά στο να ζωντανέψει αυτούς τους ιστορικούς χαρακτήρες μπροστά μας, δίνοντας μας την δική της ερμηνεία των κινήτρων και της ψυχολογίας τους, πάντοτε βασιζόμενη στις ιστορικές αναφορές. Έτσι για άλλη μία φορά προσφέρει στον αναγνώστη έναν εξαιρετικό συνδυασμό μιας συναισθηματικά έντονης ιστορίας και βαθιάς ιστορικής έρευνας.

[Lidia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devil's Brood - Trailer

I finally finish this trilogy and it was a long journey. First of all I find out that at the beginning of this year Sharon Kay Penman unfortunately died so REST IN PEACE because she literally was the best historical author I had ever seen.


Like always Penman created such complex characters ; you can never label the characters as good or bad, she showed us humans with virtues and flaws that made mistakes and died with regrets.


This book highlights the destruction of Eleanor's and Henry's marriage with repercussions on their children. Honestly previously I read many books about Eleanor and Henry but Penman's trilogy is the only one that made me like Eleanor and made me see the big picture. Yes I disliked how she turned Henry's sons against him but Henry also made mistakes in regard of their sons.



Seeing how their marriage turned in hating I guess the boys found different ways to avoid the problems in their own marriages: Hal offered Marguerite a marriage full of sweetness, gentleness and a little immature; Geoffrey offered Constance a partnership that turned in my opinion in the most real and mature marriage from this book beside Ranald's; Richard avoided marriage as long as he could becoming cynical in regard of love and I guess Jon was a brute to his wife...


From all the boys, Geoffrey was my favorite because he was impassible, wicked and good natured but also he was smart and learned from his parents mistakes and was a very good husband to Constance respecting her and in the end loving her also the girls they had together.




Hal was a dreamer that was never suited to be a good king; I hated Richard and I never expected that because I heard of his courage but man he was so arrogant, impulsive, gave a damn of his brothers or father, the guy was obsessed with battles and arising fights just because things did not happened his way. The only person he loved in his life beside himself was his mother. Jon was neglected in the worst way possible that you are not shocked how he becomes but even if I excuse him it really hurt when he also betrayed his father at the end . Poor Henry , he was betrayed in the most horrible ways by his own family and died in sufferings...



I will totally read the next books which I guess is the battle between Jon and Richard but I really hope Richard is not so arrogant. In conclusion it was a wonderful journey and I think this family was one of the most dysfunctional in England's history!

[Diana Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an amazing story of historical fiction which is written so well it should be close as possible to a work of non-fiction. I took my time reading the hard copy and putting post-its through-out to emphasize foreign works and expressions, words I had to look up, notable moments and further reading. The author wrote an excellent prologue and notes at the end. She noted the parts she took liberty with in the telling of the tale.

The cover informs the reader that this is the novel of "The last days of the tempestuous marriage of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine" but it does cover a much longer time period encompassing 1171-1189. Eleanor had 10 children, 8 with Henry and this brood was meant to be a dynasty. They were anything but a close family and in the end, Eleanor's thoughts were "We've schemed and fought and loved until we are so entangled in hearts and minds that there is no way to set us free. God help us both Harry, for we will never be rid of each other. Not even death will do that"

I am very much looking forward to the two final books in this series and I highly recommend it.

[Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1172 Henry II has been on the throne, ruling his vast kingdom that stretches from England to the Mediterranean, for eighteen years. His passionate marriage to Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine is as volatile as ever and their sons are nearing adulthood.

As Henry works to extricate himself from his problems with the Church that were created by the murder of Thomas Becket, his oldest son Hal has plans of his own. Hal has been crowned king while his father still rules and he is chafing under his father's tight leash. Like any young man, Hal feels he is ready for responsibility and freedom from oversight. Unfortunately his personality is unsuited for the rigors ruling a kingdom. He is far too easily swayed by a quiet word in his ear and is unable to make a decision and stand by it. Before long Hal has joined in with rebel lords against his father, the king.

