Lady of the English
- Narrated by:
- Length: 16 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:01/07/2012
- Publisher: Soundings
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Publisher's Summary
Two very different women are linked by destiny and the struggle for the English crown. Matilda, daughter of Henry I, is determined to win back her crown from Stephen, the usurper king. Adeliza, Henry's widowed queen and Matilda's stepmother, is now married to William D'Albini, a warrior of the opposition. Both women are strong and prepared to stand firm for what they know is right. But in a world where a man's word is law, how can Adeliza obey her husband while supporting Matilda, the rightful queen? And for Matilda pride comes before a fall....
What price for a crown? What does it cost to be Lady of the English?
©2011 Elizabeth Chadwick (P)2012 Soundings
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What Members Say
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brenda miller harlow, United Kingdom 26/07/2013 Member Since 2013- HELPFUL VOTES
- 8
- ratings
- REVIEWS
- 14
- 10
"A fascinating subject"
What did you like most about Lady of the English?The story of Matilda and Stephen and the English Civil War - it linked so many isolated incidents that I had heard about in history lessons at school many years ago but this is the first time they have all come together for me. The story of Adeliza and William was also interesting particularly as there were actually supporting different sides.
Who was your favorite character and why?Elizabeth Chadwick seems to be able to put her academic research into the early medieval period into very entertaining fiction which still keeps true to the period without any irritating anachronisms.
Did the narration match the pace of the story?I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of costume, household effects, art and architecture - even the horse' s names were explained.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?I enjoyed Tomlinson's reading except for when she changed her voice for male characters - it sounded very silly at times and spoilt the narrative flow.
Any additional comments?I intend to start reading about Marshall and his life and times. I think there is a series of novels about the Greatest Knight.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful -
Ama 16/04/2014Ama 16/04/2014 Member Since 2012
History lover, Amateur dramatic and tea drinker.
- HELPFUL VOTES
- 33
- ratings
- REVIEWS
- 35
- 28
"Fair enough"
Would you consider the audio edition of Lady of the English to be better than the print version?Well, I feel that this book was actually a better portrayal of Adeliza of Louvain, I felt for her more. Matilda was fair enough, i was very sorry that she didn't get what was her birthright, or a husband who was of her choice or actually not a complete and utter terror.
What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?Adeliza of Louvain her inability to conceive with a very fertile man, her sorrows and then her incredible fecundity with Will. You actively root for her.
Which character – as performed by Patience Tomlinson – was your favourite?Adeliza of Louvain
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?Not really. The Actor was good but something about the book left me a little cold
1 of 1 people found this review helpful -
"Would have been better with a different narrator"
What made the experience of listening to Lady of the English the most enjoyable?The story was well written, which got me through
Who was your favorite character and why?Will because he stood up for what he believed in.
Did Patience Tomlinson do a good job differentiating each of the characters? How?She did give them all different voices, trouble was, they sounded ridiculous.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?Not especially.
Any additional comments?This book could have benefited from a different reader. It's the one drawback with audio books, if the narrator is bad, then it doesn't matter how good the book is. Obviously narrators are a personal thing, and others might love her, but for me, she ruined the book. I'm all for women speaking in a slightly lower register to differentiate between male and female characters, but her men sounded like they were living at the bottom of a well. Lady of the English is informative and clearly well researched, but it lacked the raw emotion I'm used to associating with Elizabeth Chadwick.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
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spoiled07/11/15
"If you are into boring dialogue and steamy sex scenes buy this book"
Intensely boring. Very poorly performed. Steamy hot sex scenes (and lots of them) which should not be necessary if the dialogue was engaging. Not a book worthy of comparison to Jane Austen or Phillipa Greggory as advertised. I'm so sorry I wasted my time on this piece of cliterature.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful -
Cat Maclachlanplanet ocean28/09/16
"Very Enjoyable!"
This book is well worth the credit! The writing is wonderful and extremely historically detailed. The narrator also gave a beautiful performance, and I will be looking for both the writer and the narrator again.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful -
ComputeAlabama20/01/16
"Sooooo Good"
I always enjoy Elizabeth Chadwick's books. She makes history simply come alive. This is a story about two strong women ... Matilda, the young daughter of King Henry who was never satisfied with what life gave her, and her stepmother Adeliza, a young woman close to Matilda's age. Both women are so very different, yet they find a friendship that transcended the years, politics and family dynamics. It also shows how a woman's strength can be displayed in such very different ways. Matilda, always brash, hard and ready to go found herself depending so many times on Adeliza, who was soft, kind and always looking at the very best in others. Both women forged a bond that was unique and lasted throughout their lives. The book was so well written that it had me looking up historical facts about both their lives. Excellent book and very well written, which is what I have learned is the norm for Ms. Chadwick. Excellent once again.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful