European Royalty discussion

Please discuss Prologue/Chapter 1 (Barfleur, Normandy, November 1120) through Chapter 16 (Oxford Castle, England, April 1141) of When Christ and His Saints Slept here.

I'm going to say first I'm not really a fan of Sharon Kay Penman.I had read a book a while back(I don't recall which book it was)but I didn't like it.

I have just read chapter 1 and so far it hasn't been any better than I thought it would be.The shipwreck and the character of Berold seem mildly interesting so I am hoping it will improve.

I have just finished through Chapter 9. I am amazed at how much Stephan admired his own wife, yet did not feel that a woman was capable of ruling England.

I am in chapter 5, but have read this book before. I love the way SKP characterizes Stephen in a way that we see how traits that make him a wonderful man end up being a disadvantage to him as king. Medieval mindset just wasn't the same. Men could admire women without wanting one to rule over them. In this I am glad that SKP sticks to what was true rather than writing characters that are anachronistic, as so many other authors do.

Samantha wrote: "Medieval mindset just wasn't the same. Men could admire women without wanting one to rule over them. In this I am glad that SKP sticks to what was true rather than writing characters that are anachronistic, as so many other authors do"

Yes Samantha so true. I think she does a great job of sticking to the medieval mindset. It is not necessarily a matter of a sexist attitude per se but rather the idea that this is how society is, as directed by God, so why try to divert from it. It appears sexist to us because we have a modern perspective, whereas they did not.

I realize that attitudes towards women cannot be held up against the modern standards. However, Stephen had such forward ideals in many areas, yet was willing to be led against Maude.

I'm finding this book a heavy go. It's hard enough to keep the known/real characters straight--that family tree at the front is bare-bones--but the insertion of new, fictional characters at every opportunity is very distracting. Not sure I'm going to make it through.

I thought the same about the plethora of fictional characters too, Gail. However this does subside. I'm on chapter 21 now and I've enjoyed it much more from about chapter 11 on.