Even worse for Henry, his other sons Richard and Geoffrey are eager to join the rebellion. It is even supported by Henry's wife, Eleanor. This is the last straw for Henry. Though the rebellion fails and his sons beg his forgiveness, Henry can never bring himself to forgive his wife. Eleanor is destined to spend the next sixteen years in confinement, imprisoned by the King her husband, who feels her betrayal acutely.

The years of Eleanor's imprisonment amount to a tragic deterioration of her family. Henry feels he can trust no one but himself and, as a result, refuses to allow his sons any power or responsibility of their own. He claims that they must earn it but he gives them precious little opportunity to do so. For their part, the sons are unable to understand their father and they are slowly poisoned by his lack of faith in them. Eventually they even seek alliances with their father's enemies, including the French king. Another sharp stab to Henry's heart.

The Princes also develop hatred against each other, fueled by intense jealousy and lust for power. Their battles and confrontations further rip apart a family already in shreds. The most touching scene in the book occurs when Henry and Eleanor together realize and mourn their failure as parents.

In Devil's Brood Sharon Kay Penman has continued her tour de force account of the Plantagenet Dynasty begun in When Christ and His Saints Slept and continued in Time and Chance. She has, once again, given us a thoroughly researched, clear-eyed appraisal of a turbulent political time, while imbuing the story with aching sympathy and sorrow for this long ago family who were unable to achieve the unity and love so necessary to a happy life.

Sharon Kay Penman is, in my opinion, one of the finest historical fiction writers and I have loved each one of her novels since I picked up Here Be Dragons many years ago. I was thrilled to read, in the Author's Note at the end of Devil's Brood, that the characters will not let her go and so she will be continuing the story of Eleanor, Richard, John and the rest in her next book. Hurray!

[Dangermousie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed every SKP book I've read, but after her heartbreaking Welsh Trilogy, I've ceased being emotionally compelled by them. I would read, enjoy the characters and the writing, but would remain emotionally aloof.

Well, not any more.

I've found myself emotionally devastated by this book, drawn in and helplessly reading about all these complicated, dysfunctional, ocassionally brilliant people destroying themselves and each other - wanting to jump into the book and somehow stop it. I haven't felt this way about a SKP novel since The Reckoning.

Underneath the politics, the battles and the alliances, this book is really a family tragedy and what SKP achieves is to make me care for every party in this mess - for example, when I read about how Eleanor and his sons rebelled against Henry (the first time of many), I felt Henry's anguish through the pages, but when Eleanor's escape was cut short, all I could do is feel for her.

I ended up disliking nobody (yes, not even Richard, cold and terrifying as he was - though perhaps my impression is influenced by Lionheart, which I read first), but my favorite characters were the 'forgotten' sons - Hal and Geoffrey. Hal is charming and generous but also feckless and unequipped to cope with either his brothers or the political situation. Yet somehow, despite all his rebellions, his fickleness, and his self-delusion, he ends up being immensely likeable even as he is immensely flawed (not to bring up The Reckoning again, but he reminded me a bit of Davydd from that book). Geoffrey - I loved. He is smart, contained, cynical and in a lot of ways the most even-keeled and sane of Henry's offspring. His marriage to Constance is that rarity - a marriage of equals, a meeting of both minds and hearts. I found myself almost shouting at the book as he entered that Paris tournament, despite knowing that the outcome was set in stone for hundreds of years.

OK, to cut the gushing short - this is one of SKP's best. And her best is very good indeed. Go read it!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had all three books of Sharon Kay Penman's series on the dynasty that resulted in Richard the Lionheart and during my first read several years ago, I had to wait between books until the next one was published. It was great to read all three in a row. I feel like I know them all so well. The investment of time paid off! I love how the focus shifts to the new generation without making you feel like you've left the old generation behind. For example, the fictional character of Ranulf was one of my favorites in the first book, but by the third book very little is heard of him. It is his sons that take the spotlight. And that generational link makes you truly feel like you are a family friend watching the changes through the years. It's the same with the significant events. What was so monumental in the first book, becomes overshadowed by the third. Just like in real life time passing heals wounds and allows you to put things in perspective. Quite frankly, I'm surprised I'm not using the 12th century vernacular by now.

