An Anglo-Saxon Queen

There’s a trend that has been en vogue for the last few years and I’m just going to say it, it’s really annoying. What is this trend, you ask yourself? It’s the objectification of women! Yay! Alright, that’s a bit melodramatic, but I’m tired of front covers with beautiful women in gowns.  Every YA, historical fiction, and inspirational fiction book aimed at women features some billowing skirt and a tasseled hairdo. I miss artistic covers instead of overly sexed women. Save it for romance covers.

Where did that come from?! Well, the book Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell features a blonde woman walking towards a gate. Typically, I’d avoid this kind of a book because of the reasons listed above, but it intrigued me (damn marketing). So my quest into 11^th century England began!

Emma is the daughter of the late Duke Richard of Normandy. She is an intelligent, lovely, moral young woman who must wait on her brother, the current Duke’s, leisure as to when and whom to marry. To Emma’s surprise, her brother makes a very fortuitous marriage arrangement between her and the widowed King of England, Ethelred. This marriage will bring Richard money and stature, and Ethelred a union with Normandy and the promise that the Normans will stop allowing Danish, Viking, ships to shelter their boats in Norman harbors. Emma is coroneted and becomes Queen of a land whose people she doesn't know and who mistrust her because of her foreign allegiances. The story unfolds as Emma discovers the hardships of a loveless marriage, gaining and losing power and influence, and caring for her people and her newly inherited lands. But the Danish threat always lingers.

Sometimes historical fiction delves too much into detail and I find myself pushing to get through a book. However, Shadow was a compelling novel. With what little detail there is about Queen Emma and this period in time, Bracewell created a stunning array of characters that catch the attention and a plot worth sinking your teeth into. The major characters all get first person time in the novel, so the reader gets some one on one time with Emma, Ethelred, the King’s son, and Emma’s rival. It can be messy to write in this fashion, but Bracewell made it enjoyable to get in the head of major characters, see their perspectives, motivations, and feelings. It makes it harder to hate the bad ones. Emma is the anchor of this novel. She is a compassionate, strong woman who knows what she must do and takes steps to gain power and influence in her new kingdom. This novel really struck home with how abhorrent the gender roles were in the 11^th century. Women were truly looked at as baby makers and servants. They had to shut up and put up. Although her main role is to have a male heir, Emma wants to be influential. She wants to be a Queen worthy of her crown.

This is, I believe, the first book in what is to be a trilogy. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record of the Anglo-Saxon rule prior to the Norma Invasion, outlines some of Emma’s life, but almost nothing about Emma’s marriage to Ethelred is stated in the chronicle, so Bracewell could get creative. I truly enjoyed getting to know an era that has very little written about it in fiction. Although the novel could be dark because of the way people were treated, especially women, the warring, and the mores, it was a compelling read. Emma is an intriguing and admirable Queen, and I look forward to the remaining books in this series. If you are a historical fiction reader, I highly suggest you give this one a gander.