(The Plantagenet Legacy, Book 1)
By Mercedes Rochelle
Publisher: Sergeant Press
Page Length: 313 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Richard II found himself under siege not once, but twice in his minority. Crowned king at age ten, he was only fourteen when the Peasants' Revolt terrorized London. But he proved himself every bit the Plantagenet successor, facing Wat Tyler and the rebels when all seemed lost.
Alas, his triumph was short-lived, and for the next ten years he struggled to assert himself against his uncles and increasingly hostile nobles. Just like in the days of his great-grandfather Edward II, vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding.
The Lords Appellant, as they came to be known, purged the royal household with the help of the Merciless Parliament. They murdered his closest allies, leaving the King alone and defenseless.
He would never forget his humiliation at the hands of his subjects.
Richard's inability to protect his adherents would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he vowed that next time, retribution would be his.
Review
I knew a little about Richard II before starting this, but clearly not nearly enough because I spent half the book thinking, how on earth did I not know about all of this?
The Peasants' Revolt was probably the biggest surprise for me. Richard was only fourteen and suddenly had thousands of angry rebels practically on his doorstep. I thought those chapters were brilliant, particularly because he doesn't come across as some fearless little hero. He's scared, he's surrounded by adults giving him conflicting advice, and then somehow he has to go out there and be the King.
I also really enjoyed John of Gaunt, which I wasn't expecting. He and Richard have such a complicated relationship. Richard resents him, needs him, distrusts him and, eventually, seems to realise that having his extremely powerful uncle around might actually be quite useful!
The further I got, the messier everything became. Richard wants to choose his own friends and advisers. The great nobles don't like being pushed aside. Richard digs his heels in. They dig theirs in even harder. Before you know it, people are being accused of treason and everyone appears to have an army except the actual King.
I didn't always agree with Richard either. Sometimes he made me want to tear my hair out, especially where Robert de Vere was concerned. You can understand why he is so attached to Robert, but there were definitely moments when I wanted to tell him that perhaps his favourite friend wasn't making his life any easier.
The character I unexpectedly became really fond of was Simon Burley. I won't say what happens, but there came a point when I realised where things might be heading and desperately wanted to be wrong.
I wasn't.
That hurt.
There are a LOT of people to keep track of in this book, and I occasionally had to remind myself which Thomas or Richard I was dealing with, but that's medieval England for you.
By the end I was completely invested. I loved that the final victory isn't some enormous battle or dramatic confrontation. After everything that has happened, Richard simply chooses his moment.
And what a satisfying moment it is.
Definitely one for historical fiction readers who enjoy plenty of politics, family feuds and people behaving very badly in the vicinity of a crown.
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Mercedes Rochelle
Born in St. Louis, MO, with a degree from University of Missouri, Mercedes Rochelle learned about living history as a re-enactor and has been enamored with historical fiction ever since. A move to New York to do research and two careers ensued, but writing fiction remains her primary vocation. She lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.
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📚 Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on A King Under Siege today! It's wonderful to have you joining us on the tour, and we're very grateful for your review. ❤️
ReplyDeleteSuch a splendid review! I'm so glad you liked it. (I had trouble keeping track of all those names, too!)
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