I am SO excited because I was NOT aware that there was a fourth book. So I do not have to say goodbye, yet, to my Angevins and Poitevins. I still have another 594 pages of obsession.

[Ernestina · Rating 5 out of 5]

My prevailing feeling while reading this book was helplessness, I often felt like shaking one character or the other to make them see reason. It was such a heap of incomprehensions and unforgiving pride, love badly shown and bitter betrayals.
However, you can touch the love the author feels for her protagonists, always finding at least an act to redeem them, even only on their deathbed.

Eleanor talking to her dead husband best summarises all the struggle: "Ah, Harry, we were so well matched, you and I. If only we could have learned to forgive each other...Well, you'll have all eternity to learn to forgive us and yourself. Knowing you, it is likely to take that long, too".

I think this reading is addictive, because after having been pulled inside the book and having shared good and bad times with every character throughout over 800 pages, I am left with an even stronger desire of knowing more about them. Still I don't think I'm ready to forgive Richard, that's why I will shift to the more loyal William Marshal for a while...

[~Leslie~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - this is the third installment in the series about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Devil's Brood is the tumultuous story of Henry and Eleanor's sons and the struggle over ruling such a sprawling and diverse kingdom. This is a truly epic, and amazing story - so many characters, battles, political intrigues, family feuds, marriages are going on throughout the story. I loved every minute of. I found myself crying over events that occurred over 900 years ago. Sharon Kay Penman has the ability as an author to bring history to life in such a spellbinding way. She is the best writer of historical fiction there is today and everyone should experience her writing.

[Laura]

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Of course I loved it- it's Sharon Kay Penman,but this is SKP on the top of her game. Opening this book was like falling into the 12th century & becoming completely immersed in it.I'm starting "Lionheart" right away so that I can prolong the experience & my own enjoyment of her fabulous books!! I can't wait for "A King's Ransom to come out, & I hope she continues the series with another book about John after that. Bravo, Sharon... this really is one of the best books of all time!!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - - Penman has done it again. She manages to take a remote time in history and absolutely make it come alive, along with the major characters. Absolutely one of the best historical fiction writers around, this book is well-researched and such an easy read!

[May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharon Penman is one of my favorite authors (she ranks up there with Jane Austen and J.R.R. Tolkien) and certainly my favorite author of historical fiction. Devil's Brood describes the internecine warfare and deteriorating family relationships of the sons of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. (The Plantagenets make the Kardashians look like a stable and wholesome family.)
Every good historical fiction author does impeccable research and brings to life real life characters. What this author does that is head and shoulders above the rest is to imbue each character--whether primary, secondary, or tertiary--with a sense of believability and humanity. The characters are accessible, heroic, and flawed. You come away from reading this book knowing this version of events is how history actually unfolded and that truth has emerged from the author's pen.
For those interested in medieval British history or historical fiction in general, check out Sharon Penman's works. The Plantagenet saga is best read in order.

[Laura Andersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nope, waiting doesn't change things. Everybody still dies. The death that really hurt was the one I knew the least about . . . the third son, Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany. I really hope his marriage was similar to Penman's portrayal, because at least Constance had some happiness for a few years. When he died, my alternate-history mind went a little crazy, wondering what might have been if Geoffrey had been there to A)protect his son, Arthur and B)actually inherit the throne after Richard's death. If there had been no King John? No one knows. But maybe I will think on it for a while . . .

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in the Plantagenet series, which starts with the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda, moves to Matilda's son Henry II and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, and in this book, shows the end of Henry II's reign and the beginning of King Richard's. All of these books are excellent historical fiction. Characters seemed like real people, but also medieval (e.g., they were actually religious, and women weren't constantly complaining about being in arranged marriages). Sharon Kay Penman did extensive research, but the characters felt alive and fully realized despite how many of them there were. She covers equally well the relationships between characters and the politics of the time.

[Marilyn Saul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last of the Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine series, I liked this one the least. Reading 736 pages of family dysfunction was just too depressing. That and battle after battle after lie after lie. Don't get me wrong - this is a well-written book (as is the whole series) and Penman does a remarkable job of bringing history to life. But I'm due for a break now and will pick up the succeeding Plantagenet series somewhere down the line at a much later date.